Writers-in-Residence FAQ

1. What do the Hugo House Writers-in-Residence do?
Each year, five writers-in-residence are given financial support and charged with creating exciting new work and facilitating a range of teaching and mentoring services. They hold office hours (free of charge) for five hours each week for anyone seeking advice on writing; and they also lead writing classes that reach into the heart of Seattle's urban communities, with a specific focus on underserved populations (which in the past have included low-income people, teenagers, youth and occasionally the homeless). The writers-in-residence mentor people at all stages of the writing process, through personal interaction and in the classes they teach.

The writers-in-residence are outstanding literary artists who serve the city while they work on their own writing. The residencies at Hugo House afford them the time and financial support necessary to give birth to exciting new visions and projects.


2. How many residencies are available at Richard Hugo House?
There are five writers-in-residence positions at Hugo House—two Hugo House residents, two residents of Hugo Huts, former cannery cottages in Belltown and one youth writer-in-residence.


3. What is the difference between the Hugo House residency and the residencies in Belltown?
• The Hugo House residency does not provide housing. For this reason, it is most appropriate for writers already residing in the Seattle area. The residency runs from September to June, with an option to renew for a second year. Hugo House residents receive a monthly stipend of $500 for 10 months; in exchange, they hold 5-7 office hours per week during which they meet, free of charge, with members of the community who wish to discuss their writing.

They also act as “ambassadors” for Hugo House in the community—this may take the form of outreach into underserved communities, serving on Hugo House committees, volunteering for events, among other possibilities. Residents are also asked to teach a minimum of two classes per year (under separate contract) through Hugo Writing Classes.

• The residencies in Belltown—which we sometimes call the Hugo Huts — offer heavily subsidized rent in two remodeled cannery cottages at Elliott and Vine Streets in Belltown, a neighborhood in downtown Seattle. A third cottage at the site is available as a community venue for neighborhood meetings and events. Each cottage is 440 square feet, with a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and living room. The residency, with a term of 12 months, is subject to a month-to-month approval by the Parks Department. The residency is renewable for a second term. Each cottage will be limited to two people, one of whom will be the applicant writer. There is no cash stipend attached to this residency.

The writers who take residency of the cottages will hold open office hours one afternoon a week in the community cottage or a nearby coffee shop; make a public presentation of his or her work; and have the opportunity (under separate contract) to teach in the Hugo Writing Classes at Hugo House or in the community cottage.


4. Which residency would be most appropriate for me?
• The Hugo House residency does not provide housing. Also, because we ask our writers-in-residence to be connectors to the community, we prefer they have some prior knowledge of and familiarity with the Seattle literary scene. For these reasons, this residency is most appropriate for writers living in the immediate Seattle area.

Hugo House residents are expected to teach at least two quarters, so we look for experienced teachers who enjoy both classroom work and mentoring one-on-one.

• The residencies in Belltown, or Hugo Huts, provide housing but no cash. For this reason, applicants should already have some means of financial support. Also, they should be comfortable living in an urban neighborhood that can be challenging as well as rewarding.

Writers applying for residencies here should have a specific project in mind that they would like to work on during their residencies.

Though Belltown residents are expected to hold office hours and meet with members of the community, teaching Hugo Writing Classes is optional. Therefore, experience with formal classroom teaching is not required.

• Applicants for both positions should demonstrate a strong commitment to writing and have an excellent publishing history.


5. What does the youth writer-in-residence do?
• This residency is open to high-school students with a passion for writing and a talent for mentoring their peers. The youth writer-in-residence provides teens with opportunities to not only focus on the development of their own writing, but to develop leadership and skill competencies by facilitating youth outreach, working with Hugo House staff to integrate youth throughout Hugo House programs and leading Stage Fright, an open-mic event attended by more than 700 youth, ages 14-24, per year. Our youth writer-in-residence is also located at Richard Hugo House.

This residency runs from October through August and offers a monthly stipend. In return the youth writer-in-residence curates our monthly youth open-mic event, Stage Fright, recruits young writers for our teen writing programs and helps plan and facilitate our yearly intensive summer writing camps for middle school and high school students, Scribes.


6. How do I apply for these residencies?

Applicants for the Hugo House residency should submit the following:
• a letter of interest that explains why the residency would serve your artistic needs;
• a description of your potential residency that includes details about the class(es) you would like to teach;
• your teaching philosophy, and your views about the role of writing in our culture (please limit to 500 words);
• a writing sample (maximum of 10 pages, double spaced, of prose or no more than 5 poems).

Applicants for the Belltown residencies should submit the following:
• a letter of interest that explains why the cottage residency would serve your artistic needs;
• a resume or statement of your writing history;
• a description of your proposed writing project; and
• names of three references attesting to your ability to pay rent, treat the property respectfully and interact in a lively urban environment;
• a writing sample of 5-7 pages.

Applicants for youth writer-in-residence should submit the following:
• A letter of interest about why you would like to be the youth writer-in-residence. Include:
• details about how you would bring more youth to Hugo House;
• your philosophy about community and your views about writing in our culture (please limit to 500 words);
• some preliminary ideas about how you would promote youth programs at Hugo House;
• a resume, or statement of your writing history;
• a writing sample of 5-7 pages.


7. Are you currently accepting applications for any residencies at Hugo House?
• We will be accepting applications for youth writers-in-residence in August 2009. Hugo House residencies were filled in the summer of 2009 and will not open again until mid-2011. A search for the Belltown residencies--the Hugo Huts--will open in mid-2010.