A unique, fully-funded opportunity for emerging children’s writers of colour to attend a workshop at the stunning Roman Baths in Bath, and write a Roman story that will reach thousands of young readers.
Applications open from 5 pm 10th July 2026 and close midnight 31st August 2026. Scroll down for more details or go straight to the application page.
Whether you’re passionate about Roman history, or just curious to try writing children’s historical fiction for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to partner with a world-class heritage site, and a world-class MA in Writing for Young People. All with the guarantee of reaching more readers than many first novels do!
Did you know that people from all over the world lived and thrived together in Roman Britain? From the wealthy Ivory Bangle lady who may have been an early Christian, to the African legions stationed on Hadrian’s Wall and the Syrian-origin man called Barates who married a British freedwoman, to the North African emperor Septimius Severus who died in York: inspiration for exciting stories of migration is everywhere. Roman history really is everybody’s history!
Megaphone founder Leila Rasheed based her novel Empire’s End, for older readers, on her experience growing up in Libya and exploring the ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities like Cyrene.… then travelling to Yorkshire, exactly the same journey Camilla makes in the book.
Our Roman Stories is a writer talent development project, in partnership with the world-famous Roman Baths and Bath Spa MA in Writing for Young People. It runs from autumn 2026 to summer 2027. Scroll down to read more or click the links.
- On 14th November 2026 ten emerging children’s writers of colour will get to explore the collections and site of the Roman Baths and take part in a day of writing workshops at the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre, together with ten writers from Bath Spa MA in Writing for Young People.
- Following the workshop, between November 2026 and summer 2027 they will write short stories of around 2,000 words aimed at primary school children, and set in a realistically diverse Roman world.
- There is no cost to participants. Applicants will be asked to send in a short writing sample and will be selected on merit. More details on the application page.
- Definition of ’emerging writer’. For this specific project, ’emerging’ means you should not be published already in mainstream children’s fiction. If you are signed to a literary agency, we advise you to have an appropriate conversation with your agent, explain that you intend to take part and make them aware of the publishing agreement.
- In summer 2027 all writers who wish to will have their short stories published on the Roman Baths learning hub and promoted to schools who visit, reaching thousands of readers (nearly 14,000 school-children per year visit the Roman Baths!). We have prepared a publishing agreement to cover both Writers and The Roman Baths’ roles – please read this before applying.
- There will be opportunities to bring the stories to child readers through the British Festival of Archaeology and a home education day at the museum.
- You will be supported through the period that you are writing your story, by regular Zoom meetings with the other participants in the form of a peer critique group hosted by Leila Rasheed. Leila is the author of EMPIRE’S END: A ROMAN STORY and she is an experienced mentor and workshop leader.
- You can read about the application process here. In the meantime, if you’re interested, please register below and we will email you when the application form goes live.
- Please note – the form below is simply to register interest in hearing when Our Roman Stories opens for applications. It is not an application form. You don’t need to include any additional message or supporting information.
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