Tyler Brown

In a bustling world, writing forces an artist to slow down. Authors must take time at the end of the day to labor over their stories while juggling a job, publisher preferences and the general demands of modern life.

To help these authors find time for their craft, the Study at Yale recently collaborated with Yale Writers’ Workshop to develop a writer-in-residence program. The program aims to support and showcase the literary arts of Yale and New Haven. The hotel will host three authors over the course of each academic year. The program includes a weeklong stay in the hotel along with an organized book talk.

“Most writers aren’t Stephen King,” said Jothem Burrello, who is the director of the Yale Writers’ Workshop. “They’re not making a living writing; they do other things. And they need this opportunity to finish projects in a quiet space so they can escape their life and the cable bill.”

Heather Gayatgay, director of brand marketing and communications for The Study, said she sees the program as a way to strengthen the cultural connections between Yale, the hotel and New Haven.

Gayatgay noted that, in addition to a seven-day respite from reality, the program will connect authors with Yale’s resources. The artists will have access to Yale’s museums and recreational facilities during their stay.

Applicants to the program undergo a nomination and selection process.

“We’re really looking for folks from the Yale community and people in New Haven who could really use the time to finish a project,” Burrello said.

Novelist Julie Buntin is the program’s inaugural author. Buntin is working on her second novel.

“The pressures of trying to build a sustainable life for myself and also write and make money continues to weigh on my work-life balance,” Buntin noted.

Buntin plans to spend her time at the hotel making final touches to her new book before it gets published. Her scheduled book talk will take place on Dec. 3 in the lobby of the hotel.

Another key goal of the program is to expose Yale’s visitors to the University’s arts scene.

“For the Study hotel to create this opportunity really centers literary culture in a way that is so valuable,” Buntin said.

Buntin said she is excited to forge new ground. She hopes to see the program expand in the future, and emphasized the importance of “a community of past, present, and future residents who’ve had this experience before.”

The Study at Yale is located at 1157 Chapel St.

Tyler Brown | tyler.brown@yale.edu