Access Granted

I’d like to talk about applying for grants that pay us to develop our stories. I’d also like to be frank about money because I feel that’s the one thing people don’t, won’t and refuse to talk about enough. I’ll focus on two grants that I received in 2018 and 2019.  They’re government-funded and the amounts are public knowledge, so there’s nothing to hide. I’ll also share about a little writing competition I won in 2018 that changed everything.

Welcome to Two Words with Taku, a show for writers who know their stories are valuable and who’re finally figuring out how to put a dollar value on their time and talent.

Today’s two words are: Access Granted and in this episode I’m answering your question, “How do I find the money to write my story?”

[Just a heads up, this is a recording from our latest Writers’ Keep catch-up and there’s a Q & A at the end.]

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What’s worked for me?

• PAY to join the Australian Writers’ Guild and /or Australian Society of Authors. They have incredible resources including your recommended rates of pay.
  • Also pay to attend writer conferences and networking events!
• PICK UP THE PHONE to ask questions of the funding bodies, your mentors or peers.
• PREVIEW THE FORM before you apply for the grant and prepare your answers in good time — in a separate document!

For TV and Film

$17,380 from the Australian Children’s Television Foundation — to write a series bible and pilot episode for my TV show.

• Know what you need to develop or write first. Could you apply for funding to run a story workshop before you jump to writing the script?
• Download annual reports from the funding bodies to see who and what’s been funded before.
• Pick the best collaborators — just ask because people are quite generous and helpful!

For Books and Publishing

$19,965 from the Australia Council to write my first novel to be published by Allen & Unwin.

• Pick a publisher who’d be perfect for you.
• Pick or ask for a mentor who’d be perfect for you.
• Keep. It. Simple. Stupid. — when writing up your application

For Writing Competitions

$1000 from  winning the 2018 Writing + Podcast Prize in frankie magazine’s Good Stuff Awards

• Make your story clear — the one you’ve written
• Make your story — the one about you
• Suss out the judges’ vibes and get a feel for the tone of the competition.

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What scares you about finding or asking for money to write?

I’d love to hear what you think, so leave a comment or drop me an email.

Image credit: Make. Dat. Paper by EJ Hassenfratz.