FAITH LOVES DICK

#BACKSTORY

Writing is my jam. It's honestly the only thing that I'm sorta good at. Like, I can do a whole lot of stuff mediocrely (actually I'm also a really good whistler), but... well writing is my total heart language <3 (TBH I stole that line from a friend's little son).

When I was at primary school my Standard 4 teacher Ms Crook told the entire class to put down their pencils and shut up, just so she could read them one of my poems. She even repeated the last line like 5 times. I think it was lost on them (it was lost on me too, come on I was ten) - but she told me I should be a writer at which point I thought she was cray. She really was cray though. Bless.

Years later as a teenager I'm at a party, absolutely written off on watermelon vodka sitting in a bathtub. My friend is videoing me, asking me what I wanna be when I grow up - I tell her 'a wwriitteerr'. Then I spew.

And then, years after that, at an all too common moment of existential panic, I applied to do an MA in poetry at the New Zealand Institute of Modern Letters. I did this secretly cos I didn't think I'd get in. And then I did and I also won the Biggs poetry prize. That was the first time I ever had more than negative $1000 in my bank account! And it's been declining ever since.

#OMG WHAAT?!

Cut to the present and I've been accepted to an New Zealand writing residency for 3 weeks in Canada, with Chris Kraus, one of my favourite writers in the world. I kid you not. I even did an art project about her years ago because she is #GOALS. I also applied for this in secret (I tell ya, it works!), and now I have to be all loud about it because if I'm not I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET THERE! :(

#THE HUSTLE

I'm being as scroogy and scrimping as much as I can, but it's only A FEW WEEKS AWAY and I need some help to take me the rest of the way. I'm broke, but if I can't make it I'll also be brokenhearted, and that ain't a good combo if you know me. The money will go towards return flights, accommodation and the course costs.

My goal is to raise $2000 to go towards some of my costs. All up I need about $5000 so if any of you are ballin' chuck some money my way! But seriously - ANY TINY LITTLE BIT HELPS.

I'll personally write a novel called I Love [Insert Name Here] about each and everyone who donates. That's a lie. But I'll hold you all dearly in my heart, and do some cool things, and get world famous, so that you all know you were donating to the worthiest of causes. And of course be absolutely thankful and humbled and in awe. This is the first time I've done something like this, and I'm so excited and nervous and feel like an impostor but I also want to show my mum and dad that I can actually do stuff lol. And I need it quickly!

Please send this little small town Samoan Palagi freeq to Canada! I love you! But not as much as Dick!

Faith xx