By Iris Graville
In 2018, Washington State Ferries launched its first-ever “Writer-in-Residence” on the interisland route in the San Juan Islands. Following a hiatus due to COVID-19, the role of Writer-in-Residence (WIR) on the Interisland ferry will resume again in January 2024.
Applications are being accepted until Dec. 1. Lopez Island author Iris Graville began the first term of the residency in August 2018, writing and riding aboard the M/V Tillikum between Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, and San Juan. She continued drafting essays over the next year, and in 2022, Writer in a Life Vest: Essays from the Salish Sea, was published by Homebound Publications.
Graville was succeeded as WIR by San Juan Island writer and documentary producer Liz Smith. Smith co-produced the award-winning feature film about youth climate activists, YOUTH v GOV, which is available on Netflix. She also produces and writes for the PBS ocean science television series, CHANGING SEAS, and has a new PBS health channel. show in development, LIVING LONGER, LIVING WELL. For many artists, a break from usual routines inspires creativity and contributes to productivity. In 2011, Amtrak offered writers’ residencies on trains, particularly long-distance routes. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Seattle’s Space Needle in 2012, Knute Berger became writer-in-residence on the Observation Deck to research and gather stories for a book on the landmark. When the City of Seattle advertised its first writer-in-residence at the iconic Fremont Bridge, they were overwhelmed by applications. The three-month appointment of Elissa Washuta to this post coincided with the bridge’s 100th birthday in 2017. In 2018, the City appointed Paurl Walsh as the bridge’s first musician-in-residence.
The Interisland ferry residency is ideal for writers who live in the San Juan Islands, as it doesn’t require relocating or spending hundreds to thousands of dollars to cover lodging, housing, and transportation. If you enjoy writing and can commit to doing so on the Interisland ferry once or twice a week (for up to a year; shorter terms are possible), please apply.
To be considered for the residency, email iris@irisgraville.com with a brief description of why you’d like to be the next writer-in-residence, goals for your term, and how you envision your residency (i.e. expected frequency of riding the ferry, any writing projects you plan to work on while riding and writing, and length of term—up to one year). It would be helpful to know if you currently blog or if you intend to blog about the WIR experience. You may be asked to submit a writing sample. Application deadline is Dec. 1.
For more information about the Washington State Ferries “Writer-in-Residence,” read Graville’s blog about her term at www.writingtheinterisland.org.
