Scottish Authors

Browse our list of Scottish and Scotland-based authors and their work

• Iain Banks

  - Acclaimed writer of both general fiction and SF

• Theresa Breslin

  - Highly regarded childrens and young peoples author

• Christopher Brookmyre

  - Dubbed the inventor of 'Tartan Noir'

• George Mackay Brown

  - Author and poet who embodied the literary spirit of Orkney

• John Buchan

  - Author of The 39 Steps

• Robert Burns

  - Our national poet and songwriter

• T M Devine

  - Scottish historian

• Isla Dewar

  - Exceedingly popular Edinburgh author

• Gordon Donaldson

  - Author of over thirty books on Scottish history

• Arthur Conan Doyle

  - Creator of master detective Sherlock Homes

• Carol Ann Duffy

  - Acclaimed Scottish poet and playwright

• Dorothy Dunnett

  - World famous author of historical fiction such as The Lymond Chronicles

• Margaret Elphinstone

  - Historical fiction writer

• George MacDonald Fraser

  - Screenwriter and author of the Flashman series of novels

• Janice Galloway

  - Award-winning novelist

• Lewis Grassic Gibbon

  - Author of The Scots Quair

• Alasdair Gray

  - Legendary Glasgow artist and writer

• Andrew Greig

  - Novelist, poet and mountaineering writer

• Neil M Gunn

  - Author of The Silver Darlings

• Mairi Hedderwick

  - Author and illustrator of childrens and travel books

• Laura Hird

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• James Hogg

  - The Ettrick Shepherd

• James Hunter

  - Acclaimed social historian and promoter of Highland life and commerce

• Quintin Jardine

  - Crime writer famous for the Skinner series of novels

• Paul Johnston

  - Futuristic crime author

• James Kelman

  - Booker prize winning author

• A L Kennedy

  - Multi-award winning novelist

• Alanna Knight

  - Novelist and biographer

• Liz Lochhead

  - Poet and playwright

• Michael Lynch

  - Scottish historian

• Norman MacCaig

  - Much-loved poet

• Bernard MacLaverty

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• Magnus Magnusson

  - The much loved Icelandic TV presenter who was also a fine historian.

• William McIlvanney

  - Glasgow writer and journalist

• Denise Mina

  - Writer of crime fiction and comics

• Neil Munro

  - Author of the Para Handy stories

• John Prebble

  - Writer who popularised 18th century Scottish history

• Colin Prior

  - Renowned landscape photographer

• Ian Rankin

  - World-renowned author of crime novels featuring Edinburgh detective John Rebus

• J K Rowling

  - needs no introduction!

• Sir Walter Scott

  - The father of historical fiction

• Alexander McCall Smith

  - Author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series

• Ali Smith

  - Inverness-born award winning writer

• Muriel Spark

  - Internationally known author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

• Alan Spence

  - Author, haiki poet, and playwright

• Robert Louis Stevenson

  - World famous author of Kidnapped and Treasure Island

• Nigel Tranter

  - Who brought Scottish history to a wide audience through his dramatised historical novels

• Alan Warner

  - Somerset Maugham award winner

• Fiona Watson

  - Scottish historian

• Tom Weir

  - Greatly loved broadcaster, writer and mountaineer

• Irvine Welsh

  - Controversial author of Trainspotting