New Details About Amtrak's Writer's Residency

Julia Quinn, Amtrak's Director of Social Media, did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit today to discuss the company's writer's residency program. According to Quinn, Amtrak is still "formalizing" the official program, but she did offer a few new details.

Julia Quinn, Amtrak's Director of Social Media, did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit today to discuss the company's writer's residency program. According to Quinn, Amtrak is still "formalizing" the official program, but she did offer a few new details.

• An online application process will go online some time in the next few days.
• Amtrak hopes to begin the official program this spring. 
• Amtrak will use a panel comprised of individuals from Amtrak and the literary community to review resident applications.
• Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
• Writers' residencies will last 2-5 days, according to Quinn.
• Amtrak wants residents on each of its 15 long-distance routes. 

Amtrak is still planning on running a program with a loose definition of "writer," as Quinn said, "The definition of a writer is pretty ambiguous and we think that is a good thing."

Obviously, a lot will remain up in the air until an official announcement from Amtrak (which will come soon apparently), but it's good to see Amtrak following through on its plans for a fleshed-out residency program.