Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference

MNWC General Application

2025 MNWC General Application

Step 1 of 4

Contact Information
Name*
First Last
Address*
Street Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
If you are a resident of Minnesota, please include your county.
Phone*
Email*
Have you attended the conference in the past?*

Conference Track
Please Choose Your Conference Track*
What is your primary interest in applying to participate in the Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference? Are you applying to participate in one of the workshops with a faculty member? Or will you be attending the non-workshop in-person auditor?
Workshop Selection
Please select your first and second choices for workshops.
First Choice for Workshop*
Second Choice for Workshop*
Upload Writing Sample*
Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 14 MB.
All applicants must submit a writing sample. For your writing sample, you may submit it now following these guidelines:

Fiction: Maximum of 20 pages of short stories and/or a novel excerpt (double-spaced). With a novel excerpt, add a one-page summary of the novel.

Creative Nonfiction: Maximum of 20 pages of creative nonfiction (double-spaced).

Poetry: Maximum of 10 pages of poetry (one poem per page, single-spaced is fine).

Please attach your writing sample in pdf or word format.
File Upload Requirements:
- Maximum file size upload is 9MB.
- PDF File Format
-Word File Format
- Max of 10 pages
In-person Auditor Track
In-person Auditor*
The In-person Auditor Track includes:
• Conference Meals and Activities (Pontoon Boat Ride, Yoga for Writers, etc. )
• the opportunity to participate in MNWC Participant Reading
• all faculty Craft Talks and Evening Readings including the Northwoods Visiting Writer Carl Phillips.
• Faculty Publishing Panel and Editors' Talk with editors from Graywolf Press and Trio House Press.
• The In-person Auditor Track does not include participation in a workshop or the opportunity for a manuscript consultation. Register by June 20.
I am applying for the In-person Auditor Track.

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference Code of Conductand COVID Policy*
Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference Code of Conduct and COVID Policy

From its beginning the MNWC staff has striven to create a diverse and inclusive conference that is welcoming to all. We work to provide attendees of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, with an inclusive, enlivening, and sustaining learning community.

The MNWC community values diversity of perspectives, identities, cultures, experiences and backgrounds. We believe such diversity is essential for hardy dialogue and learning necessary for advancing the art and craft of creative writing. It is our hope that our attendees will work with us to advance our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We ask that attendees help us make the MNWC a safe and welcoming experience for all committed to learning and teaching the craft of creative writing. To that end, we ask that all attendees, faculty, and staff honor the opinions, perspectives, and feelings of all MNWC community members and commit to maintaining an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Attending the conference is a privilege, not a right, and we must earn and maintain that privilege, in part by maintaining a high standard of respectful discourse. MNWC staff has the right and obligation to limit conference participation or expel attendees from conference events if it is deemed that an attendee has engaged in behavior such as hate speech that is racist, sexist, homophobic, or ableist, or has taken any actions in classes, workshops, or readings that are disruptive and/or unsafe. A refund will not be given to any conference attendee asked to leave.

MNWC is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all attendees and will continue to monitor COVID-19. We follow Bemidji State University protocols, which could once again require social distancing and wearing masks indoors while on campus if deemed necessary. Currently, there is no such mandate, and it seems unlikely that there will be by this coming June; but we reserve the right to require all MNWC faculty, staff, and participants to take precautions if once again warranted.

By attending the conference, you are affirming that you have read, understand, and agree to the MNWC Code of Conduct and COVID Policy.

If any attendee has questions about the above code of conduct or COVID policy, or needs to report a violation of the code of conduct during the conference, please contact the conference coordinator, Mathew Hawthorne, at writersconference@bemidjistate.edu.
I have read and understand and agree to the MNWC Code of Conduct.
Minnesota Northwoods COVID Policy*
MNWC is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all attendees and will continue to monitor COVID-19. We follow Bemidji State University protocols, which could once again require social distancing and wearing masks indoors while on campus if deemed necessary. Currently, there is no such mandate, and it seems unlikely that there will be by this coming June; but we reserve the right to require all MNWC faculty, staff, and participants to take precautions if once again warranted.

By attending the conference, you are affirming that you have read, understand, and agree to the MNWC COVID Policy.

If any attendee has questions about the above COVID policy, or needs to report a violation of the code of conduct during the conference, please contact the conference coordinator, Mathew Hawthorne, at writersconference@bemidjistate.edu.
I have read read and understand and agree to the MNWC COVID Policy.