Creative writing may include, but not be limited to, poetry, novels, short stories, plays or creative non-fiction. The writer should be a resident of Hawai‘i or have a lifelong affinity for Hawai‘i and his/her publication(s) shall include works reflecting the unique cultures, values and sense of place of Hawai‘i. 

The Program will be comprised of a one-week or five-day residency on the Punahou campus, engaging and working with students, who may include young writers in grades K-12 as appropriate. A Writer-in-Residence will be chosen each school year by a rotating committee of English Department faculty from among suggestions by K-12 faculty, with the understanding that the writer will be engaged in multiple classroom, group or individual visits or presentations during the residency. A presentation for the general public is encouraged. The Hawai‘i Writer-in-Residence Program was inspired by author, Wing Tek Lum ’64, who established the endowed fund in 2022 to support the expenses of the Program.