Aspiring Authors Fund

[nimdA]

Proposal:

To foster aspiring authors a fund will be created that provides a monthly or every two months a modest cash grant. Given the finacial limitations supporting the scheme it is likely that the cash grant will roughly 100 to 200 dollars. However, to be eligible for the grant the author must provide a 2000 to 3000 word article for peer review.

The articles submitted will be the sole intellectual property of the author. In no way will the awarding of the grant imply the transfer of the intellectual property rights.

- The submission must be an original work
- The submission must be organized and coherent
- The submission must be properly proofreaded prior to being reviewed.
- The article needs to contain a specific event pertaining to a TBS or public facility. This article will include a now and then format to give the readers some idea as to the long term implications of the event in the life of the author.


At first the grant was being considered for anyone who experienced a TBS or public facility as a parent, staff or survivor. With a bit of thought it was decided to restrict that pool of avaliable applicants to survivors. However, should there be a lack of articles the applicant pool can be opened to parents, sibilings, and former staff members.

Funding for the concept will at this time come from two private donors. Later on it is hoped that the fund can either become self-sustaining or at least increased via donors.


discuss.. suggestions would be most welcome in this matter.

[Anonymous]

I'm just wondering why the offer of money is considered necessary. I am sure a lot of survivors would write articles if they were going to be printed somewhere, free of charge. I am just wondering how you came to the conclusion, and more curious on how it's going to work before I judge it, you know..

[Anonymous]

Also, how will you know if the author is really who they say they are, couldn't anyone put together a piece of fiction based on stories they've written at this point? Especially if money is involved, this might actually promote this kind of unscrupulous behavior that otherwise might have been avoided?

[Anonymous]

TSW probably isn't thinking about using the money to *pay* for the article.  More like a scholarship - most of these kids have little to live on and it's a good way to teach them responsibility, I think.

[nimdA]

It is one of 2 ideas I'm tinkering with. The other idea is a scholarship fund for program survivors, or specifically a scholarship fund for survivor's of 3 Springs.

As for the monetary aspect of the writing fund:

This isn't a bribe to encourage people to write. We have plenty of people writing already. I frankly have no intention of dictating what they do with their materials once it is submitted either.

This is away of encouraging young men and women to increase their writing abilities. It also rewards them for their efforts.

[nimdA]

Also, how will you know if the author is really who they say they are, couldn't anyone put together a piece of fiction based on stories they've written at this point? Especially if money is involved, this might actually promote this kind of unscrupulous behavior that otherwise might have been avoided?

You mean its actually being avoided now?

[Anonymous]

Also, how will you know if the author is really who they say they are, couldn't anyone put together a piece of fiction based on stories they've written at this point? Especially if money is involved, this might actually promote this kind of unscrupulous behavior that otherwise might have been avoided?

If this is what they do, then may GOD bless their dire souls.

[Anonymous]

Also, how will you know if the author is really who they say they are, couldn't anyone put together a piece of fiction based on stories they've written at this point? Especially if money is involved, this might actually promote this kind of unscrupulous behavior that otherwise might have been avoided?

You mean its actually being avoided now?

Well nobody is losing money right now as far as I know..

[Anonymous]

Some other things that might help survivors speak out more:

Using the money to pay money into an account to hire a lawyer to defend the kids from lawsuits, that is a reason why many don't speak out.

Start a fund to pay a full-time lobbyist to go to Washington DC and go knock on doors and show them pictures and go on news shows, etc.

[Anonymous]

It is one of 2 ideas I'm tinkering with. The other idea is a scholarship fund for program survivors, or specifically a scholarship fund for survivor's of 3 Springs.

As for the monetary aspect of the writing fund:

This isn't a bribe to encourage people to write. We have plenty of people writing already. I frankly have no intention of dictating what they do with their materials once it is submitted either.

This is away of encouraging young men and women to increase their writing abilities. It also rewards them for their efforts.

I thought if it was pay per article it might seem to people that anti-program activists are desperate for stories or something; when in fact there are thousand online if you are if you search. if someone took the time to edit all the stories, compile them and put them all on one website or in printed book that would be powerful. I am just wondering the motivation behind it is it to encourage more stories being written? I don't think a lack of financial incentive is the reason why, its because most of them are still conflicted about the experience, it takes time. Or is it because we assume program kids are poor and in need of money? Can we set up some kind of reparation system for program survivors, that would be sweet... implement a program parent tax and roll in the dough.

[nimdA]

No its not pay per article. Its a scholarship programme of sorts for aspiring authors or anyone who wants to improve their writing skills.

No more no less.

No one looses money either as its my money that is going to be going into the scholarship programme at first along with maybe 1 others.

[Anonymous]

Where are you supposed to submit the articles?

Are they supposed to be  factual 'balanced' news articles or testimony or stories or how should it be formatted, what is the intended audience?

[Anonymous]

However, to be eligible for the grant the author must provide a 2000 to 3000 word article for peer review.

Peer review... not at all program like :-? .. how does that work exactly?

[nimdA]

Where are you supposed to submit the articles?

Are they supposed to be  factual 'balanced' news articles or testimony or stories or how should it be formatted, what is the intended audience?

No as of yet. If you look at my original post it asks for suggestions. Have any?

[Anonymous]

Well I don't know, I think fornits already provides a fairly useful forum for those wanting to get their stories out. A lot of organizing could be done to sift the good information from the bullshit and all that but it doens't have much to do with this topic. I always thought the exchange of money is starnge in thie scene because whether legitimate or not it makes people wonder about what you are all about. LOok at all the crap caca and those fuckers get for taking money right? So is it really necessary to send your own personal money to survivros to write, seems kind of weird to me to be honest. I wouldnt take your money... you know who's money I wouldn't mind spending, the program profits, but those are being spent on god knows what.. paying politicians I imagine. I am not comfortable submitting my own stories to a peer reivew or group of people, the reason is because I dont give a flying fuck what you think of it, because I know a lot of people hate what I say, some people aree, other people don't care, but to me it's real and it's not like anybody saw it happen, it's an isolated incident, so only me and and a couple other people know what happened and I choose to write about it. A lot of people don't enjoy delving intot he past and reliving these things and writing about them. I am somewhat moasochistic in that way, so much my friend said I should never ever visit this shitty website again and just forget this crap. But I enjoy it, because every time you relive it it loses it's BANG, its hurt and its impact--- now that is moving on if you ask me. So most people don't get that right?
That's why fornits is genius. Yeah I am sure that you and some people know who I am based on my predictable vocabulary and all that, great detective work watson. But people reading this three years from now have no clue, they probhably think I am some program survivor, too drunk to spell right.. obviously suffering PTSD from being locked in a cage. But it is more than that. This place is a gathering of those who have had their eyes forced wide open and shown the way our society works, and some people loved it, others hated it and some were left forever confused, a never ending futile batle with themselves over a relatively small chunk of time that can never dissapear right?
Taking a hundred dollars from some dude on the other side of the world to write about a program experience takes away from the reason why so many are compelled everyday to seek out and write about this sadistic subject. It's because they have to they don't want to, you of all people should understand that. Patronizing comes to mind, but thats just me, maybe others see it differently I don't know. I think your heart is in the right place though. But that is like some white people going down south during the civil rights riots to put some change in the cups of the begging destitute blacks after they were beaten by white cops. Sure it helps them some, but it hurts more to take it..
Some suggestions... just ask survivors questions and stop trying to control the resonse so much. Control is part of the problem, not part of the solution!