V. S. Kemanis is here with this week’s guest blog and it’s a little different but something aspiring mystery writers will be interested in learning about…
Is this you? You’re just getting started in the field of mystery writing and eager to hone your craft. You’d like to enroll in a writing course or attend a writers’ conference, but don’t know how you can afford it. Perhaps the expense of doing research for your current work in progress is keeping you from your goal.
If this sounds familiar, consider applying for the 2019 Leon B. Burstein/MWA-NY Scholarship for Mystery Writing! The Scholarship is open to residents of Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia. You may be, but are not required to be, an associate or affiliate member of the Mystery Writers of America. Active status members of MWA are ineligible. Two scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded this year.
Administering the Scholarship is one of my duties as a board member for the New York chapter of MWA, and what a joy it has been to give this award to talented up-and-coming writers. Here I am with last year’s recipients, Manju Soni (https://manjusoni.com/) and Matthew Mercier (http://matthewwmercier.com/), right after we announced the winners at the MWA-NY holiday party.
As stated on the MWA-NY website: “The purpose of the scholarship is to inspire aspiring mystery writers by offering financial support to writers who want to take a specific class, attend a conference, or do specific research as demonstrably necessary to a mystery work they are creating. It was named for Leon B. Burstein, an avid mystery fan, that more work in his favorite genre might be created.”
Less than two months remain until the close of the application period on October 9. Time to polish a writing sample (5,000 words or less) from your current work in progress. It may be fiction or nonfiction, book, short story, play or screenplay, adult, YA, or juvenile, but must be related to mystery writing, including all its subgenres. Also, time to work out your proposed budget. Scholarship funds may be used for writing-related expenses you expect to incur after the announcement of the scholarship winners in November.
I remember the early days of my interest in fiction writing, the invaluable lessons I learned from the instructors and fellow students in the writing courses I took. So, what are you waiting for? Click here (https://www.mwany.org/program/the-leon-b-burstein-mwany-scholarship-for-mystery-writing/) to get all the details on the eligibility requirements and application process.
Good luck and keep writing!
V.S. Kemanis https://www.vskemanis.com