Application for Medill's George R. R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop 2027

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 11, 2027 (at 11:59 p.m. CT)

Program Overview

“Write every day, even if it is only a page or two. The more you write, the better you’ll get … If you don’t exercise those ‘literary muscles,’ you’ll never develop them.”

-- George R.R. Martin

Long before George R.R. Martin created “Game of Thrones,” he was a student at the Medill School of Journalism, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and in 1971 with a Master of Science in Journalism. Decades later, Medill is thrilled to be launching the fourth George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, a writing boot camp for mid-career journalists who have a burning story to tell in the creative realm and want to cross over into writing fiction.

Medill is committed to identifying talented, established journalists with an idea for a specific fictional project and immersing them in a nurturing and supportive environment. We will provide writing time, reflection, discussion and collegial workshopping of novels in progress. We believe this focused time, space, guidance and mentorship will help these journalists produce exceptional creative works.

The workshop -- which will take place at Northwestern University’s Evanston, Ill., campus July 6 to 14, 2027 -- will focus on writing fiction. GRRM Fellows will have the opportunity to learn from award-winning novelists and writing instructors. The aim is for fellows to arrive with pages of a novel that they have already been writing so we can workshop it together.

Eligibility:
This program is designed specifically for mid-career journalists. Applicants should have at least five years of experience in the field, either full-time or freelance. If you are retired or have left for a career in another field but did have five years of experience in journalism, you are eligible.

Application Process:
In this application form, you will be asked to submit the following items:
- a resume
- a cover letter
- a list of five recent professional or creative achievements
- a description of the specific project you plan to work on while at Medill, noting why the George R.R. Martin workshop would be valuable to you in this creative process
- a work sample of 10-30 pages of fictional prose. This sample MUST come from the novel that you plan to workshop at Medill. It also must be the very beginning of the novel.
- the names and contact information of two professional references

All submissions, including your work sample, must be primarily in English. Works that have been written in other languages and then translated into English are not eligible. We will not accept any applications or sample pages that have been generated using artificial intelligence.

Saving Your Progress and Returning Later:
You don't have to finish the application in one sitting. On any page, you can save your work and come back to it.
- To save, check the box labeled "Save my progress and resume later," enter your email address and click "Save form and resume later."
- You will see a personal link on screen, and the same link will be emailed to you. Bookmark the link or keep the email.
- Your answers and uploaded files are only saved when you use this option, so be sure to save before you close the page.
- When you return, your link will always open on page 1 of the application. This is expected. Click "Continue" on each page until you reach the page where you stopped. The progress bar at the top of the page shows how far along you are, and your saved answers and files will appear as you go.
- You can save and resume again from any page, as many times as you need.
- Your link will expire when the application closes on January 11, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
- If you don't see the email with your link, check your spam folder or use the link shown on screen after you saved.

After You Submit:
If you do not receive a confirmation email after submitting your application, be sure to check your spam folder. If you have any concerns about whether your application was received, you can email grrmworkshop@northwestern.edu.

Selection Process:
All completed applications will be reviewed after the specified deadline for submissions. A jury of field experts in fiction and writing will review applications, with final selection decisions being made by Medill.

Timeline:
- Applications open: November 2, 2026.
- Applications close: January 11, 2027 (at 11:59 p.m. CT).
- Decisions will be sent in April.

Costs:
Participants will receive funds for transportation from their home base to Chicago (basic roundtrip economy airfare or similar), lodging in a single room at a group hotel and all meals during the program. Participants are responsible for their own incidental expenses -- this includes airline luggage fees and ground transportation from their home to the airport, as well as within Chicago and Evanston.

Additional Information:
You can read full program details and FAQs at our George R. R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop homepage. Please note that if you are invited to attend the workshop, attendance at every class, talk, meal and event is mandatory.

Questions? Email us at grrmworkshop@northwestern.edu