Funds for Children's Writers

by Lynne Remick

If you know the publishing industry, you'll know that writing for children can be an extremely tough market to break into-as tough, if not tougher, than writing for adults! The pursuit of a career in children's writing entails more than just writing manuscripts you believe children will love and submitting them to children's book and magazine publishers. You will likely need to purchase and read books on writing, take specialized courses, attend conferences, become a member of a professional children's writing organization, participate in critique groups and very likely, pay for a few professional critiques.

If these expenses sound overwhelming, don't despair. For the talented and determined, means are available to defray these costs. Yearly, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) proves to be the ultimate source for grants and other aid to children's writers. To take advantage of these grants, you must be a SCBWI member (at a cost of $60 to join and $50 to renew per year). However, whether you attend a SCBWI event and win a free conference as a door prize, receive one of their many grants and awards or just reap the other benefits (including membership in a professional guild, bi-monthly bulletins, advisory functions, conference opportunities, regional events, critique group connections and children's writing booklets), you'll be in the right place at the right time.

The SCBWI offers a variety of grants and awards to its members each year:

• The Sue Alexander Award is awarded yearly to the Summer National Conference attendee who submits the "most- publishable" manuscript for a paid manuscript critique (usually about $40.00 and well-worth the price). The winnings include not only a trip to New York, but a meeting with three editors!
  
  
• The Work-in-Progress Grants include awards to a previously- unpublished writer, a "General Work-in-Progress Grant," the "SCBWI Anna Cross Giblin Non-fiction Research Grant," and the "SCBWI/Judy Blume Contemporary Novel Grant." Each individual grant awards a monetary prize of $1,500 to the winner and $500 to a runner-up. Grant monies can be utilized to pay for schooling, attendance at conferences, baby-sitting services for time to write, or other needs children's writing-related needs.
  
  
• The Barbara Karlin Grant "recognizes and encourages the work of aspiring picture book writers" and the Don Freeman Memorial Grant-in-Aid benefits an artist who "intends to make picture books his/her chief contribution to the field of children's literature." Both grants offer $1,500 to the winner and $500 to a runner-up.
  
  
• The Golden Kite Award goes to four recipients (one each for fiction, non-fiction, picture book illustration and picture book text) who have written or illustrated the most outstanding books of all member submissions for that calendar year. "Golden Kite Honor Book" certificates are also awarded.
  
  
• The Magazine Merit Award consists of a plaque honoring outstanding original pieces of magazine work, including fiction, non-fiction, illustration and poetry. "Magazine Merit Honor" certificates are also awarded.

Applications for SCBWI grants can be obtained by members via download at their website at http://www.scbwi.org, or by writing to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, 8271 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, and enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope with first-class postage for one ounce. Deadlines for grants may vary--be sure to check the website for updated submission info.

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