climb every mountain

or at least apply

I’m working on a longer piece about character development which I’ll post for my Memoir Club members shortly but in the meantime I noticed the deadline for the Banff Centre Literary Journalism Fellowship is just a week away.

https://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/literary-journalism/20230703

If you’re creative professional working on a piece of long form nonfiction you should absolutely take the time to apply for this fellowship. It’s an all expenses paid four week residency and workshop program at the magical Arts Centre located in Banff, Alberta — a Canadian gold rush town tucked high up in the Rocky Mountains. I went back in 2011 and it was utterly transformative. Just look how happy I am in the photo! I made lasting creative friendships, learned a staggering amount and came away feeling changed on a molecular level. I also did a lot of trail running, hot-spring soaking and drinking, eating and talking. And I started writing a personal essay that was later published in a major magazine, so in the end the time off “regular work” paid for itself.

You don’t need to be Canadian to apply. You don’t even need to live in Canada. Few people seem to know this so… think about it. You’re welcome.