Applications

Interested individuals at least eighteen years of age and older (18+) may apply by filling out our application form hosted on Google Forms. Note that you will only be allowed a single application and you must have a Google account to log in. If you do not have a Google account. you may create one as part of the process.

Process

Applications are processed and completed across the span of five weeks. While times indicated below are approximate, this process outline is a good general guideline:

1. Up to six months before the event: applications are received, stored, and partially reviewed for adherence to the critera and completeness.
2. Six months before the event: received applications (the form and the practical exercise) are finalized and the application process is closed. The due dates vary from year to year, so subscribing to the newsletter, following us on Twitter, or checking the main page from time to time will be the best way to find out the exact deadline.
3. By one week after closing: applications are fully reviewed for completeness. Should any problems arise, they are corrected at this point in time. Application stories exceeding the maximum word length may, at the discretion of the administrator and/or the review team, be rejected.
4. By four weeks after closing: applications are processed, reviewed, and candidate selections are finalized.
5. By five weeks after closing: applicants are notified of the results of their application. Formal disposition letters are sent out. Candidates have seven (7) days to indicate whether or not they will attend the retreat.

Components

Our application consists of two principal parts:

Basic Information, Contacts, and Getting to Know You

We gather information about you, your interests, and your goals while as a workshop attendee. We also gather information about allergies, medical needs, emergency contacts, age, and other information we might need in order to help you in the case of an emergency. Some of this information is also collected for legal purposes.

Practical Exercise

We ask applicants to submit a new or previously published sample of their writing as part of the application. The sample should be no longer than 6,000 words and submitted in standard manuscript format in a serif font. More details can be found on the Submissions page.