Writing Away the Stigma (2015)
About the Project
Writing Away the Stigma is a series of workshops and events for people who want to write about how mental illness has affected their lives.
It combines a series of free writing workshops and fellowships, a funded editorial fellowship, and four public readings and events designed to help demonstrate that true stories can counteract the dangerous and shameful stigma surrounding mental illness.
The goal of Writing Away the Stigma is to help the participants make a statement, showing the world (and, perhaps, themselves, too) that there is no shame in their experiences, and that people who suffer from mental illness can also survive and prosper, emotionally and professionally.
Funding for the Writing Away the Stigma project was provided by the Fred C. Schatz Fund and the Sarah and Goldie Wolfe Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation.
Events & Writing Workshops
This project combines a series of free writing workshops and fellowships, a funded editorial fellowship (see below), and four public readings and events designed to help demonstrate that true stories can counteract the dangerous and shameful stigma surrounding mental illness.
The first free workshop was held on January 24th. In observance of Mental Health Month, we will be hosting a series of free events during May.
Fellowships & Internships
Writing Away the Stigma provides support for 12 individuals to study in Pittsburgh, free of charge, with the founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction magazine, Lee Gutkind.
Selected fellows will attend five weekly workshops led by Lee, which will cover the entire writing process. All participants will conceive their stories, learn the creative nonfiction craft, and write first and follow-up drafts. In preparation for a series of public events and readings, a later session will focus on developing skills for reading/performing stories effectively for an audience.
