Frequently asked questions about Oregon Literary Fellowships

Who judges the Oregon Literary Fellowships?

The judges are selected from out of state. They usually teach creative writing at the university level or are librarians (especially in the young readers’ literature category). They are anonymous to the public until the recipients are announced.

Can you describe the judging process?

The judges are asked to judge the manuscripts based on literary merit. The judges for poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama review all the applications in their respective genres. Then they review the top applicants selected by the other genres’ judges, and meet via conference call to discuss the recipients.

The young readers’ literature and publishers’ fellowship judges consider their applications individually.

Why is there a Women Writers fellowship?

The Ralph L. Smith Foundation generously endowed a fellowship that is intended for women who promote perspectives traditionally not well represented in literature, such as work by women whose writing explores race, ethnicity, class, physical disability and/or sexual orientation.

If I don’t get a fellowship this year, should I give up?

No. The judges are different every year. Many recipients tell us, “Finally! I’ve been applying for years.”

I received an Oregon Literary Fellowship in the past. When can I re-apply?

According to the guidelines, a writer is not eligible if they received an Oregon Literary Fellowship in the last five years. Publishers are not eligibile if they received a fellowship in the last two years. This means that in 2008, the years that make a writer ineligible are 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003.

If I publish an online publication, am I eligible to apply for a publishing fellowship?

Yes. You can print a copy of a recent issue from the internet and submit two copies of that for the publication sample.

Who can I call if I still have questions?

Susan Denning is happy to answer any questions you might have. You can call her at 503.227.2583, or email her at susan@literary-arts.org.

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