Mission & Vision
AWP amplifies the voices of writers and the academic programs and organizations that serve them while championing diversity and excellence in creative writing.
Looking Ahead
Over the next three years, AWP aims to continue strengthening our role as a convener, facilitator, advocate, and supporter for the literary community, offering space for reflection, discussion, and creative expression. Our strategic focus aims to enhance our support of individual writers, academic institutions, and writing programs; expand membership and elevate member engagement; focus on AWP’s development and financial sustainability; and establish AWP as a leader in the literary arts community.
AWP also looks to drive meaningful change by offering educational programming, resources, advocacy, and discussions that empower our community to navigate evolving ethical and practical challenges. This vision for action aligns with AWP’s strategic planning objectives, where inclusion, equity, belonging, and navigating the reality of AI and other challenges to writers are integral to AWP goals and organizational priorities. Through member-driven initiatives and responsive programming, AWP can lead in shaping inclusive, forward-thinking strategies for the future of creative writing.
Our three strategic goals for 2026 are to:
- support individual members and connect them to the broader literary community
- strengthen our support and advocacy for academic writing institutions, creative writing/writing organizations, and learning communities
- ensure organizational resiliency through effective financial analysis and oversight alongside strengthened mission-based stewardship and philanthropy
Our Commitment to Members & the Literary Community
As a national association of creative writers and writing programs, AWP brings together independent writers, academic writing programs, journals, presses, and arts organizations. In addition to hosting the largest annual gathering of writers in North America, we build supportive communities united by a love for the literary arts through our extensive website, thriving mentorship program, and magazine dedicated to the craft of writing.
Our Commitment to Preserving Writers’ Intellectual Property
AWP recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) is a reality that all writers may have to contend with, but we firmly uphold our mission to “amplify the voices of writers and the academic programs and organizations that serve them" and believe that AI can be an effective tool only when the rights (and copyrights) of human writers are protected. We believe legislation must catch up with fast-evolving technology to protect the intellectual property and livelihood of writers. AWP is a member of the and the Digital Creators Coalition and supports all efforts to ensure that writers’ intellectual property is not exploited by AI developers.
Our Commitment to Staff
As an employer, AWP is dedicated to the creation and nurturing of a workplace environment in which everyone feels valued as a dignified member of the community of writers, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.