Key West Literary Seminar — 2027/ Charles Baxter
Overview
The Key West Literary Seminar has long served as a gathering point for serious literary practitioners, and its workshop program extends that mission into the intimate space of the classroom. This advanced-level workshop, led by Charles Baxter, is designed for writers who have already developed a body of work and prior workshop experience. The setting—Key West in January—is not incidental; the Seminar's institutional character favors sustained attention, craft conversation, and a remove from the distractions of daily life. The workshop is open to experienced writers across disciplines, though the submission requirements signal a literary orientation: a cover letter of 500 words or fewer outlining one's writing background and workshop history, and a writing sample of up to ten double-spaced pages. There is no application fee. The cost of participation is $675, with a $300 deposit due within seven days of acceptance. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the class fills, and the organization continues to accept materials thereafter in anticipation of cancellations. What distinguishes this opportunity is its scale and the curatorial logic behind it. This is not a broad call for emerging voices but a focused invitation to writers who can hold their own in an advanced setting. The Seminar's decision to require a cover letter alongside the writing sample suggests that fit—both aesthetic and temperamental—matters as much as the prose itself. For the right applicant, the workshop offers proximity to a distinguished writer and a cohort selected with care.