July 10 – 17, 2023
These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, as well as brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. There are separate morning workshops for Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction/ Memoir. In addition to their workshop manuscript, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in an individual conference. We offer several additional opportunities such as a Special Adaptation Class, Open Workshop, Gill Dennis’s Finding the Story, and Naturalist-Led Nature Walks.

In addition to Fiction, a portion of our workshops are devoted to nonfiction. Writers of memoir, narrative nonfiction, essays, and hybrid nonfiction forms are invited to apply. Literary criticism and scholarly work will not be considered. Nonfiction applicants can use the same general form for submission.

Admissions are based on submitted manuscript. Tuition is $1600 * which includes five evening meals. Please Note: Tuition does not include housing costs. See Housing and Meals. Financial aid is available. See Fees & Deadlines, below.

These workshops are held in-person in Olympic Valley, California.

* Fees may change slightly without notice.

• What to Expect
  Participants’ manuscripts are critiqued in daily morning workshops
  Afternoon & evening craft talks, panels on craft, staff readings, panel discussions on editing & publishing
  Individual one-on-one conferences
  Readings by prominent staff writers and special guests
  Open Workshop led by Sands Hall
  Special Adaptation class led by Patricia K. Meyer & Stacy Spruill
  Gill Dennis’s Finding the Story Workshop led by Leslie Daniels
  Admission is based on the strength and merit of the submitted manuscript and our judgment that the applicant will benefit from the workshop
  Financial Aid available
  110 participant writers attend
  Refer to our Health Guidelines before applying

Our Location

Olympic Valley is a ski resort located in the California Sierra Nevada close to the north shore of Lake Tahoe, which was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Our workshops and events take place in the Olympic House, a ski lodge at the foot of the slopes. Summers are warm and sunny; participants will have opportunities to hike to the local waterfalls, take nature walks up the mountain, swim in Lake Tahoe, or bike along the Truckee River. The elevation is 6200 feet.

PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY MARCH 5.
We make no admissions decisions before all the submissions have been read and evaluated. The Application Form link is at the bottom of the page. Please make sure to read all the information here before applying.