It’s that time of year, where so many writers are putting together their packages to send off for residencies and fellowships in hopes that they’ll actually hear positive news in a few months. So many of us are looking for that uninterrupted time to make real headway on works in progress, and be supported in our endeavors. And by supported, I mostly mean fed. It’s so nice to have meals made for you when you’re headfirst into a writing project, but I digress. There’s a lot of great community that comes from these opportunities as well as education and productivity.

But they’re also competitive. Everyone won’t get in and so you also have to fortify yourself for that old friend, rejection. This is as good a time as any to remind you that rejection is not a personal indictment on your value or your talent. There are so many factors that go into the writers who are selected for these opportunities. And while there is self-awareness in knowing if your work is competitive with the caliber of writers for a specific opportunity, I assure you that everything from diversity in experience, stories, and so much more creates the rubric for these opportunities.

With that in mind, don’t be afraid to apply more than once to an opportunity. If you didn’t get it the year before, dust yourself off and try again. What can you improve? Is it still a viable opportunity for you? Maybe try a new project or writing sample. I have heard many stories of writers trying multiple times and finally getting their moment in the sun. Personally, I was denied for a retreat one year, then made it as a finalist the next. Who knows, if I would have tried the third time, I likely could have gotten in.

I want to share with you a few things to consider as you prepare your submissions, starting with the idea that rejection is going to happen, don’t let it discourage you.

Now, the more practical things you can do to assist you in this season, starting with developing some editable templates.

So many of these opportunities are asking for some form of a personal statement and sample pages. I don’t know about you, but I have fifty-leven things to write on a regular basis. Trying to have these unique pieces for each opportunity is tiring. Now, this doesn’t mean that you can’t edit them to be specific to the opportunity, that’s important. But it does mean that you can develop a starting point for yourself. Update them each season to add your new accomplishments and whatnot, but use the foundational elements for multiple opportunities.

Understand the goals of that specific opportunity.

Sometimes the opportunity may be for writers working on a second book. Other times it’s for emerging writers, where they want to discover the next big thing. There are times when we could save ourselves from the sting of rejection if we know that we are going out for the right things. Who were the year’s previous fellows? Are you of the caliber of those writers? This takes being a bit real with yourself in saying, is my work ready for this particular opportunity? There is so much out there now, that you can find the right place for you and your work.

Discover who you are as a literary citizen.

Often these places want you to be a talented writer, but they’re also looking to make sure that you’re good for the group dynamics that are often at play here. Clean up that social media if you’ve been sharing your unsolicited opinions about people’s work. It’s not about being fake or phony, but it is about showcasing that you’re someone who loves literature and wants to give to a particular space as opposed to only taking something from it.

Know your goals.

All of these spaces have different things to offer. Are you looking more for generative sessions to spark your next idea? Do you simply need time and space to write with little interaction with your cohort? Do you want activities and workshops that will help feed your writing once you’re back at home? Again, it’s not about applying to any and every opportunity, how are these spaces helping you with your specific goals?

Lastly, remember that these residencies are a nice to have, not a need to have.

While we romanticize the idea of going to remote places to sit and ponder our words, don’t use it as an excuse not to get the work done. Writing happens in all types of places, all times of the day. No reader ever says, “I can tell that this was written as XYZ prestigious writing residency.” Sure, they’re nice to add to your bio and some people may “respect” you more if you’ve been a part of certain prestigious cohorts, but that’s not what we’re about here at Permission to Write. Did you get the work done? Whether that’s between feedings on your couch at home or in the wee hours of the morning in your only time of peace.

We’ve been starting to collect a list of residencies and fellowships that’s a working document. If you haven’t checked that out, you can view it HERE. We’ll keep working to add to it, specifically with places that we feel are safe for Black and POC writers to show up as their full selves.

I’ll also be hosting office hours on March 7th, at 12pm ET/9am PT [RSVP] so that we can come together and chat about the experience. I’m happy to share about the two writing retreats I’ve attended as well as answer any questions about applications and writing samples. Join me if you want to chat through your own upcoming applications for the spring. And if you’d like to submit your artist statement for a live review, you can do so HERE. We’re here to help.

Power to the Pen: Writing for Revolution is an opportunity for new and returning Blue Stoop students to build their storytelling skills in a supportive environment. Applicants will choose from two 3-week classes, one in poetry and the other in essay-writing, and will be invited to participate in other community-building activities. Classes will be held in-person at 1315 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. (Closes Feb. 23)

Split/Lip Press is currently looking for short story or flash fiction full-length book manuscripts (combinations of flash and longer short stories in the manuscript are welcome as well). Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the book should not have been published as a BOOK before. We won't define "full-length" (our only hard limit is the lower end: minimum of 100pg), but 150-250 pages tends to be the sweet spot. If your book is shorter than 100pg, keep our chapbook reading period in mind this April! (Closes Mar. 1)

The Rumpus has a long history of championing emerging and established poets, fiction writers, and essayists, and we’re pleased to announce a new way the magazine will bring attention to great writing. All submissions will be read by The Rumpus‘s editorial team, and our final judges will be Kaveh Akbar (Poetry), Rachel Khong (Fiction), and Megan Stielstra (Creative Nonfiction). (Closes Mar. 2)

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Writers’ Victory Lap

Celebrate your writing journey with our community! Whether you've finished a chapter, received positive feedback, submitted work for publication, seized an opportunity from our newsletter, or reached a personal milestone, we want to amplify your success. Share your writing wins—big or small—for our weekly newsletter by emailing hello@permissiontowrite.com. Your achievements inspire fellow writers and strengthen our creative community.

What counts as a win? Everything from:

Completing a writing goal
Getting published
Starting a new project
Receiving an acceptance letter
Reaching a word count milestone
Getting constructive feedback
Finding breakthrough in a difficult scene
Landing an opportunity shared in our newsletter

Send us a brief (50 words or less) description of your accomplishment, and we'll feature it in next week's newsletter. Your success story might be exactly what another writer needs to hear!"

the craft. residency and fellowship season.