The Key West Literary Seminar offers three annual awards to emerging writers of exceptional merit living in the United States. The Joyce Horton Johnson Fiction Award, the Marianne Russo Award, and the Scotti Merrill Memorial Award each provide full tuition to our January Seminar and Writers' Workshop Program, round-trip airfare, seven nights' lodging, support for living expenses while in Key West, and the opportunity to appear on stage during the Seminar.

Past KWLS award-winners include Patricia Engel (Marianne Russo Award, 2009), whose debut story collection, Vida, is coming from Grove/Atlantic this Fall; and Nami Mun (Joyce Horton Johnson Fiction Award, 2008), who went on the publish the critically acclaimed Miles From Nowhere.

In addition to these named awards, we provide limited financial assistance, primarily in the form of fee reductions, to teachers, librarians, writers, and students who would otherwise not be able to attend the Seminar or Writers' Workshop Program. We may also provide discounted lodging options to a small number of applicants.

The application window for the 2011 awards and financial assistance program is now open; complete information will be found here.