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The Paris Writing Workshop

Join select students and professional writers this July for a month-long creative writing workshop at the Paris American Academy, in the artistic heart of Europe. College credit is available for this hands-on English-language writing program, with intensive workshops that include instruction in:

  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Travel Writing
  • Memoir
  • Personal Essay
  • Journal Writing
  • Plays and Screenplays
  • Presentation and Performance

In addition to taking classes and participating in workshops, students will receive one-on-one consultations with professional writers, attend literary panel presentations, and give readings in Parisian venues. Between classes and tutorials, there will be ample time to experience the city, attend cultural events, visit museums, learn history, take day-trips to the countryside, read books, hang out in cafes, dance by the Seine, and make friends from around the world. The Paris American Academy is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, on the rue Saint Jacques, a block from the Luxembourg Gardens, and less than a mile from the Seine and Notre Dame cathedral.

The month-long creative writing program costs $4,700 — a great value, given the unrivaled setting and quality of this intensive writing program. Tuition for the four weeks includes all classes (4-5 days a week of instruction), formal orientation and introduction to Paris and the Latin Quarter, welcome and farewell banquets, and a few informal activities that introduce students to French language and culture.

2018 faculty includes poet Major Jackson, memoirist Dinah Lenney, travel writer Rolf Potts, and novelist Robin Wasserman.

The Paris American Academy Scholarship

The Paris American Academy is pleased to be offering up to $10,000 in scholarships (with a $4,700 individual maximum) for qualifying 2018 creative writing workshop students. The application deadline is April 30th, and applying is a simple, two-step process.

How to Apply:

  1. Attach a 2-10 page writing sample, in any genre, including fiction, poetry, personal essay, memoir, screenwriting, travel writing, academic writing, blog essay, etc. This is just to give us a sense for what your writing is like; it will not be used as a basis for awarding scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded on the strength of item #2, personal statements.

    2. Attach a personal statement outlining what exact scholarship amount would allow you to attend the 2018 Paris Writing Workshop. Tell us why you want to study writing in Paris, and how your proposed scholarship amount will help make that happen. Be specific, be persuasive, and charm us.

    For example, maybe $1,000 will help offset the cost of a plane ticket from Saskatoon, or $750 will allow you to hire a month-long dog-sitter for your neurotic rat terrier Rusty. Perhaps $500 will help fund the compulsive macaroon binges that will seize you when you arrive in Paris, or $2,000 will defray the cost of sending your preteen twins to summer camp in North Dakota for the month. You could even state the case for why you need a full-ride ($4,700) to make Paris happen. You know your situation better than we do — so use the powers of the written word to help us help you. If your personal statement tells a story — if it tugs at our heartstrings, or surprises us, or makes us laugh — you’re on the right track.

    One thing to keep in mind is that many people will be competing for a limited amount of scholarship funding. If a full-ride is the only thing that will get you to Paris we’re happy to consider it (especially if you dazzle us with your personal statement). But we’re slightly more likely to award 5-10 modest-sized scholarships than 1-2 full-tuition scholarships. So do choose your proposed amount thoughtfully.

Please attach the above items in an email and send them to: info@pariswritingworkshop.com.

Text should be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with your name and contact information at the top. There is no length limit for your personal statement — though, within reason, our judges prefer concise personal statements to novella-length ones. Scholarships will be awarded against tuition only; please keep in mind that flights and lodging are extra expenses. Scholarship winners will be announced by May 7.

Check out more opportunities, including internships, jobs, writing opportunities, courses, contests and more in our #RGNNadvisor Opportunities section.

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