Category Archives: Literary Grant

Literary Grant, Writers resources

Literary grant: free money

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In 2013 the local art council of the county was offering a literary grant. You could ask up to $2500. The point of the grant was to fund projects that would help us progress to the next level of our career. I was fortunate to be one of seven applicants to get awarded.

The rule is you can’t apply two years in a row if you win. That was okay for last year the grant was not strictly literary but all art. However this year they are funding another literary grant and I am debating trying for it or not. Time is not on my side and I hate to do a hap hazard job of it and then not stand a shot of getting my grant application approved.

I have written up half of what is required so far but the deadline is next month and time is going by fast for me to get it all done. So I am flip-flopping on this issue. It’s free money to spend on what I need. It is worth a shot even if I don’t win, right? I am trying to figure out what to legitimately ask for, quote the prices and keep working on this applicant and see where it falls. For as my motto has been for the last few years when it comes to my writing has not changed, “All they can say is no.

Author, Literary Grant, Writing

Literary Grant

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Last Fall I applied for a literary grant and learned afterwards I’d won. The grant was open to everyone from the county. I was one of the seven who were rewarded with a grant. My thinking was, all they can say is no. Seriously that was the worse they could say to me was my thinking as I filled out the forms needed to apply. I received the check this week, 80% of it that is. Once I finish the project and show the council the receipts they will reimburse me for the remaining 20%.

But now I get to spend other people’s money without having to pay it back. That is amazing as I get to be a writer in a store of supplies where the only limits is one’s imagination.

What I included in my proposal:

-Membership in the SCBWI

-Membership in the NCWN

-Upgrade of my website

The physical aspect involved me getting a smart pen which I am so excited to purchase and receive. For someone who writes all their stories by hand and then retyping it, this is huge. It will save me the time and energy of having to type all over again. With the smart pen I will purchase just about every accessory that one can possible get.

For someone who has tried the Dragon program repeatedly this is gold. The more I tried to train the program the more it hung and paused basically thinking, “What the heck did she just say?” I talk fast and I mean fast. Plus my Northern and now Southern accent does not help. So the next best thing short of having someone sit here and type as I speak, is this pen.

This grant will help me move my career and brand forward with the contacts from the two organizations and being able to bring more of my stories to text. I plan to apply for more grants when time permits.

To the people who told me I was wasting my time and that I did not fit the requirements for it, I’m glad I didn’t listen. I’m glad I stuck to my guns and my mantra of, “All they can say is no.”

Author, Celebration, Literary Grant

Literary Grant: I won

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I have never ever applied for a grant of any kind. Yet this year I heard of a literary grant being offered from our Art Council in town. Figured it couldn’t hurt to attend one of the workshops I learned some key tips on how to make the application shine.

I decided to apply for all they could say was no. So by August 25th I filled out the forms, got recommendations from a few people, scanned and printed the budget supported materials that would be in the budget plan and dotted my i’s and crossed my t’s. The grant would run for the entire year of 2014. The waiting game began. I did not literally count the days, we all have lives.

One day in November I walked to my mailbox to find a letter from the council. I dropped all the letters I had in my hand to the payment as I opened it up. Anyone driving or walking by would have seen a craze woman looking at the sky with tears in her eyes as her mail surrounded her at her feet. Only seven people were selected from my county and I was one of them. This has blown me away. I can add this to my resume of accomplishments. The goal of this grant was people in the literary field and how to advance their career to the next level.

I feel truly fortunate that they felt my application deserved the funds that were requested to help me on my next journey. It has given me motivation to try for more grants. For again all they can say is no, right?