The Emerging Voices Workshop in Los Angeles serves early-career writers from communities underrepresented in the publishing world. An outgrowth of the long running Emerging Voices Fellowship, this in-person craft intensive shares the goal of demystifying publishing, cultivating literary community, and diversifying the publishing and entertainment industries.
The week-long workshop, offered twice annually, provides 15 writers the opportunity to develop a manuscript-in-progress with peers and expert instructors. Mornings are dedicated to guided poetry, fiction, and nonfiction workshops. Afternoons offer access to visiting authors, editors, publishers, digital marketers, and literary agents through exclusive presentations and Q&As on the business of books. Evenings feature opportunities to connect over meals, literary outings, and open mics, with the final day culminating in celebratory public reading of works-in-progress.
Workshop Benefits and Components
- Five days of in-depth workshop time with expert creative writing instructors and peers on a current writing project
- Guided writing exercises and self-investigative activities to generate creative insight and nurture self-awareness
- Insider knowledge about publishing and entertainment direct from accomplished visiting authors, editors, publishers, and literary agents
- Opportunities to connect with fellow writers and the larger literary community through events, gatherings, and open mics
- A final, public reading featuring new work by workshop writers
- A complimentary one-year membership in PEN America
- Deals and discounts for classes and programs from partner organizations
- A submission guide for literary journals, agents, residencies, and workshops
Guidelines and Eligibility
Workshop Timeline
The weeklong workshop is designed for fellows to connect with other writers and refine a current writing project while learning new skills and building literary community.
January-February: Emerging Voices Workshop application period
Mar-Apr: Emerging Voices Workshop Participants notified
June: Emerging Voices Summer Workshop
December 2nd-6th, 2024: Winter Workshop
Eligibility
- Applicants must be available to participate actively in all dimensions of Workshop programming, including in-person sessions between 10 AM PT and 5 PM PT, as well as the final public reading at 7 PM on Friday evening.
- Applicants cannot be enrolled in an MFA program or similar creative-writing related degree-granting program at the time of the Workshop’s start date (December 2024). Doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework are considered eligible, if their degree is in a subject other than creative writing. Applicants with advanced degrees in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry are not eligible.
- Applicants with one or more published books or a book under contract to a publisher at the time of application are not eligible. Chapbooks or work published in literary journals are acceptable.
- Applicants must be 21 years of age or older at time of application.
- Applicants do not need to be a U.S. permanent resident and/or citizen but must be residing in the United States at the time of applying for, and during the duration of, the Workshop.
- Former Emerging Voices Fellows or Workshop attendees are not eligible.
Selection Criteria and Process
Given the highly competitive nature of the selection process for this Workshop, we advise using care in your project application. Though the application will be assessed as a whole, participants will be selected primarily based on the strength of the writing sample by a committee of established writers and publishing professionals, former fellows, and PEN America staff. We encourage you to submit writing that best showcases your work.
Please be mindful of the specific application requests. Failure to follow instructions carefully will result in disqualification. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest you submit early to avoid technical issues. Applicants may only submit in one genre to the 2024 Workshop.
The selections of the jury will be final and not subject to review. We regret that due to the volume of applications, we will not be able to provide any individualized feedback at any point during or after the application process. General questions about the application process sent to [email protected] will be answered at the discretion of PEN America.
Terms of Use: PEN America archives submissions in their entirety for organizational purposes. We will never use or share your application outside of PEN America and the selection committee, and applicants retain all the rights to any work submitted.
PEN America does not discriminate based upon age, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, status as a veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to live in LA to apply to the Emerging Voices Workshop?
As we are seeking to form a cohort-based experience that will extend past the one-week workshop, we prioritize applicants from the Los Angeles county metro-region. While we will consider applicants from neighboring counties (Ventura, Riverside, and Orange), we are unable to provide travel and lodging stipends. Reimbursements for local travel to and from the workshop site and onsite daily parking will be provided to participants.
Are there any age restrictions?
The Emerging Voices Workshop is open to all writers 21 years of age or older.
Can I submit work that has been previously published?
Yes, if you feel it is the work that best represents you as a writer.
Can you help me decide what work to submit as my writing sample?
No, although we do strongly encourage you to submit writing that corresponds to your genre and your project proposal. This allows the selection committee to gain a better understanding of your project and how you and your work could benefit from the Workshop.
How should the manuscript be formatted?
Fiction and nonfiction manuscripts should be 15 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins all around. You may format poetry manuscripts however you feel best represents the poetry you are submitting, as long as you do not exceed the 10-page limit and the typed font is legible. All pages must be numbered. Your name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript. The document must be in PDF format.
What does the selection committee look for in a manuscript?
A strong writing sample. The best advice we can give is to seek the advice of other writers and instructors when preparing your manuscript.
When are applicants notified of acceptance to the workshop?
All applicants to the June workshop will be notified in February. Applicants to the December workshop will be notified in August.
I write only screenplays/graphic novels/children’s books. Am I eligible?
No. At this time, the workshop serves writers working in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. All classes, mentors, and programming for the Workshop are based on one of these three genres. Many alumni have gone on to pursue careers in graphic novels, performance art, and screenwriting, but concentrated on either prose or poetry for the duration of the Workshop.
Do I need to provide references?
Applicants must provide the name and contact information (email address and phone number) for at least one reference. Your reference should be familiar with you and can attest to your character, ability to work within a community, and be familiar with your work. During the selection period, we may contact your reference(s) for additional information. Your reference should be aware that we may be in contact with them during that time.
Is there an application fee?
Yes, there is a $25 fee to submit the application. The application fee must be paid on Submittable. Application fee waivers are available to any applicant upon request. Please email [email protected] to request an application fee waiver.
If offered a place in the Workshop, may I defer acceptance for another year?
You may not defer acceptance.
If not awarded the Workshop, may I reapply for a future workshop?
Yes.
Are current PEN America staff, interns, donors, and Board members eligible for the Emerging Voices Workshop? What about past staff, gap year fellows, interns, donors, and Board members?
Writers who also are current PEN America staff, fellows, interns, trustees, or chairs of member committees are not eligible for the Workshop. We understand the literary community to be close and interconnected, and being involved with PEN America in these ways in the past does not result in disqualification. We ask that the writer have not been connected with PEN America in these ways during the calendar year of the applicable Workshop. For example, a person involved with PEN America in one of the categories described in 2024 will not be eligible for the Workshop in 2024.
If someone is a member and active in, say, a committee, they are eligible, so long as they aren’t chair or co-chair.
Am I allowed to apply to both the Emerging Voices Workshop in Los Angeles and the Emerging Voices Fellowship?
Applicants to the LA workshops are also welcome to also apply to the Emerging Voices Fellowship, a competitive virtual mentorship program serving writers across the country. Applicants will submit separate applications for each program. The committee for each program will review the respective applications individually and decisions by one program may not reflect decisions by the other.
If someone is a member and active in, say, a committee, they are eligible, so long as they aren’t chair or co-chair.
Participants will be asked to agree to the House Rules of our workshop hosts The Unlikely Collaborators throughout the onsite and final reading. House rules are as follows:
Respect for All:
Treat everyone with kindness, respect, and empathy. Harassment, discrimination, or any form of abusive behavior will not be tolerated.
Quiet Spaces:
Be mindful of noise levels, especially in common areas and designated quiet zones. Use headphones when listening to personal audio content.
Cleanliness:
Keep the space clean and tidy. Dispose of trash properly, and clean up after yourself in all common areas, including kitchens and restrooms.
Safety First:
Follow all safety protocols and emergency procedures. Report any hazards or unsafe conditions to an Unlikely Collaborators team member immediately.
Property Respect:
Treat all property, equipment, and facilities with care. Report any damage or malfunction to the Unlikely Collaborators staff.
Personal Belongings:
Keep your personal belongings secure. Unlikely Collaborators is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Substance Policy:
Smoking, vaping, and the use of illegal substances are prohibited on the premises. Alcohol consumption is only allowed during designated pre-approved events and must be done responsibly.
No Political Discourse:
At Unlikely Collaborators headquarters, curiosity lights the path and kinship rules the day! We ask that you leave the world’s political, polarizing debates at the door and focus instead on exploring your inner world, doing the great work you are here to do and creating new connections.
Our Approach: Moving Beyond Blame:
At the heart of our approach is a commitment to exploring our internal world, which profoundly shapes our experience of the external world. While confronting the grave issues of oppressive power disparities and institutional challenges is without a doubt urgent, directly addressing these challenges falls outside our expertise. At Unlikely Collaborators, our focus is on guiding individuals to explore their personal Perception Box assumptions and beliefs and helping untangle recurring patterns of self-limitation and suffering. Through this process of internal reflection and self-empowerment, our Perception Box expands, insight is gained, and systematic issues have a better chance of being corrected with clarity and wisdom. That is the Unlikely Collaborators vision – our path to a brighter future.
Privacy & Confidentiality:
Respect the privacy and confidentiality of others. Do not share personal information or private conversations without consent.
For more information, please write to [email protected].
The Emerging Voices Workshop is made possible by the support of
