Professional Development

TEQUILA INTERCHANGE PROJECT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

2026 TIP Writer-in-Residence

For the first time ever, The Tequila Interchange Project will have their very own in-house writer. As the second phase of our Professional Development Program, made possible through the Slow Food Negroni Week Fund, TIP will be selecting one hospitality/beverage professional who has wanted to venture beyond the bar and explore the world of beverage journalism to serve as our 2026 TIP Writer-in-Residence.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SLOW FOOD NEGRONI WEEK FUND

The selected applicant will participate in a research trip to Jalisco and compensated $1,500 to write, edit and publish six bimonthly pieces on the TIP website. Each piece will also be cross-posted to Mezcalistas.com. The selected applicant will work with our volunteer editors to fine-tune each piece before being submitted to our Professional Development Committee for final approval. We are excited to announce Ferron Salniker of Mezcalistas and BevNET.com and Rachel DelRocco, formerly of Wine & Spirits Magazine and the Vintner Project as our volunteer editors!

To help the Writer-in-Residence learn how to develop their professional skills as a freelance writer, we have enlisted some industry heavyweights to serve as mentors to the selected applicant! Our dear friend Emma Janzen, author of Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit and whose work has been featured in PUNCH, 50 Best, and Wirecutter has graciously donated her time to serve as one of our professional mentors. The other have of our mentorship team is none other than Paul Clarke, Executive Editor of Imbibe Magazine and author of The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance With Jigger, Shaker & Glass.

This program will run through 2026, with their first piece to be published by March 31st. To be eligible for the program, participants must be available to join the TIP Jalisco trip taking place April 19 – 25th, 2026 for the purposes of research.

Applications must be emailed along with a writing sample of the applicants choice to writerinresidence@tequilainterchangeproject.org. Any applications or writing samples that are suspected of utilizing Artificial Intelligence writing tools will be run through AI detection software and possibly disqualified. Applications will go through two rounds of judging; an initial round based solely on the written application to narrow the group to five finalists, and a second round consisting of 30-minute virtual interview with TIP Executive Director Francisco Terrazas and one member of the selection committee. Videos will be recorded for viewing by the other members of the selection committee. Applications for the TIP Writer-in-Residence program are due by 11:59 pm Pacific time on Friday, February 20th.

Download TIP Writer-in-Residence Application

Participant Expectations:

  • Participants are responsible for producing original work consisting of anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 words to be published every eight weeks on the Tequila Interchange Project Website, and cross-posted to Mezcalistas.com.

  • Participants are not allowed to utilize Artificial Intelligence writing tools. Our volunteer editors are donating their time and offering their help to make you a better writer. Any work that is suspected by our volunteer editors or the Professional Development Committee of being produced by AI writing tools will be run through AI detection software.

  • Each piece will be submitted to our volunteer editors for two rounds of edits. Upon completion of the editing process, pieces will be submitted to the editors and the Professional Development Committee for final approval before publishing.

  • Participants will schedule monthly mentorship sessions with their volunteer mentors based on mutual availability. Every effort should be made to avoid having to reschedule. Any scheduling conflicts must be communicated to the mentors with a minimum of seven days advance notice.

  • Participants are allowed a maximum of two rescheduled mentorship sessions with each mentor. Any missed mentorship session is grounds for immediate dismissal from the Professional Development Program.

  • Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Our editors and mentors are very accomplished professionals who are donating their time to make this program successful and help make you a better writer. Their comments, edits and advice should be taken seriously and given proper consideration. You are expected to treat them with the utmost respect. This is non-negotiable. Any complaints about participant conduct filed with TIP by editors or mentors will be investigated and could be grounds for immediate dismissal from the Professional Development Program.

  • Participants must be available to join the TIP Jalisco trip taking place April 19 – 25th, 2026 for the purposes of research.

  • Upon completion of their experience, participants are expected to host a presentation of their experience at their place of work to help increase awareness of TIP and their programs.

  • Participants are expected to make monthly social media posts about their work during the duration of their participation in the program. Additionally, they are expected to make three posts during and three posts after their research trip.

Disbursement of Funds

Within thirty days of publication of each piece, TIP will provide compensation to the participant by direct deposit in the amount of $250. Participants will be provided with airfare, travel, meals and lodging during their research trip.