Applications for Viable Paradise 2024 Now Open

Application Period: from January 1 - May 15, 2024

Viable Paradise 2024 | Sunday, October 20th - Friday, October 25th, 2024

Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni.

With over twenty-five years of experience, our students have gone on to be nominated for and win Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards, and to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

Viable Paradise encourages an informal and supportive workshop atmosphere. During the week, instructors and students interact in one-on-one discussions, group critiques, lectures, and free-flowing Q&As. The emphasis at first is on critiquing the students’ submitted manuscripts; later, the emphasis shifts to new material produced during the week.

Even when not actively engaged in teaching or critiquing, Viable Paradise instructors often share meals and general conversation with the students. Uniquely among professional-grade writing workshops, Viable Paradise often features writers-in-residence and guest lecturers who work in the field and offer their insights into the craft and business of writing.

The Viable Paradise experience is more than the workshop itself; it also includes the autumnal beauty of coastal New England and the unique island setting of Martha’s Vineyard. Taken all together, Viable Paradise creates a learning environment that’s perfect for helping you reach your writing and publishing goals.

Still not convinced? Take a look at what past VP alumni have said about their experiences.

Applications for Viable Paradise 2023 Now Open

Applications for Viable Paradise 2023 are now closed.

Applications will reopen: January 1, 2024.

Application Period: from January 1 - May 15, 2023

Viable Paradise 2023 | Sunday, October 8th - Friday, October 13th, 2023

Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni.

With over twenty years of experience, our students have gone on to be nominated for and win Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards, and to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

Viable Paradise encourages an informal and supportive workshop atmosphere. During the week, instructors and students interact in one-on-one discussions, group critiques, lectures, and free-flowing Q&As. The emphasis at first is on critiquing the students’ submitted manuscripts; later, the emphasis shifts to new material produced during the week.

Even when not actively engaged in teaching or critiquing, Viable Paradise instructors often share meals and general conversation with the students. Uniquely among professional-grade writing workshops, Viable Paradise often features writers-in-residence and guest lecturers who work in the field and offer their insights into the craft and business of writing.

The Viable Paradise experience is more than the workshop itself; it also includes the autumnal beauty of coastal New England and the unique island setting of Martha’s Vineyard. Taken all together, Viable Paradise creates a learning environment that’s perfect for helping you reach your writing and publishing goals.

Still not convinced? Take a look at what past VP alumni have said about their experiences.

C.L. Polk Joins Viable Paradise 2022

C.L. PolkViable Paradise is proud to announce that C.L. Polk will join the workshop as a writer in residence for Viable Paradise 2022. Polk is the author of the World Fantasy Award winning and Locus, Nebula, and Lambda nominated novel Witchmark. Their forthcoming novella Even Though I Knew The End will appear this November.

“I’m so excited to be a part of Viable Paradise as a writer-in-residence,” said Mx. Polk. “I’m looking forward to immersing myself into the VP experience, where I can meet with this year’s writers and talk about everything, from the love of an elegant metaphor to the business of a writing career. I hope I help make VP2022 valuable for everyone involved.”

Join C.L. Polk and the rest of the amazing VP instructors this October on Martha’s Vineyard. Click here to apply – we look forward to reading your work!

Applications for Viable Paradise 2022 Now Open

Application Period: from February 2 - June 1, 2022

Viable Paradise 2022 | Sunday, October 16th - Friday, October 21st, 2022

Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni.

With over twenty years of experience, our students have gone on to be nominated for and win Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards, and to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

Viable Paradise encourages an informal and supportive workshop atmosphere. During the week, instructors and students interact in one-on-one discussions, group critiques, lectures, and free-flowing Q&As. The emphasis at first is on critiquing the students’ submitted manuscripts; later, the emphasis shifts to new material produced during the week.

Even when not actively engaged in teaching or critiquing, Viable Paradise instructors often share meals and general conversation with the students. Uniquely among professional-grade writing workshops, Viable Paradise often features writers-in-residence and guest lecturers who work in the field and offer their insights into the craft and business of writing.

The Viable Paradise experience is more than the workshop itself; it also includes the autumnal beauty of coastal New England and the unique island setting of Martha’s Vineyard. Taken all together, Viable Paradise creates a learning environment that’s perfect for helping you reach your writing and publishing goals.

Still not convinced? Take a look at what past VP alumni have said about their experiences.

Viable Paradise 2022: Application Schedule

After a trying 2021 – which itself followed a trying 2020 – Viable Paradise is happy to announce the return of the workshop in October 2022. While the pandemic situation remains fluid, as of right now we intend to open for applications on February 1st, 2022.

The constantly shifting state of the Covid-19 pandemic does not allow certainty ten months out. However, given the increasing availability and efficacy of vaccines/boosters and general trends around Covid-19, we believe that by October 2022 we will be able to host the workshop provided specific protocols are followed to keep our students, faculty, and staff safe. The VP staff is compiling a list of those protocols, which will be posted on to this website prior to the opening of applications.

Viable Paradise will continue to monitor developing news, Covid-19 trends, and guidance from local, national, and international health authorities to adjust Covid-19 protocols and workshop policies to keep students, faculty, and staff safe. More information will be posted here as protocols are finalized.

After a difficult two years, Viable Paradise will be re-opening. We hope you will join us.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Viable Paradise 2021 and Covid-19

After careful deliberation, the Viable Paradise board has decided not to hold a workshop in 2021.

Despite a decline in the number of new Covid-19 cases and the increasing rate of vaccinations, we cannot be certain there will be no threat come October. Last year, a major surge of the disease began just as the workshop would have been taking place. The new variants of the virus represent a wild card. No one is more disappointed with this outcome than we are, but we will not take risks with the safety of our students, instructors, and staff.

We hope that you will continue in your aspiration to attend Viable Paradise when possible. Applicants who applied in 2020 may choose to roll their application fees forward to 2022, or may contact the workshop to request a refund. Applications for the 2022 workshop will open on January 1st, 2022, and we recommend subscribing to our Application Period Updates to stay informed.

Thank you for your understanding. We all look forward to new beginnings next year.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Viable Paradise 2021 Application Period

Happy New Year!

Like everyone, Viable Paradise strongly hopes that 2021 proves to be a better year than 2020! In 2020, the global pandemic forced us to cancel the workshop. Now, with general distribution of vaccines, we are hopeful that VP 2021 can happen. But we’re not sure yet.

As we stated last year, Viable Paradise will not be held until we are certain of the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. For this reason, we are postponing the opening of the VP application season until March 1st, 2021.

We hope that by then we can reasonably assess the viability of a safe and enjoyable workshop in October. Should Covid-19 still look like a threat come the spring, we will again cancel the workshop. Safety must be our paramount concern.

For now, we proceed in a spirit of reasonable optimism. If we are forced to cancel, any gift certificates will be available for refund, or be automatically rolled over into the following year. If you want to stay up to date, we strongly recommend that you subscribe to our Application Period Updates using the form in the sidebar.

We thank you for your understanding, wish you a happy 2021, and light the lamp of hope for a new Viable Paradise class.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Viable Paradise 2020 and COVID-19

The faculty and staff of Viable Paradise and the Martha’s Vineyard Science Fiction Association board members have been following the news and developments of the COVID-19 outbreak closely over the last few months. We’ve had long discussions about the workshop this October, in which the safety and security of the students, faculty, and staff of Viable Paradise has been our paramount concern.

As we watch the COVID-19 outbreak continue to unfold and consider the logistics of travel and operating the workshop each fall, we’ve come to the conclusion that the only possible decision is to cancel the workshop for the fall of 2020.

We know this is a disappointment; it’s a bitter pill for us to swallow as well. VP is not just a writing workshop, but an annual expansion of an amazing writing community. Each year brings a diverse and amazing new class of writers together; the buzz that comes with the co-mingling of the students, faculty, and staff in a shared creative experience that is both intense and intimate is one that we look forward to all year long. VP is our community as well. Making the decision to cancel this year has challenged our own desire to prove “the show must go on,” but it is, in fact, that intimacy of the VP experience that led us to the only decision possible.

We also recognize that money is tight for many individuals right now, and wanted to make this decision early enough that no prospective student laid out unnecessary money for application fees, travel, or lodging expenses given the uncertainty of the situation in October. We will work with candidates that have already applied for this year, ensuring that they can either re-apply again for next year at no cost or receive a full refund of their application fees. Furthermore, any unredeemed gift certificates purchased for this year will be extended through next year as well, and gift certificate purchasers will be given the opportunity to request a refund.

We deeply appreciate that applicants want to join the VP community, to find connections with others around the art we all care about. If you have applied or were planning to apply, we hope that you will stay safe and continue to engage with writing, science fiction, fantasy, and horror in whatever ways work best for you amidst the myriad challenges of these times.

We look forward to your application to attend Viable Paradise 2021, and eagerly await the day when we can welcome you to the VP family.

Please stay safe!

The faculty and staff of Viable Paradise

Applications for Viable Paradise 24 Now Closed

Applications for Viable Paradise 2020 are now closed due to COVID-19

Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni.

With twenty years of experience, our students have gone on to be nominated for and win Hugo Awards and Nebula Awards, and to reach the New York Times Best Seller list.

Viable Paradise encourages an informal and supportive workshop atmosphere. During the week, instructors and students interact in one-on-one discussions, group critiques, lectures, and free-flowing Q&As. The emphasis at first is on critiquing the students’ submitted manuscripts; later, the emphasis shifts to new material produced during the week.

Even when not actively engaged in teaching or critiquing, Viable Paradise instructors often share meals and general conversation with the students. Uniquely among professional-grade writing workshops, Viable Paradise often features writers-in-residence and guest lecturers who work in the field and offer their insights into the craft and business of writing.

The Viable Paradise experience is more than the workshop itself; it also includes the autumnal beauty of coastal New England and the unique island setting of Martha’s Vineyard. Taken all together, Viable Paradise creates a learning environment that’s perfect for helping you reach your writing and publishing goals.

Still not convinced? Take a look at what past VP alumni have said about their experiences.

Viable Paradise Alums are Tearing Up Award Shortlists

The Viable Paradise community is proud to celebrate the tremendous success of its alumni and instructors, among the nominees for this year’s Hugo, Nebula and Norton awards. In a truly excellent field this year, Viable Paradise alumni were a strong showing:

Hugo Award Nominees

  • Scott Andrews
    best semiprozine, editor-in-chief and publisher, Beneath Ceaseless Skies
  • N.K. Jemisin
    best novel, The Stone Sky (Orbit)
  • Benjamin C. Kinney
    best semiprozine, assistant editor, Escape Pod
  • Mur Lafferty
    best novel, Six Wakes (Orbit)
    best semiprozine, one of the editors, Escape Pod
    best fancast, one of the presenters, Ditch Diggers
  • Yoon Ha Lee
    best novel, Raven Strategem (Solaris)
    best novelette, “Extracurricular Activities” (Tor.com)
  • Heather McDougal
    best semiprozine, one of the editors, Strange Horizons
  • Suzanne Palmer
    best novelette, “The Secret Life of Bots” (Clarkesworld)
  • Julia Rios
    best semiprozine, one of the editors, Fireside Magazine
    best semiprozine, one of the editors, Uncanny
  • Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
    best semiprozine, managing editor, Fireside Magazine
  • K.M. Szpara
    best novelette, “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time” (Uncanny)
  • Fran Wilde
    best short story, “Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand” (Uncanny)

And, of course, former VP Instructor, John Scalzi, nominated for best novel with The Collapsing Empire (Tor).

Nebula Award Nominees

  • N.K. Jemisin
    best novel, The Stone Sky (Orbit)
  • Mur Lafferty
    best novel, Six Wakes (Orbit)
  • Fonda Lee
    best novel, Jade City (Orbit)
  • K.M. Szpara
    best novelette, “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time” (Uncanny)
  • Fran Wilde
    best short story, “Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand” (Uncanny)

As well as current VP Instructor, Daryl Gregory, nominated for best novel with Spoonbenders (Knopf).

Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

  • Fonda Lee
    best novel, Exo (Scholastic Press)

The breadth, strength, talent, and enthusiasm of the VP community are a huge part of the ongoing success of the Viable Paradise workshop, which offers its twenty-second session this year!

We’ll be cheering on our own, as well as our amazingly talented friends and colleagues among the other nominees, when the Nebula/Norton Awards are presented in Pittsburgh at the SFWA Nebula Conference on May 19th and the Hugo Awards are presented in San Jose at Worldcon 76 on August 18th.

If you’d like to attend Viable Paradise and join us in our never ending quest to produce the best SFF writers, editors and podcasters in the world, the application deadline for VP 22 is June 1st.