An Aberdeen writer has been awarded funding to create a unique online story.
Shane Strachan is one of only three Scotland-based scribes to receive a £1,500 bursary from charity Nesta.
The organisation helps writers explore new methods in short-form storytelling, and search for ways to get youngsters into reading for pleasure.
Mr Strachan’s intriguing online tale, which will be released during the summer, centres around a missing teenage girl.
In an experience like no other, young readers will use various websites and online applications to follow the story.
Although the idea was developed before the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing rules, Mr Strachan hopes it will be well-suited to keep people entertained during and after lockdown.
“My project has always been about getting young people back into reading,” he said.
“The current lockdown has left a lot of people isolated from their friends and family and relying even more on their phones for contact as well as for entertainment.
“For social media savvy young people who maybe don’t normally read many books, I hope my digital mystery will help keep them interested and show how exciting and involving a good story can be.”
Mr Strachan is known in Aberdeen’s cultural circles for his steps to promote Doric, including translating How the Grinch Stole Christmas for a north-east audience, and his work to highlight internationally acclaimed, but often unsung, north-east fashion designer Bill Gibb.
Episode 2 of @Shane_Strachan's Bill Gibb podcast is out now! https://t.co/YZn15ccWOw
— Creative Learning (@CLT_Abdn) April 6, 2020
He is one of nine writers in the UK to have been awarded the £1,500 bursary to develop a new story, with other projects ranging from an artificial intelligence-powered retelling of Romeo and Juliet, to a story told through interactive soundscapes.
By the end of July, one of the writers will be chosen by a panel of experts to win a £15,000 prize.
Fran Sanderson, director of arts and culture investment and programmes at Nesta, added: “As we are all experiencing the challenges of social distancing, keeping young people engaged and stimulated through storytelling is more important than ever.”