If you’re based in the UK, you’re a comic book creator, and you’re either a disabled, trans/non-binary or creator of colour, then you’re eligible to submit for the Thought Bubble Micro-Bursaries.
The deadline is midnight tonight (June 23rd, 2024).
You can find the link here; https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com/microbursaries
As a disabled creator myself, I’ve just sent in my application. Over the past few years it has become harder and harder as a comic book writer to get published. A lot of small press publishers no longer exists, and with less opportunities in mainstream comics, this has led to higher profile creators submitting to indie anthologies, making it more difficult for creators who haven’t yet established themselves professionally to compete for a place in those anthologies.
I’m still writing, but I’ve been unable to get any of my work picked up by comic book anthologies since 2019.
This has been incredibly difficult for me, as beyond my love of writing for comics, I got into this work to help people, and increase representation in the comic book space. In this medium that I love. I’m both gay and disabled, and representation in media matters.
I’m currently writing a creator owned project starring a character with dyspraxia, a learning disability which people have attempted to portray in fiction, but to my mind, they have fallen short of portraying authentically. That is why I view a creator with dyspraxia helming such a project as being so important. And it is my hope that if I am successful in my application, that I can fund such a creator owned project.
I’ll keep you folks up to date, and if you’re applying for a micro-bursary yourself, I wish you luck.
Paul Penna Writes 