If, however, what you want is a room with a keyboard, solitude and a nurturing environment in which your imagination can take flight, you might want to go into the woods. Each art colony is different. Some take writers only, others take artists and composers too. Many are open all year, some just for the summer. Length of residencies vary.
Most art colonies are in the East, a few out West, and a sprinkling in the Midwest.
The application procedure generally includes a writing sample, proposed project, and letters of recommendation. For information and applications, contact the colonies directly. The following colonies were among those attended by the writers interviewed in the article. A well-kept secret known mostly to New York artists. One hundred miles from L.A., Dorland has no electricity.