[1][2] "Mid-career writer" is defined by the project as "an author who has published at least two notable books of fiction, and who has yet to receive capstone recognition such as a Pulitzer or a MacArthur.
The winner gives reading in the San Francisco Bay area and receives a two-week residency in Lafayette and Berkeley.
Joyce Carol Oates is an honorary member of the project's board of directors, and has served several times as their artist-in-residence.
... Ninety-five percent of publishers’ catalogs are made up of writers in the middle of their careers, but unless you're J. K. Rowling or Stephen King, you're not on the best-seller lists.
[4] Its purpose is to foster fiction writing through educational outreach in schools and universities, and to celebrate and support authors.