Writer-In-Residence Program

Thank you for your interest in the Writer-in-Residence Program at the Concord Free Public Library. Concord’s literary heritage is an important part of the town’s history, from the works of Emerson, Thoreau, and the Alcotts to those of numerous contemporary authors. The Library's Writer-in-Residence Program is intended to continue this tradition, offering new ways to celebrate diverse voices and share stories through literary arts programming.

The Program

The Writer-in-Residence Program provides private office space (in a newly-renovated area of the building) in which the Resident can write, hold office hours, or attend to other activities within the scope of the residency. The entire library facility - as well as public locations throughout Concord and surrounding communities - are also available as you seek to connect with the community. During the 6-month program, the Writer-in-Residence will be expected to create an original piece of work as well as conduct writing programs and workshops for the Library community. 

A stipend of $10,000 will be offered with the expectation that the Writer-in-Residence will create a schedule that meets their own needs as well as those of the library, offering flexibility to create programming and social opportunities for the CFPL community as well as time to create while on site. The Writer-in-Residence committee and library staff will be available to assist the Resident with getting accustomed to the area and organizing specific events.

Applications

The application period for the January to June 2026 Writer-in-Residence Program closed on July 15, 2025. The next residency will take place from January to June 2027.

Questions

If you have questions, please contact Ricky Sirois, Assistant Library Director.

Writers-in-Residence

  • 2026 | Danielle Bradley

    Danielle Bradley is the winner of the 2025 Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award and a 2025–2026 Tin House Reading Fellow. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Salt Hill Journal, Indiana Review, Colorado Review, and Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism, among others. Her writing has been supported by scholarships and residencies from the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, the Juniper Summer Writing Institute, the Hudson Valley Writers Center, and Smith College. She holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and an MFA from the MFA for Poets and Writers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her debut novel is currently a finalist in the Simon & Schuster (Avid Reader Press) Books Like Us First Novel Contest.

    A panel with representatives from the Concord Free Public Library Corporation Trustees, Library staff, Friends of the Concord Free Public Library, and Library Committee reviewed more than 50 applications in Fall 2025. Finalists were then presented to an advisory board of celebrated Concord authors to help make the final selection.

    Bradley was selected for her exceptional alignment with the mission of the Writer-in-Residence program, her literary rigor, and her demonstrated commitment to community engagement. Her experience organizing readings, editing literary magazines, and facilitating workshops positions her to offer thoughtful, inclusive, and accessible programming for library patrons of all ages.

  • 2025 | Steve Edwards

    Steve Edwards is the author of the memoir Breaking into the Backcountry, which chronicles the seven months he spent as the sole caretaker of a remote homestead along Oregon’s federally designated Wild and Scenic Rogue River. He is a recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship in Fiction/Nonfiction, and his essays have appeared in The Sun, Orion, Literary Hub, and Longreads. His recent essay on writing, mental health, and neurodiversity was among The Yale Review’s most-read articles of 2024. Edwards is a professor of English studies at Fitchburg State University and a visiting lecturer at Tufts University.

    More than 70 applications were reviewed by a panel of Library Trustees, staff, and Friends of the Concord Free Public Library in Fall 2024, with finalists presented to a review board of local authors for final selection.

    Edwards was chosen for his focus on nature writing, his commitment to teaching emerging writers, and his work’s close connection to Concord’s literary history. His residency includes time to write, hold office hours, and develop creative programming that invites community members into meaningful literary engagement.

  • 2024 | George Jreige

    George Jreije is the author of numerous books for young readers, including the Shad Hadid and Bashir Boutros fantasy series, as well as the graphic novels Tarik’s Bazaar Adventure and Lilo and the League of Librarians. He also writes short fiction across genres and age categories and has collaborated with organizations such as Scholastic and UNICEF. In addition to his writing, Jreije is a public speaker, writing instructor, and book editor.

    Selected from a pool of 60 applicants by a panel of Library Trustees, staff, and an advisory board of local authors, Jreije was chosen for his passion for publicly accessible literary culture and his inclusive vision for community programming. During his residency, he led workshops for writers of all ages, held office hours, and collaborated with Library organizers on the Concord Festival of Writers.