I Did It! Thank You CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY
It’s been a couple of days since my win for the 2024 CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY Mid-Career Writing Scholarship was announced. I am so thankful for my family and the support I’ve received to submit my essay. I had just given birth and was fighting postpartum fog, but I knew I would be upset with myself if I didn’t go for it. In the process, I realized that I didn’t need to win to call myself a writer because some things are felt with the heart. In the midst of sleepless nights, endless feedings, and diaper changes, I finally felt like myself again because I was writing. What a gift! As I wrote with an eye turned to the future, I knew I would be proud regardless of the outcome. Thank you, Evelyn Skye and CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY for seeing me.
Writing Scholarship Prompt & Essay
To apply, tell us what you love about writing and why you want to further your education in the field.
I became addicted to words the moment I realized they could move people. My childhood, marked by turbulence, quickly became my first source of inspiration. I was the eldest daughter of war refugees, who foisted their expectations of strength and stoicism onto a sensitive spirit. Initially, I wrote to process the chaos around me, my words—scaffolding—in a shaky home. But when I began writing for an audience, I experienced a profound shift: I finally felt seen and understood.
As a reader, I remember the first time I saw my thoughts reflected on the page. Somehow, somewhere, an author had read my mind and printed it all official-like in a book. To a lonely kid, seeing proof that someone else thought like me meant everything. As a writer (unpaid creative essays and fanfiction) it was soul-level satisfying to hear that either my story or my storytelling resonated with someone. I think both are important because I imbue myself in the stories and words chosen and not chosen. For me, writing is a practice in authenticity. Through writing, I learned you can reach across generations and all other striations in identity.
Beyond connecting with people, I also just love words. For over a decade, my professional world was crunching data and writing dry technical documents for software, but in the margins of my life, I never stopped annotating books. This year, the phrase that has haunted my thoughts is Frank Herbert’s “terrible purpose” from Dune. The phrase does many things in the book, but mainly, it captures Paul Atreides’ psychic awareness of the dark plot encircling him. To me, “terrible purpose” feels like the shuddering bass of giant footsteps drawing near, evoking tension while foreshadowing the orchestrated violence that crashes down on his family. Its potency was so profound that it reverberated in the movie score and scenes translated by director Denis Villeneuve. How do you write something so palpable that isn’t composed of sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell? Questions like these are the kindling that fuels my passion for writing.
While my only formal education in writing was a 60s lit class in college, I’ve taught myself by studying prose that resonates with me—like Brandon Sanderson’s multilayered character development and worldbuilding in The Stormlight Archive. However, being self-taught has its limits; I often write based on what feels right without fully understanding why it works. I know many accomplished writers succeed without an MFA, but I want to go beyond intuition to become an effective writer. To reach my goals, I’m looking for an education that balances hands-on practice with a deep understanding of the craft. It’s also important to me that programs encourage creativity and exploration over prescribing a single “right” way to write, allowing me to develop my voice. It’s been my lifelong dream to connect with people through words for a living—to be the proud author of poignant scenes that lasso tears from the most unwilling eyes or wring ragged breaths from those eagerly awaiting the next installment in a series. For me, writing is more than a trade; it’s a way to find common ground, to reach into another person’s world, and to share something raw and honest. When we are touched by words, we tap into the shared human experience. Those moments of breathlessness—when a book or story resonates so deeply it feels like it was written just for you—remind us of life’s interconnectedness. That is the power of art, and art is the stuff in the margins that makes life worth living.
Alternate Introduction That I Scrapped from Writing Scholarship Essay
Note: I really liked how dynamic this sounded and felt like it was a cool way to place the reader in my world while showcasing my storytelling. But ultimately, the context that I wanted to provide would have put me over 600 words. But that’s alright. In the end, constraints can be a wonderful thing for creativity!
I have always had a nervous habit of rearranging things within reach. The cutlery at dinner or scraps of paper at work were prime candidates for my fidgeting. Items moved a half centimeter up, down, left or right as if snapped to an imaginary guideline. In another 5 minutes my boss would be entering those conference room doors, my pens would be perfectly aligned, and I would be quitting a hard-won career after 10 years of ladder climbing at one of the most challenging work environments in corporate America.
E-Mails that I will Cherish Forever
That feeling of scrolling down and seeing your name on a top 30 list and then the final winners announcement was the ultimate head rush.
🏆 The Finalists of our $1,000 Mid-Career Writing Scholarships
I am beyond thrilled to announce the Finalists for our CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY Mid-Career Writing Scholarships!
We had well over a thousand applicants, can you believe it?
For those who are new here: The CREATIVE. INSPIRED. HAPPY Mid-Career Writing Scholarship is for aspiring writers not currently in a professional writing career, for use toward furthering their education in writing.
To all who applied—You made me laugh, cry, and most of all, you made me gasp in awe at your talent, passion, and deep love for writing.
If you were not selected this year, never fear, there will be new writing scholarships later this year.
To everyone who contributed funds to these scholarships—
You are truly making dreams come true, and I love you for it. Thank you, thank you, for being a part of this amazing community. 💛
And now without further ado,
Our 30 Finalists are:
- Nicholas Arce
- Maria Arretines
- Hannah Barnes
- Elizabeth Beilharz
- Danielle Benvenuto
- Harrison Bron
- Gregory Delia
- Mathe Desir
- Todd Dessinger
- Celina Dobson
- Katrina Donham
- Courtney Dunn
- Claudia Gaxiola
- Emilian Gheorghe
- Daniel Groves
- Cliff Hansen
- Beth Henshaw
- Abraham Kim
- Stephanie Larkins
- Jessica Lundgren
- Cassandra Manuel
- Khanh Mi Meadows
- Phylicia McDonald
- Heather Rolland
- Nakeshia Shannon
- Aaron Skentzos
- Jackie Sommers
- Veronica Verdejo
- Wlatee Weah
- Beste Yuksel
The two (2) winners will be announced on January 31, 2024 and will each win $1,000 to use toward furthering their writing education.
💛 Happy New Year, everyone! 💛
And then the final e-mail announcing the winners…
The Winners of our $1,000 Mid-Career Writing Scholarships
There were over a thousand applicants for our Mid-Career Writing Scholarships, and let me tell you, it was nearly impossible to choose our winners because everyone was so amazing!
However, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS are in order for our two winners, Khanh Mi Meadows and Katrina Donham, who will each receive $1,000 to use toward their writing education.
Khanh Mi and Katrina, your official scholarship award email will come from Bold.org (the scholarship administrator) with all the details you need to get your writing education underway. Congrats again, and we can’t wait to watch your writing blossom!
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