HISTORY & MISSION

The History of the Antioch Writers’ Workshop
The Antioch Writers’ Workshop (AWW) was initiated by Antioch College, which put out a call for ideas on ways to use the campus effectively in the summer. Two retired professors, Judson Jerome, a well-known poet, and William Baker, an experienced college administrator, dean, and teacher, answered the call in 1986 and began the AWW. From the beginning, the workshop created a community of writers who mingled faculty and students informally throughout the day as well as during classes and seminars. Our mission was to encourage good writing, and we organized a summer week-long workshop as well as (in some years) a one-day fall workshop.

In 1991, a group formed a board of trustees and reorganized to sponsor the summer Antioch Writers’ Workshop using the college as fiscal agent; then in 1993, formed its own 501(C)(3) nonprofit entity. We have brought many well-known and talented writers to Ohio over the years, including Sue Grafton, Ellen Gilchrist, William Least Heat-Moon, Joyce Carol Oates, Melissa Fay Greene, Natalie Goldberg, Sena Jeter Naslund, and Nicholas Delbanco. We have also highlighted prominent Ohio authors, including Allan W. Eckert, John Jakes, and Virginia Hamilton.

AWW Keynote Speakers
1986—John Frederick Nims
1987—Judson Jerome
1988—Mark Harris
1989—Allan W. Eckert
1990—Ellen Gilchrist
1991—William Zinsser
1992—William Least Heat-Moon
1993—Joyce Carol Oates
1994—John Jakes
1995—Sue Grafton
1996—Virginia Hamilton
1997—Melissa Fay Greene
1998—Natalie Goldberg
1999—Ralph Keyes
2000—Linda Barnes
2001—William Least Heat-Moon
2002—Sena Jeter Naslund
2003—Nicholas Delbanco
2004—Kathy Hogan Trocheck (aka Mary Kay Andrews)
2005—Sue Grafton
2006—Larry Beinhart

2007—Elizabeth Strout

Our Mission
The Antioch Writers’ Workshop encourages creative writers at all levels by providing inspiring, unique, and inclusive opportunities for professional and personal growth. By offering a variety of distinctive workshop experiences and seminars, we assure both an exciting forum for authors to gather and an inviting venue for the writing community at large. We embrace diversity and strive to meet the high professional and artistic expectations our participants bring to every program. By cultivating excellence in all our workshops, we work to ensure Yellow Springs remains at the forefront of writing communities nationwide.