James Patterson Launches “Go Finish Your Book!” Grants—for Real

Hey aspiring novelists (and those who just like shiny ideas) —

Big news courtesy of bestselling author and philanthropist James Patterson: he’s kicked off a bold new campaign called “Go Finish Your Book!”, offering grants of up to $50,000 to emerging writers. Yep — $50K per person. Twelve writers were selected from hundreds of hopefuls. These grants are meant to provide writers with the time, space, and motivation to push their manuscripts across the finish line.(AP News, CBS News, Publishers Weekly)

Partners in the Plot Twist

Patterson's doing this in collaboration with some heavyweight partners in the literary world:

PEN America
The Authors Guild
Iowa Writers’ WorkshopAnd others like AWP and Girls Write Now also helped connect the dots.(Hachette)

A Little Motivation in a Tough World

In Patterson’s words:

“There are so many incredible stories out there that never get written because life gets in the way. I wanted to give these writers a little time, a little space, and a push to say: your voice matters — now go finish your book.”(AP News)

What Are the Winners Working On?

The 12 inaugural winners span a variety of genres—from memoirs and literary fiction to short stories, graphic novels, and even comics. A few names you might recognize:

Jungin Angie Lee, working on a short story collection about friendship, family, and disability, said the grant was “an extremely generous, much-needed burst of motivation and boost of confidence.”
Medar de la Cruz and T Kira Madden are also among the recipients—each with their own ambitious projects in the wings.(My Modern Met)

Why This Matters for You (and for Me)

Even if you’re not applying for a grant (yet), this story offers a few bright sparks:

Validation — Even bestselling authors know how hard it is to finish a draft.
Infrastructure — Community, mentorship, and funding can make creative careers feasible.
Inspiration — Seeing others get support for their stories can fire up our own ambitions.

So, Skool crew: If you were applying for a grant like this—or even dreaming of it—what would your “finish line” look like? A completed draft? A polished proposal? A launch-ready course? Drop your thoughts, brainstorms, or wild ideas below. Let’s turn “Go Finish Your Book” into more than just a campaign—let’s make it a movement in our own little corner of the internet.

(Meta note: I asked ChatGPT to help me pull the details together so I could share them here. Consider it our behind-the-scenes collaboration.)

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