Short residencies have become an important part of the Sarah Lawrence Graduate Writing Program. Writers come to campus and spend two to three days giving master classes, lectures and readings. Many of these writers—as well as others—contribute to our Reading Series.

One residency per year is held for each genre—fiction, poetry and nonfiction—and the resident gives students a perspective on writing that adds to their experience in classes and workshops. Some past resident writers included the poets Frank Bidart, Stephen Dobyns, Mark Doty and Ellen Bryant Voight; fiction writers Mary Gordon, Michelle Cliff, Grace Paley and Caryl Phillips; nonfiction writers Ian Frazier, Dave Eggars and essayist Phillip Lopate.