Sewanee Writers’ Conference
July 15-27, 2025
Writers may apply to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference by submitting applications in one or more of the categories listed below. The application deadline is March 1.
Applicants may apply in more than one genre. The Conference offers contributor positions (general admission) as well as merit-based scholarships and fellowships (see eligibility criteria). Award applicants who would like to be considered for a contributor position should they not receive an award must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the award application. Writers can only attend the Conference once on a scholarship and once on a fellowship in any particular genre.
All applicants will be notified of decisions via email April 15.
2025 Faculty
FICTION Chris Bachelder • Venita Blackburn • Kirstin Chen • Vanessa Hua • Holly Goddard Jones • R.O. Kwon • Leigh Newman • Kirstin Valdez Quade • Akhil Sharma • Luis Alberto Urrea
POETRY Cortney Lamar Charleston • Tarfia Faizullah • Donika Kelly • Nate Marshall • A. E. Stallings • Felicia Zamora
NONFICTION Eula Biss • Jaquira Díaz • Melissa Febos • Lacy M. Johnson
PLAYWRITING Cusi Cram • Adrian Einspanier • Talene Monahon • Jesús I. Valles
All participants are expected to attend the Conference for its entire 12-day duration.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by the time of the Conference. Past that criteria, age is not a factor in admissions. We welcome a wide range of ages to the Conference.
Conference Fees
Contributors - $2,500 ($1,100 for tuition and $1400 for room and board)
Scholars - $1400 (Conference covers tuition)
Fellowships - Conference covers tuition, room, and board.
All participants, including fellows, are responsible for their own travel costs.
CantoMundo, Cave Canem, In-Na-Po, Kundiman, RAWI, and The Sol Project Fellowships
We are excited to offer CantoMundo, Cave Canem, In-Na-Po, Kundiman, RAWI, and The Sol Project fellowships to this summer's Sewanee Writers' Conference. The CantoMundo, Cave Canem, In-Na-Po, RAWI, and The Sol Project fellowships are open to past and current fellows of those organizations. The Kundiman fellowship is open to all Asian American writers. The RAWI fellowship is open to all Southwest Asian and North African Writers. Fellowship applicants must have at least one book in print by the time of the Conference.
Applicants accepted to the Conference will have the opportunity to submit a separate manuscript for workshop as well as their top choices for a faculty reader.
Scholarship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of scholarships on a competitive basis. Scholarships cover tuition ($1,100); scholars only pay room and board ($1400). Scholarship applicants in fiction should have one or more genre-specific publications. If you would like to be considered for a contributor position should you not receive a scholarship, you must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the scholarship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a scholarship once in any particular genre.
Fellowship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of fellowships on a competitive basis. Fellowships cover tuition, room, and board. Fellows are responsible for their own travel costs. Fellowship applicants in fiction must have a published novel or short story collection. Novellas and chapbooks are eligible for scholarship applications, but not for fellowships. Self-published titles are not eligible. We will accept fellowship applicants with books in press, but only if the book is published by the time of the Conference.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship or contributor position should you not receive a fellowship, you must submit a separate scholarship application or contributor application in addition to the fellowship application. Writers can only attend the Conference once on a fellowship and once on a scholarship in any particular genre.
Scholarship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of scholarships on a competitive basis. Scholarships cover tuition ($1,100); scholars only pay room and board ($1400). Scholarship applicants in nonfiction should have one or more genre-specific publications. If you would like to be considered for a contributor position should you not receive a scholarship, you must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the scholarship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a scholarship once in any particular genre.
Fellowship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of fellowships on a competitive basis. Fellowships cover tuition, room, and board. Fellows are responsible for their own travel costs. Fellowship applicants in nonfiction must have a published nonfiction book. Chapbooks are eligible for scholarship applications, but not for fellowships. Self-published titles are not eligible. We will accept fellowship applicants with books in press, but only if the book is published by the time of the Conference.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship or contributor position should you not receive a fellowship, you must submit a separate scholarship application or contributor application in addition to the fellowship application. Writers can only attend the Conference once on a fellowship in any particular genre.
Scholarship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of scholarships on a competitive basis. Scholarships cover tuition ($1,100); scholars only pay room and board ($1400). Scholarship applicants in poetry should have one or more genre-specific publications. If you would like to be considered for a contributor position should you not receive a scholarship, you must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the scholarship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a scholarship once in any particular genre.
Fellowship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of fellowships on a competitive basis. Fellowships cover tuition, room, and board. Fellows are responsible for their own travel costs. Fellowship applicants in poetry should have a full-length collection published by an academic or commercial publisher. Self-published titles are not considered eligible. Chapbooks are eligible for scholarship applications, but not for fellowships. We will accept fellowship applicants with books in press, but only if the book will be published by the time of the Conference.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship or contributor position should you not receive a fellowship, you must submit a separate scholarship application or contributor application in addition to the fellowship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a fellowship once in any particular genre.
Scholarship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of scholarships on a competitive basis. Scholarships cover tuition ($1,100); scholars only pay room and board ($1400). Scholarship applicants in playwriting must have had a developmental residency, staged reading, or workshop with a professional theater company; and/or a university or small theater production. If you would like to be considered for a contributor position should you not receive a scholarship, you must submit a separate contributor application in addition to the scholarship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a scholarship once in any particular genre.
Fellowship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of fellowships on a competitive basis. Fellowships cover tuition, room, and board. Fellows are responsible for their own travel costs. Fellowship applicants for playwriting must have had a professional production at an off-off Broadway or equivalent regional theater. Fellowship applicants should submit a full-length play or the equivalent in length of a collection of shorter works, all of which have seen production.
If you would like to be considered for a scholarship or contributor position should you not receive a fellowship, you must submit a separate scholarship application or contributor application in addition to the fellowship application. Writers can only attend the Conference on a fellowship once in any particular genre.
Scholarship Award Eligibility
The Conference offers a limited number of scholarships to Sewanee undergraduate students. Scholarship applicants must be members of Sewanee's 2025 graduating class and 21 years of age at the time of the conference.
Scholarships cover tuition ($1100); scholars only pay room and board ($1400).
Fiction application manuscripts should be 20-30 pages, typed, double-spaced (examples: a novel excerpt, a longer story, or two or more short stories).
Poetry application manuscripts should be 10-15 pages, single-spaced.
Nonfiction application manuscripts should be 20-30 pages, typed, double-spaced.
Playwriting contributor and scholarship application manuscripts should be a play or an excerpt of a play (please send 20 pages minimum), standard playscript format.