About

The Fir Acres Writing Workshop at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, is a two-week residential creative writing workshop for rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders that emphasizes craft, community, and intensive practice. Now in its 38th year, the program brings approximately 60 young writers together on L&C’s wooded campus from June 21 – July 4, 2026. It offers daily workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative prose led by published faculty and visiting writers, along with weekly electives, field trips, and evening literary events.

Tuition for summer 2026 is $3,900, which includes meals and supervised residential housing. Enrollment is capacity-limited, and the application deadline is March 6, 2026. Applicants submit a statement of purpose (300 words), a creative writing sample (up to 5 pages), a transcript, and a teacher recommendation.

Students spend mornings and afternoons in small workshop groups of twelve or fewer, studying exemplary writing and receiving detailed feedback. A major institutional benefit for 2026 is that participants who later enroll at Lewis & Clark for their undergraduate degree are guaranteed a minimum $20,000 annual renewable scholarship.

Evening gatherings and readings by distinguished visiting writers supplement studio time, while field trips to local landmarks like Powell’s City of Books and the Oregon Coast connect creative practice with the Pacific Northwest landscape. While the program does not confer academic credit, its structure and faculty—all authors with graduate creative writing degrees—position it as a serious pre-college experience. Students produce a final portfolio and contribute to a published anthology, focusing on developing a unique voice and sustained writing habit in a supportive, high-level environment.