On Friday, I sent out all of the invitations, waitlist notifications, and rejection letters. It’s a tough day, because even though I’m so excited for the women who get invitations, and even for those who are waitlisted, I know how hard it is to receive a rejection letter. Trust me, I’ve applied to many residencies and not been admitted.
Here’s the thing I want everyone to know, not just the folks who applied and won’t be coming. I read every application and there weren’t any writers that I didn’t think deserved a chance to nurture their work. Women’s writing is so important, and your voices and stories are so important. But the truth is that we only have so many cabins and so many months. And while I’d like to offer feedback to those who weren’t chosen, I can’t. We didn’t ask the adjudicators to explain their choices, and doing so would add a lot more work to their already full plates.
To all of the folks who have been so generous in supporting Storyknife, thank you. Without you, Storyknife couldn’t open its doors for any women writers. You are the ones that make all of this possible.
I hope that any woman writer reading this knows that at Storyknife, we’re rooting for you. Even if you don’t have the opportunity to come in 2022, we’re rooting for you to keep making time for your work. Keeping finding those quiet moments to sit down at your desk.
You’re worth it. Your writing is worth it. We have faith in you.
take care and stay safe,
Erin
Storyknife Writers Retreat 