Women in Speculative Fiction Giving Circle

pictures of Clarion West instructors
Top to bottom: Octavia Butler, Hiromi Goto, Connie Willis, N.K. Jemisin, Ursula K. Le Guin, Charlie Jane Anders (photo of Ursula K. Le Guin by Eileen Gunn)

To ensure that women’s voices continue to inspire and change the world, Clarion West has established a giving circle dedicated to women in science fiction and fantasy.

The Women in Speculative Fiction Giving Circle helps pay for women to teach and to attend the Six-Week and One-Day Workshops. Clarion West was founded by three women: Vonda McIntyre, Marilyn Holt, and JT Stewart. Their vision inspires the organization each year, with each new workshop. If there’s a woman who’s inspired you to support and participate in speculative fiction, you can help bring her legacy forward!

A contribution of $100 or more will help Clarion West honor her, and will allow you to include her name on this web page.  You can also make a general gift to this fund in recognition of all of the women who contribute to speculative fiction. Making your contribution an annual pledge assures that these women—the women who have made our field as important and successful as it is—will be remembered not only this year, but in years to come.

Clarion West’s founding mothers have helped make this field great. You can help keep it great. Please join our giving circle today and honor the important contributions of women in speculative fiction.

You can use the PayPal button on this page to donate to the giving circle. Be sure to click the “add special instructions to the seller” link in the donation review screen and fill in the name of the woman you’d like to celebrate with your gift, or that you are making a general gift to support women writers. You can also include a short note (maximum six words) about her contribution to speculative fiction. If you prefer not to be listed, you can opt to be unlisted or listed as anonymous—just let us know in the notes field of your PayPal donation or email .

If you’d like to donate monthly to the Giving Circle, click the Make this recurring (monthly) checkbox on the PayPal form.

Don’t want to donate online? You can send us a check—be sure to include a note indicating that you intend your gift to support the Women in Speculative Fiction Giving Circle and let us know who you would like to honor. Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 31264, Seattle, WA  98103-1264.

Giving Circle memberIn Celebration of
Stephanie SmithVonda N. McIntyre, Ursula K. Le Guin & Lizzie Lynn
Karen G. AndersonPeggy Rae Sapienza (in memoriam)
Caroline BobanickNisi Shawl and her novel Everfair
Tom WhitmoreChelsea Quinn Yarbro — fan, writer, mentor and friend
John and Marilyn HedtkeVonda McIntyre
AnonymousEileen Gunn: storymaker, wisdom-sharer, creation catalyst
Kathy GillFor all the women writing in this field but especially Octavia E. Butler and Margaret Atwood, who forever changed how I see today’s world
Diane JohnsonUrsula Le Guin — her imagination and style inspire!
AnonymousEllen Datlow and Pat Cadigan — speculative fiction pioneers, catalysts, and brilliant instructors.
Kristi AustinJane Hawkins
AnonymousNicola Griffith and Kelley Eskridge
Henry LienSheila Williams
Blaise SelbyMary Rosenblum — in memoriam
Jeanne GomollSuzy McKee Charnas — Suzy’s work connected SF and feminism for me exactly when I needed that connection
Karen G. AndersonAnita Rowland, convention organizer (in memoriam)
Jeremy and Cori HullN.K. Jemisin — for laughs, love, tears, and inspiration
Kathleen AlcaláIn recognition of Joanna Russ