Would you write here or there, on a train or in a house as a writer in residence?

This is something I have aspired to do for a very long time. I have even filled out a few applications to be a

Would you take a train trip just to write on your novel? 

writer in residence. A writer in residence is exactly what the name describes.

A writer who resides temporarily often times for no or little cost in a place to work on their own project as well as share their knowledge insights. There are hundreds of these opportunities for writers that offer inspiring places to do nothing but hone their craft and possibly help inspire or teach others.

A writer can apply for these opportunities in places around the world. Recently Amtrak Railroad announced that they are going to start a writer in residence program giving writers free or low cost train trips to write on their books. How exciting is that?

I would love to have that opportunity to take a trip some place on a train across the country and write the whole time.

Here are a few of the places on my writers in residence wish list.

Château de La Napoule, France

They provide writers and artists with a single room with a view of the sea or gardens, breakfast and lunch in the Chateau. They also provide a private studio for the author or artist to work. These residencies last from five weeks up to one year depending on which of the programs applied for.

Kerouac House, Orlando, Florida 

The Kerouac Project  Orlando,Florida

A three month residency in the cottage where Jack Kerouac wrote Dharma Bums. The project pays the resident’s utilities and $800 in a monthly food stipend. The writer in residence works on their project and gives a reading of it at the end of their stay. Also during the residency they may be required to participate in community events, readings, workshops and the like.

The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts  Armherst, Virginia

The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts offers residencies of two weeks to two months to poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and other artists on a 450-acre estate at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They host up to 25 residents at a time providing private rooms, work areas and meals.

And of course the list wouldn’t be complete without….

Amtrak Writer in Residence Program

The program is not yet open for applications but will be very soon, according to several statements made. Writers will be given a free or low cost train trip to write to their hearts content.

How about you? Is there some place you would love to live and write, maybe even get paid to or do so for free?