We’re so glad you asked. The Writer’s Room at The Betsy and its programming honor the life and legacy of poet Hyam Plutzik, father of Jonathan Plutzik (Owner of The Betsy) and Deborah Plutzik Briggs (VP of Arts and Community at The Betsy). Read more here.

The residency includes a four-day, three-night stay in The Writer’s Room at The Betsy-South Beach, a luxury, boutique hotel devoted to the arts and philanthropy located on iconic Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida. It also comes with a per diem to be used at any of The Betsy’s restaurants and/or room service.

Writers are required to participate in two (2) events during their residencies: 1. A poetry reading (paired with a local poet) and 2. Meet-the-Artist, a casual conversation about the writer's work, process, etc., with a SWWIM editor. These events occur consecutively on the same evening and are presented live and virtually via Facebook and Instagram. Other than that, writers are encouraged to use the time to write, rest, daydream, conduct research, and/or walk along the beach. Most writers find that they’re inspired to write during their stay.

No. Writers are encouraged to work on whatever interests them, continue works-in-progress, or draw from their surroundings.

No. Writers are responsible for their travel to and from Miami as well as incidental expenses. Writers are welcome to apply after residencies are awarded for travel funds from other grant and fellowship opportunities, crowd-sourcing, or whatever other means within their communities that they find appropriate.

Dates for residencies are determined after the residencies are awarded. We work with the writers to schedule their residencies around academic, family, work, and other responsibilities.

Unfortunately, once residency dates are set, they cannot be changed. If a writer cannot attend their residency during the scheduled dates, it will be forfeited. They may reapply the following year without penalty.

The Writer’s Room is a single-occupancy studio and as such is very small, and the residency is designed for one working person at a time. However, we leave it up to the writer’s discretion if they wish to pay for a different room or an additional room that can accommodate an overnight guest. Residents may NOT ask the hotel for a room upgrade as part of their residency. Any room upgrades will be paid for by the resident.

Service animals are permitted. The Betsy is a dog-friendly establishment.

The nonrefundable application fee is $25. If the application fee is a barrier, please contact us. We have a limited number of fee waivers. However, please be aware that if awarded a residency, writers are responsible for their travel to and from The Betsy as well as any incidental expenses.

Please follow our social media platforms (@swwimmiami) for exact dates. Usually, the application period is late spring/early summer.

Usually, the residency results will be decided by mid-November; however, this depends on the number of applications received. Every applicant will receive a notification email via Submittable before an announcement is made. If you believe you haven’t received a response, please check your spam for the email and your Submittable account. Please follow our social media platforms (@swwimmiami) for the announcement of the chosen residents.

Yes. Please read your email response to find out if you’ve been offered a spot on the waitlist. We do occasionally have cancellations that we need to fill, and we draw from that list.

Yes. We welcome reapplications! We regret that we only have so many residencies to award, and we always have many difficult decisions to make regarding them. We love seeing applicants back in our inbox.

Please email us at swwimmiami@gmail.com.