The Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP)

The mission of The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) is "to foster literary talent and achievement, to advance the art of writing as essential to a good education, and to serve the makers, teachers, students, and readers of contemporary writing."

Founded in 1967 by fifteen writers across twelve writing programs, the AWP was conceived in an effort to foster creative writing and support literary writers in higher education and other institutions, at a time when many of those institutions focused only on studying the literature of writers of the past.

Dedicated to both study and practice, the AWP has supported countless students, instructors and programs in creative writing and boasts a membership of 500 colleges and universities, 100 writers' conferences and centers, and thousands of individual writers as members.

The Association of Writers & Writing Programs supports writers with writing conference scholarships as well as with the AWP Award Series, which recognizes excellence in genres such as novel, short fiction, creative non-fiction and grants its writing contest winners cash prizes.

In addition, the AWP hosts online writers forums and publishes The Writer's Chronicle, a semi-monthly journal of essays, articles and news briefs of interest to writers and writing students and instructors.