Applications are open!
It's time to find your people
Dear writers,
In just a few weeks, Dn. Nicholas and his family are headed to Louisiana to spend a weekend with this year’s St. Basil’s students, who have planned their own mini retreat just to gather in person again. I wish I could join them!
I can’t tell you what a blessing it has been to watch St. Basil’s become a place where incredibly talented writers find not only their inspiration and the mentoring to refine it, but also friendships that affirm and nurture it. St. Basil has certainly had a hand in this.
In an era where we hunger to return to intimate communities in the face of internet isolation, St. Basil’s provides purposefully small class sizes and in-person fellowship. In an age where we’re barraged with an ongoing stream of information, St. Basil’s offers a dedicated space where talented writers enjoy direct mentorship from incredible writers.
Today, we invite you to join us.
Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 year. Come study the craft of creative writing with Dn. Nicholas Kotar, Nicole M. Roccas, Paul Kingsnorth, Samira Kawash, Jonathan Pageau, and Katherine Bolger Hyde.
About the Workshop
Now in its fourth season, St. Basil Writers’ Workshop is a 9-month writing program for writers following in the footsteps of the Inklings. The Workshop begins with an in-person retreat in September, after which all courses are hosted online. Admission is capped at 15 students per year to ensure personalized mentorship and tight-knit community bonding.
How to Apply
Follow this link to submit your $25 application fee and a 5,000-ish-word writing sample (fiction only). Complete short stories are acceptable, as are excerpts from novellas and novels.
Acceptance is determined by Dn. Nicholas. Applications are open today through February 28th, 2026. Accepted students will be notified of their status on or before March 31st, 2026.
Learn More
Come chat with our Dean, Dn. Nicholas Kotar, at our open house on January 15th, 8 pm EST.
In the meantime, blessed Nativity and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Anna Vander Wall
P.S. If you want to familiarize yourself with our program, take a look at our academic calendar and course curricula.





I only just discovered this! But... Surely the 25 dollars isn't the total fee???
I'm definitely interested, but I'm only a beginner I think, and I'm not from the US and English isn't my native language - I started writing English fiction since last August/ September. But it would be a dream to participate in this at some point in my life, preferably sooner than later!
Nicholas Kotar, is gem.