Time and focus are key for a poet’s productivity. This year, English lecturer Ryan Teitman hopes to increase his creative productivity with the help of a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Teitman, who serves as the Emerging Writer Lecturer in the English Department at Gettysburg College, was recently awarded a creative writing fellowship from the NEA to further pursue his passion for poetry in 2013. He was one of 40 poets selected to receive the prestigious award from a pool of over 1,000 eligible applicants nationwide.

“The funding will help take some of the stresses out of everyday life, and getting rid of any extra stress is essential to being a productive writer,” said Teitman.

The NEA awarded 832 grants totaling $23.3 million through its Art Works funding category for 2013. Of that total, $1 million was granted to the 40 creative writing fellowship recipients. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the NEA seeks to fund artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation to benefit both individuals and communities. Creative writing fellowships, like the one Teitman was awarded, have been given out since 1967 and provide writers with financial support to pursue their writing.

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