Attic Atheneum: Cost

2024-2025 Atheneum

Application Administration Fee: There is no fee to apply to the Atheneum.

Program Fee: The cost for the program paid in full is $5,095 including $400 deposit (or $415 by PayPal). We do offer admitted students three payment plans. Multi-payment plans include an administrative fee.

Payment Plans: The payment plans include a one-time $400 deposit ($200 of which is non-refundable).

Discount Full payment in advance: Following the deposit, the student pays $4,545 (or $4,725 by PayPal). This payment is due July 1. Full payment plans include a $150 full-payment discount.

Two-payment plan: Following the deposit, the student makes two payments of $2,420 each (or $2,515 by PayPal). The first payment is due July 1; the second payment is due October 1.

Three-payment plan: Following the deposit, the student makes three payments of $1,640 each (or $1,700 by PayPal). The first payment is due July 1; the second payment is due October 1; the third payment is due January 15.

Refund Policy: If the student drops out before July 1, when the first payment is due, $200 of the deposit is refundable. After July 1, the full deposit of $400 is non-refundable (dates adjusted to when a student is accepted). There are no refunds after September 1, and full payment is expected for the Atheneum year.

Updated June 2024

The Attic Experience

"Merridawn Duckler's patient, insightful teaching style helped me shape a raw manuscript for my novel, Broken Piano for President, into a smarter, funnier, better book that went on to be an Amazon Bestseller. I still recite some choice words of advice she gave me whenever I get stuck. The Attic was crucial to my development. The supportive, yet critical workshop environment made me want to be not only a better writer, but a better reader each class. It's been over five years since my Attic experience, but not a day goes by that I don't ask myself if my classmates would approve of today's work. If not, I go back to the drawing board."

~ Patrick Wensink, author of Broken Piano for President

The Classic Book for Writers, Updated and Revised

EVERY WRITER HAS A THOUSAND FACES

"This book has been in print forever because what it offers works for people." — Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club

"Finally, an anti-bullsht book on creativity!"* — James Marcus, former editor of Harper's

"Does for the creative process what Strunk and White did for our approach to grammar and style. Indispensible." — Marjorie Sandor, National Jewish Book Award winner

"Buoyant...unorthodox...A provocative and anti-intuitive manual for making fresh art." — Kirkus Review

"Biespiel offers a number of best practices—not just for writing...but for living a creative life." — The Rumpus

A Statement of Our Values

The Attic Institute of Arts and Letters opposes the legitimation of bigotry, hate, and misinformation. As a studio for writers, we do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. We embrace and celebrate our shared pursuit of literature and languages as essential to crossing the boundaries of difference. To that end, we seek to maintain a creative environment in which every employee, faculty member, and student feels safe, respected, and comfortable — even while acknowledging that poems, stories, and essays delve into uncomfortable subjects. We accept the workshop as a place to question ourselves and to empathize with complex identities. We understand that to know the world is to write the world. Therefore, we reaffirm our commitment to literary pursuits and shared understanding by affirming diversity and open inquiry.