Young Emerging Writers Summer Internship Program
Accepting Applications in April 2011

Printable Application Form (PDF)

For those young people in the Quad Cities who are passionate about writing, the
Midwest Writing Center offers the Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Summer Internship Program.  This selective five-week program is for talented graduating and continuing high school students, ages 15-19, interested in creating and publishing works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and/or drama.  Students who worked on the school newspaper, school literary magazine or yearbook, or who just love writing or page layout and graphic design, are ideal candidates for YEW.  The ultimate goal of the program is development of intern writing abilities and the production and distribution of a literary journal representing the best work of the participants. 

Young Emerging Writer internships feature intensive seminars in poetry, narrative prose (fiction & nonfiction) and collaborative writing among other kinds of creative writing in a professional learning atmosphere.  Interns will learn about magazine design and layout as well as gain editorial and copy-editing experience.  The program culminates with the production of The Atlas, a high-quality literary journal featuring the best work produced by the interns over the course of the program.  The journal will be released at The Atlas Launch Party, an open house where interns read from their selected works and the journal is made available to the public. 

Ten to twelve interns will be selected for the program on the basis of their application forms, writing or design samples, and interviews.  The writing and editing of stories, essays, poems, and/or plays at home is required, as is reading and responding to work by other interns.  Each intern will also receive a small stipend, a free full-conference registration the David R. Collins Writers' Conference, a one-year membership to the Midwest Writing Center and three copies of The Atlas. 

The 2011 YEW program schedule:
June 13-15, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
June 20-22, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
June 27-29, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
July 5-6, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
July 11-13, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
July 18-20, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.
Launch Party TBA

Funding support for the Young Emerging Writers Summer Internship program generously provided by the Melvin McKay Trust, Mary Iva Gittens Knouse Trust, Quad City Arts Arts Dollar$, and Fidlar Doubleday.