Topic: SCBWI Grants

[hairaplenty]

I'm interested in applying for one of the grants and I am wondering if others who have won or received honerable mention may offer tips.  In particular what you said you would spend monies on.

                                       

[YAScribe]

I won the 2009 WIP Grant for a Contemporary Novel. I said I'd use the money to attend the Winter Conference and that's what I'm doing in two weeks!

Best wishes with your application!

[hairaplenty]

Hey thanks YAScribe--and congratulations--WIll you be at the Blue Boarder dinner?

[whbeck]

I won a runner-up grant in the general category last fall and said on my application that I'd use the grant money for the LA conference. However, since the runner-up prize is less than the full, I'm not going to make it. Instead, I'm using it for a closer conference.

Beck

[write2live]

Same here. I won the Barbara Karlin grant in '07 and mentioned that I would put the money back into more education, ( i.e. workshops/conferences) which I did. Good luck!

[RES]

I damaged my back and spine doing something very specific to research my historical fiction novel. I won the WIP grant and on my application I had specified that I would use some of the funds toward medical debt incurred as a result of the injury and the rest to continue my research.

[Vijaya]

I got an HM for my novel one year and said I would use the money for childcare, but there's no money with HMs ...

A question: do you think using the money for research or education is considered more *worthy* than things like childcare to free up time to write?

Vijaya

[YAScribe]

I won't be able to attend the dinner, but hope to meet some Blue Boarders at the conference.
 

[hairaplenty]

Vijaya,
I think it mentions childcare as one of the possiblity's on the application.  But, I do think mentioning that going to a SCBWI conference probably would put one closer to winning.  Just my gut feeling.  Congratulations, BTW!

Thanks everyone for this feedback.  Now for another ?.  Has winning anything related to the grants, help you in anyway move forward?

[Anne Marie]

Well, I've entered three times; the first two times, I said conferences and child care and was not recognized.  This year, I said we'd been hit hard by the economy and frankly, I was going to use it to pay bills, and I received a letter of merit. 

Whatever you can deduce from that, feel free to deduce.  My only assumption is that my writing sample for this particular application happened to most closely match the subjective sensibilities of these particular judges.

[Dragonfly97]

I received a 2007 WIP grant, and said I'd use the money for conferences, classes, office-type costs and child care.  I think what you say you're going to do with the money has less to do with receiving a grant than, as Anne Marie said, how your writing matches the sensibilities of those particular judges.  FWIW - they do not follow up on how you used the money.

[Vijaya]

Yup, this business is so subjective and I have no way to evaluate since each year I've applied, I've done it with a different manuscript. I agree that the ms must resonate with the judges, but wondered about use of money ... thanks ladies.
Vijaya

[Lill]

I haven't won or gotten an HM .. but I have stated that the money will be used for household expenses so I can work on the project instead of taking on more free lance work.

[sally_apokedak]

I was runner up for a WIP grant in 2008. I said I'd use the money for conferences.

I don't think that had a lot to do with my placing.

I think the manuscript/synopsis is most important. Then I think the bit about your life experiences comes after that. If you have some interesting life experiences and if you are able to convey these in such a way that makes you sound interesting/funny/likable then I think that will tip the judges if they have two manuscripts that they can't decide between.

Just my guess.

Someone else asked if getting a grant moves you forward in any way: I think the SCBWI grants are respected so when I say in a query that I've been a recipient, agents can see that I'm not a total newb. I think that's always a plus. I also know that placing gave me confidence that I didn't have before--someone, who is not my mother, likes my writing enough to give me money for it and to say they deem me publishable. That's a huge boost because so often I've wondered if I'm any good or if I'm just blind. I bump into writers all the time that think they are great, but they really aren't very good. So I wonder, "what if I'm like that? What if I'm like those people on American Idol who can't sing but they don't know it? They get up making complete fools of themselves!" Having professionals in the field tell you they think you are good, is a great boost. When I won the grant I had fifty pages written. Placing, even in the runner-up slot, was an encouragement for me to finish the book. It made me believe that at least for a couple of people my premise was interesting and my voice was working.

On the other hand, if you don't win, it doesn't mean you aren't any good. It might just mean those judges didn't like your genre or care for your voice.

[Stephanie Denise]

I've never applied for an SCBWI grant (though I've been an SCBWI member for a few years), but I'm interested in applying this year.

Does anyone know the deadline?  I seem to remember the ladies from my critique group applying for the grant around March, but my memory may be faulty. 

[Cynthia Kremsner]

The timeline depends on the grant you are applying for . . . and you can only apply for one per year. I just sent in my application for the Don Freeman Grant last month. The application needed to be received no later than February 2nd. However, the WIP grant should be mailed no earlier than February 15th and received no later than March 15th. It depends on which grant you are considering.

This is the first year I've applied for an SCBWI grant, so we'll see. I hope I got everything right. When I applied for the Nevada Arts Council Grant, it was a very technical process. But, I do believe that the same holds true . . . one thing out of guidelines can get you disqualified.

[Stephanie Denise]

However, the WIP grant should be mailed no earlier than February 15th and received no later than March 15th. It depends on which grant you are considering.

Thank you, this is the one I was thinking of, the WIP grant.  I better get started on my application packet--thanks again for posting the dates and best luck to you for the Don Freeman Grant!

[Natalie]

I was a finalist for the SCBWI Kimberly Colen grant and I said I would spend the money on child care. I remember that the winner had entered the previous year with the same manuscript, but had revised it the year she won.

[Cynthia Kremsner]

Thank you, this is the one I was thinking of, the WIP grant.  I better get started on my application packet--thanks again for posting the dates and best luck to you for the Don Freeman Grant!

And  to you too!

[angela]

I was awarded the Kimberly Colen memorial grant. That grant specifically rqueired a letter outlining the use of the $ with a strict word count. I basically only had room to outline the use (research) and $ with exchange rates.

YES, the grant helped me a great deal. It helped with the research, of course. Also, I came home from the conference with emails from agents and editor waiting in my inbox.

Talk about shock!

[anonymous]

Does anyone know if agented authors can apply? According to the rules, that seems to be OK. I'm thinking of the Barbara Karlin Grant in particular.

[Stephanie Denise]

YES, the grant helped me a great deal. It helped with the research, of course. Also, I came home from the conference with emails from agents and editor waiting in my inbox.

Talk about shock!

Wow--that sounds like a fantastic experience!  Cheers to you!

[Stephanie Denise]

@Anonymous I just checked the website and I agree--based on the guidelines stated for the Barbara Karlin Grant, it appears you can apply even if you have an agent.  The website says as long as you've never published a PB and as long as your PB manuscript entry isn't under contract, you should be good to go!

Best wishes!

[eecoburn]

Is the Kimberly Colen grant still offered?  I couldn't find anything about it on the SCBWI site.

[Natalie]

Is the Kimberly Colen grant still offered?  I couldn't find anything about it on the SCBWI site.

No--I think last year was the last time it was offered.

[angela]

Natalie is correct.

[smichel]

Does anybody know if there's a definite advantage to keeping the synopsis on the short side, rather than closer to 750  words? Mine is currently 743 words and I'm wondering if it's too long. It's a tween fantasy that should be about 300 pages when done.

Stela

[ladylind]

I am just about to deliver my entry to the post office and I don't know if I have the instructions right.  Does "no title page" mean that we don't use the usual formatting, do they just want text without a title or author?  

If that is the case there is no place for the title.  

I called SCBWI and asked.  Unfortunately the guy didn't seem to know the answer.  He says he remembers something about wanting everything to be anonymous, but that he thinks they just want text.  What to do, hmmmmm.

LL

[tami brown]

Ladylind- I just typed the title above the text and I guess they were fine with that when I won in 2006. No author name- it's anonymous- except obviously on your registration page.

[lisagailgreen]

I'm really confused  I think the rules state to put make sure your last name is on the first page of both summary and sample.  I didn't read it as a no-no if it's anywhere else.  Now I'm seeing anonymous here.  I was going to leave the header with my last name - title on there, do you think that's a problem?