George Bennett Fellowship in Writing

The purpose of the George Bennett Fellowship is to provide time and freedom from material considerations to a person seriously contemplating or pursuing a career as a writer. It provides for one academic year a stipend, as well as housing and meals for this person and family, at Academy expense. As Writer-in-Residence the person shall live in Exeter and, in return for stipend and housing, shall (besides carrying out his or her own literary projects) make his or her self and talents available in an informal and unofficial way generally to students interested in writing and, more specifically, to students in English classes and to members of student literary organizations. To qualify for the Fellowship, a candidate must have already embarked on a writing project: must have underway a manuscript which he or she needs time, and freedom from material considerations, to complete. The candidate may or may not have encouragement from a publisher, in the form of a cash advance or otherwise. But as a general consideration and guide, the benefits of the Fellowship can be considered as making it possible for a writer not to be obliged to accept an advance, with its inevitable restrictions.