See what’s in store for the 2021 Marathon→

A Writing Marathon is the realization of writing as a “moveable feast,” blending writing, a community of writers, and a journey through “place.” In the summer of 2020, eight local Writing Project sites invited anyone interested on a writers’ road trip through the NWP network’s Virtual Writing Marathon. Participants traveled the USA, all from home, writing all the way.

For Educators

The Summer 2020 marathon has concluded, but the resources are still here, if you would like to take your students on a Virtual Writing Marathon this school year. It is a great opportunity for students to practice writing, travel virtually, and build classroom community through “traveling” together and sharing writing. Here is a guide to support you.

If you do lead your students on a #WriteAcrossAmerica, we would like to hear about it! Register your Virtual Writing Marathon itinerary.

For Writing Project Sites

For Writing Project sites that want to host a Virtual Writing Marathon for the NWP Network in Summer 2021 (or at other times), there are several informational meetings. Watch the Site Bulletin and the Connecting the Network calls for information. See below for information about the 2020 Marathon.

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Summer 2020 #WriteAcrossAmerica

The #WriteAcrossAmerica Virtual Writing Marathon is open to anyone. Each stop on the itinerary will last 75 minutes and include an orientation by the local site to a place in their region or, perhaps, to a new conception of virtual space. Each stop on the itinerary will provide inspiration, time to write, time to share, and a sense of community.  Local stops will be facilitated by local teacher-leaders and welcome all kinds of writing and writers. We will be sharing our work with the hashtag #WriteAcrossAmerica.

Over the summer we hope to 

1. Connect the NWP network and our wider set of colleagues through the simple act of writing together in community.
2. Provide an opportunity for participants to “travel” in the time of Coronavirus and participate in a community of writers. 
3. Learn about different places through writing. 
4. Raise the collective visibility of the NWP network and our commitment to writing.
5. Collect shareable resources for teachers to take their students on a virtual writing marathon in the fall.

2020 Summer Itinerary

Next stops on the marathon will take you North/South/East and West. Participation is free, but registering in advance helps the host site plan.

All visits are scheduled at 2:00-3:15pm PT / 3:00-4:15pm MT / 4:00-5:15pm CT / 5:00-6:15 ET

Date	Site
June 16	Madison Greater Madison Writing Project (WI)
June 23	Central Arizona Writing Project (AZ)
June 30	South Mississippi Writing Project (MS) – Share Your Writing Site
July 7	Morehead Writing Project (KY)
July 14	Red River Valley Writing Project (ND)
July 21	Hudson Valley Writing Project (NY)
July 28	Minnesota Writing Project (MN)
August 4	New Hampshire Writing Project (NH)
August 11	Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project (LA) (100min)

Learn more about Writing Marathons

The summer’s Virtual Marathon grows out of a long tradition of writing marathons at local sites and through the NWP network. The model was developed most richly in New Orleans at the Southeast Louisiana Writing Project. See their website for the New Orleans Writing Marathon. This website has the latest information about the New Orleans Writing Marathon Retreat as well as links to essays, books, radio programs, and more.

You can find resources here at WLL for planning your own ‘in-person marathon” (safety permitting, of course). See:

• Writing In The Community: The New Orleans Writing Marathon Model
• A Guide for Writing Marathon Leaders
• “I’m a Writer”: Essays on the Writing Marathon and Why We Write
• “New Orleans Writing Marathon Roundtable.” In Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, vol. 1 no. 2: this collection, available online, includes four essays from four different marathon leaders about writing marathon pedagogy

And two selections for sale at Lulu:

• The Writing Marathon: “In Good Company Revealed”: this collection from the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project, edited by SLWP Director Richard Louth,
• Writing a Marathon: A Hands-On Guide to Creating and Implementing Successful Writing Marathons in Schools and Communities: this brief and handy guide, written by Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project TC Ellen Steigman