June 26 – July 2, 2025
Sozopol, Bulgaria
Step into the enchanting coastal town of Sozopol, Bulgaria, for a transformative and generative writing experience.
Photos by Anthony Georgieff
The Black Sea Workshop invites writers to create new work under the mentorship of internationally renowned authors Elizabeth Kostova (fiction), Linda Gregerson (poetry), and Dimiter Kenarov (nonfiction). Surrounded by breathtaking coastal views and immersed in centuries of history, this workshop blends daily creative practice with cultural exploration in one of Europe’s most inspiring regions.
What to Expect
This exclusive seven-day retreat includes:
Generative Workshops: Focused daily sessions to inspire and guide the creation of new work across fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Cultural Enrichment: Evening readings, lectures on local history and folklore, and a field trip to Varvara for a unique cross-genre discussion and environmental insights.
Creative Community: Collaborate and connect with fellow writers, exchanging ideas and experiences in an intimate and supportive environment.
Daily Agenda
Morning: Workshop sessions in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction (with a coffee break).
Afternoon: Free time for personal writing, followed by lectures on local history, architecture, or folklore (with wine and cheese).
Evening: Dinner at select local restaurants, followed by evening readings featuring faculty and participants.
Special events include live traditional Bulgarian music and dance performances, and a day trip to Varvara – a village nestled between the sea and the Strandzha mountain.
Faculty
Photo by Lynne Harty
Elizabeth Kostova (Fiction)
Elizabeth Kostova holds a B.A. in British Studies from Yale College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Michigan. She is the author of three novels--The Historian, The Swan Thieves, and The Shadow Land, all of which involve the subject of historical research. Her work has been translated into 40 languages, and The Historian received Quill and American Bookseller Awards. It was also the first novel in American publishing history to debut at #1 on the NYT bestseller list. Her fourth novel, Brogan, will be published by PRH/Ballantine in 2026. Kostova’s short fiction, poetry, and essays have appeared in such periodicals and anthologies asMississippi Review, Poets & Writers Magazine, The Best American Poetry, and Michigan Quarterly Review. Kostova has taught at numerous institutions, including UNCW, University of Michigan, SCAD Atlanta, the University of the Arts/Philadelphia, Sozopol International Fiction Seminars, and Bear River Writers’ Conference. She reads and lectures internationally and is a co-founder and board member of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation (www.ekf.bg), which provides awards for Bulgarian writers and translators, as well as opportunities for writers from other countries to travel to Bulgaria. Kostova has received awards for literary service from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and the towns of Sozopol, Bulgaria and Tvedestrand, Norway. She lives in her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.
Photo by Nina Subin
Linda Gregerson (Poetry)
Linda Gregerson is fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and former Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Her honors include awards and fellowships from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Poetry Society of America, the Modern Poetry Association, the Institute for Advanced Study, the National Humanities Center, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim, Mellon, and Rockefeller Foundations. Her fourth poetry collection, Magnetic North, was a finalist for the National Book Award. Her essays on early modern English and contemporary American poetry have appeared widely, in both scholarly and literary journals.
Of Gregerson’s most recent book, Canopy (Ecco/Harper Collines), Stephanie Burt has written in the New York Times: “Other elegiac poets, other poets of ecocatastrophe, revel in sensory detail, or else pursue scrambled language for chaotic times. Gregerson instead sets up clean arguments, even syllogisms . . . [Her] syntax, unfolding toward its tragic ends, performs the articulated work that other poets might do with pure sounds: Few living poets make English grammar do so much so well.”
Gregerson is the Caroline Walker Bynum Distinguished University Professor at the University of Michigan.
Photo by Boryana Pandova
Dimiter Kenarov (Nonfiction)
Dimiter Kenarov is an award-winning journalist, poet, and environmentalist with deep ties to the Black Sea region. His nonfiction reportage, known for its incisive analysis and narrative strength, has appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, Outside, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, among others. His work has been included three times in The Best American Travel Writing anthology.
Kenarov is the author of two collections of Bulgarian poetry, Пътуване към кухнята (Journey to the Kitchen) and Апокрифни животни (Apocryphal Animals), as well as translations of works by Elizabeth Bishop and Jack Gilbert. His nonfiction book, Dictators, Tractors and Other Adventures, blends personal essays with travel writing.
He is a member of PEN-America and the Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria. A passionate advocate for environmental and cultural awareness, Kenarov’s workshops offer an insightful perspective into the interplay between place, story, and identity.
Application Details
Who Should Apply: Writers of all levels working in fiction, poetry, or nonfiction.
What to Submit:
A brief autobiographical statement (500–600 words) explaining your interest in the workshop.
A writing sample: Fiction (10 pages), Nonfiction (1,500 words), Poetry (three poems).
Deadline: March 1, 2025.
Participation Fee: $4,100 (inclusive of accommodations, meals, workshops, and cultural activities). Participants are responsible for booking flights to Burgas. Local airport pickup and drop-off are included.
Join Us!
Experience the perfect balance of creative growth, cultural exploration, and personal connection. Apply now for a rare opportunity to create, connect, and be inspired on the breathtaking Black Sea coast. For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to our Senior Coordinator Victoria Kostova at vkostova@ekf.bg.