Applications can be tricky! You might be wondering what your personal statement should look like, or which writing sample to submit. Here are some guidelines from the SYWC staff, taken from years of experience in reading applications.

Statement of Purpose:

  1. We want to know who you are! As difficult as it can be to describe yourself, that’s a big part of what the SOP is all about. Think of it as a short personal essay.

  2. Your SOP is also a good place to discuss the extracurricular activities you listed in your application and provide insight on important experiences that have shaped you.

  3. This is where you talk about your writing life and why it's important to you. Share an anecdote or two about your own experiences and passion for writing. Ask yourself why you write. What specifically do you love about writing?

  4. Here is your chance to tell us how the SYWC will help you on your journey as a writer. Talk about how the experience will help you grow and why the SYWC in particular is the writing conference you’d like to attend.

  5. The SOP is also where we look to see how you conduct yourself and how you operate within a community. Will you be attentive and engaged in workshop? Will you be kind and respectful to peers and faculty? Show us that you’re dedicated to being a positive force in this environment and a mature, inclusive person that is interested in building connections with other writers.

  6. Tell us about what inspires you, but remember that this isn’t a book report, a critical essay, or an academic assignment. It’s a way to talk about how other writers have influenced you. In telling us about your life as a reader, you are, finally, telling us about your life as a writer.Statement of purpose

Writing Sample:

  1. Please follow the length guidelines outlined in the application instructions. Our staff have a lot of applications to get through and only so much time. Focus on quality over quantity!

  2. Avoid submitting academic essays. This does not show us your interest or your skill in writing outside of your English class. The SYWC does not have a journalism or literary critical writing workshop so this kind of writing sample makes it difficult for us to place you in one of the workshops we do offer. Of course, other types of essays like the personal essay, are encouraged. However, keep in mind how your samples should support your choice of workshop.

  3. Submit work in your top-choice genres. For example, if you choose Fiction as your top choice of workshop, but only submit poetry in your writing sample, then we do not know how to evaluate whether you would be a good fit for that workshop. If you choose a workshop that is outside of your comfort zone or your usual writing, use the SOP to tell us that you would like to try something new or to explain why you only have samples for one form.

  4. Promoting bigotry of any kind through your work will not be looked upon favorably. Promoting discriminatory behavior does not indicate to us that you will help create a community of respect and goodwill. 

  5. Consider your audience. Your writing sample will be just one of the ways we learn about you–from your statement of purpose, your writing sample, and your recommendation letter, our goal is to get a sense of you as a whole person, not just evaluate your writing.