So now I’m making things up as I go along. They do add up really quickly, so you really have to figure out if it’s worth the expense. Especially when you have to travel for them, which is the case for all of the conferences and colonies I’m even considering.Īs with choosing MFA programs, I am a firm believer in saying bollocks to reputation in terms of awards and publication records. It all comes down to what you expect to gain from the experience and whether a particular conference or retreat will do it for you. So regardless of the reputation, the fundamental question I asked myself was, “Is this my cuppa tea?” Yes, that’s really what I said. My wife, Sona, wrote a blog post on getting the most value out of these conferences for Teen Writers Bloc. Her priorities and those of the other writers in her MFA program at the New School are on craft, but also on networking. I have never been interested in networking. I find it utterly droll and pointless at this stage. Perhaps once I have a manuscript, I’ll become more sociable. And while I enjoy listening to writers talk about craft, I can’t see myself paying to eavesdrop on a panel discussion or to pitch an idea for a novel I haven’t gotten past the first 25. Macdowell Writers Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire So without further dilly-dallying, here are the places I’ve decided to apply to:ġ. This is definitely at the top of my list. It is the oldest colonies in the country with an amazing history. There are no residency fees, they provide three meals a day, and they even offer a stipend! It doesn’t offer classes, or instruction, but gives me one thing I have been craving: time. There aren’t any additional requirements for the writer, except to write. The deadline is approaching alarmingly soon: Janufor the summer residency, which is the only time period I can entertain doing for ideally 8 weeks.
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