Publish a Book Scholarship
“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
— Toni Morrison
The Gotham Publish a Book Scholarship is open to people of color who have completed a book manuscript (or nonfiction book proposal) and are ready to seek agent representation and go to market with their book. Three scholarships will be offered every year to un-agented writers.
Each scholarship includes:
- Admittance to a Gotham Writers Conference—the panels and presentations as well as a seat at a pitching roundtable with two agents in your genre.
- The Gotham course How to Get Published
- A one-on-one Agent Evaluation session and a Query Letter Coaching session, both with a literary agent.
Acceptance is open to all people of color (age 18 and up) and based solely on the merit of your book project. At least one spot will be rewarded to a Black writer.
Once accepted, Gotham will do a consultation to determine the timing and arrangement of your scholarship.
This scholarship does not guarantee that winners will get a book published or obtain an agent, but it does help them get the best possible shot.
This scholarship is for un-agented writers. If you obtain representation after submitting your application, please notify us as soon as possible so your application may be withdrawn.
Applications will be accepted June 1 – August 16.
Winners will be announced by mid September. All applicants will be notified.
Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship Recipients
Kendra Augustin
Ashley Holliday
Trang Nguyen
2024 Scholarship Recipients: Javier Castano, Edith Langford, and Nathaniel Mondragon
2023 Scholarship Recipients: Jasper Joyner, Lindsey Lunsford, Bernadette Roca, and Katarina Wong
2022 Scholarship Recipients: Clary Ahn, Laide Akaso, Jacob Lopez, and Niki Singh
2021 Scholarship Recipients: Monami Chakrabarti, Priya Jain, Sarah Matsui, and Morgan Ross
2020 Scholarship Recipients: Josephine Queen, Sufiya Abdur-Rahman, Makiko Hirata, and Janine Kovac
“I’m so grateful for the Gotham Publish a Book Scholarship. It gave me access to invaluable opportunities: an online class on how to get published helped me refine my query letter; critique on my full manuscript by a literary agent helped bring out the story I needed to tell; a seat at a pitching roundtable at the Gotham Writers Conference directly led to me signing with an agent.”
—Josephine Queen
Publish a Book Scholarship Winner
“The scholarship gave me access to top-tier writers and agents. Everyone has been so generous in sharing their expertise and insights with me. The creative synergy and mutual support in this community is encouraging and inspiring. I know that my book is now a better book because of this scholarship.”
—Makiko Hirata
Publish a Book Scholarship Winner
“Thank you so much for hooking me up with JL Stermer for my agent evaluation! Her feedback was so eye-opening and her conversation so helpful and encouraging that I am brimming over with gratitude. You guys truly have an invaluable service with the Agent/Editor Evaluation; I hope that all writers who use it get as much out of it as I did. Thanks again!”
—Sufiya Abdur-Rahman
Publish a Book Scholarship Winner