We Are Literally Giving Away Houses...

 

 

...and I want to ask the people in my community to join us!

Or, let me be more blunt: I need your help.

 

I'm proudly on the board of Write A House, which is giving away houses in Detroit to writers, for keeps. It's a radical way to cultivate literary community, support artists, and develop Detroit neighborhoods. It is also a vocational ed program, training city youth in a trade. All skilled writers -- novelists, poets, playwrights, journalists, and both well-published and emerging -- are welcome to apply, and we have a preference for low-income applicants.

You couldn't do this anywhere but Detroit. And we've gotten bigtime media attention for it.

 

The New Yorker called us "a literary twist on old homesteading incentives."

 

In Next City: "What Write-A-House really gets at is not only sweat equity, but simple equity at the neighborhood level."

 

Model D: "We look forward to following the progress of Write A House and the continued development of this neighborhood into one of Detroit's cultural capitals."

 

On The Takeaway, former national poet laureate Billy Collins (one of our judges) spoke about our groundbreaking project.

 

And in The Michigan Daily, which gave me the chance to talk to the paper that had once been my haunt: “'You couldn’t logistically do this anywhere else,'” Clark said. 'I’ve only been here for six years, and it’s amazing to see how the energy has changed over time. It’s a place where the creative community is very engaged, and writers want to be around that strong creative force.'”

But we need your help to meet our fundraising goal. We have 18 days to hit $25,000 (at least!) on IndieGoGo, and I'm turning to my community for help! Here's what you can do:

 

Donate to our fundraising campaign (and get amazing bookish rewards in return!). 

Spread the word to your networks!

• Sample tweets: 
• A revolutionary way to support writers, Detroit, and youth: let's make it happen! http://tinyurl.com/l33r8qs
• I just helped @WriteAHouse in its groundbreaking effort to support writers. You should too. http://tinyurl.com/l33r8qs
• Join me and other artists, writers, organizers, and more to create the literary ecosystem we deserve. http://tinyurl.com/l33r8qs
• In a hard-hit American city, something extraordinary is happening. Join us: http://tinyurl.com/l33r8qs
• Sample Facebook update: 
• Write a House's dream: to cultivate literary culture in a great American city. It is literally giving away houses to writers -- for keeps. Writers, and the city of Detroit, deserve to see this happen. Join me in helping to launch this groundbreaking project! http://tinyurl.com/l33r8qs

Write about us in your blog or other media platform: we'd be honored by it, and we have a good responsive team of people who are available for any question or background that you might need.

I can't thank you enough for whatever help you can offer.

Comments

[wangu]

Giving houses to writers is a nobel cause. All the best