MFA students participating in a writing exercise.
STRUCTURE
ELIGIBILITY
MENTORSHIP APPLICATION

Post-MFA Mentorship Program

The Rainier Writing Workshop (RWW) low-residency MFA program has produced a thriving community of published authors across poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. For many of our graduates, the creative thesis served as the direct foundation for a published book; for others, it remains the vital first draft of a future manuscript.

To support our creative writing alumni in achieving their professional goals, RWW offers an exclusive Post-Degree Alumni Mentorship Program. This initiative provides strategic, one-on-one faculty feedback designed to elevate your writing and help bring your manuscript to completion.

Program Structure & Investment

Our flexible mentorships are tailored to fit the schedules of working writers while maintaining the rigorous standard of our low-residency MFA faculty.

  • Cost: $2,500 per mentorship.

  • Duration: Typically six months (adjustable by mutual agreement).

  • Packet Exchanges: Standard structure includes four mailings/feedback rounds (customizable between mentor and mentee).

  • Timeline: Rolling start dates based on proposal approval.

Note on Publication: While RWW cannot guarantee publication, the precise, incisive guidance of a dedicated mentor is proven to elevate manuscript quality—whether your goal is commercial publication or personal artistic mastery.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

The RWW Alumni Mentorship program is selective to ensure faculty resources are paired with projects poised for success.

What makes a strong proposal?

  • Manuscript Completion: Projects should be 50% to 75% complete.

  • High Quality: The existing writing sample must demonstrate strong literary merit.

  • Feasibility: The proposal must outline a clear, realistic vision for completing the remaining work.

How to Apply for an RWW Alumni Mentorship

Interested alumni writers must submit a proposal form proposal to RWW program director, Rick Barot: barotrp@plu.edu. Your application must include:

  1. A Detailed Project Proposal: Outlining the scope of your work, current degree of completion, your vision for the finished project, and specific goals for your mentorship.

  2. A Substantial Writing Sample: Evidence of the project’s current direction and quality.

  3. Preferred Faculty Mentors: A list of potential RWW mentors you would like to work with.

The Approval Process: The RWW Director reviews all submissions in consultation with the requested faculty. Admission is based on project feasibility and faculty availability. Please note that individual faculty members retain final discretion over accepting any mentee.