Dr Shane Strachan

Biography

Shane Strachan is a Lecturer in Creative Writing. He received a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Aberdeen in 2015.

He is a writer and performer who works across creative disciplines to explore stories connecting the Northeast of Scotland to the wider world, often in North East Scots (Doric).

His poetry book, DWAMS, was published by Tapsalteerie in April 2024 with support from the the Scots Language Publication Grant (Scottish Book Trust; Scottish Government). It went on to be shortlisted for Best Scots Book at the 2024 Scots Language Awards, and longlisted for Best Poetry Book at the 2024 Saltire Awards.

He was the National Library of Scotland's 2022-2023 Scots Scriever, through which he created new work in line with his research interests in Scots, oral tradition and reimagining archival material and verbatim.

Past works include Nevertheless: Sparkian Tales in Bulawayo (amaBooks), a novella inspired by Muriel Spark's time in southern Africa, multidisciplinary theatre projects The Shelter and Granite (National Theatre of Scotland), a spoken-word podcast and exhibition The Bill Gibb Line shown at Aberdeen Art Gallery across 2020-2021, and a further spoken-word installation, DREEPIN (Fertile Ground), reflecting on Aberdeen's relationship with oil and gas.

His stories and poems have appeared in New Writing Scotland, Gutter, Northwords Now, Stand and many more national publications. He has presented and performed work on BBC Radio 4, and also performed live for Edinburgh International Book Festival, Polari Literary Salon, Granite Noir, WayWORD and more.

Prizes and Awards

Loud Poets North Slam Champion 2024 and national Grand Slam finalist

Winner: 2024 McCash Poetry Prize for Scots poetry for 'The Last Ride'

Winner: Scots Champion and Best Scots Project, Scots Language Awards 2023

National Library of Scotland's Scots Scriever residency (2022-2023), Creative Scotland

Best Scottish Poems 2022, Scottish Poetry Library for 'Evening Departure, Footdee'

Nesta Alternarratives Awardee

Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship, Scottish Book Trust

Muriel Spark 100 Grant, Creative Scotland

Shortlisted:

• Best Rising Scottish Author at the 2024 The List Edinburgh Festival Awards
• Scots Book o the Year for DWAMS at the 2024 Scots Language Awards
• Scots Media Person o the Year at the 2023 Scots Language Awards
• Scots Writer of the Year at the 2020 Scots Language Awards
• Ross Roy Medal for Best Scottish Literary PhD at the 2015 Saltire Literary Awards.

Longlisted for Best Poetry Book at the 2024 Saltire Awards - Scotland's National Book Awards

Research Overview

My research takes the form of original writing across various forms including prose fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, theatre, spoken word and creative translations (into Scots), as well as multi-artform collaborations.

You can view my previous publications under 'Past Research' below or via the 'Publications' tab above.

Current Research

I am currently open to supervision enquiries for PhDs in Creative Writing.

My research interests for PhD supervision include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• creative writing in any dialect of Scots and/or non-standard dialects of English, particularly projects which engage with the oral tradition
• queer writing and/or other minority voices, particularly projects engaging with real-life figures
• interdisciplinary projects engaging with other creative disciplines (e.g. visual art, performance, music)
• writing that creatively incorporates verbatim and/or archival material

Past Research

Book and anthology publications:

'Beyond the Sea' in Adventure (Scottish Book Trust, 2023)

‘Ketea’ in Dinna Mess wi the Popo & Other Stories of North-East Scotland (The Elphinstone Institute, 2021)

'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' in We Were Always Here: a #QueerWords Anthology (404 Ink, 2019)

Nevertheless: Sparkian Tales in Bulawayo (amaBooks, 2018)

Three scenes, three poems and a prose piece in The Granite Mile (Aberdeen University Press, 2017)

'1972' in Out There (Glasgow, Freight, 2014) 

Literary magazine publications:

'Dads' in Gutter, Issue 28 (2023)

Two poems and article, 'Lost and Rare Voices' in Discover magazine (National Library of Scotland, 2023)

Three poems in Northwords Now, Issue 43 (2022)

‘Evening Departure at Footdee’ in Gutter, Issue 25 (2022)

‘Standing Stone’ in Northwords Now, Issue 38 (2019)

Two poems in Gutter, Issue 20 (2019)

Two poems in Causeway/Cabhsair, Volume 10.1 (2019)

'World View' in Causeway/Cabhsair, Volume 9.1 (2018)

'Genesis' in Gutter, Issue 17 (2018)

Opening chapter of Quines at Sea in Northwords Now, Issue 34 (2017)

An excerpt from Chapter 4 of Quines at Sea in Gutter, Issue 16 (2017)

'A Story for Mrs Grey' in Causeway/Cabhsair, Volume 7.2 (2017)

'Weir of Hermiston' in The Interpreter's House, Issue 61 (2016)

'Clype' in Causeway/Cabhsair, Volume 6.2 (2015)

'Starnie' in Stand magazine, Volume 13.3 (2015)

'Día de los Muertos' in Pushing Out the Boat, Issue 13 (2015)

'On a Painting by Sang Jianguo' in Gutter, Issue 12 (2015)

'Caul Iron', in Causeway/Cabhsair, Volume 5.2 (2014)

'Ketea' in Northwords Now, Issue 27 (2014)

'Cracked' in Leopard Magazine (2014)

'The Struldbrugs' in New Writing Scotland 31 (Glasgow: ASLS, 2013)

'Mormond Braes' in Northwords Now, Issue 21 (2012)

Published translations:

‘The Woof and the Cuddie’, Scots translation in The Itchy Coo Book o Aesop’s Fables in Scots (Black and White Publishing, 2022)

‘At Sherrifmuir’ in Look, Breathe: Poems and Translations by Chris Powici and Friends (Red Squirrel Press, 2022)

‘The Wee Moosie and the Swickfu Cat’ in The Itchy Coo Book o Grimms’ Fairy Tales in Scots (Black and White Publishing, 2021)

‘The Ugly Deukie’ in The Itchy Coo Book o Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales in Scots (Black and White Publishing, 2020)

Online-only publications:

'Art in Hospitals: Potentials and Pitfalls' for The Polyphony (2023)

'Ma Da Disna' and 'Farm Boy to Fashion Designer' for TIE (Time for Inclusive Education, 2023)

‘Drover’ for the Scottish Poetry Library’s Walter Scott 250 celebrations (2021)

‘Queen of Queens’ for V&A Dundee (2021)

‘The Clype’ and ‘Fash’ in Dinnae Mak Me Laugh (Scots Hoose, 2021)

‘Hoast’ for the Scots in Schools (2020)

‘Click Here for Translation’ for Lux Scotland (2019)

'Gyurd' on Long Story, Short (2015)