Money money money

If you intend to apply to Clarion West this year, now's the time to polish your application, decide which of your stories is the best, and figure out your finances so you'll be able to afford the workshop. I want to concentrate on the finance angle, since that's where I've put most of my volunteer energy for the past sixteen years.

Please note that this is my personal perspective as someone who attended the workshop and who now volunteers to raise money for Clarion West, rather than an official pronouncement from the workshop.

The workshop costs $3200, which includes tuition, your room, and most of your food. You need to get yourself to Seattle, which could run a fair amount if you live far away. In addition, whatever your regular expenses are -- mortgage payments, rent, utilities, feeding your kids, boarding your parakeet -- you'll need to be able to cover those during the workshop. The largest cost for most people is foregone income, the amount you aren't earning in your regular job for six weeks while you're concentrating on your writing.

So what's the best way to pay for all this?

The same as any major purchase: plan ahead, just as you would to buy a car or a house or an advanced degree in astrophysics. Set a little money aside every month in a savings account, and eventually you'll be able to pay for that car, that house, those six weeks in Seattle.

Life doesn't always work on a pay-as-you go basis, and just as there are alternatives for financing a car or a house or a degree in astrophysics, there are alternatives for financing six weeks working on your writing in Seattle. It may be harder to find financing for your writing than for a degree in astrophysics, but in either case, research can help you. Here are some places to start looking.

Clarion West
The workshop has some limited scholarship funding available, described on the workshop page. Most scholarships are partial, but there are a few full scholarships available, including the newly-established Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship for writers of color. If you need financial assistance, be sure to submit the scholarship application when you apply to the workshop, and include as much information as possible about your financial situation.

In addition to scholarship assistance, Clarion West has some funds available for assistive technology for students with special needs thanks to a donation from ReadAssist.

Other sources, not administered by Clarion West
Please note that you'll have to search within these sites for possibilities and that there is no guarantee that there will be a grant program that fits your particular circumstances.

Local Arts Councils
Many states, provinces, cities, counties, and even neighborhoods have arts councils, which may have quick grant money available for artists who live there. Even if they don't have money available themselves, they may have suggestions about other sources of funding in your region.

College and High School Alumni Associations
The school you attended may have scholarship funds to support alumni pursuing new careers and enrichment. Again, if they don't have money themselves, they may know about other resources. If you're still in college, your school might have small scholarships for summer workshops. We've had students attend with such scholarships from community colleges and from ivy-covered ones.

Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) Grants Committee
SFWA doesn't have any money designated for workshop scholarships, but Nalo Hopkinson maintains a listserve where she posts information about grants, residencies, fellowships and other types of financial support for writers while they are working on projects. There may be a grant that would fit you listed there, or it may lead to other links and ideas that may work for you.

Local Science Fiction Fan Groups and Conventions
Some long-established fan clubs and conventions have funds available for writers from their area. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and are applying for scholarship assistance from Clarion West, some of your support will be funded by the Donald and Elsie Wollheim Scholarship Fund, administered by the Lunarians. If you live elsewhere, you may know about fan groups and conventions willing to support you on a one-shot basis.

Fraternal, Benevolent, Professional, Neighborhood, and Other Associations
If you're an Elk or a Daughter of the American Revolution or a child of a firefighter, there may be a fund that could benefit you. Poke around in the odd corners of your life and your family's life.

Arts resources within Washington State
Arts Resource Network

Canadian Arts Councils
Check with your local council under Professional Development Grants

Grants for Individuals
Writing and Translation - http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3writing.htm

Pride Foundation
Grants and scholarships for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and straight-ally (straight and supportive of LGBT issues) students, as well as students from LGBT families. This year's deadline is January 25, 2008. http://www.pridefoundation.org/

Writing Groups
Your writing group may be as broke as you are, but they may know something about funding that you don't. Ask them for advice.