Announcing The Jennifer Weiner Fellowship

I'm partnering with Blue Stoop to launch the Jennifer Weiner Fellowship.

It's been going on twenty-five years since I finished the first draft of my first novel, and started my search for an agent. 

I wrote that first book while working full time as a reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer. I wrote on nights, after work, and on weekends, and, when I was 90 percent there, I took a week's vacation, rented an artist's cottage on the Outer Cape, took my Mac Classic and finished the book. 

Once the draft was done, I found an agent. The agent helped me find a publisher. And, in 2001, my first book came out and hit the bestseller list, which meant I got to write, and publish, a second book, and a third, and a fourth.

I’ve worked hard, but I’ve also been incredibly lucky. Now that I am in a position to start paying it forward, I've been thinking about what made my journey possible, and how I can give back, share what I've learned, and leave things a little better and more equitable than I found them. 

Which brings me to this happy announcement:

I am partnering with Philadelphia-based literary community Blue Stoop to launch the Jennifer Weiner Fellowship, six fellowships of $5,000 each to selected woman-identified emerging prose writers in the United States. 

The fellowship aims to provide not only financial support but also professional mentoring, a supportive cohort, and a platform for emerging voices. Fellowships will be awarded to at least two writers of color, at least two parents, and at least two writers living in the greater Philadelphia area. Additional details on eligibility and deadlines will be provided in the coming months – make sure to sign up for updates at www.bluestoop.org/jennifer-weiner-fellowship. 

I am so happy to be working with Blue Stoop. The organization has been an ally to writers here in Philadelphia in its commitment to elevating voices that can go unheard in the literary world. The publishing industry still has challenges in terms of inclusion, and making sure that everyone's voice gets heard and everyone's story gets told. Organizations like Blue Stoop help to make sure that everyone gets a seat at the table. We’ve had some dark days for the arts here in Philadelphia recently, and I know Blue Stoop will continue to be a beacon. I know they would welcome your support. 

I hope that the community and connections the fellowship winners form -- with one another, with other authors, and with me -- will support them in their writing journey, and will help to open doors along the way.

If this sounds like something for you, or someone you know – a woman with a story to tell – I encourage you to apply. I can’t wait to read your story.