The Speculative Literature Foundation (SLF) has announced the annual opening of its Older Writers Grant, a $1,000 initiative designed to support authors entering the field of speculative fiction later in life.
Established in 2004, the program seeks to bolster the careers of those just beginning their professional journey in genres ranging from hard science fiction to magical realism.
Funding and benefits
The grant provides a $1,000 cash award that recipients may use at their own discretion to further their creative work.
Beyond the financial support, past winners have noted that the award offers critical validation and the necessary “breathing room” to focus on their craft.
Winners are selected based on the merit of their work by a panel of jurors. In exchange for the award, recipients agree to provide a brief writing excerpt and an autobiographical statement for public dissemination on the Foundation’s website and mailing list.
Application requirements and eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be at least 50 years of age at the time of submission. The SLF specifically targets “early career” writers, defined as those who have earned less than $1,000 from their published catalog or who do not yet qualify for professional membership in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA).
Candidates must submit a cover letter featuring a 500-to-1,000-word autobiographical statement that includes their date of birth.
While a bibliography of previous work should be included if available, the Foundation specifies that prior publishing credits are not required to apply.
The application also requires a writing sample of speculative literature, which can include up to 10 pages of poetry or drama, or up to 5,000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction.
If the sample is an excerpt from a longer work, such as a novel, a one-page synopsis must be included as the first page.
Deadline
The submission window is strictly limited to the month of May, opening at 12:00 AM on May 1 and closing at 11:59 PM on May 31 (UTC -4).
Applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s official online form, which only becomes active during this period.
For writers with accessibility needs who are unable to use the standard online form, the SLF provides alternative submission methods.
Interested parties can contact the organization directly via email to arrange for these accommodations and ensure their work is considered.
To apply, visit SLF call page. Visit our global opportunity page for more.
Summary not available at this time.
