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Grants for African American Writers

It's no secret that writers tend to struggle for money, especially when the economy is low. Applying for and receiving a grant can substantially relieve financial burdens on writers and open their mind for creativity with the precious gift of time to write. These grants, including "Go On Girl!," "Coretta Scott King Book Awards" and "Hurston/Wright Legacy" are available to African American writers.
  1. Go On Girl!

    • The Unpublished Writers Award from "Go On Girl! Book Club, Inc.," is open to unpublished African American Women Writers. The applicant must submit 2000 words of either an excerpt from an unpublished novel or original short story. The submission must be double spaced and include a cover sheet with name, address, telephone number, email address and a 250 word biographical sketch with the applicant's goals as a writer and current position. The winner receives $500 and a chance to attend the Go On Girl! annual ceremony and will be featured in the quarterly newsletter and on the website. The deadline is March 15 yearly.

      Go On Girl!
      National Headquarters
      P.O. Box 3368
      New York, NY 10185
      [email protected]
      www.goongirl.org

    Coretta Scott King

    • Coretta Scott King (CSK) Book Awards is an award established in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. and in honor of Coretta Scott King for her continuation in peace work. This award is given to African American authors and illustrators who have written books for children and young adults that reflect the African American experience. The award encourages the artistic and literary expression of black experience, history, biography and social existence. The candidate will be a U.S. citizen or have dual-citizenship/residency, and the book must have been published between January and December of the year preceding the year of award. Applicants should send three copies of the book to American Library Association for Literacy and Outreach Services and include the "Author-Illustrator Information Guide." A copy of the book should go to all of the CSK Book Awards jury members by December 1.

      Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury
      CSK Jury Chair
      Carole McCollough, Ph.D.
      Wayne State University, Retired
      21152 Rutland
      Southfield, MI 48075
      [email protected]
      www.ala.org

    Hurston/Wright

    • Hurston/Wright Legacy Award is awarded in the categories of fiction, debut fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to American writers of African descent or a black writer from anywhere in the world. Full-length books in any category, including a collection of short fiction or nonficiton by a single author are accepted for entry. Books must be published in the U.S. or the U.S. edition of the foreign book; self published authors are eligible and translations are eligible. The submitted book must have been published between January and December of the year preceding the year of award; bound galleys are eligible. Anthologies, poetry books under 50 pages, a reprint and board members and staff of Hurston/Wright are not eligible. Authors who have won the Hurston/Wright in the past are still eligible. The publishing company must submit the book with a $25 application fee and must be granted permission by the author.

      The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award
      12138 Central Avenue, Suite 209
      Bowie, MD 20721
      301-459-2108
      [email protected]
      www.hurstonwright.org

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