The 2013 Conference

July 23 - August 4, 2013

The University of the South will host the 24th session of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Supported by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund established thanks to the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, the Conference will gather a distinguished faculty to provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures in poetry, fiction, and playwriting.

This year’s faculty includes fiction writers Richard Bausch, Tony Earley, Diane Johnson, Randall Kenan, Jill McCorkle, Alice McDermott, Erin McGraw, Tim O’Brien, Christine Schutt, and Steve Yarbrough; and poets Daniel Anderson, Claudia Emerson, Robert Hass, Andrew Hudgins, Maurice Manning, Mary Jo Salter, A.E. Stallings, and Mark Strand. Daisy Foote and Dan O’Brien will lead the playwriting workshop.

In addition, a group of distinguished writers, critics, agents, and visitors will take part. Those who will discuss writing from the point of view of editing or publishing include David Barber (The Atlantic), Georges and Anne Borchardt (Georges Borchardt Literary Agency), Valerie Borchardt (Georges Borchardt Literary Agency), Barbara Epler (New Directions), Gary Fisketjon (Alfred A. Knopf), Mary Flinn (Blackbird), Gail Hochman (Brandt & Hochman Literary Agency), Roger Hodge (The Oxford American), John Irwin (The Hopkins Review), David Lynn (The Kenyon Review), Speer Morgan (The Missouri Review), Kathy Pories (Algonquin Books), Elisabeth Schmitz (Grove/Atlantic), Don Share (Poetry), Philip Terzian (The Weekly Standard), Liz Van Hoose (The Viking Press), and Robert Wilson (The American Scholar).

Other prominent visitors will include Michelle Brower (Folio Literary Management), Leigh Feldman (Writers House), Mike Levine (Northwestern University Press), Emily Morse (New Dramatists), Amy Williams (McCormick & Williams), and Renée Zuckerbrot (Renée Zuckerbrot Literary Agency). Elizabeth Spencer and poet Sidney Wade will read from their work.

The Conference will offer its customary Walter E. Dakin Fellowships and Tennessee Williams Scholarships as well as awards in memory of Stanley Elkin, Donald Justice, Howard Nemerov, Father William Ralston, Peter Taylor, Mona Van Duyn, and John N. Wall. Additional scholarships have been made possible by Georges and Anne Borchardt and Gail Hochman. Each participant—whether contributor, scholar, or fellow—receives financial support.

If you have further questions about the Conference, please contact Adam Latham at allatham@sewanee.edu or 931-598-1654.