Counseling for Foreign-Background Writers

Sivuvalo is a community of Finnish- and foreign-born writers and translators with an interest in the symbolic wealth newcomers afford our literary scene. [See Sivuvalo’s “Manifesto”]

We know what it means to be a foreign-background writer in Finland. It’s not easy, but we believe a well-guided effort can yield great results.

If you are a writer or are interested in becoming a writer in non-official languages (i.e., other than Finnish, Swedish, Sami), we can offer you counseling in a range of subjects:

Manuscript appraisal. We want to read your work and know what you’re up to. Are you planning a book project? Or working on single texts? Are you writing in your mother tongue? In a second or third language? We can offer you personalized feedback and help you design a writing program that helps you accomplish your goals. We can  reach out to you in Finnish, Spanish, English, and French. For appraisal in Russian and Arabic, we resort to off-site collaborators, so please be patient.

Mentorship. Do you want to explore the world or the far reaches of your imagination using the tools of literature? Do you wish to develop your writing capabilities or have a defined book project? If you don’t live in Helsinki or can’t meet in person, we can offer you online support.

Online publication. Over the years, we have published a careful selection of writers that engage with avant-garde, postmodernism, posthumanism, and other contemporary aesthetics. We can’t publish everything we’re sent, but we will read you carefully. If we can’t publish you, we’ll give you our reasons and offer constructive feedback. Take a look at our contributor’s texts. If we can publish you, we’ll put together a substantial bio and a selection of your wok, and display it on our social media. (See Walid Zribi ‘s profile.) 

Networking. If you wish to meet fellow-minded artists and you don’t know where to start, we are happy to provide you with a panorama of Finland’s literary circuit, including festivals, collectives, publishing houses, hot new releases, etc. Are you acquainted with Finnish, Swedish, Sami literature? There are many gems that might surprise you. There are also some databases with names of literary translators and event pages that will help you take off in your Finnish foray. And of course, you’re always welcome to swing by our office for coffee and a chat.