Support a Writer's Dream: Emerson MFA for Nick Josten

I’m going to do something that is probably very stupid, and I’d like your help.

I was accepted into Emerson College’s creative writing MFA program and I am moving to Boston. I knew when I applied that it was a partially-funded program. I did get some scholarship money, but not as much as I was hoping. A lot of the funds I’ve saved up for living expenses are now going to tuition. I’ve worked every job I could find this past year, and I’ve sold nearly everything I own. I will work full time while also going to school full time, but I could still use some help.

Honestly, I feel weird asking for money for something like this when so many people are struggling. I’ve dreamt of doing a program like this for most of my life, and I believe I have some stories that need to be told. I’ve already completed my first novel and received some attention from agents, but haven’t been signed yet.

I call it Lawn Chairs for the Apocalypse. It opens with Dick Aiken shopping for an economical and eco-friendly way to kill himself. This down-and-out millennial did everything right to achieve The American Dream: excelled in school, married his college sweetheart, and landed his dream job. Then the rules changed. Working hard no longer provides a decent life. Now divorced and working multiple jobs to scrape by, Dick has abandoned all hope of owning a home, retiring, or being happy. He would rather die than continue struggling for scraps. While poking around the store, the de facto leader of an apocalypse cult intervenes and convinces Dick to give life two more weeks. As they explore Nevada’s many idiosyncrasies and absurd locales, Dick has one job: find a reason to live in a society that no longer supports life. I want to give hope to all those folks who feel hopeless in our world.

I plan on rewriting and perfecting that story until it becomes undeniable while also working on my next novel about taking care of my mom while she underwent cancer treatment during the early days of COVID. This is not only to honor my mom’s memory, but to honor all the caregivers who have lost a piece of themselves and struggle with grief.

So if you’ve ever watched my standup or read one of my stories or watched me in a movie and thought to yourself, “I’d like to see more of that chubby weirdo,” then I’d appreciate you’re help. And if you don’t like me or think that I’m a hack, imagine sending me all the way across the country to one of the best writing programs in the country to fail spectacularly. What an awesome prank that would be! You’d really get me good, boy howdy!

I’m happy with anything you can give. For those with a little extra to spare, if you donate $1,000 I’ll add you to the acknowledgments page of my first published novel. For $5,000 I’ll put you on the dedication page. If you’re not able to donate, or just don’t want to, I completely understand. I hope that when I publish these two novels you’ll give them a read.