The Working Class Writers Grant (Annually in September)

OPEN SEPTEMBER 1 - sEPTEMBER 30 ANNUALLY

Award: $1,000 USD.

Since 2013, the Working Class Writers Grant has been awarded annually to speculative fiction writers who are working class, blue-collar, financially disadvantaged, or homeless, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers which make it hard to access the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to purchase a computer, books, and tuition, or to attend conventions or workshops. Often, these writers, many of whom work more than one job, have less time to write. The SLF seeks to bring more of these marginalized voices into speculative fiction.

This grant, as with all SLF grants, is intended to help writers working with speculative literature. Speculative literature spans the breadth of fantastic writing, encompassing literature ranging from hard science fiction to epic fantasy, including ghost stories, horror, folk and fairy tales, slipstream, magical realism, and more. Any piece of literature containing a fabulist or speculative element would fall under our aegis.

Unlike our other grants, you may choose to receive this grant anonymously or pseudonymously.

Please note that the goal of these grants is to help as many writers as possible, so recent winners can reapply but will be considered low-priority within a 2-year window of winning. Given our limited funds, we will prioritize applicants currently in financial need.

The application form for the Working Class Writers Grant is only active during the open submission period 12:00AM September 1 – 11:59PM September 30 (All times UTC -4). Required materials include:

• A cover letter: Please include a personal statement (not to exceed 750 words) explaining why you qualify for and what you hope to accomplish with the help of this grant. A bibliography of previously published work may be included if applicable and will not count toward the requested word limit. Applicants need not have prior publishing credits to apply.
• A writing sample: Please send your best work — up to 10 pages of poetry, 10 pages of drama, or 5,000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction. If you are sending a segment of a novel, novella, or novelette, include a one-page synopsis as the first page of the document. The submitted work must be speculative, as defined above.

Jurors will deliberate with the goal of announcing winners in November