SUMMER WORKSHOP
Tin House
INFO: The Tin House Summer Workshop is a weeklong intensive of workshops, seminars, panels, and readings led by prominent contemporary writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The program combines morning workshops with afternoon seminars and career panels. Evenings are reserved for author readings, singing, and dancing.
Workshops meet for six sessions, Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 am until 12:30 pm. Each workshop will have no more than twelve students and will treat two manuscripts per session. Each student will meet with their faculty instructor for a 15-minute one-on-one meeting during the week.
Tin House editors and guest agents are available to meet individually with students throughout the week.
For students who have completed a collection of stories or poems, a memoir, or a novel, one-on-one mentorships are available with select faculty and staff for an additional fee.
The Workshop will take place at Reed College, located on 100 acres of rolling lawns, winding lanes, and magnificent old trees in the southeast area of Portland, Oregon, just minutes from downtown and twelve miles from the airport.
Summer Workshop participants are housed in the dormitories of Reed College near the center of campus. Unless requested, all rooms are singles, with shared bathrooms (private stalls) on each floor. ADA accessible rooms are available.
All classrooms, readings, panel presentations, dining and reception areas are within walking distance from the dormitories.
Meals are served in the dining area of the college and are catered by Bon Appetit, and we work closely with them in the hopes that all dietary requirements and restrictions are accounted for and that participants’ needs are met. Students not staying with us on campus need to pay for meals individually.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- Short Fiction/Nonfiction - One writing sample of no more than 5,000 words.
- Novel - One excerpt (from the project you will be workshopping from) of no more than 5,000 words.
- Poetry - Up to four poems.
If you have been accepted into a Tin House workshop previously, please do not apply with the same application material. You are free to excerpt from the same project.
Please do not apply with published material. However, it is acceptable to apply with work that is out for submission.
If accepted, you will have the opportunity to switch your manuscript.
APPLICATION PERIOD: March 1 – April 29, 2018
WRITING EXCUSES RETREAT SCHOLARSHIP
INFO: The sixth annual Writing Excuses Workshop and Retreat makes a triumphant return to the Caribbean Sea! We begin in Houston, TX, on September 22; we’ll visit Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel; and then we’ll end up back in Houston again on September 30. You can find all the other info, including our incredible guest list, here.
We are also delighted to report that we are offering more scholarships in 2018 than ever before: five! One of these is sponsored by the hosts of Writing Excuses, one by our amazing patrons on Patreon, and three (3) by our incredibly awesome alumni. They’ve been on the retreat (sometimes more than once), they love it, and they want to share it with as many people as possible.
As always, our scholarships come in two categories: three Out of Excuses Scholarships, awarded to those in financial need, and two Carl Brandon Society Scholarships, awarded to writers of color. Both categories have introduced us to some incredible writers in the past, and we can’t wait to see who we get to meet this year. Share this post with everyone you know, read the rules carefully, and apply!
ENTRY RULES: Each scholarship offers full tuition, $500 of travel expenses, a bed in a double occupancy room on the ship, and hotel expenses in Houston for one night both pre- and post-cruise. Because the food on the cruise is free, this covers essentially all your expenses for the week, though depending on the flights you arrange, you might need to cover some of the travel yourself. You may apply to either scholarship, but only to one of them (even if you qualify for both).
These scholarships are very popular, and get a lot of applicants, so please read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly; incomplete applications will be disqualified.
To apply, please prepare the following scholarship package as a Word document, and send it to writingexcusesscholarship@gmail.com with the subject line: “Scholarship Application: [name of scholarship].” Please copy and paste the cover sheet to the main body of the email, and also include it as the first page in the package.
DEADLINE: March 12, 2018
2018 KIMBILIO SUMMER RETREAT
INFO: Writers from the African diaspora are invited to apply for a Kimbilio Fellowship.
In addition to an invitation to the annual retreat, new Fellows become a part of an engaged and growing community of fiction writers who are excited about the future of diaspora literature and about contributing their own outstanding writing to the mix.
In general, our Fellows are writers who have focused seriously on their craft for some period of time and can hold their own at the workshop table with like-minded, well prepared, and talented peers. Most are emerging writers at early stages in their careers, but many are already well-published and become Fellows because they wish to become a part of this vital community and these important conversations. Does this describe you? If so, we encourage you to apply now.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2018
kimbiliosubmissions.submittable.com/submit
JAMES JONES FELLOWSHIP CONTEST
Wilkes University
INFO: The 27th Annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship will be awarded to an American author of a first novel-in-progress, in 2018, by the James Jones Literary Society.
The award is intended to honor the spirit of unblinking honesty, determination, and insight into cultural and social issues exemplified by the late James Jones, author of From Here to Eternity and other prose narratives of distinction.
Jones himself was the recipient of aid from many supporters as a young writer and his family, friends, and admirers have established this award of $10,000 to continue the tradition in his name. Two runners up awards of $1000 each may be given by the Jones Literary Society. All selections are at the discretion of the judges.
SUBMISSION FEE: A $30 check/money order, payable to Wilkes University, not to James Jones First Novel Fellowship, must accompany each entry. For online submissions there is an additional $3.00 processing fee.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2018 at midnight EST
PAPER DARTS SHORT FICTION AWARD
INFO: Carmen Maria Machado is judging this year's Paper Darts Short Fiction Award. Word limit is 1,200.
AWARD: $500
SUBMISSION FEE: $6
DEADLINE: March 15, 2018
ASIAN WOMEN GIVING CIRCLE
INFO: Asian Women Giving Circle (AWGC) believes culture is an essential part of any strategy for social change. We support Asian American women-led organizations and individual artists in NYC who are using arts and culture to:
- bring about progressive social transformation,
- raise awareness and catalyze action around critical issues that affect Asian American women, girls and families, and
- highlight and promote women’s central role as leaders, creators, developers and managers of these projects.
In this grants cycle, we anticipate that 5-8 project grants will be awarded, contingent on available funding. The maximum grant amount is $15,000. For a description of past project grants, please visit our website: www.asianwomengivingcircle.org
Founded in 2005, the AWGC is a collaboration of Asian American women in New York City who are passionate about amplifying the transformative power of arts and culture to bring about progressive change. We promote grassroots philanthropy and pool our resources to fund projects led by Asian American women who use their creativity to move hearts, minds and communities to be free of fear, bias and injustice.
AWGC is the first and largest giving circle in the nation led by Asian American women. Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in New York City (comprising 14% of the population) yet our communities receive less than 1% of philanthropic dollars. Our goals are to:
- Channel more resources into our local communities
- Engage more people to invest in creative projects by and for our communities
- Shine an authentic spotlight on our experiences and stories
- Promote progressive social change
- Raise the visibility of Asian American women doing philanthropic work
All donors to the giving circle are invited to vote on the projects they wish to see funded. The AWGC Steering Committee is a group of approximately 25 diverse Asian American women who lead the grantmaking and fundraising efforts of the giving circle. We are a donor-advised fund at the Ms. Foundation for Women, which distributes our funds solely at our direction.
AWGC funds individual artists and community groups whose projects contribute to progressive social and political change. Since our founding, we have raised and awarded over $850,000 in support of over 80 projects.
DEADLINE: March 16, 2018
forwomen.org/grants-2/awgc-2018-rfp/
MARCUS GARVEY FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIPS
Emory University
Jean Harvey Slappy Research Fellowship
This fellowship -- named in honor of long-time Marcus Garvey Foundation board member Jean Harvey Slappy -- looks to support doctoral candidates working on aspects of the history of the U.N.I.A. (Universal Negro Improvement Association), the A.C.L. (African Communities League), and/or Marcus Garvey's organizational activities, and who wish to use the Thomas W. Harvey/U.N.I.A. collection located at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. Research fellows receive grants of $500 to help defray expenses associated with travel to and use of the archival collection.
Marcus Garvey Foundation Research Fellowship
This fellowship looks to support doctoral candidates doing primary research in the humanities and social sciences on topics related to Africa and the African diaspora. Those doctoral candidates using archival collections and/or conducting oral histories are especially encouraged to apply. Research fellows receive grants of $500 to help defray research expenses. For more information, click here.
DEADLINE: March 23, 2018
rose.library.emory.edu/research-learning/fellowships-awards/visiting-researchers/subject/garvey.html
THE 2018 ELIZA SO FELLOWSHIP
Submittable
INFO: Submittable is thrilled to announce the second annual Eliza So Fellowship, in partnership with The Writer’s Block and Plympton. This month-long residency in Las Vegas will offer award recipients time and solitude to help them finish a book that is already in progress. The program’s inaugural fellow was Melissa Sipin in 2017.
The 2018 fellowships will include room and board at The Writer’s Block, along with a $500 food stipend and $400 toward travel. They are pleased to expand the program this year to offer two residencies between September and December, and awarded in the following categories:
- The Eliza So Fellowship for Immigrant Writers
- The Eliza So Fellowship for Montana Indigenous Writers
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- You have a novel, collection of stories, memoir, or other prose work (fiction, nonfiction or hybrid) in progress (100 pages minimum) or poetry collection in progress (30 pages minimum)
- You are either: a) A US immigrant (documented or undocumented), b) An indigenous writer with significant ties to Montana (either you are from Montana, live in Montana currently, or have another significant affiliation with Montana).
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Deadline: March 25, 2018
- Results Announced: June 1, 2018
blog.submittable.com/2017/12/the-2018-eliza-so-fellowship/
WINTER 2018 STORY CONTEST
Narrative Magazine
INFO: The contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. They are looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.
Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win the Pushcart Prize, the Whiting Award, and the Atlantic Prize, and have appeared in the Best American Short Stories, the Best American Nonrequired Reading, and others. View all the recent awards won by Narrative authors.
AWARDS:
- First Prize is $2,500
- Second Prize is $1,000
- Third Prize is $500
- Ten finalists will receive $100 each.
- All entries will be considered for publication.
SUBMISSION FEE: $26 for each entry. And with your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage.
DEADLINE: March 31, 2018, at midnight PT
narrativemagazine.com/winter-2018-story-contest
2018 GRACE PALEY TEACHING FELLOWSHIP
New School
INFO: Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at the New School is welcoming applications for the second annual Grace Paley Teaching Fellowship, a semester-long residency in the First-Year Writing Program. The Fellowship will honor a writer of considerable achievement, in any genre, whose work also reveals a concern for social justice.
The Grace Paley Fellow will teach a first-year essay-writing seminar for 15 incoming undergraduate students. Classes meet twice per week throughout the Fall 2018 semester. In addition to the course, over the semester the Paley Fellow will deliver one public craft lecture, offer one public reading of new work, and participate in at least three informal lunch-time writing seminars where faculty take up various themes and topics of interest from our classes. The Fellow will also deliver a talk during the 2018 orientation for all incoming New School students and will be invited to deliver the keynote address at the spring 2019 Scholastic Writing Awards.
The Fellow works closely with the Director of First-Year Writing and other faculty to discuss pedagogy, grading, and assessment (including student preparedness for more advanced writing courses).
The Grace Paley Teaching Fellowship is open to writers in any genre (nonfiction, fiction, poetry, drama) whose work demonstrates a concern for social justice.
Applicants should have published at least two book-length works. These books, combined with additional publications, should demonstrate considerable achievement in the writer’s field and engagement with the world at large.
The New School is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promises diversity and tolerance in all areas of employment, education and access to its educational, artistic or cultural programs and activities. The New School does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, sex or gender (including gender identity and expression), pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, religious practices, mental or physical disability, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, marital or partnership status, or any other legally protected status.
AWARD: The Fellowship offers a $25,000 stipend and is located in New York City.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2018
portfolio.newschool.edu/firstyearwriting/2017/12/15/2018-grace-paley-teaching-fellowship/
ARTIST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Jerome Foundation
INFO: The Jerome Foundation is pleased to announce the first round of a new Artist Fellowship program that offers flexible, two-year grants to support the creative development of early-career generative artists in the state of Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City. Artists may apply individually or together with other members of ongoing collectives or ensembles.
The Jerome Foundation makes a distinction between generative artists (those artists responsible for artistic control in generating entirely new work, including writers, choreographers, film directors, visual artists, composers, playwrights, etc.) and interpretive artists (those who interpret or execute the work created by others, including actors, editors, dramaturgs, singers, dancers, musicians, designers, etc.). The Foundation recognizes that some artists do both generative and interpretive work. Nevertheless, the Fellowship program supports only those artists with a significant history of generative work.
All eligible applicants must have a history of making and presenting new work to the public beyond student work (if the applicant has pursued formal training). While an applicant’s past projects are reviewed as part of the selection process, the program’s primary focus is supporting an artist’s future potential through the creation of new work or activities that support professional development and/or career advancement.
The Foundation will make 10 grants in each of six categories:
- Dance
- Literature (fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry)
- ·Media—including Film, Video and Digital Production (documentary, narrative, animation, or experimental) and New Media (artistic work that is computational and distributed digitally, in the form of websites, mobile apps, virtual worlds, computer games, human-computer interface or interactive computer installations)
- Music
- Theater, Performance and Spoken Word
- Visual arts
Artists whose work spans multiple disciplines may request to be reviewed in two different disciplines. The Foundation reserves the right, however, to direct such applications to a single panel.
AWARD: Each fellow will receive $20,000 per year for two consecutive years, making the total cash award $40,000 over the two-year period. Individual artists may petition the Foundation to reduce the award amount but must present specific, compelling reasons to do so. Artists applying as part of a collective or ensemble will share one $20,000 per year award.
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Application Period: Now through May 8, 2018 at 4pm Central / 5pm Eastern Time
- Notification of grant awards: By April 15, 2019
- Earliest Date to Receive Funds: May 8, 2019