Ari's Writing Residency
Donation protected
Writing has been my passion since I was ten years old. Well, maybe younger than that, actually - my mom still has a construction-paper book called FEATHER hidden away somewhere, which was my first documented attempt at telling a good story. I don't know if it was exactly a work of literary genius, but the point is, I've been learning and growing since then.
Writing has always been one of the biggest ways that I challenge myself, not just within the craft of it but in my approach to engaging with community and with myself. Whether it was joining my school's Power of the Pen team in sixth grade, sharing my first spoken-word poem at an open mic, submitting to my first literary magazine, or completing National Novel Writing Month eight years in a row, I've pushed myself to try every unfamiliar genre and tiptoe into every intimidating literary space. Now, two years post-grad, I'm done tiptoeing; I am determined to make words my home.
Shortly after I finished my Creative Writing degree, I moved from the West Coast to the East to begin a career in publishing. Between working on breaking into this industry, I've drafted and revised a young-adult novel through a mentorship program (as well as drafting three others on my own), worked as a bookseller, completed an internship with an online literary magazine, and became an editor of one of the coolest local litmags I've ever found.
There's still so much more growing for me to do here, though, and that's where you come in. The Vermont Studio Center--one of the most esteemed artist residency programs in the country--has offered me a one-month residency this summer at their campus in Johnson, VT, to finish a book-length essay collection I have been working on since college. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I plan to experience it to the fullest.
At VSC, I'll get to delve into my craft in a way I've never been able to before: without the distractions of "normal" everyday life (things like work and grocery shopping), I will have space and time to approach new pieces at my own pace and with the utmost enthusiasm. I'll be doing book research, searching for meaning in the natural world, and sewing my observations into my essays. For an entire four weeks, I will have my own writing studio - a fantasy of mine since I was young - and access to a plethora of on-site community resources.
To be honest, this feels like a dream come true... and a dream that will bring me closer to establishing myself as a published author.
In order to get there, however, I still need a little help. The costs of this residency are high, and my current day-job wages are almost entirely consumed by bills and rent. Being accepted into this program means so much to me, and so I'm asking you - my family and friends and loved ones - to lend me a hand in further developing my passion into a sustainable career.
I know this is a lot to ask. Here's why the number is so high:
- The full cost of my residency, before my community service grant, is $2,750; the deposit needed to secure my spot was $300, which I've already paid. The remaining balance needed by April 23rd in order to attend my residency is $2,450.
- This tuition balance includes all of VSC's on-site resources, including lodging and food, 24/7 access to a writing studio, a library, internet access, and print/copy services.
- Any additional money from this fundraiser will go toward my transportation costs, as I will need to travel by bus from Providence to Johnson, and toward other materials such as books and writing software that will further enrich my experience.
Through every step of my creative journey, I've been so lucky to have so much support - practical, emotional, and financial - and I'm incredibly grateful that I get to keep taking on bigger, bolder, braver experiences because of that. I'm hopeful that VSC will be the next step for me toward building a name for myself within the writing world, and I can't wait to find out what I'll learn about my art - and myself - next.
Thank you for helping me get there!
Writing has always been one of the biggest ways that I challenge myself, not just within the craft of it but in my approach to engaging with community and with myself. Whether it was joining my school's Power of the Pen team in sixth grade, sharing my first spoken-word poem at an open mic, submitting to my first literary magazine, or completing National Novel Writing Month eight years in a row, I've pushed myself to try every unfamiliar genre and tiptoe into every intimidating literary space. Now, two years post-grad, I'm done tiptoeing; I am determined to make words my home.
Shortly after I finished my Creative Writing degree, I moved from the West Coast to the East to begin a career in publishing. Between working on breaking into this industry, I've drafted and revised a young-adult novel through a mentorship program (as well as drafting three others on my own), worked as a bookseller, completed an internship with an online literary magazine, and became an editor of one of the coolest local litmags I've ever found.
There's still so much more growing for me to do here, though, and that's where you come in. The Vermont Studio Center--one of the most esteemed artist residency programs in the country--has offered me a one-month residency this summer at their campus in Johnson, VT, to finish a book-length essay collection I have been working on since college. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I plan to experience it to the fullest.
At VSC, I'll get to delve into my craft in a way I've never been able to before: without the distractions of "normal" everyday life (things like work and grocery shopping), I will have space and time to approach new pieces at my own pace and with the utmost enthusiasm. I'll be doing book research, searching for meaning in the natural world, and sewing my observations into my essays. For an entire four weeks, I will have my own writing studio - a fantasy of mine since I was young - and access to a plethora of on-site community resources.
To be honest, this feels like a dream come true... and a dream that will bring me closer to establishing myself as a published author.
In order to get there, however, I still need a little help. The costs of this residency are high, and my current day-job wages are almost entirely consumed by bills and rent. Being accepted into this program means so much to me, and so I'm asking you - my family and friends and loved ones - to lend me a hand in further developing my passion into a sustainable career.
I know this is a lot to ask. Here's why the number is so high:
- The full cost of my residency, before my community service grant, is $2,750; the deposit needed to secure my spot was $300, which I've already paid. The remaining balance needed by April 23rd in order to attend my residency is $2,450.
- This tuition balance includes all of VSC's on-site resources, including lodging and food, 24/7 access to a writing studio, a library, internet access, and print/copy services.
- Any additional money from this fundraiser will go toward my transportation costs, as I will need to travel by bus from Providence to Johnson, and toward other materials such as books and writing software that will further enrich my experience.
Through every step of my creative journey, I've been so lucky to have so much support - practical, emotional, and financial - and I'm incredibly grateful that I get to keep taking on bigger, bolder, braver experiences because of that. I'm hopeful that VSC will be the next step for me toward building a name for myself within the writing world, and I can't wait to find out what I'll learn about my art - and myself - next.
Thank you for helping me get there!
Organizer
Ari Koontz
Organizer
Providence, RI