Jane Hoppen Residency

Open to emerging writers who represent the LGBTQ+ community and/or explore LGBTQ+ topics in their work, the Jane Hoppen Residency gives two writers full-time access to Paragraph for six-months, and two finalists full-time access to Paragraph for one month.

In honor of beloved Paragraph member and writer Jane Hoppen, The Jane Hoppen Residency provides two winners full-time IRL (in real life) membership to Paragraph for six months. In addition, two finalists each receive a one-month membership. We are looking to identify emerging writers who exemplify Jane’s values in order to honor her life, work, and contribution to the Paragraph community.

Apply: November 1 - January 15, 2023

Residency Period: February 15 - August 15, 2023

Fee: Free!

Requirements: Seeking emerging writers who represent the LGBTQ+ community and/or explore LGBTQ+ topics in their work, and exemplify Jane’s values. Application requires a brief bio, personal statement and writing sample. (See below for detailed guidelines.)

Selection: Merit. Two winners and two finalists will be chosen based on application (bio, personal statement and writing sample).

GUIDELINES

  • Open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, screenplays, plays, TV pilots, graphic novels, or any hybrid of the above. If you write in an experimental form we generally accept it, but please email us before submitting.

  • With your application please provide a brief bio, a personal statement, and a short writing sample.

  • Bios should be no more than 100 words and help us get to know you.

  • The personal statement can be up to 500 words. This is the most important section of the application for our judging purposes.

  • We accept published or unpublished work. It does not matter to us, nor does it affect our judging process. We judge everyone on their own merit.

  • The writing sample should be up to 3500 words. For poetry, submit up to three poems. For flash fiction, up to three pieces of 1000 words or less. For screenplays and plays, up to 10 pages.

  • Submit your application using this form.

FAQs

Who can apply?

Our residency is open to any member of the LGBTQIA community.

What do you mean by emerging writer?

We have a loose definition, but generally we define it as a writer of any age who is in the early stages of getting published. This can mean you have never published before, or have published short story length pieces. Generally, we do not consider a writer emerging if they have published a novel-length work by a major publisher at the time of submission.

Do I have to live in New York City?

Yes and no, but the expectation is that you would use the space. We are not able to provide transportation or lodging in the city, so please take this into account if you apply. If you are not based in New York City, please explain in your application how you would get to the city and use the space.

ABOUT JANE HOPPEN

Longtime Paragraph member Jane Hoppen was an exceptional writer, colleague, friend, and mentor who wrote at the space every morning. Her decency and dedication had a profound effect on every writer she encountered. Jane challenged traditional notions of sexuality and gender throughout her work. Jane’s fiction appeared in various literary magazines, including Story Quarterly, Feminist Studies, Room of One’s Own, The Dirty Goat, PANK, Western Humanities Review, Gertrude Journal, Platte Valley Review, and Superstition Review. Her first novel, In Between, was published by Bold Strokes Books in December 2013 and was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards for an LGBT Debut Novel and a winner of the Golden Crown Literary Society Awards for Debut Fiction. Her novella, The Man Who Was Not, was published by Bold Strokes Books in June 2014. Her second novel, The Northwoods, was published in 2018. Jane was an early riser and was always one of the first people at our communal space every morning. Her fiction appeared in various literary magazines, and she published two novels, a novella and a non-fiction book. She lived in Brooklyn.

Jane’s books are available here: http://www.janehoppen.com/bold-strokes-books.html