If you’re an aspiring writer, the dream of ditching it all to work on your craft can seem impossible. Even if you have the next great American novel in your head, daily concerns like working to make ends meet can keep you from achieving your goals.
But there are many writing grants available that can help you focus on your writing. Here are six writing fellowships and grants that can help fund your work.
The Kerouac Project
The Kerouac Project, named after famous author Jack Kerouac, offers four writing residencies each year. If the panel selects you as the winner, you will spend three months living and writing in the same house Kerouac wrote his most well-known novels.
Housing and utilities are part of the award, and you will also get a $1,000 food stipend. As part of the residency, the organization asks you to participate in a welcome dinner and a reading of your work at the end of your residency. Otherwise, you have complete freedom to work on your own novel.
Whether you have a master’s degree in literature or are self-taught, writers of all backgrounds are welcome to apply. The deadline for applications is March 12, 2017.
The Disney/ABC Television Writing Program
Interested in writing for television? The Disney/ABC Television Writing Program is one of the most well-respected initiatives of its kind. Selected writers spend a year as a staff writer on a Disney/ABC show. Past participants include writers for hit shows like “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Once Upon a Time.”
If the program chooses you, they’ll pay you a weekly salary of $961, complete with benefits. Besides getting a chance to work on real TV shows, participants also take part in seminars and workshops with veteran writers.
To be eligible, you must be at least 21 years old and submit an original pilot script and a spec script for a current television series. You also need to send in your resume, a personal essay, and letters of recommendation. For more information and to apply, visit the website.
Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Competition
Don Nicholl was a famous British screenwriter who worked on shows like “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons.” After he passed away, his widow, Gee, founded the Academy Nicholl Competition. She remembered how much they struggled financially at the beginning of her husband’s career.
Every year, the Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Competition awards up to five fellowships to screenwriters. Any amateur screenwriter who has not yet earned $25,000 in the movie or television industry is eligible to apply.
There is a small fee to enter, but college or graduate school students can get a discount. You can submit your screenplay for consideration until May 1, 2017.
National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship
If you have a fantastic idea for a book or poem, but don’t have the time or resources to work on it, this fellowship might be for you. The National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship offers $25,000 to enable individuals to work on their writing, travel, or research.
For more information and to apply, visit the fellowship website.
Sustainable Arts Foundation Award
As a parent, focusing on your child’s needs can limit you from following your dreams and writing. The Sustainable Arts Foundation Award is one of the few writing grants designed for artists with families.
The Sustainable Arts Foundation offers at least five awards of $6,000 each and five awards of $2,000 each to selected individuals. Whether you’re a nonfiction novelist or a poet, you are eligible to apply. The deadline for the 2017 awards is Aug. 31.
Awesome Foundation Grant
The Awesome Foundation gives out micro-grants of $1,000 to people doing great things. That can mean writing an industry-changing article, an investigative piece, or an inspiring book. There are no strings attached; the money is yours to do with as you please. You can use it to attend a conference, pay down debt, or anything else that will help you in your journey.
The application is deceptively simple; it can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. To apply, check out the Awesome Foundation’s site.
Writing grants can help you follow your dreams
If you’ve always dreamed of writing, but never had the time or money to do so, writing fellowships and grants can help make your dream a reality. These writing grants can give you the time and money to completely dedicate yourself to your art.
If you’re looking for even more information on grants, find out how to get free money to pay off your student loans.
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