Guide to Applying for HWA Scholarships
The Horror Writers Association (HWA) has established two $2500 Scholarships to assist in the professional development of our Members as horror writers:
- The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship,
- and the Horror Writers Association Scholarship.
These rules also broadly apply to the Dark Poetry Scholarship and the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for Non-fiction.
The Scholarships are effectively two facets of the same award; applicants enter the same competition using the same application form. A sub-committee of the HWA Board chooses the scholarship winners from that pool of applicants. The Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship is available for a female member and the Horror Writers Association Scholarship is available for any member, regardless of gender. Other information you need to know:
- The Scholarships are open to all applicants. Membership in HWA is not a requirement.
- Among criteria the sub-committee will consider are the quality and potential shown in each applicants’ written work to date; the likelihood that the applicant’s career would benefit from further writing education; the likelihood that the applicant is committed to the horror genre; the likelihood that the applicant will contribute to the development of the genre, including increasing and/or broadening our readership; an Education Plan the applicant submits; the applicant’s financial need; and the broad interests of the HWA and the horror genre.
- The HWA and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarships are worth $2500. The Dark Poetry Scholarship is worth $1,250. The Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for Nonfiction Writing and The Scholarship From Hell offer flexible amounts.
- The winners of each Scholarship (except The Scholarship From Hell) have two years in which to spend the funds, which may be allocated to enhance their professional horror writing career on such things as – Course fees for physical or online writing courses; Resources such as textbooks, Guides, etc.; Registration fees for writing festivals that include relevant presentations; Registration fees for one horror genre convention per year; Subscription fees to appropriate periodicals; etc. Certain exclusions also apply.
- Applications for the 2016 Scholarships will open on February 1, 2016. (online at www.horror.org).
- Applications close at midnight US PST on June 1, 2016 (except for The Scholarship From Hell, which will close on March 15, 2016).
- All applicants must use the online application forms, filling in all sections and uploading the documents requested. Failure to include any information may invalidate the entry
- The winners will be announced around September 1, 2016 (except for The Scholarship From Hell, which will be announced shortly after March 15, 2016).
- This is an Annual Program of Scholarships (no individual may win more than one of these Scholarships); however the sub-committee is empowered not to award any of the Scholarships in any given year if the quality of the applicants and their submissions is deemed insufficient.
- There are a set of Rules that govern the Scholarships, below. We suggest you read them carefully before submitting your application.
- Questions can be addressed to scholarships@horror.org.
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