Write Across America

The Write Across America Virtual Writing Marathon began as an online summer writing experience, open to anyone. Throughout the summer, local Writing Project sites around the United States provide inspiration, time to write, time to share, and a sense of community for all participants. In the spirit of the 50th anniversary of the National Writing Project, Write Across America is on a quest to visit all 50 states on its virtual writing marathon.

Each stop on the itinerary lasts 90 minutes and includes an orientation by a local Writing Project site to a place in their region or, perhaps, to a new conception of virtual space. All stops are facilitated by local teacher-leaders and welcome all kinds of writing and writers.

Write Across America is an opportunity to

Connect the NWP network and our wider set of colleagues through the simple act of writing together in community.
Provide an opportunity for participants to “travel” in the time of Coronavirus and participate in a community of writers.
Learn about different places through writing.
Raise the collective visibility of the NWP network and our commitment to writing.
Collect shareable resources for teachers to take their students on a virtual writing marathon.

2024-2025 Itinerary

Stops on the marathon take participants to the North/South/East and West. Participation is free but registering in advance helps the host site plan.

All visits are scheduled for 5:00-6:30pm PT / 6:00-7:30pm MT / 7:00-8:30pm CT / 8:00-9:30 ET

July 2	South Dakiota—Event… / Writing…
July 9	Alabama—Event… / Writing…
July 16	New Mexico—Event… / Writing...
July 23	Maine—Event... / Writing...
July 30	Kansas—Event… / Writing...
Sep 10	Iowa—Event... / Writing...
Oct 8	Western Massachusetts Writing Project—Event...
Nov 12	Northwest Arkansas Writing Project—Event...

For Educators

The resources from the summer of 2020, 2021, and 2022 are still available if you would like to take your students on a Virtual Writing Marathon this school year. It is a great opportunity for students to practice writing, travel virtually, and build classroom community through “traveling” together and sharing writing. Here is a guide to support you.

Learn More About Writing Marathons

The summer’s Virtual Marathon grows out of a long tradition of writing marathons at local sites and through the NWP network. The model was developed most richly in New Orleans at the Southeast Louisiana Writing Project. See their website for the New Orleans Writing Marathon. This website has the latest information about the New Orleans Writing Marathon Retreat as well as links to essays, books, radio programs, and more.

You can find resources here at WLL for planning your own ‘in-person marathon” (safety permitting, of course). See:

Writing In The Community: The New Orleans Writing Marathon Model
A Guide for Writing Marathon Leaders
“I’m a Writer”: Essays on the Writing Marathon and Why We Write
“New Orleans Writing Marathon Roundtable.” In Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, vol. 1 no. 2: this collection, available online, includes four essays from four different marathon leaders about writing marathon pedagogy

And two selections for sale at Lulu:

The Writing Marathon: “In Good Company Revealed”: this collection from the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project, edited by SLWP Director Richard Louth,
Writing a Marathon: A Hands-On Guide to Creating and Implementing Successful Writing Marathons in Schools and Communities: this brief and handy guide, written by Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project TC Ellen Steigman