For years, I’ve offered FREE & donation based classes to the community. 
And I’ve tried to make my tuition-based classes reasonably priced. 
That’s how much I believe in this work. 

I believe in making my Writing Our Lives Classes accessible. 
I believe in paying it forward. 

Since I launched WOL over a decade ago,
I’ve offered financial assistance to writers in need,
Including payment plans and scholarships. 
Most of the time, that financial assistance was unfunded. 
Meaning, I took the L. 
Meaning, I gave assistance without having any way of making that money back. 
I’ve never felt bad or regretful about doing that. 
It was, still is, the right thing to do.

This is the gift economy that native writer Robin Wall Kimmerer writes about, 
that I didn’t know I was participating in. 
I did it because I wanted to. 
Because I learned as a kid, 
Donde come uno, 
Comen diez.

I’m now one of the millions who lost their unemployment benefits a few weeks ago. 
And the gig economy is floundering
Meaning the gig work I once did that helped me make ends meet, is no longer.

I want to keep offering financial assistance
Because writers deserve that
Because I’ve been that writer who needed help to take that class
Go to that residency
Attend that workshop.

So today, I’m asking the community to help me continue to offer scholarships
For my Writing Our Lives Classes
Including the Intro to Writing Your Life Class, starting October 1st,
The Writing the Mother Wound Class, starting November 1st, 
And the various one-day classes I have scheduled thru December. 
(You can find detailed info on each at vanessamartir.blog & writingourlives.com)

If you’re interested in funding a writer, 
Anonymously or not,
With a full scholarship or partial,
With a few dollars, a few hundred or more,
I welcome and am honored to receive your generosity.
And promise that it will go to a deserving writer. 

Send me an email to writingourlivesworkshop@gmail.com
& we’ll figure out the details. 

Thank you in advance. 

Remember: There’s no shame in helping each other out. 
WE ALL WE GOT!

#weallwegot #writingourlives #sponsorawriter #scholarships #financialaid #gifteconomy