DRAFT 2025 - 2027
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Writing By Writers DRAFT! is an intensive program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a novel, memoir, short story, or essay collection over the course of two years. Whether starting a first draft, or working through a new revision, this program is appropriate for writers who want a rigorous and supportive community throughout their process. If you already have a completed manuscript you want to workshop over a long weekend, check out our Manuscript Boot Camp.
Key Dates: Application Deadline, January 15, 2025; Acceptance Notification, February 1, 2025; Registration Deadline, February 15, 2025; Program Kick Off, March 4, 2025.
In-Person Retreats: August 21 - 24, 2025 (Boulder, CO), February 19 - 22, 2026 (Mill Valley, CA), August 27 - 30, 2026 (Boulder, CO) and February 25 - 28, 2027 (Mill Valley, CA)
Faculty: Samantha Dunn, Pam Houston and Joshua Mohr.
Curriculum & Format: The heart and soul of Writing By Writers DRAFT are four in-person retreats where writers will workshop their draft-in-progress, as well as attend craft talks, panels and readings. Over the two year program, we will focus consecutively on the three stages of writing, inspiration, execution and revision. Our final retreat will be a pre-publication bootcamp, with agents and editors in house, where your faculty and fellow writers will read your entire draft. At each retreat, five writers will work closely with one faculty member, rotating each retreat so that by the end of a year and a half, all writers will have studied with Sam Dunn, Pam Houston and Josh Mohr. For the final retreat, writers will select who they would like to work with a second time. Before each retreat, writers will submit their cumulative pages to their faculty and four peers to be critiqued at the in-person workshop (up to 75 pages/20,000 words first retreat, 150 pages/40,000 words second retreat, 225 pages/60,000 words third retreat, 300 pages/80,000 words fourth retreat). Whether in person, or writing furiously at home, DRAFT members will be part of a supportive, encouraging and tight-knit writing community.
- 4 in-person retreats (lodging and group meals included)
- faculty panels focused on the stages of writing - inspiration, execution and revision
- faculty craft talks specific to elements of writing a book-length manuscript
- faculty one-on-ones to help shape and guide your process
- reading and critique of 750 pages/200,000 words in total of your draft-in-progress by faculty members and four of your peers
- the opportunity to work with three different faculty members who are accomplished novel, memoir and short-story writers
- faculty and student readings
- a monthly on-line book chat focused on the craft of writing
- an on-line forum to connect with fellow program members to share encouragement, inspiration and support
- an intimate and tight-knit community of 15 writers and 3 faculty committed to the same goal
Tuition: Tuition is $6,250 per year (payable $3,125 per retreat) and includes four days of workshop, faculty one-on-ones, agent/editor one-on-one, admittance to all craft talks, panels and readings, group meals and lodging for three nights. There will be an additional fee of $100 for every 25 pages over 300 for the final manuscript draft.
Application Requirements: The application period opens July 15, 2024 and the application submission deadline is January 15, 2025. Acceptance notifications will be made February 1, 2025 and the registration deadline is February 15, 2025. All applicants must submit a writing sample of up to 30 pages (double-spaced, Times New Roman or similar font), ideally from the draft you plan to complete during the program, a project synopsis and a short bio.
Application Fee: $25.00