The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation offers its third annual summer fiction-writing seminar in historic Sozopol in Bulgaria. The seminar consists of intensive daily workshops, roundtable discussions, readings and lectures by faculty and fellows. Fiction writers from Bulgaria and fiction writers from English-speaking countries, including but not limited to the U.S. and the U.K., are invited to apply. A total number of ten applicants will be selected for participation and funding.

PROGRAMME AND FACULTY
Morning fiction-writing workshops will be led in Bulgarian by Alec Popov (author of the Mission: London, which was translated in many languages and has recently been filmed) and in English by Elizabeth Kostova (author of the best-selling novel The Historian and The Swan Thieves, January 2010).
Guest lectures will be provided by Alex Miller (Australia's only two-time winner of the Miles Franklin Award) and Kristin Dimitrova (author of the Sabazius, winner of the national contest for the Bulgarian participation in the international Myths series, launched by Canongate Books, UK, co-scriptwriter of the movie The Goat). In addition to the core programme, Alex Miller will offer a writing workshop for the two groups.
Roundtable discussions will feature among others Francis Bickmore, senior editor at Canongate Books, one of the UK's most energetic and successful independent publishers, and distinguished Bulgarian editors, publishers, and translators.
The seminar is for ten guests. Five participants writing in English and five writing in Bulgarian language will receive scholarships regardless of country of residence. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, in-country transportation, and 75% of international travel.

ELIGIBILITY
All fiction writers working professionally in English or Bulgarian are eligible to apply, regardless of publication record and educational status; acceptance will be based on the quality of the writing sample, statement of purpose, and letter of reference. Applicants from English-speaking countries are not required to have knowledge of Bulgarian language, nor are Bulgarian applicants required to have knowledge of English, although either will be helpful.