New York (May 13, 2021)—The Authors Guild Foundation, the educational and charitable arm of the Authors Guild, has been approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award for general operating costs that we plan to use for its Business of Writing program, which helps educate emerging and mid-career authors about what they need to know to succeed as working writers. The Authors Guild Foundation’s project is among the more than 1,100 projects across America totaling nearly $27 million that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2021 funding.

“As the country and the arts sector begin to imagine returning to a post-pandemic world, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to announce funding that will help arts organizations such as The Authors Guild reengage fully with partners and audiences,” said NEA Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Although the arts have sustained many people during the pandemic, the chance to gather with one another and share arts experiences is its own necessity and pleasure.”

“We are extremely pleased to yet again receive an NEA grant in support of a key educational program for authors around the nation, including underserved communities. In 2019, before the pandemic hit, we successfully held Business Bootcamps for Writers workshops in six cities including Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Atlanta, New Orleans, Santa Fe, and Seattle. By hosting virtual workshops and seminars in 2021-22, we can bring our program to many more writers and communities all around the country, and especially those who need it most will be able encourage and support professional writers regardless of where they are based,” said Mary Rasenberger, CEO of the Authors Guild and Authors Guild Foundation.

Through a series of intensive workshops, the Business of Writing program helps participants acquire the tools they need to move forward in their literary careers. Participants will learn what they need to know about working with agents, publishers, editors, and publicists, as well as how to self-publish, negotiate their contracts, promote their work, protect their rights, and build  readership. Stemming from our belief that an abundance of free literary expression from diverse voices is essential to our democracy, this program aims to equip all writers—not just those with access to established networks and industry resources—with an understanding of how to make and sustain a living from their craft. To ensure we reach diverse author communities, we will collaborate with literary organizations around the country on programming and outreach.

For more information on the projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

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About the Authors Guild Foundation
The Authors Guild Foundation is the charitable and educational arm of the Authors Guild. It educates, supports, and protects American writers to ensure that a vibrant, diverse body of literature can flourish. It does this by advocating for and working to protect authors’ intellectual property and First Amendment rights, educating authors across the country in the business of writing, and promoting an understanding of the value of writers. Founding members included Saul Bellow, John Hersey, Madeleine L’Engle, Sidney Offit, James A. Michener, Toni Morrison, Elizabeth Janeway, and Barbara Tuchman.