A Free Writer's Retreat for Women
Hedgebrook Residencies Provide Space and Time for Writing
Approximately forty writers a year are selected from a pool of applicants to attend this women's only writer's retreat. How did such a fantastic opportunity come about? And how can you take part? Read on.
Hedgebrook's History
Hedgebrook has a 48-acre retreat property located near Seattle. It was founded in 1988 by writer Sheryl Feldman and philanthropist Nancy Skinner Nordhoff. They believed in Virginia Woolf's assertion that women need 'a room of their own' to write and set out with the goal of providing a place for women to do so.
Hedgebrook provides – free of charge – a retreat opportunity for approximately forty female writers every year.
Private Cottages
Hedgebrook has six private, hand-crafted cottages which house individual writers. Each participant has the use of one cottage, equipped with a bedroom, kitchen, writing desk and book shelves. Each cottage has a journal that the participants are expected to write in. These journals are a living record of all the writers who have stayed there, and the experience of their writing residencies.
Any Woman Writer Can Apply
The philosophy behind Hedgebrook is inclusion: all female writers are welcome to apply. There is no prerequisite of publication, education, grammar level or professional recognition. Each year, the selection commitee attempts to gather a mixed group of writers to increase diversity in the writing community.
Focus On Community
Every night, after a long day of writing, the participants meet for dinner at the historic farmhouse on the retreat property. This communal dinner is the focal point of the Hedgebrook community. It provides participants with the opportunity to talk about their work, exchange ideas and get to know eachother. Other events such as author readings keep the writing community strong.
Hedgebrook has also launched a successful Women Playrights Festival (WPF). As their website states, “Why just women playwrights? Although women represent more than half of the playwriting community, only about 16% of national mainstage productions are by women each year.” Now in its tenth year, the WPF features the work of women playrights in an effort to balance the gender imbalance in play production.
Application Details
Hedgebrook accepts applications once a year, in the fall, for residencies the following year. Applicants may request stays anywhere from two weeks to two months. Retreat participants are selected based on the submission of two essays and a writing sample. There is a $25 application fee. This fee can be waived for participants in financial need. Retreat participants are selected based on the submission of two essays and a writing sample.
And if Hedgebrook doesn't seem like the right fit for you, check out these Canadian Writing Retreats.
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