Apply2019-02-25T12:08:09+00:00

2019 Admissions – Deadline: April 15, 2019

All applications for admission and financial assistance, including housing assistance,
are due April 15, 2019.

Admission and financial aid decisions will be made at the same time, and notifications will be sent by Monday, May 13, at the latest.

Accepted applicants will have until May 31 to submit payment.

Applicants who miss the April 15 deadline may email the conference to inquire as to last-minute availability of workshop spots at poetry@napawritersconference.org, fiction@napawritersconference.org, or translation@napawritersconference.org.

Application Guidelines

Enrollment in each poetry, fiction, and translation workshop is limited. Acceptance is based on:

  • A brief statement of no longer than 500 words describing your background as a writer and your interest in the conference.
  • Submission of a qualifying manuscript
    • for fiction workshops submit 10-15 pages of fiction (2,500 to 3,750 words);
    • for poetry workshops submit five poems;
    • for translation workshops submit up to 1,500 words of translated prose (in English) or up to three poems; translation work may include original work by the applicant or work published by a known author in another language, translated into English by the applicant; applicants without existing translation samples may be considered on the basis of their 500-word statement of intent.

For more guidance on manuscript submission, view our FAQs.

You must pay a nonrefundable $25 reading fee when submitting your application, payable online using a credit card or by individual arrangement. Regardless of how you elect to send us your reading fee payment, you must submit your application online.

Past Participants

If you have been accepted to the conference twice in the past five years and are not applying for financial assistance, you do not need to submit a qualifying manuscript. You should complete the online form, but will not need to supply a reading fee.

If you are a past participant and are applying for financial assistance, you must submit a qualifying manuscript and pay the reading fee.

Conference Fees

The total participation fee for the 2019 program is $1,025, and includes daily breakfast and lunch, two dinners, wine tastings, and attendance at all conference events.

  • $25 reading fee – Pay with your application.
  • $1,025 participation fee – due on acceptance, non-refundable after June 5.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of grants are available to cover all or part of the conference participation fee, with awards made on the basis of merit and need.

Recipients of grants are automatically also offered community housing with local residents who’ve donated their spare rooms for the conference week. Grant recipients will owe a $50 fee to cover processing and placement costs upon acceptance.

We offer grants at the following levels:

  • Full fee grants: Recipients pay only the $25 reading fee and $50 community housing fee.
  • Half fee grants: Recipients pay the $25 reading fee, $50 community housing fee plus $525.
  • Partial fee grants: Recipients pay the $25 reading fee, $50 community housing fee plus $725.

These general grants are awarded at the discretion of the fiction and poetry staff; the number and amount of grants awarded varies from year to year according to the applicant pool and the funding we have available.

To apply, in addition to your biographical statement, please prepare the following information about your financial situation:

  • personal and, if married, household income
  • any academic stipends, fellowships, or teaching assistantships you currently receive
  • information on any financial responsibilities you may have, such as childcare or tuition
  • anticipated travel costs to the conference
  • any other factors (such as health) which affect your ability to pay the conference fee

Please indicate what level of support you require in order to attend the Conference, while keeping in mind that financial assistance funds are limited and both need and merit-based.

Those seeking financial assistance should also consider applying for a WC&C Scholarship from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

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