The schreiben&lebenExTRA project supports Berlin writers by providing advice, mentoring, information, networking and advertising. The offer is aimed at authors, translators, editors, book designers, literary organizers and other solo freelancers in the literary industry.

As part of the free individual consultation program, experts from the literary industry and other disciplines have been providing advice on topics relating to literary freelancing since autumn 2016 – from finding an agency and publisher, applying for a grant, KSK, VG Wort to self-publishing, crowdfunding and social media. Qualified legal advice is also available. In order to do justice to the linguistic diversity of the Berlin literary scene, consultations can be held in eight languages.

The Industry Meetup: Literature is organized annually and brings together Berlin’s literary professionals, provides them with expertise and creates new networks. As part of the Industry Meetup, we have also been organizing a Barcamp since 2023, where participants can independently discuss all burning professional issues.

A successful joint online ticketing system provides an infrastructure that can be used cost-effectively by all of Berlin’s literature event organizers. The Berlin literary calendar offers a monthly overview of literary events in the city on an A1 poster.

The “Literaturstadt Berlin” campaign, which was launched together with the Berlin Literature Conference, aims to make Berlin’s literary life accessible to a wider public and raise awareness of the city’s literary wealth.

schreiben & leben is funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Europe and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).