Applying for residencies, grants, and fellowships is a tedious process, which is why I print and archive every application I submit. Why? To re-purpose content for future applications!
Building off my post Part II: Tips for Residencies, Grants, & Fellowships, my binder is basically my business writing portfolio, where I archive application submissions and handouts I’ve collected from various trainings.
Why Archiving Helps
To Re-purpose Old Content: Instead of writing an artist’s statement for every application, I reuse older versions or cut/paste snippets to craft new statements. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Archive your artist statements, bios, resumes, etc. for future use and inspiration.
For Accessibility: Nothing is worse than digging through hundreds of digital files to look for a specific document. I forget file names or I transfer files to different drives but lose track of what’s where. Printing hard copies reduces my digital frustration.
To Track My Business Writing Skills: Nothing is more cringey than reading stories I wrote a decade ago. Soooo baaad. The same goes for old applications. However, I like to track the development of my business writing skills over time (which is a major confidence booster) whenever I flip through my binder. Speaking of:
Peekaboo: Look Inside My Binder
Learn More
Download a free excerpt of The Artist’s Guide to Grant Writing and read similar posts in the ‘Business Writing’ category of Wellness-ish-ness.
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Wellness-ish-ness is a blog for creative hot messes by D.A. Navoti. Read his bio and find him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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