Junot Díaz is undoubtedly one of our best literary minds. Between holding a constant place in school reading lists and writing works that resonated with both David Bowie and former President Barack Obama, his contributions to literary world are plenty. And now, you have a chance to learn directly from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA) is hosting its yearly workshops taught by established writers. This year’s group includes Díaz (who’s teaching a fiction writing class), Willie Perdomo, Patricia Smith, Elmaz Abinader, Marjorie Liu, David Mura, and Jeffrey Renard Allen for the first session, which takes place between June 17 and June 23, 2018. The second section, which kicks off the immediate week after, will feature M. Evelina Galang, Faith Adiele, Beth Bich Minh Nguyen, Samiya Bashir, Kiese Laymon, Tananarive Due, and Craig Santos Perez.
The workshops are open to writers of color. “Experience, publications, and degrees do not influence the application as much as an exhibited desire to develop as a writer. In the application process, the writer is asked to respond to questions about personal and creative expectations and their passion for writing.”
Applications are due February 19. Tuition for the one-week workshop is $1,100, though VONA offers some scholarships. Click here to learn more and apply.