Retreat Dates and Location

The 2025 Writers Retreat will be held virtually from July 31-August 9, 2024.
 

Schedule

We’ve extended the typical length of the retreat from 7 days to 10:

• We will have a mix of synchronous programming and asynchronous programming, and on days when we offer all day programming, fellows can expect to have ample breaks and rest from screens.
• Thursday, July 31-Friday, August 1: Programming begins at ~7:00 pm EST/ 4:00 pm PST
• Saturday, August 2-Friday, August 8: All day programming
• Saturday, August 9: Programming ends at ~6:00 pm EST/3:00 pm PST
   

Application Details

Applications to attend the 2025 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ* Voices open on November 1, 2024 and close at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 8, 2024. You may apply to more than one workshop, however, each application must be submitted separately and requires an additional fee. The application fee for each application is $30.00.

We are offering a number of application fee waivers for the QTBIPOC** (Queer and Trans folks who are or identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color) folks who would be attending the Retreat for the first time. Please email retreat@lambdaliterary.org to request an application fee waiver.
 

To Apply, Please Prepare

1. An artistic/biographical statement (max 500 words).

2. a writing sample matching the genre of the workshop you’re applying for:

• .DOC, .DOCX, or .PDF format.
• For prose, double spaced, 12 point font.
• For Fiction, Nonfiction, Speculative Fiction, and Young Adult Fiction: 15 pages maximum. This maximum applies to cross-genre samples as well as samples in verse.
• For Playwriting/Screenwriting and Play/Screen/Writing: 15 pages maximum from a full-length work, short play/script, or piece of theatre/film.
• For Poetry: 8 pages maximum.
• The sample you apply with does not have to be the same sample you plan to workshop at the Retreat.

3. Optional, not required for acceptance:

• Any publications of your work during the past two years, including anthologies, literary journals, magazines, websites, and books.
• Any other writing conferences, retreats, and workshops have you attended.
• If you're applying to scholarships, a scholarship statement (max 500 words).
   

Tuition & Scholarships

Writers Retreat tuition is currently set at $1,625. However, we are working on raising funds to lower this price for fellows. This means there is a possibility that the price of tuition will go down, but it will not go any higher than $1,625.  All accepted/waitlisted applicants will be notified of the final price of tuition before accepting their fellowship.

Lambda Literary has a host of full and partial scholarships that are available for accepted applicants.

Ability to pay is in no way part of the decision-making process. We have a robust and ever-growing host of scholarships available thanks to our intensive fundraising efforts and generous donors. Lambda also supports fellows in their own fundraising efforts using our fundraising platform. Many fellows who used our peer-to-peer fundraising platform in 2024 raised their entire tuition fee.

The $30.00 application fee is processed through Submittable's online portal. If you wish to pay by cash or check please contact retreat@lambdaliterary.org.
 

Application Status Notifications

Writers Retreat Faculty make the final determinations regarding accepted and waitlisted applicants. All applicants will be notified of their application status in April 2025.
 

Refund Policy

The $30.00 Writers Retreat application fee is nonrefundable.

Find out more details about the Virtual 2025 Writers Retreat on our website. 

*Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and all emerging identities **Queer and Trans folks who are Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color