Thud: Toronto Book 2, Grant-Fu

[leahbobet]

Toronto Book 2 Update:

Words today: 1000 words.
Words total: 67800 MS Word
Reason for stopping: Work.
Tea: Lime Passionfruit, then switched to Cyclone.
Munchies: Pasta.
Exercise: Blah.
Mail: Nomail.
Other Writing-Related Work: Mailing errands, grants.
Books in progress: Martha Wells, City of Bones; Anosh Irani, The Cripple and his Talismans


The Toronto Arts Council has posted their application form for 2005 writer's grants. Since a few of us way back when decided that this is the year the genre people attempt to storm the gates of said institution (and since it would be nice to be able to afford to cut a shift at the Mines and write stuff instead), I downloaded the form tonight and have been perusing. Already I have a few questions coming up: how are they treating genre publications? Of the two categories ($2000 for newbie writers and $7500 for mid-career or pro writers), which should I apply for? I qualify on a few criteria for the Big Kids category -- 4 texts in literary magazines, recognized periodicals, or anthologies or the 10 published poems, take your pick -- but I'm not sure how they treat genre publications. After all, if I recognize Strange Horizons or Realms of Fantasy, will they? Would it be tactically more intelligent to stay with the newbie category and bypass the genre question, because the newbie category is more likely to get me some money (if less)? Can you even propose a trilogy-in-progress as a single project for these purposes, or is that cheating?

Yeah. I'm not quite sure what language I'm supposed to speak here, or to who. I'm likely going to give them a call or send an e-mail with some of the questions, but I can't really ask: hey, Arts Council, are you down with the genre fiction or are you litsnob incest-and-prairies squares, yo?

If anyone reading is versed in Grant-Fu and has any pointers, they'd be greatly appreciated. For most of us participating in the genre invasion, it's our first time applying at this or any level. And if anyone local wants to join in, well...I don't know if we'll be coordinating this stuff, but we're definitely going to be available to lend proofing or take a look at things before we all send our stuff in and hope. Come! Join the army! *g*

And with that I'm for bed, because work is tomorrow and I have no grants yet.

Comments

[hysteriachan.livejournal.com]

hey, Arts Council, are you down with the genre fiction or are you litsnob incest-and-prairies squares, yo?

That'll probably be the best thing I read all day, hands down. ^^

Good luck with the grant!

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

If they're keeping to the letter of their own laws, they should recognize any credit from anywhere, but I too am unsure. I do know that you apparently need to represent yourself not as (say) science fiction/fantasy/horror but as magic realism/surrealism/big-F Fiction, and that a good person to talk to is Bob Boyczuk, who's done this a million times and has the lingo down. This from Sandra Kasturi, if you're wondering.

Hello, Leah! So glad it's going well.

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

P.S.: Not implying that I am Sandra, just that this is stuff she's told me. Man, it's early.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

Woot. Thank you, Not-Sandra. That is very helpful. :)

[gvwilson.livejournal.com]

No priors with Arts Council grants, but I've done handfuls with other agencies --- would be happy to eyeball your bafflegab.

G

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

That would be wonderful of you, and probably require me to buy you coffee. Thanks so much!

[gvwilson.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of use. gvwilson at third-bit dot com is the best way to reach me...