James Patterson to Award $500,000 in Grants to Emerging Writers

James Patterson has announced the launch of his Go Finish Your Book campaign, through which the author has awarded grants of up to $50,000 to 12 writers with the aim of allowing them to dedicate the time and resources needed to complete their manuscripts. 

Patterson has personally awarded a total of $500,000 in grants after evaluating hundreds of submissions from writing organizations and programs across the country. Partner organizations include the Authors Guild, Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Girls Write Now, PEN America, International Thriller Writers, Masterclass, and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Each applicant submitted an initial proposal and subsequent pages for review by Patterson. The final works span such genres as memoir, short stories, literary fiction, mystery, and comics.

Recipients of the grants include writers Medar de la Cruz, Jungin Angie Lee, and T Kira Madden.

“This initiative provides the gift of time to new writers at a crucial moment in their development,” said Lan Samantha Chang, executive director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, in a statement. “It is a tremendous boost of confidence to gain the support of a pathbreaking writer.”