WRITEABILITY Nonprofit

For almost seven years, I have been studying and experimenting as an entrepreneur, alongside my efforts as an author and mentor. Most of this work has been behind the scenes, though some of you noticed a shift in my teaching values (more embodiment, less striving), my social media presence (less, less, less), and my investments (financial contributions to fight white supremacy; HSA contributions for my biz “team members”).

All of this has been because I am determined to operate a business in our current economic system, that simultaneously repairs or disrupts the unjust impacts of capitalism. I’m not saving the world and I won’t see this economy turn on its head in my lifetime, but there are much bigger “hitters” than my biz who have the same goals, and our combined efforts accrue. With any luck, my son River may live to participate in an equitable economy; preferably one that centers sustainability, resource sharing, reparations, and the imagination.

The goal of my business is to teach an embodied, revelatory approach to the craft of writing and the writing life. That approach is built on the belief that our survival as a species is dependent upon inclusivity and creativity. In 2021, I launched WRITEABILITY, a 501c-3 nonprofit writer’s guild whose mission is to:

  • embody a revelatory approach to the craft of writing and the writing life
  • right the wrongs of literary gatekeeping through redistribution of funds and resources
  • model inclusivity for a future generation of authors
  • uplift and defend the imagination

By definition and per its Bylaws, this nonprofit centers the redistribution of funds by setting aside 30% of all membership dues to fulfill the above mission. We have been in operation for 2 years and have redistributed over $15,000. Here are some specifics:

Redistribution Projects

  • Right to Write Awards: Two restricted grants given annually for a BIPOC or Veteran writer to participate in this program. Guild members review applications and make decisions. Applicants who are not selected are offered follow up consults about their applications and referral to alternate financing opportunities to support their creative goals. (Total funds distributed annually = $6700)
  • Partnership with Highlander Research and Education Center (https://highlandercenter.org/): In 2023, WRITEABILITY donated $2000 in support of playwright Regina Taylor’s black mix-tape productions produced by/via Highlander. More about Regina: https://www.thereginataylor.com/
  • Additional projects TBD following the annual Future of the Guild required members’ meeting.

At present, there are two ways to support this non-profit and its mission:

  • Become a Supporting Member: Make a donation of any dollar amount, each calendar year, and enjoy access to the annual Right to Write Awards reading (via Zoom). This event, hosted each August, features readings by current and past Right to Write Award recipients, which centers creative work by BIPOC and Veteran writers.
  • Become a Guild Member: If you have completed two years of Monthly Mentorship with Katey Schultz, you are eligible to join the WRITEABILITY Guild and enjoy the full curriculum of craft content and events, which includes monthly occurrences of Creativity Lab, Writers Lab (a chance for feedback on your work–but not workshop), Livewriting sessions, Literary Picnics, and an in-person annual writing residency in the United States. As this nonprofit is getting established, the eligibility for Guild Membership is intentionally limited; as the nonprofit grows, membership eligibility will shift and doors will open for applicaants from new members (independent of any participation in Monthly Mentorship).

WRITEABILITY is a guild for writers, but anyone can become a Supporting Member, including you. If you’ve been impacted by:

  • the incredible destruction of the planet (which is inherently linked to a lack of imagination and empathy–precisely those tools literature is so good at nurturing)
  • the incredible destruction of human (often non-white) bodies (bodies that contained novels never written, essays never breathed, stories never given voice)
  • or the incredible destruction of tribal knowledge systems and inclusive values systems (systems that hold the key to doing less harm across all areas of human activity, including the arts)

then please become a Supporting Member of the guild today. Your donation is a direct, dollars-to-action step to help “right the wrongs” of discrimination in literary publishing and gatekeeper syndrome in creative spaces.

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