NCWN to Offer More Seats Scholarships for 2021 Squire Summer Writing Workshops
- Details
- Written by Administrator
- Category: Network News
Thanks to a generous but anonymous donor, the North Carolina Writers’ Network will offer two More Seats Scholarships to allow writers from underserved communities to attend the NCWN Squire Summer Writing Workshops 2021.
Each More Seat scholarship (as in, “More Seats at the Table”) will cover the full cost of Squire registration, including a single room in our on-campus accommodations, as well as one year of Network membership—a total value of more than $750.
The NCWN Squire Summer Writing Workshops 2021will be July 22—25 at Appalachian State University in Boone. Kathryn Kirkpatrick, Mark Powell, and Zackary Vernon will lead multi-day workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, respectively.
The More Seats Scholarships are in addition to the usual scholarship aid available to writers in need.
“We’re very grateful to be able to help deserving writers join our first post-pandemic, in-person program,” said NCWN Executive Director Ed Southern.
The goal of the More Seats Scholarships is to encourage beginning writers from underserved communities, who may not have found a place at the proverbial literary table.
“The donor wants to celebrate and amplify new North Carolina voices,” Southern said. “They especially encourage writers from rural counties, writers of color, and LGBTQ+ writers to apply.”
Selection criteria will focus on commitment to writing, rather than degrees or publications.
The Network usually provides More Seats Scholarships to its Spring Conference, but the 2021 Spring Conference’s “pay what you can” fee structure made scholarships unnecessary.
“The Squire Workshops are much more focused and intensive than the Spring Conference,” Southern said, “and therefore much more expensive. We’re glad we can help writers get to Squire who otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”
To apply, send a current CV—with contact information and a list of any work, education, publications, or other relevant literary experiences or achievements—and a Statement of Writing Intent of no more than 1,000 words to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The subject line should specify the applicant’s interest in a More Seats Scholarship. Questions should be sent to that e-mail address, as well.
The deadline to apply is midnight on Friday, June 25.
First Fruits: Network Upgrades Phone System
- Details
- Written by Administrator
- Category: Network News
WINSTON-SALEM—The North Carolina Writers' Network is very glad to share that, although they are decidedly low-hanging, we have begun to realize the first fruits of our ReCover Campaign. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, Network staff was able to upgrade our phone system for the first time since the Obama administration.
Membership Coordinator Deonna Kelli Sayed's number will remain the same, although her phone has been substantially upgraded to better serve our members, whether she's in her virtual office or on the floor of an event.
Executive Director Ed Southern's number also will remain the same and will remain the general number for the Network. However, for the first time in its history, the official Network phone will not be connected to a wall by a telephone cord. That's right: the Network's telephone system has finally gone 100 percent wireless!
"Now that I don't have to be attached to the wall of my house when I'm on the phone," Ed said, checking his Fitbit, "I look forward to getting my steps in each day."
Not to bury the lede, but the biggest news to come out of the ReCover Campaign so far is that Communications Director Charles Fiore finally has a Network phone, period. He's worked the past decade without a dedicated work phone line, and, after being dragged kicking and screaming into the twentieth century, can finally admit there might be some bright side to having a phone.
"In the past, I've had to use my personal cell phone when I needed to make a call for work," Charles reflected late Friday night. "That phone has an out-of-state area code. I've lived in North Carolina long enough now to know that almost no one, from plumbers to exterminators to general contractors, calls back an out-of-state area code. Maybe now that I finally have one, people might start to return my calls!"
One interesting item gleaned from the phone system upgrade: the Triad area, which traditionally boasts a "336" area code, is plumb full-up on phone numbers. So, there's a new area code for new Triad-based phones: "743."
"Or not," Charles said.
Staff of the North Carolina Writers' Network can be reached at the following numbers:
Deonna Kelli Sayed, Membership Coordinator: 919-308-3228
Ed Southern, Executive Director, 336-293-8844
Charles Fiore, Communications Director, 743-219-7189
Network staff can generally be reached during normal business hours.
The 2021 ReCover Campaign sought funds to address specific NCWN needs, including upgrading our websites; creating a new cleaner look for our websites, newsletter, and other visual media; purchasing livestreaming and conference equipment; and more. Supporters should expect to continue to see the results of the successful campaign over the next year to eighteen months.
The NCWN is a 501(c)(3) organization, so all donations are tax-deductible. Gifts can be made online or by checks made out to NCWN and mailed to P.O. Box 21591, Winston-Salem, NC, 27120.