I wasn't offered the fellowship, not even a chance to apply. I wasn't too concerned about it, in part because $200/mo is a lot less than I need to make for the time I spend on this platform, so I'd rather see the guarantee go toward encouraging the newer and younger writers.

Not that I'm an old hand here. I just passed my first anniversary. Earned $7K in that year, despite being too busy with grad school to publish anything from September to June. Now that I've finished with the MFA, and no teaching gigs are magically appearing, I need to supplement my Social Security to the tune of about $1000/mo, which I think I can do here if I stay active.

I'm like you, writing what I want to say, whether it's about politics, relationships, religion, philosophy, poetry, writing craft, or whatever. I'll try some of the writing contests, or course, cause duh, but I'm okay with slow and steady.