2023 International Writing Program (IWP) Fall Residency

We are looking for established and emerging writers of fiction, graphic novels, drama, poetry, and screenplays!

Deadline is February 15, 2023.

The IWP Fall Residency will be hosted by the University of Iowa from approximately August 19 to November 6, 2023. The in-person session will bring around 30 emerging and mid-career writers from around the world to Iowa City for an immersive eleven-week cultural exchange. IWP’s Fall Residency furthers participants’ professional development, advances their understanding of creative writing, literature, publishing and U.S. societal values, and facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration.

The International Writing Program is one of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the United States that counter disinformation, build mutual understanding, advance freedom of expression, and explore the important role of inclusion in building resilient democratic communities.

Program activities will provide international writers with opportunities to engage with the U.S. creative economy and culture and encourage American writers to connect with priority foreign audiences. IWP’s host institution, the University of Iowa, is also home to the world-renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In 2008, Iowa City became the first UNESCO City of Literature (http://www.iowacityofliterature.org/) in the United States, the third such city in the world. Two IWP alumni—Orhan Pamuk of Turkey and Mo Yan of China—have received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The IWP Fall Residency is open to established and emerging writers of fiction, graphic novels, drama, poetry, and screenplays from any country. Candidates should have a significant publication record; at least one published book or screenplay/play, or a record of publishing regularly over the previous two years in traditional or online media. The working language of the program is English, and visa issuance requires that candidates are proficient speakers of English. Candidates need not write in English; once a writer is selected, the program provides translation for their creative work as needed. Nominees must be comfortable with cross-cultural dynamics and eager to engage with other writers from diverse cultures. Nominees must be adults between the age of 21 and 64 at the time of the program, non-U.S. citizens, who are able to travel to the United States and stay for the full eleven weeks. Family members and others are not allowed to accompany the writers during the Fall Residency. The IWP welcomes nominees with disabilities who require accommodations to participate in the program. If you have any questions about a candidate’s qualifications, please visit the Fall Residency’s FAQ website or email apply.exchanges@gmail.com

Applications with attachments should be sent to apply.exchanges@gmail.com no later than February 15, 2023, 23:59 p.m. Moscow time.

Please note that the March 1 deadline mentioned at the University of Iowa website is for the Embassies to submit nominations.

Download IWP 2023 Application Form (DOC, 80Kb)