Fairhope Center for Writing Arts

Imagine staying in a cozy cottage in Fairhope for a month for free! If you are a writer and want a residency in Fairhope, The Wolff Cottage on North School Street is your place! 

Since 2004, Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts has been hosting writers from all over the world to spend a month at a time at this cottage. For these writers, the month away from their local duties in a beautiful setting allows them to work on a project of their choosing, often finishing a piece and making it ready for publication. During their stay, they also meet with community members and often participate in local events with their sponsors.

 My husband and I had the pleasure of being the liaison for the December writer, Jane Kubke, of Calgary, Alberta. When we picked her up, she was thrilled to be out of minus 9 degrees in Calgary and into a balmy 70 in Fairhope. She commented on the beauty of the trees and was surprised to see a huge magnolia in the front yard of her “home.” Jane worked on her third novel while here and was very disciplined in her approach. Working from 7 am till 2 pm religiously every day, she would then hop on her bike ( she’s very green and has never owned a car) to ride and sightsee the area. From Mullet Point to Spanish Fort, she explored the Eastern Shore Trail. Having lived all over the world, she meets and greets people and truly loves getting to know the culture of each region she visits. 

Sonny Brewer, a local writer, editor, and publisher, (The Poet of Tolstoy Park) conceived the idea of the residency to acknowledge “ Fairhope’s remarkable literary history and its tradition of being home to many writers '' and in 2001, applied to the city to lease the 1920’s bungalow behind the public library for $1 a year. Next came the task of remodeling and decorating the house that was in disrepair. Named for Betty Joe Wolff, who fostered writing with the establishment of Page and Palette Bookstore, it is now a place “ that allows a writer to work on a book in the comfortable and scenic setting of Fairhope.”  It is so cozy and comfortable that the November Writer in Residence, Marietta Leis, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, said “ It feels like the house is giving you a hug. “ 

Rick Bragg was the first resident of the cottage and more than 30 writers have followed since, with several making Fairhope their permanent home.

Skip Jones is now the President of the 501c3 organization and with a strong board of directors and donations from local individuals, book clubs, and businesses, the next 12 months will bring some talented writers to work here. Jane Kubke said it was one of the most incredible places to visit and she especially loved the friendliness of the people. If you would like to be a friend of the Center for the Writing Arts by volunteering or donating, contact Skip Jones at skipjones42@gmail.com. 

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