Who is eligible for the The Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Fellowship?

Identity: Applicants must identify as LGBTQ+ or be writing from LGBTQ+ perspectives or experiences. Academic/Professional Level: Emerging writers: generally those who have published fewer than two full-length books or who are early in their literary careers. Genre/Project Focus: Applicants must be working in one of the genres offered (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, YA, screen/playwriting, speculative) and present a sample of their work as part of the application.

The Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Fellowship

Name: Emerging Writers Retreat & Fellowship – Lambda Literary Foundation

Award Amount: Full and partial scholarships to attend a 10-day remote retreat (tuition for 2025 is listed as $1,625 with full-scholarship spots available)

Information and Eligibility:
The Lambda Literary Foundation offers the Emerging Writers Retreat & Fellowship program (also called “Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices”) to support emerging LGBTQ+ writers working across genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, YA, screen/playwriting, speculative fiction). The program provides workshops, cohort mentorship, craft talks and community-building with established faculty members.
Eligibility criteria include:

Identity: Applicants must identify as LGBTQ+ or be writing from LGBTQ+ perspectives or experiences.
Academic/Professional Level: Emerging writers: generally those who have published fewer than two full-length books or who are early in their literary careers.
Genre/Project Focus: Applicants must be working in one of the genres offered (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, YA, screen/playwriting, speculative) and present a sample of their work as part of the application.

Application Requirements:

Completed online application via Lambda Literary’s submission portal.
Writing sample (length and genre-specific guidelines apply).
Résumé or bio summarizing writing experience, education/training, and goals.
Application fee (e.g., in 2024 a $30 fee was required; fee waivers available for QTBIPOC applicants).

Selection Criteria:

Quality and promise of the submitted writing sample (craft, voice, originality).
Evidence of commitment to writing, emerging career and relevance of project.
Fit with the LGBTQ+ literary community and Lambda Literary’s mission of elevating queer voices.

Additional Details:

The 2025 retreat will run July 31–August 9 (virtual) and will include LIT-workshops, cohort sessions, nightly readings, and networking.
Fellowships are awarded to about 96 writers per year (8 cohorts across genres with ~12 fellows each) with scholarship assistance to reduce or remove tuition cost.

Deadline:

January

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