About the Tenacious Writing Fellowship

At Golden May, we believe that storytelling is both an art and an act of courage—one with the power to connect, heal, and transform individuals and communities. Whether a writer’s dream is to get a specific story out of them or to create a full-time publishing career, the simple act of creative expression is invaluable. Our mission is to help writers build sustainable, joyful writing lives that honor who they uniquely are and the stories only they can tell.

Unfortunately, systemic inequities too often limit opportunities for writers from marginalized communities. Not only does the publishing world ignore and even silence certain voices, but the realities of living as a marginalized person also create energetic and financial barriers to simply exploring creative expression.

To help reduce those barriers, we are offering six Tenacious Writing Fellowships to writers whose voices are historically marginalized. Selected fellows will receive full access to our Tenacious Writing program, plus additional benefits, at no cost. Learn more about the Tenacious Writing program here.

What Fellows Receive

• Full, free enrollment in Golden May’s Tenacious Writing program
• Lifetime access to future Tenacious Writing live workshops, community events, and resources
• Three optional one-on-one coaching sessions with a professional coach (Emily or Rachel) to discuss your writing goals and next steps to achieve them (to be scheduled within one year of acceptance)
• A supportive, inclusive community of writers who are committed to personal growth and creative joy

What is Tenacious Writing? 

Tenacious Writing is a life-time access program for fiction writers. It’s your one-stop-shop for everything you need to finish writing books you love and enjoy doing it. At a top level, Tenacious Writing is a) an online library of recorded writing craft, mindset, and process resources, b) an online Slack community of incredible writers, and c) regular live events and workshops on Zoom with Golden May’s coaches Emily & Rachel—but it’s also so much more than that.

Tenacious Writing is a place where writers are claiming their voices and art in a world that says it doesn’t matter. We’re exploring and claiming the stories we wish to tell in a loving and supportive community. We’re regularly confronting the toxic hustle culture beliefs that our extractive, capitalistic world has injected into us to keep us small. We’re constantly questioning what we’re told craft and process should look like in our pursuit of supporting every unique writer. In Tenacious Writing, we see one another as three-dimensional human beings with unique brains, bodies, minds, and perspectives—and we’re helping each other write our best books, grow as writers and humans, and claim our best writing lives.

To learn more details about the program, please visit https://tenaciouswriting.com.

Who Can Apply

The Tenacious Writing Fellowship is open to fiction writers worldwide who are at any stage of their writing journey—whether just starting out or years into the craft — who are 18 years or older and identify with one or more of the following communities:

• BIPOC/ALAANA individuals
• People with disabilities (Visible or Invisible; Including but not limited to chronic pain, chronic illness, neurodivergence, mental illness, and/or physical impairments)
• LGBTQIA+ community

This Fellowship is for writers in the above communities who have a story burning inside them. They dream of telling their stories, fostering their creativity, and living their passion. They want to expand their skills so they can bring their stories to life and make their visions real. They view other writers as partners in abundance and creative potential, rather than as competition. This writer has a voice that deserves to be heard, but they may have struggled to find a space where they can feel safe to explore their art. This writer has pursued their creativity despite facing external and/or internal challenges. Whatever their writing dreams are–to be published, to finish a draft, to make a career, or something else–they hate the idea of giving up on them. They are persistent and tenacious.

If this sounds like you, the Tenacious Writing Fellowship is for you.

How to Apply

Fellows will be chosen by a committee of Tenacious Writing members who identify with one or more of the eligible communities.

Selection is based on:

• A demonstrated commitment to writing and storytelling
• Clarity of goals and how Tenacious Writing will support them
• Interest in and passion for creative community engagement

This rubric will be used to score applications and select the Fellowship recipients. All applications must be completed without the use of any generative-AI tools.

All applicants will be notified by [date].If you have any questions, please email [email protected].