How to Nominate a Writer

The IWP does not provide grants for its residents. We refer qualified writers to the cultural affairs office of the U.S. Embassy or U.S. consular office in countries abroad, or to one of the cultural agencies with whom we hold exchange agreements, including US-based foundations and the arts councils of other countries.

We provide the selection criteria below as guidance for US diplomatic missions or other cultural agencies able to sponsor participants; and as a yardstick against which individual writers can gauge their qualifications.

To nominate a writer, please complete the appropriate electronic nomination form, located here. You may upload professional materials to the site, including: a brief resumé that indicates the writer's publications, and a representative writing sample, 10-20 pages in English translation.

The IWP welcomes queries from writers. The Associate Director can be reached by e-mail: hugh-ferrer[at]uiowa.edu, by fax at 319-335-3843, or by mail at the International Writing Program, 430 N. Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52242-2020, USA.

International Writing Program Nomination Form (May be filled out and attached to an email.)

Criteria for Selection

• The candidate should be primarily a writer of fiction, poetry, drama, or screenplays. Literary translators, and writers whose publications and careers focus on nonfiction (journalism, cultural commentary, biography, memoir) have also participated, but candidates must have a track record in one of the creative genres.
• The candidate should not be a resident of the United States or currently in residence in the US.
• The candidate should have at least one published volume, or works that have appeared in significant publications (anthologies, journals, literary magazines), over a period of at least two years.
• Some prior form of national or local recognition for the candidate’s literary achievements is desired.
• The candidate should be ready to provide a compelling sample in English.  Typically 10-15 pages of poetry or double-spaced prose, the sample should give a good sense of the writer’s strengths.
• The candidate must have a facility in speaking English sufficient to profit from a three-month writing residency where intensive discussion of literary and cultural issues forms a vital part of the interaction. Much of the experience of being in a community of international writers is lost if the candidate is not reasonably proficient in English upon arrival.
• The program seeks candidates who are comfortable with cross-cultural dynamics and interested in close interaction with artists from diverse cultures. On the other hand, participants have at their disposal a fair amount of unstructured time where they determine their own schedules. A candidate's flexibility and tolerance should be matched to a degree with independence and self-motivation.