The National Centre for Writing (NCW) is inviting emerging fiction writers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk to apply for its 2026 Escalator New Writing Fellowships. Ellie Reeves, programme officer at NCW, said: "We’re thrilled to welcome our new mentors to the Escalator Fellowships programme. Santanu Bhattacharya (Image: Behrin Ismailov)"They will help Fellows develop their work, navigate challenges, and build momentum towards their writing ambitions. Since its launch, Escalator has supported more than 160 writers, with over half going on to publish books and build careers in writing, teaching, and performance. "Having had first-hand experience of the Escalator Scheme from both sides now, I've seen the wonderfully positive experiences that come from it.