MCWC 2017 registration opens—with many generous scholarships

Registration is now open for the 2017 Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference, so we hope you’ve been thinking about which workshop you’d like to enroll in. All workshops are filled on a first-come, first-served, basis. With participation capped at fourteen, we are expecting the workshops to be fully subscribed. The only exception to the limit of fourteen is the Master Class, which is juried in and capped at twelve participants. Full details about registration procedures and fees are available by clicking on the REGISTER button displayed prominently on every page at mcwc.org.

This year, we’re very proud to offer a broad range of scholarships, many available for the first time (see list below). It is especially important to us to bring together voices from diverse backgrounds, so we are thrilled to announce our new Diverse Voices scholarships aimed at celebrating diversity in our conference community. New First Taste scholarships will encourage new participants of the highest caliber, and you’ll find scholarships rewarding the best writing in various genres. We thank our generous donors for funding these scholarships and making MCWC accessible to a broader range of participants, and we encourage everyone who qualifies to apply. Please keep in mind that you may only apply for one scholarship per year, and that past scholars must wait three years before applying again.

We also encourage all conference registrants to submit to our writing contest. Winners will be awarded cash prizes and the opportunity to read publicly, and their winning work will be considered for publication in our annual literary magazine, the Noyo River Review. 

So, register now and mark your calendars. MCWC 2017 will take place August 3rd-5th, with our stand-alone, full-day publishing bootcamp on August 6th. You’ll find descriptions of this year’s workshops and events, and the biographies of our wonderful faculty at mcwc.org

We hope to see you this summer—and we wish the best of luck to all scholarship applicants!


MCWC 2017 Scholarships

Barry Brian Murphy Memorial Scholarship

In memory of Barry Brian Murphy, beloved father and man of mischeief and humor: one full scholarship of $575, awarded to humorous writing in any genre, be it novel, memoir, short story, poetry

Byerley Memorial Scholarships
In memory of Suzanne Byerley, former co-director of MCWC: two partial scholarships of $250 each, based solely on merit. 

Bradish Memorial Scholarship
In memory of Mary Bradish O’Connor, poet and one of the founders of the Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County: one partial scholarship of $275, awarded to a female writer. 

5-Under-25 Scholarships
To support and encourage the next generation of writers: five full scholarships of $575 each, awarded to writers who are between 16 and 25 years of age on the first day of the conference. 

Judy and Bob Mathey Scholarship
A full scholarships of $575 awarded to a writer less than 30 years of age on the first day of the conference.

Voices of Diversity Scholarships
To encourage voices from underrepresented groups on the basis of ethnicity, sexual identity, disability, social or cultural background, and financial need: two full scholarships of $575 each. 

Marion Deeds Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded to a woman of color working in any genre

Francis Andrews/Soroptimists Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded to a woman of diverse background working in any genre. 

Susan & Mel McKinney Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded on merit to a writer working on a novel.

Ginny Rorby Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded on merit to a writer working in the genres of middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, or nonfiction.

Norma Watkins Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded on merit to a writer working in memoir. 

Doug Fortier Scholarship
A full scholarship of $575 awarded on merit to a writer of short fiction.

First Taste of MCWC Scholarships
Two half scholarships of $288 each, awarded to first-time attendees of the conference. 

Gene & Susan Lock Scholarship
In honor of Gene and Susan Lock, a partial scholarship of $300, awarded to a writer at least 60 years of age. 

High School Student Writers Scholarships
To encourage writers in their first bud: two full scholarships of $575 each, awarded to writers in grades 9-12 at any high school or alternative high school program, including home school and independent study in Mendocino County.