Shorter Days, Longer Reads

Outside, snow solidified itself into graceful forms. The peace of winter stars seemed permanent.
—Toni Morrison

Welcome Winter
An email from an incoming resident from California said she was eager to experience winter again. We delivered: she arrived November 30, in the midst of Winter Storm Bellamy. Winter here in Door County brings a unique calm and peace. The snow covered fields and woods are undeniably beautiful. Many of Write On’s residents have preferred to come in the winter months for an extra layer of silence and solitude.

Ready, Set, Read!
Write On is proud to partner again with Door County Reads, a partnership that began in our very first year. This year’s book is Kate Quinn’s historical novel, The Briar Club. Free copies of the book are available at all Door County libraries. What better way to spend a long winter night than reading a good book? Kate will be in conversation with Write On’s board member, novelist and poet Ann Heyse, Saturday, January 17. For more information, visit Door County Read’s website.

Quiet but Busy
While things slow down for us a bit in December and January, we remain busy. Soon, we will open up applications for both the Dick Scuglik Memorial Fellowship for writers working in ekphrasis, and Telling the Truth of Our Lives, our yearlong mentoring program for women who want to write. You can find more details on these programs below.

Looking Ahead to 2026
We are also busy finalizing plans for our conferences in 2026. Writing On The Door: Your Writing Life will be held Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay. We have an amazing lineup of poets and prose writers offering breakout sessions. Our featured presenters are Kathleen Rooney, multi-genre author and cofounder of Rose Metal Press; literary agent Chris Fishbach, former editor and publisher of Coffee House Press; and Katie Dublinski, associate publisher of Graywolf Press. Registration opens January 5.

The 2026 Washington Island Literary Festival, with the theme “Belonging,” has another stellar lineup of presenters. Poet Erika Meitner, memoirist Catherine Jagoe, and novelists Anika Fajardo, Jane Hamilton, and Naeem Murr will be our featured presenters. The festival will be held Thursday – Saturday, September 17 – 19. Details will be available in early 2026; registration opens April 1. Don’t wait for registration to open to secure your housing! Accommodations fill quickly on the island so secure your space as soon as possible.

All of us at Write On wish you peace and joy this holiday season and look forward to seeing you in the new year, if not before!

–Jerod Santek, Founding & Artistic Director, Write On, Door County

Opportunities for Writers

Applications are being accepted for the Dick Scuglik Memorial Fellowship. This fellowship includes a one-week residency at Write On, June 14 – 21, along with a stipend, and some funds for travel and groceries. Writers at any level of experience who work in ekphrasis (writing in response to visual art) are welcome to apply. The writer will be paired with Door County artist Laurel Grey. The two will exchange writing and images and create new work in response to the other’s art. Deadline is January 15. 

On December 10, we will begin accepting applications for Telling the Truth of Our Lives, our yearlong mentoring program for women who want to write but may have faced barriers in doing so. Women of any age who live in Door County and would like to discover writing as a creative outlet are encouraged to apply. The group meets once a month on a Saturday morning beginning in February. Deadline is January 9.

Volunteers Needed for Youth Writing Sessions

Would you like to help young people develop their writing skills and inspire a lifelong love of storytelling? Write On and Peninsula Roots Homeschool Program will hold writing sessions for youth ages 6 – 9 and those older than 9. Sessions will meet Thursday afternoons, February 5 through March 26. If you are interested in leading a writing session for these young writers, please email Jerod for more information. Please note: you do not need to commit to the full 8 weeks; we are seeking multiple volunteers for different sessions. Committing to two or three weeks is fine!