SCBWI Grants. Apply. Apply. Apply.

by

Dave Amaditz

How many of you have applied, or have ever thought about applying for a grant? Or should I say, how many of you have decided not to apply for a grant because you thought the chances of being selected were so slim it wasn't worth your time?

I suspect most of you would fall in the latter category. I say that, because I, too, have often had that thought cross my mind. If you’re a regular follower of our blog you may have noticed a post from July 27, 2012 titled,  Winner - SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant For a Contemporary Novel  - Dirty Secrets, YA- Persistence Pays:. If not, follow the link and check it out. http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-winner-scbwi-work-in-progress.html

I am the beneficiary of the SCBWI grant, and to say the least, I'm glad I applied.

However, life almost made it so it didn't happen.

I was busy with rewriting my story, work, family, and other things that make the hours and days pass too quickly. The deadline to apply for the grant was March 15, 2012. In late February or early March, while perusing the SCBWI website, I came across the link announcing the grants available to all members. Should I give it a try, I thought? Not much time left. Would I be able to pull it together... especially something that had a legitimate chance?

After carefully reading all the requirements, I decided it might be worth my while to apply.

The application consisted of three major parts: the writing sample, in which I had to include a synopsis of my work, a biography, and planned use of grant money. I thought I had a pretty good start on things because both my writing sample and synopsis were polished. (At least I'd hoped they were polished, and if they weren't, this was the chance to see what others outside my writing circle thought.) The second and third parts required a bit of work... only five or six or seven drafts or more compared to the thirty or so I'd put into my writing sample. In the end, I thought, even if I didn't win, the process would be great preparation for when I finally decided to send to an editor or agent.

To me, the exercise was worthwhile, and not only because I was awarded the grant. Win or lose, it would have given me a chance to see where I stacked among my peers. (Lose; back to the drawing board. Win; bask in a bit of glory.) On top of that, the whole process let me focus on my writing by putting together a professional package worthy of publication.

I highly recommend everyone who is an SCBWI member look into the grants available (there are many at the following link)  http://www.scbwi.org/  For those of you not members, I recommend you look into joining, because the grant process is but one small benefit of being a member.

Better late than never. What could it hurt?

2012 Winner - SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant For a Contemporary Novel - Dirty Secrets, YA - Persistence Pays:

by

Dave Amaditz

Some of you who have followed our blog for a while may remember earlier posts I've written (Revision and Character Growth - http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2012/04/revision-and-character-growth.html) (When Is the End, the End: An Update - http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-is-end-end-update.html#comment-form) (When Is the End, the End? - http://rt19writers.blogspot.com/2011/08/when-is-end-end.html#comment-form) about the current novel I've written... Or should I say rewriting... Or should I say have rewritten again and again and again.

So as not to bore you, I'll just say that all posts had do with the fact that I've been writing this novel for a long time and many things about the story have changed, including the age of my characters and the focus of my story. The premise of the posts went unwritten. .. Remain persistent. Don't give up on something you believe in, especially if that something has promise.

Last Friday, after looking out the window most of the morning from my writer's desk into a rain-filled sky, I received an e-mail, a reward for my persistence . My young adult novel, Dirty Secrets, was picked as the winner of this year’s SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant for a contemporary novel. http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Work-In-Progress-Grants

 Wow! I nearly fell out of my chair.

I'm still reeling a bit now, still amazed at the accomplishment, because it was completely unexpected. I had hoped of course that the story was strong enough to receive some type of recognition, a letter of merit or honorable mention. This completely blew away my expectations.

Now, as I try to float slowly back to earth, I need to remind myself that the reward is not an excuse to stop working. In fact, the work still ahead is what allows me to continue to focus on my main goal, publication.

There's more to write about the award, and the road which led me to apply, but I'll save that for another time.

In the meantime, for all of you who may be feeling a bit low, a bit down on your luck because you haven't heard from an editor or agent, keep this story in mind as one of hope, one that will shed a little light onto an otherwise darkened landscape.