"Present" non-fiction scholarship launched! 35 professional judges, up to $7,000 in prize money

Over the past three years, Matters has seen a steady stream of high-quality non-fiction creations from around the world. When we live in an era of unprecedented uncertainty, some excellent writers persist in writing in such a state of conflict, confusion and even criticality to witness and respond to the difficult questions raised by the times.

This is the position of "presence". It is not only a passive state of reality, but also an active choice: to understand where one is in the era, refuse to return to normality, and take writing as an action to uncover problems and see the truth.

The era swept everyone, but only a few people took the initiative to choose "presence" - such "presence" requires a keen awareness of the present, an open mind that gets rid of introversion, and an honest and brave writing record.

Matters and the Hong Kong Renaissance Foundation jointly launched the "Present" non-fiction writing scholarship, hoping to provide support to the recorders who persist in the front line of the times.

The Official Website of the "Present" Nonfiction Writing Scholarship: https://www.mattersonsite.com/

【What kind of support will the "Presence" scholarship give to writers? 】

• 1. Prize money: $7,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place, $2,500 for third place

The "Present" scholarship solicits writing plans every three months. Three candidates are selected each time, and a prize of $2,500 to $7,000 will be awarded to complete short-term works for three months.

• 2. Editing assistance

Winners will be assisted by professional editors throughout the process until the work is published . Selected works for this season need to be released by April 30, 2022.

• 3. Help the author continue to develop the work

The "Present" scholarship will connect all selected works to subsequent publishing platforms. For some of the writing projects that were not selected but have potential, the present scholarship will be recommended to influential Chinese media platforms.

• 4. Matters Open Class

All registered creators can get a playback of the lecture content of the Matters free class in 2021 and the content of the Matters public writing class in 2022.

【Who can participate? 】

1. As long as you write in Chinese, you can participate regardless of your nationality or region.
2. This scholarship is a collection of writing projects. Applicants need to submit a writing project. The work has not yet been started, or has been started, and has not been completed. But works that have been published on any public platform do not fall into this category.
3. The writing project requires no bonus or resource input from other units. Including but not limited to: winning prizes in other competitions, receiving creative grants from other organizations, and full-time job works employed by existing media organizations. If there is any violation, the organizer will have the right to disqualify the prize and recover the prize money.

【How is the "Present" scholarship selected? 】

The "Present" Scholarship invites 35 senior non-fiction writers, important publishers and media people in the Chinese region to form a professional jury, and they will select the finalists according to the theme direction, innovation, feasibility and other aspects of the writing project. By.

The 35 reviewers are (in alphabetical order by last name/first initial)

- Nonfiction writer -

• A Po writer, author of "Borders of Melancholy", "The Intervening Bystander", etc.
• Chen Chun , a young scholar of political philosophy, author of "Rebirth of Liberalism and Political Virtue"
• Du Jinxuan is the editor of the Southeast Asia edition of "Key Review Network" and the author of "Original Sin of Bloodlines: The Forgotten Victims of White Terror in Southeast Asia"
• Fu Yu        Documentary director, "Our Youth, in Taiwan"
• Guo Yujie        Writer, journalist, author of "The Voice", etc.
• Gu Yuling        Human rights activist, author, author of "Homecoming", "We: A Chronicle of Lives in Movement and Labor", etc.
• Jiang Xue        Independent writer, former Caixin investigative reporter
• Li Yumeng        Independent journalist, former Apple Daily reporter
• Li Zhexin        Documentary director, "Trek"
• Li Haozhong        Writer, author of "Norway in Microcosm - Oslo Observation Notes", etc.
• Anthropologist Liu Shaohua , researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Studies, Academia Sinica, author of "My Liangshan Brothers", "Leper Doctors and Great Changes in China", etc.
• Liu Zhixin Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Reporter, author of "Making the Truth"
• Mimiana Independent Writer, Feminist Activist
• Ning Hui , Senior Reporter, Editor-in-Chief of the International Group of "Duan Media"
• Qin Liwen, writer, independent writer, founder and host of the podcast "Seahorse Planet"
• Su Meizhi is an independent reporter, former senior editor of Ming Pao Weekly, and author of "Foreign Domestic Helper: Strangers Living at Home", etc.
• Tan Huiyun is an independent journalist, senior lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and author of "The Darker the Sky, the Brighter the Star", etc.
• Yang Tianshuai stand journalist, novelist
• Zou Sicong Independent Writer, Literary Apprentice, European Politics and Cultural Studies (in progress)

- publisher -

• Editor-in-chief of Fucha Eight Banners Culture
• Sun Deling , Editor-in-Chief of Left Bank Culture
• Tu Fengen , editor-in-chief of Lianjing Publishing, founder of "Story"
• Zhuang Ruilin , Editor-in-Chief of Chunshan Publishing
• Zhang Huijing , Editor-in-Chief of Acropolis Publishing, Writer

- Media Editors / Agencies -

• Fang Kecheng Assistant Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Founder of "Journalism Lab"
• Guan Zhenhai , founder of independent media "Zhi"
• Guan Tianlin Poet, Editor-in-Chief of "Zihua" magazine
• He Xinjie , independent writer, former Taiwan editor-in-chief of "Duan Media"
• Lin Aiyun "Global Voices" East Asia Editor
• Reporter Liang Yufang , Director of the "Vision Project" Foundation of the United Daily News
• Luo Shuyi , reporter, former editor of Cable's "News Needle"
• Breakazine , a quarterly bibliography on Hong Kong social issues
• Wang Jinhua Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Character Group of Mirror Weekly
• Wen Ruohan, Editor-in-Chief of BIOS monthly
• Zhongxin Hong Kong online media, founded by senior media workers and journalism scholars in Hong Kong

The judges' results will be announced on January 20, 2022.

【How to sign up for the "Present" scholarship? 】

1. Prepare a writing plan

Applicants are required to prepare a writing proposal. The writing plan should include the following 5 questions, and the total number of words should not exceed 2500 words. :

• What subject do you plan to write about?
• Why write about this topic? (Why is the topic important? What is its relationship to the author? What is its relationship to the reader?)
• How do you implement your plan? (Which interviews, or research, and field visits will be done? From what perspective? How many manuscripts are expected to be used, and how many pages will be completed?)
• What do you hope to achieve with your writing project?
• Briefly describe your experience or past work and why you are capable of accomplishing your goals?

2. Fill in the registration form

After you are ready to write your project, please click here , submit the application form and proposal, and complete the registration.

The application deadline for this scholarship is: 23:59 on December 20, 2021 (East Eighth District time).

In the past three years, Matters has witnessed the continuous emergence of "writing on the spot", and deeply felt the difficulty of such recording. The "Present" non-fiction scholarship will be held every three months, and we hope to continue to provide professional and resourceful support to the recorders who persist in the front line of the times. When uncertainty and crisis still hang over our lives, we want to face it head-on with you.

The "Present" scholarship starts today, looking forward to your works!