William Letford

William Letford has worked as a roofer, on and off, since he was fifteen years old. He has received a New Writer’s Award from the Scottish Book Trust and an Edwin Morgan Travel Bursary which allowed him to spend three months in the mountains of northern Italy helping to restore a medieval village. He has an M.Litt in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow.

In 2011 he was considered “A particular highlight at last night’s Unbound in the Spiegeltent…” by

The Guardian

Courtesy of Carcanet Press

During his work as a roofer William would hide poetry in the buildings “I love the idea of it not being seen for so long, then discovered along with the measurements and the pencil marks.” Letford told The Independent.

I don’t sign them and don’t take note of where they are. I didn’t plan any of them and apart from the people I was working with, nobody knew they were up there. In 100 years or so it will be incredible if somebody stumbles across them.