International Writing Workshops
Study Creative Writing in Some of the World's Most Exotic Locations
May 12, 2009
Attending an international writing workshop gives writers the opportunity to learn from some of the world's best writers and make connections with other aspiring writers from across the globe. The exotic locations can also help fuel the creative imagination. Below are some of the world's most well-known international writing workshops.
Abroad Writer's Conference
The purpose of the Abroad Writer's Conference is to give writers from around the world the opportunity to network with and gain feedback from some of the industry's most renowned authors – all in an inspiring setting. Participants take workshops in two of the following genres: fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, or screenwriting. The 2009 workshops will take place at Blairquhan Castle in Scotland in June and in Kolkata, India in September.
Aegean Arts Circle Creative Writing Workshops
The Aegean Arts Circle hosts creative writing workshops on the Greek island of Andros, just two hours by ferry from Athens in the Cycladic Islands. Andros, with its turquoise waters and rugged cliffs, is the ideal place for writers to discover their muse. Past workshop leaders have included award-winning writers Dorothy Allison and Connie May Fowler. The 2009 workshops take place in May in July.
The International Artists' and Writers' Workshops
The International Artists' and Writers' Workshops will host its 2009 program in Ghana from July 26 to August 7, the first of its kind in West Africa. Not only will writers be given the opportunity to receive peer feedback and consult individually with workshop leaders, but they can also participate in cultural excursions to Accra and surrounding villages, tours of historic sites, exchanges with local artists, and evening social events.
Paris Writing Workshop
The Paris Writing Workshop is a month-long creative writing workshop that is held at the Paris American Academy in the city's Latin Quarter. Intensive workshops are available in fiction, poetry, travel writing, memoir, screenplays and dramatic writing, literary journalism, and presentation and performance. Instruction is in English. College credit is available. When workshops are not in session, participants have time to explore Paris's awe-inspiring sites, learn basic French, attend an opera performance, visit Versailles, and much more.
Prague Summer Program
Experience the city that gave birth to such literary geniuses as Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera and Ivan Klima. Western Michigan University, in partnership with Prague's Charles University, hosts the Prague Summer Program each July. In addition to the various writing workshops available, participants can also take courses in cultural and social studies or photography for two or four weeks. Activities outside the classroom include a Survival Czech course; a Czech Film Series; a series of lectures presented by American and Czech professors; readings by students, faculty and guests; and weekend excursions to locations throughout Bohemia. Participants may receive advanced undergraduate or graduate credit by completing the four-week course. Scholarships are available.
Summer Literary Seminars
Summer Literary Seminars has programs in Kenya, Russia, Lithuania, and, coming in 2010, Italy. Participants can choose from fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting and screenwriting, travel writing, and more. Participants also have the opportunity to take basic language courses, tour local museums and other sites of cultural or historical significance, attend musical or theatrical productions, and more. Scholarships are available.
For more information about these or other international writing workshops and conferences, visit Shaw Guides, where you can search for programs by genre or location.
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