Residencies and Retreats

In addition to the Writing Center, directly across the street, Write On has a three-bedroom home — a place of solitude and reflection on nearly 59 acres of woods, orchards and meadows, nestled between the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.

We are pleased to offer two distinct programs for using the home: Residencies and Writer/Reader Retreats.

Watch an author describe his week in residence at Write On.

2025 LORINE NIEDECKER FELLOWSHIP

Write On and the Friends of Lorine Niedecker present the 2025 Lorine Niedecker Fellowship, presented to a poet familiar with the work of the 20th century American writer. The purpose of the fellowship is to encourage research into Niedecker's life and work and to promote new work that deals with the poetry of place.

The fellowship provides a $1,000 stipend, a $200 grocery allowance, and up to $800 in travel costs, as well as a two-week residency. The first week, May 4th - 11th, will be spent at Write On; the second week, May 11th - 18th, will be spent in Fort Atkinson.

APPLY FOR THE NIEDECKER FELLOWSHIP

RESIDENCY PROGRAM

A place to escape and focus on a project of your choosing. Write On welcomes applications from emerging and established writers in any contemporary literary genre. Applications are also accepted from literary arts administrators who need time away to envision a new program, edit materials, or find renewal for their own creative work.

The fully equipped home has three bedrooms, each with a queen-sized bed and writing table. More than one writer may be staying at the home at any given time.

What
Stays of one week to one month
How Much
No fee for your stay
When
January - February, April - August, October, December
Other requirements
Applicants need to perform a community engagement project during their stay.
Includes
WiFi, wireless printer and office supplies; full kitchen with cookware, dishes, etc., and basic pantry supplies; towels and linens; washer and dryer.
Not included
Television, groceries, meals, daily housekeeping.

APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 ARE NOW CLOSED

We will begin accepting applications for 2026 February 1, 2025.

APPLY FOR RESIDENCY

FAQs

WRITER / READER RETREATS

Does your writing group need a getaway to inspire creativity? Could your book club use a retreat to determine your next line-up of readings? At various times of the year, the Write On residence is available to writers and readers outside of the Residency program.

This arrangement is ideal for writing groups or book clubs who could benefit from a retreat, as well as authors or literary arts administrators who need a get-away to focus on a long-term project.

Our Retreat program is a lovely option for couples who want to read or write together. This arrangement is also perfect for writer(s) who prefer not to provide a community engagement project as part of our standard residency application.

The fully equipped home has three bedrooms, each with a writing table and queen-sized bed, making it a lovely option for couples who want to read or write together. This arrangement is also perfect for writers who prefer not to provide a community engagement project as part of our standard residency application.

What
3 night minimum stay
How Much
$175/night for the whole house.
When
March, September, November
Includes
Free WiFi, printer, paper, full kitchen and supplies, towels, bedding, living room, outdoor deck, access to Write On hiking trails.
Not Included
Television, groceries, daily housekeeping, or meal service.
Application Deadline
None

To apply: We are no longer accepting requests for 2025 retreats as we are at capacity.

REQUEST A RETREAT

Our October 2024 Writers-in-Residence

Cathy Grier

Sturgeon Bay, WI Songwriter

Jeremy Owens

Chicago, IL Fiction

Lora Hyler

Glendale, WI
Children's Literature

Lauren Sieben

Milwaukee, WI
Nonfiction

Notes From our Residents

Prasanta Verma, Milwaukee, WI

February 19 - March 5, 2023

I've never had two weeks of writing time away like this, and it was a true gift! The setting, facilities, and the time away in a peaceful, quiet setting were exactly what I needed.

Tamara Madison, Los Alamitos, CA

May 12 - 26, 2024

What a gift it is, a blessing in fact, to spend any amount of time here. I feel nurtured and enriched, supported as an artist.

Gary Eldon Peter, St. Paul, MN

June 3 - 10, 2023

So grateful for the time, space, and collegiality with my fellow residents. What a beautiful, warm, and inviting space -- which describes WODC perfectly!

Mary Cantrell, Tulsa, OK

June 18 - July 2, 2023

Thanks to the time I've spent here, and to my two talented, smart, inspiring friends, I'm leaving with many pages of fiction and a vision of how to make writing a part of my life again. I will be forever grateful for this time in this beautiful setting.

Dipika Mukherjee, Chicago, IL

October 22 - November 4, 2023

Thank you is such a small phrase for what I feel. My heart will be here for a long time, loping through the woods, red tail, white tipped, reaching for the sky.

Katherine Kassouf Cummings, Chicago, IL

April 14 - 28, 2024

This place nourishes me, heart and soul. It's a gift to be in residency, the quiet energy, the presence of those who have made their work in this place...solitude has a different texture here. And to also be in community, to cross-pollinate the arts, a joy! Thank you all for tending this place.

We typically award 1-2 writers per residency.
Occasionally, upon request or other special circumstances, three writers may be in residence at any given time.

First Level: The private Writer's Suite includes a dedicated writing room, bedroom with
a queen-sized bed, and bath. Common areas include the living room and kitchen/dining room.

Second Level: two bedrooms, each with writing nooks and queen-sized bed; full bath.

Additional Spaces: laundry room, deck, Blei's Coop, walking trails, meadow, orchard, and woods. Residents have full access to the writing center.