The Tin House Spring YA Workshop is a long weekend consisting of curated and intimate workshops (with no more than six participants per class), craft lectures, generative exercises, and readings. There will also be plenty of opportunities for mingling, sightseeing in Portland, and, of course, karaoke.

The workshops will take place at our offices in NW Portland, which are centrally located in Northwest Portland. Many housing and eating options are within walking distance of our offices.

Room and board are not included in this workshop, though breakfast will be provided throughout the weekend, as well as coffee/tea, snacks, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Lunch will be provided on Monday.

Enrolled applicants will be able to connect for shared housing as well as discount rates at the Silver Cloud Inn, a nearby hotel.

We ask for one unpublished novel sample (4,000 words or less) from the project you intend to work on while attending. Once admitted, you will have the opportunity to workshop a different manuscript or section from your project.

If you have previously attended, please do not apply with the same sample. A different excerpt from the same project is acceptable.

In addition to the writing sample, the application includes several questions about your project.

Applicants must be 21 years of age to apply.

International writers may apply.

There is no cap on the number of Tin House Workshops you may attend.

Applications are read by a board composed of Tin House Workshop staff and Reading Fellows (whose stipends are paid via the application fees). At least two readers will read all applications, and acceptance is based on the strength and promise of the writing sample and how much the board feels an applicant might benefit from the Workshop and contribute to the community.

Fee waivers: Through our Pay It Forward program, Tin House offers a limited number of application fee waivers. We will distribute these waivers on a first-come, first-serve basis. As an applicant, you can help cover the cost of another writer’s application fee through this same program. All excess application funds will go towards our Scholars Travel Fund.

For inquiries, please email workshop@tinhouse.com with the subject line “Spring YA Fee Waiver.”

Scholarships cover the entire conference tuition. Scholars are responsible for their travel to/from Portland.

All scholarship applicants are considered for general admission (you do not need to submit a separate general application).

Previous Tin House Scholars are not eligible to apply for awards.

We announce the names of the Scholars publically after the workshop’s conclusion (though scholars themselves will be notified before the conference).

Please reach out to workshop@tinhouse.com if you have any eligibility questions.

General Scholarship: Open to all applicants.

BIPOC Scholarship: This award is open to anyone identifying as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.

LGBTQIA2S+ Scholarship: This award is open to anyone identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, plus other identities not explicitly listed. 

Upon acceptance, everyone attending the 2025 Tin House YA Workshop must email proof of vaccination/boosters and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test 48 hours before the workshop.

In addition, we will require (and provide) daily COVID-19 testing and temperature checks.

Participants will be asked to isolate themselves from the workshop if they test positive. Health-provided, they can participate in their workshop and lectures via Zoom.