Who we are.

Established in 1982 by a small coterie of renowned Oregon authors, Oregon Writers Colony is a home for Oregon based and/or Oregon appreciative writers committed to exploring the written word while promoting the craft of writing in all its forms. All writers are welcome, especially those with courage and a burning fire within. By gathering together, virtually or in person, we support one another, share information, listen, and learn. We challenge one another to aim for newer heights. We host a writing retreat house on the Oregon coast, organize a variety of educational opportunities for writers, and sponsor workshops, including our annual conference at Sylvia Beach Hotel. We promote new and emerging writers in addition to those who may already be established. Be fearless, join us.

What we believe.

We believe that stories are better when storytellers represent the diversity of our world. To that end, OWC is committed to creating writing practices and spaces where writers of different ethnicities, genders, cultures, class backgrounds, ages, abilities, belief systems, and sexual orientations will flourish and be nurtured, online and off.

We acknowledge that different writers start with differing opportunities, including access, or not, to financial resources, education, writing time, technology, connections within the recognized writing community, safety, and yes, even security.

We also know we have work to do to level that playing field.

We pledge to not veer away from that work, to seek out and practice new ways of engaging, to model inclusion within our organization, to continually expand our community of writers, and to hold our organization, and ourselves, as creative writing artists, accountable for our highest outcomes.

Our driving goal is to grow a diverse, representative community of writers committed to the understanding that words are a powerful tool, useful for bringing about equality for all.

Colonyhouse needs you!

After many years the lakeside stairs have given up the ghost.

For the safety of members who love and book our writing retreat house (remember, this could be you!), they must be replaced.

 

OWC News

Member Books

Neal C. Lemery – Be the Change: One Random Act of Kindness at a Time

Neal C. Lemery is the author of a new book, Be the Change: One Random Act of Kindness at a Time. Each of us can make a difference in the world, starting with ourselves, our family, our neighborhood, and our community. That difference, that work of being an agent of...

Member Events

Author Talk with Nancy Lane

Nancy Lane give an author talk by Zoom, sponsored by the Jackson County Library, at 3 p.m. June 27, 2021. Nancy Lane, author of Pretty Chrysanthemum and Other Stories, will present her story collection via Zoom at the Jackson County Library. Join Nancy on Sunday, June...

Books by Members

(please click on the book cover for more info)

Mission

Statement

 

Oregon Writers Colony supports all writers. Members benefit from classes, gain insight from teachers and colleagues, and have access to Colonyhouse, a lovely writing retreat on the Oregon Coast.