Fishtrap Opens Up Writers-in-Residence Program

The Eastern Oregon Writer in Residence program puts professional writers into rural communities for a full nine-week school term.

The program started with Fishtrap and Wallowa County, where it has run successfully for ten years. This year, the program is being expanded to Harney County (with the first residence in Crane), Fossil-Condon, and Chiloquin. Each community selects its own writer, but all communities will work with Fishtrap as program coordinator, and we are developing a "writers roster."

Writers work no more than two four-hour days in schools, teach an evening workshop for adults, and give at least one reading in the community. The rest of the time is theirs to write and live in the community. There is a $3,000 stipend for the nine weeks, and basic housing is provided. At Fishtrap, writers work winter term (mid-January through mid-March), and we change genres and grades each year (we will in fact have songwriters Kate Power and Steve Einhorn here this winter).

Annie Callan's “Taf” began with her Fishtrap residency. Ellie Belew found a local manuscript in the library which she went on to edit and publish. Our writers keep returning, and one of them bought a house here! The point is that this gig allows you time to write and time to learn something about a community. Although the Wallowa County program will continue to operate winter term, other communities are looking at spring and fall terms (at this point, Fossil-Condon and Harney County spring 2007; Chiloquin fall of 2007).

If you are interested in being on this roster, please contact Rich Wandschneider at Fishtrap. This will be a cumulative roster, so let Rich know ASAP, even if you are not available immediately.

Labels: Oregon, poets, writers

- posted by Michael Shay @ 11:12 PM