From their email to me - “Thank you so much for submitting your work for consideration. We had not planned to award honorable mentions this year, but we greatly enjoyed your writing samples and couldn’t leave you with nothing. When Peter left money to our organization for the purpose of hosting this annual award, his hope was that it would change writers’ lives for the better.”
![]() |
Sometimes the path seems burnt out and steep... |
Writer’s Relief is a submission service for writers, helping writers find and target literary journals appropriate for a piece’s style. Because of this award, a grant for two cycles of a la carte service, I’ll have 50 places to submit my work. At ten stories a year it would have taken me 5 years to research and submit, but because of their help it will take substantially less time. In reality, I’m lucky to target five journals a year so the Writer’s Relief time machine has taken me 10 years in to the future. So friggin’ fabulous!
Now, considering a writer starting out has a 1 in 100 chance of being accepted into a journal I’d say I actually have a shot at getting published.
I see this award as a great sign. During my time on this earth, along with climbing all the Cascade Range volcanoes, I would like to publish a few books, maybe even make a living off my books. Winning contests and getting published in literary journals are great milestone on that path. As a writer, toiling away in obscurity, broke as hell and doing it all myself (websites, editing, blogging, research, working, building a network and reputation, staying positive, and of course the writing, always with the writing) I am very grateful for this opportunity.
![]() |
...but with a little help, guidance and support... |
Unfortunately, I cannot share the stories on this blog because most publications I will be submitting to don’t accept previously published material, (which is funny to me because I don’t have any “readers” and to me a blog is the lowest form of publishing). What I can share is my personal statement submitted with my stories, which, according to one source, was well received at Writer’s Relief:
Why this award would be helpful: My last five years in prose – Feel that rumble? That’s the economy, falling. Hear that wail? Those are my two businesses, dying. See that proud blue-collar man? That’s me, working part time retail, on food stamps. Smell that fear? I quit that shitty job, back to college, realigning my compass. Taste that lemonade? All I want to do is write, everything else a distraction.
Currently, I make $700 a month as a writing tutor and thank God every day my wife loves me for my values and kindness not my bank account because we seem to be short $300 each month. I grew up poor, am the first in my family with a college degree and have an important voice to add to the world. I lean into fear, wrestle with demons of depression, punch the devil in the nose, drink whiskey, run through the mountains with my dog and hold my wife when we feel vulnerable.
This award would be meaningful because I need help getting my work into the world. I don’t know if it would improve my life but it would definitely feel like forward progress. Thank you for your time.
![]() |
...you can find a bed of flowers anywhere. |