The Mount and Straw Dog Writers Guild Invite Emerging Writers to Apply for the 2026 Writers Residency Hosted at The Mount in Lenox, MA.
The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home, is once again collaborating with Western Massachusetts’ Straw Dog Writers Guild to offer a unique residency experience for nine emerging writers. The residency focuses on writers who are developing their craft in the genres of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and plays. The residencies run weekly from March 1 – March 21, 2026. Three writers will be selected for each week. Residencies include lodging at a neighboring inn, a workspace at The Mount, breakfast, lunch, and a $500 stipend.
Applications opened on September 1 and will close on October 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm, or once 300 applications have been received. 2026 Residents and Finalists will be announced on December 14, 2025. Submissions are reviewed anonymously and ranked based on the following criteria: quality of writing, originality of voice, the potential for growth as a writer, and strength of the statement of purpose.
Who is Eligible: Emerging poets, writers of fiction, or creative nonfiction who have not published a book or chapbook in any genre and will not have a book or chapbook forthcoming before March 1, 2026.
For more information and access to the application form, visit EdithWharton.org or contact writersinresidence@edithwharton.org