Emerging Writer Fellowship Program

Visit the Emerging Writer Fellowship site at: www.ewfellowship.org

Emerging Writer Fellowship graphic
Announcing the 2025 Emerging Writer Fellow

Congratulations to Darlene Elias (memoir, creative nonfiction) who has been selected as the 2025 Emerging Writer Fellow. Darlene Elias is an emerging writer and poet from Western Mass.  She is a Hawaiian Boricua Anti Colonial Feminist who uses literature, poetry, and spoken word to elevate and validate her own experience as a woman who is part of the diaspora in the U.S.  She lives in Holyoke, a sister pueblo of Puerto Rico, with her partner and dogs. Darlene’s year as the fellow will begin in January of 2025 and will conclude in December.

“Darlene has been extremely intentional about her writing career and fostering writing communities,” says Nicole Young-Martin, founder off the program. “She has created several writing groups and has worked really hard on her craft, enrolling in various workshops. I am very excited to support Darlene this coming year, especially as she is someone who has supported a number of writers through their creative journeys.”

About the Emerging Writer Fellowship Program

The Emerging Writer Fellowship is a program of Straw Dog Writers Guild designed to support women of color and gender expansive writers of color based in Western Massachusetts at the early stages of their career. The Fellowship was created to help emerging writers negotiate barriers that may prevent them from accessing mentorship and pursuing publication of their work. 2027 will be the third cycle of the Emerging Writers Fellowship Program.

Program Benefits

  • $3000 grant (payable in two installments) from SDWG to be used for writing-related expenses.
  • Membership in SDWG during the membership year and the following year.
  • Access to mentors who can offer assistance with craft, revision, publishing, promotion, or other writing needs identified by the Fellow.
  • Opportunities to promote self/work through SDWG mailing list and social media.
  • Professional website designed by Artist Dynamix and hosted for two years.
  • Opportunity to help shape the artistic vision of SDWG as we grow.
  • The Fellow will have opportunities to read their work at Guild events.
  • The Fellow will have the opportunity to teach or co-teach a SDWG workshop or program.

Responsibilities

  • The Fellow will be expected to communicate regularly with SDWG about the progress of work.
  • The Fellow will address, in person or virtually, the SDWG annual meeting.
  • The Fellow will write one blog for the SDWG newsletter
  • At the end of the fellowship, the Fellow will give feedback about the experience.

Applicant Criteria

  • The applicant will be 18 or older, self-identify as a woman or gender expansive person of color, and not yet have published a book (or have one under contract).
  • The applicant will have a demonstrated passion for writing fiction.
  • The applicant should live in Hampton, Hampshire or Franklin County.

Program Timeline

  • Application and writing sample must be submitted by October 1, 2026. To apply go to the Emerging Writer Fellowship Application
  • Finalists will be asked to participate in an interview.
  • The selection committee decision will be announced on November 15, 2026.
  • The fellowship term will run January 1, 2027-December 31, 2027

If you have questions, contact ewfellowship@strawdogwriters.org

To donate to the Emerging Writers Fellowship Fund, please visit here

Regine Jackson 2022 Fellow

Regine Jackson, 2022 Fellow

Co-Executive Director at Cultural Connections: A Celebration of Black & Brown Literature, Board Member at Take the Mic Program and General Board Member & Creative Committee Event Organizer at PAHMUSA-The Pan African Historical Museum USA. Ms. Jackson lives in Springfield, MA.

Amina Jordan-Mendez, Poet Performer, 2020 Fellow

Writing poetry since childhood and called to perform by community, family, and their ancestors, Amina Nia “illypsis” Jordan-Mendez lives for passion & healing. Born and raised in a predominantly white college town of western MA, Amina grew up a rebel: Black, fat, queer and existing. Inviting the challenge, she chose to live out loud—swim with her hair out, throw her weight around, question and confront. Now a focused poet performer, their hands are busy rooting themselves in intergenerational healing of their lineage, embracing the pain, hostility, pleasure and pride of blossoming into a poet she can look up to. Amina Nia “illypsis” Jordan-Mendez is tender, grateful, angry, loving and growing. They are currently attending workshops as they come and fitting art within their busy schedule of work and self-care, addressing mental health and traumas. Born to a first-generation Panamanian mother, and an “army brat” southern Black American father, she is exploring and defining ‘home’ in her body, in her life and in this world. 

 EMERGING WRITERS VIRTUAL LAUNCH