News from Odyssey Writing Workshop:

For writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror who want to improve their skills, the Odyssey Writing Workshop is widely considered the program to attend. Writers from all across the world apply to the six-week workshop held each summer in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Fifteen are admitted.  Top authors, agents, and editors serve as guest lecturers.  Intensive instruction in advanced writing techniques and in-depth feedback on manuscripts help students to make major improvement.  Students work long hours, venture outside their comfort zones, and gain valuable insights.  Fifty-nine percent of them go on to professional publication.  Among Odyssey’s graduates are New York Times bestsellers, Amazon bestsellers, and award winners.

This summer’s workshop runs from JUNE 5 to JULY 14, 2017.  Class meets for over four hours each day, five days a week, for both workshopping and lectures.  Feedback reveals the strengths and weaknesses in students’ manuscripts.  An advanced curriculum provides the writing tools necessary to strengthen those weak areas.  Students spend about eight hours more per day writing and critiquing each other’s work.

The program is held on the campus of Saint Anselm College, one of the top small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast.  Odyssey students love the Coffee Shop, the peaceful, beautiful grounds, and the friendly, efficient staff.  College credit is available upon request.

Odyssey is for writers whose work is approaching publication quality and for published writers who want to take their work to the next level.  The early action application deadline is JANUARY 31, and the regular application deadline is APRIL 8.  The workshop is held by the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.  Odyssey is funded in part by donations from graduates, grantors and supporters, and in part by student tuition.  Tuition is $2,025, and housing in campus apartments is $870 for a double room and $1,740 for a single.  All applicants receive feedback on their writing sample.

Financial Aid

The Parasite Publications Character Awards, sponsored by Odyssey graduate Sara King, provide financial assistance to three character-based writers wishing to attend.  The awards provide three scholarships in the amounts of $2,025 (full tuition), $500, and $300.

The Odyssey Class of 2016 is sponsoring a scholarship to provide $1,100 of financial assistance to an international student with stated financial need.

Several other scholarships and a work/study position are also available.

Odyssey’s Director and Primary Instructor

Odyssey founder Jeanne Cavelos is a bestselling author and a former senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, where she won the World Fantasy Award for her work.  As an editor, Jeanne gained a reputation for discovering and nurturing new writers.  She works individually with students, meeting with them several times over the six weeks to chart progress, talk out problems, and help set goals.  She also provides students with detailed, constructive critiques that average over 1,500 words each.  In 2015, Jeanne was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for her work teaching and running Odyssey.

Our 2017 Guest Lecturers

Lecturers for the 2017 workshop include some of the top teachers in the field:  highly praised author and well-loved repeat guest Alex Jablokov; award-winning authors J. A. White, Michael J. Sullivan, Gemma Files, and E. C. Ambrose; and top fantasy/science fiction literary agent Mark Gottlieb.  For the first time, we’ll also have a virtual guest via Skype: New York Times bestselling author David Brin. David will answer student questions and critique several student manuscripts.

The Odyssey site, www.odysseyworkshop.org, offers many resources for writers, including online classes, webinars, a critique service, consultations, free podcasts, a monthly discussion salon, writing tips, and a blog.  Those interested in applying to the workshop should visit the site or e-mail jcavelos@sff.net.