Frequently Asked Questions

The Conference takes place in Brevard — a small town in the mountains of western North Carolina, about 45 minutes southwest of Asheville. Brevard is known for its waterfalls, white squirrels, and opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Most Conference activities take place on the campus of Brevard College.

The LGRWC is a small conference with a limit of twelve participants per workshop, for a maximum total of 36 attendees.

Conference attendees will be joined by others at certain events like banquet meals and faculty readings.

Specific details may change, but this is a typical schedule:

Thursday

3 - 5 pm: Check-in

5:30 - 6 pm: Welcome and Introductory Activities

6 - 7 pm: Dinner

7 - 8 pm: Opening Faculty Panel

8 - 10 pm: Off-Campus Gathering

Friday

7:30 – 8:45 am: Breakfast

9 - 10:30 am: Workshop 1

10:45 am – 12:15 pm: Workshop 2

12:15 – 1:30 pm: Lunch and Scholarship Recipient Readings

2 - 4pm: Individual Conferences

1:30 - 4:30 pm: DuPont State Forest Waterfall Hike (optional)

3 - 4 pm: Yoga (optional)

5 - 7 pm: Reception and Banquet with Library Foundation Board

7:30 – 9 pm: Public faculty reading & book signing

9 - 10 pm: Open Mic

Saturday, May 18

7:30 – 8:45 am: Breakfast

9 - 10:30 am: Workshop 3

10:45 am – 12:15 pm: Workshop 4

12:15 – 1:30 pm: Lunch and Scholarship Recipient Readings

2 - 4 pm: Individual Conferences

1:30 - 4:30 pm: Scenic Van Tour: Pisgah National Forest (optional)

3 - 4 pm: Yoga (optional)

5 - 7 pm: Reception and Banquet with Brevard College representatives

7:30 – 9 pm: Public faculty reading & book signing

9 - 10 pm: Open Mic

Sunday, May 19

7:30 - 8:45 am: Breakfast

9 – 10:30 am: Workshop 5

11:15 – Noon: Closing and Reflection Activity

Noon – 1 pm: Lunch

12:30 – 2 pm: Check-out

Conference workshops are led by our guest faculty. If you are accepted to a workshop, you will be with the same workshop leader and fellow participants for the duration of the conference. Each faculty member will have a different style and approach to leading their workshop, but most focus primarily on generative writing. We foster welcoming and collaborative workshop environments and encourage participants to approach the experience with a spirit of generosity.

You will be asked to submit a sample of your writing to share with your faculty and peers prior to the Conference. This can be the work you submitted for admission, or it can be something else.

Yes! We welcome participants from all over.

We base acceptance decisions on the strength and/or potential of the writing you submitted. The manuscripts are read anonymously, and decisions are made based on the writing itself.

Decisions are not based on your background, publication history, professional accomplishments, etc. We welcome returning attendees, but we do not prioritize admission based on previous attendance.

For the 2024 Conference, we received 181 applications for 36 workshop seats. We are happy that many want to attend the Conference, but unfortunately that means that each year there are talented writers we are not able to admit. If you are not admitted one year, we encourage you to apply again in the future.

The work you submit for conference acceptance is only shared with Conference staff. It is read and evaluated anonymously; the evaluators do not know who whose work they are considering. It is only shared with faculty, participants, or anyone else if you choose to share it yourself.

Your registration fee is inclusive. It provides you the opportunity to participate in the Conference’s fiction, nonfiction, or poetry workshops, depending on your admittance. It also covers meals and snacks for the duration of the conference, lodging in a campus dorm, and optional activities such as hikes or yoga.

From a logistical standpoint, your fees cover the operational costs of attendance: lodging, meals, activities. The Transylvania County Library Foundation generously sponsors the workshop faculty, advertising, scholarships, etc.

If you find yourself unable to attend the Conference, you can receive a 50% refund for a cancellation that occurs 30+ days before the conference. If you cancel less than 30 days before the conference, no refund will be given.

If a faculty member is unable to attend due to emergency circumstances beyond our control, we reserve the right to provide a qualified substitute to lead the workshop or make other relevant conference modifications. We will provide a full refund if we have to cancel a conference or workshop entirely. Canceling is a last resort option for us.

We encourage you to stay on-site for a variety of reasons, including forming bonds with fellow attendees. However, we understand that you may prefer to lodge elsewhere, and you are welcome to do so. Please note that we are unable to provide discounts for anyone lodging off-site.

If you are staying on campus, you will be housed in a private room with a suite jack-and-jill style bathroom or an individual room with a hall bath in Stanback Hall at Brevard College. Stanback Hall is air-conditioned and has an elevator. There is a common area kitchen and refrigerator on the bottom floor. All beds will be “un-lofted.” Video tour of Stanback Hall.

While all rooms are singles, there will be a shared bath per two attendees. If you would like to be housed close to specific conference attendees or have other special requests (such as an individual room with a key hall bath), submit those requests to the conference director in the survey that is distributed to accepted participants.

Provided Items: bed linens, one blanket, one pillow, towels, toilet paper, tissues, wastebasket, basic toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap)

You may wish to bring: additional pillows and blankets (the beds are extra-long twin size), extra towels, any necessary toiletry items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc.), flip-flops for showers, ear plugs (if you are a light sleeper), flashlight or reading light (there is only overhead lighting in the dorm rooms), hair dryer, water bottle, a laptop or tablet, and any other items needed for your comfort

If you forget any items, an Ingles grocery store is conveniently located next to campus.

We can provide complimentary shuttles for most attendees flying into the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL). We ask that you provide flight details by a designated deadline. If you have an unusual travel schedule, such as an extended stay, you may need to arrange for personal transportation. More information will be provided to admitted attendees.

Public transportation options are very limited; Lyft and Uber services are generally unavailable.

All workshops, meals, and public author readings will take place on the first floor of buildings that are ground level or accessible by ramp.

Conference housing is in Stanback Hall, which has an elevator. All beds will be un-lofted for better access.

Bus shuttles will be available if needed to take participants to off-campus events and the Transylvania County Library, which is a fully accessible building.

If you have any accessibility questions or concerns, please contact the conference director as soon as possible. We will make reasonable accommodations for people with special needs.

The Conference is casual. You may choose to dress up somewhat for the banquets and faculty readings, but this is optional.

It will almost certainly rain at some point while you are here! Bring appropriate raingear, footwear, etc., especially if you plan to join a hike.

Probably! We can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and most other allergen-free diets as requested with advance notice. You'll receive a survey prior to the Conference where you can share your dietary needs. If you have questions or unusual restrictions, feel free to check in with the Conference Director in advance.

We expect that everyone will promote an atmosphere of respect for all members of our community. Expressions or actions that disparage a person’s or group’s race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender identity/expression, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability are contrary to our mission.

Participants who do not adhere to these expectations may be asked to meet with the Conference Director and/or leave the conference. Participants who experience any of these violations are invited to speak to the Conference Director directly so that they may be addressed promptly during the conference.