Emerging Voices

Overview

The PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship is a five-month virtual mentorship program for early-career writers from communities historically underrepresented in publishing. Founded in 1996, the program is now in its 30th year. The 2026 cycle selected 11 fellows from a record-breaking applicant pool - the largest in the program's history - representing an acceptance rate of approximately 1.6%.

The fellowship is fully virtual, making it accessible to writers anywhere in the United States. PEN America actively cultivates applications from writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, persons of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, writers with disabilities, and those living outside urban centers. The program is one of the few writing fellowships specifically designed to reach writers who face structural barriers to entry, including economic barriers, geographic isolation, and lack of access to professional networks.

Each fellow receives a $1,500 stipend, a professional headshot, a complimentary one-year PEN America membership, and five months of one-on-one mentorship from an established author. The 2025 cohort of 9 fellows came from California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington state, working in poetry, literary fiction, short stories, young adult fantasy, and memoir.

What It Provides

Financial Support - Each fellow receives a $1,500 stipend. This is an unrestricted honorarium, not a project grant. The amount is modest relative to production-scale film grants, but the program's value lies primarily in mentorship and professional development rather than direct funding.

Mentorship - Each fellow is paired with an established, published author for one-on-one mentorship over the five-month program. The 2025 mentors included authors such as Chinelo Okparanta, Nafkote Tamirat, and Swati Teerdhala. Mentors provide craft feedback, career guidance, and industry perspective.

Programming - The fellowship includes virtually accessible creative writing workshops, visits from publishing professionals, and workshops on the business side of publishing and being a working writer. All programming is mandatory and conducted online.

Additional Benefits - Fellows receive a professional headshot and a complimentary one-year membership with PEN America, which includes access to PEN America's broader programming in literary advocacy and freedom of expression.

The fellowship supports work across literary forms: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting. Writers working on scripts or narrative screenplays are eligible alongside those working in traditional literary formats.

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for the 2025 cycle (expected to remain consistent for 2027):

• Applicants must be 21 years of age or older at the time of application.
• Applicants do not need to be US permanent residents or citizens but must be residing in the United States at the time of applying and during the fellowship.
• Applicants cannot be enrolled in a degree-granting program at the fellowship start date (June). Doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework are eligible.
• Applicants cannot hold an advanced degree in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry (an MFA in those genres disqualifies you).
• Applicants cannot have one or more books published through major, independent, or university presses, nor have a book under contract at the time of application. Chapbooks and work published in literary journals are acceptable.
• Former Emerging Voices Fellows are not eligible to reapply.

The program defines "underrepresented" specifically: Black writers and persons of color, Indigenous writers, LGBTQ+ writers, immigrant writers, writers with disabilities, and writers living outside urban centers. Applicants should identify with at least one of these categories.

Application Process

Applications open annually on January 1 and close on January 31 at 8:59 PM PT / 11:59 PM ET. Fellows are notified by May 1. The fellowship period runs from June through October.

Required Materials:

• Artist Statement (100 words max): goals as a writer in the next year and long term
• Emerging Writer Statement (100 words max): why you are applying and how the program would advance your practice
• Advocacy and Community Engagement Statement (100 words max): what "literary citizen" means to you
• Work Plan (500 words max): detailed explanation of your envisioned project with a tentative title
• Writing Sample: up to 15 pages double-spaced (fiction/nonfiction) or 10 pages single-spaced (poetry), 12-point font, one-inch margins, paginated, in PDF format
• Professional CV or Writing Resume
• Reference Contact Information (name, email, phone)
• Application Fee: $25

Applications are submitted through the PEN America website. The selection committee for the 2025 cycle included authors Matt Ortile, Esther Lin, and Eskor David Johnson.

Who Should Apply

Early-career screenwriters, playwrights, and literary writers from underrepresented communities who are developing their craft and would benefit from sustained one-on-one mentorship alongside a structured writing program. The fellowship is particularly suited for writers who do not have access to MFA programs, literary agents, or professional writing networks.

For screenwriters specifically: the fellowship accepts screenwriting as a literary form, but the program is oriented toward literary writing and publishing rather than the film industry. Screenwriters who also write prose or poetry will find the most natural fit. Those seeking industry access specifically for film and television should also consider Film Independent's Artist Development programs or the NBCU LAUNCH TV Directors Program.

Notable Alumni and Track Record

Now in its 30th year, Emerging Voices has produced a substantial alumni network. The 2026 cohort of 11 fellows was selected from the largest applicant pool in the program's history. The 2025 cohort of 9 fellows came from 9 different states, working across poetry, literary fiction, short stories, young adult fantasy, and memoir. The program has consistently grown its applicant pool for four consecutive years, indicating increasing recognition and demand.

See Also

For understanding how script development fits into the broader film development timeline, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For an overview of the screenwriting craft, see the Screenwriting glossary entry. For filmmakers seeking development programs with direct industry access, see the Emerging Director Program listing.