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Stop by the NewPages Blog to dive into news from graduate and undergraduate creative writing programs.

January 2024 eLitPak :: Be a Screenwriter in Malibu!

screenshot of the 2024 Application Deadline flyer for Pepperdine Seaver College's MFA in Writing for Screen & Television
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Application Deadline: April 30, 2024
Interested in being a screenwriter in Malibu? View our flyer and email [email protected] for more info!

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Spalding Adds a New Virtual Residency Option

Spalding University is home to one of the nation’s most respected low-residency MFA in Writing programs. Beginning in 2024, priceless MFA experiences are available with in-person residencies on campus—or with virtual residencies you can attend from anywhere.

Attend residency in person . . .

Residencies take place in May and November on Spalding’s campus in downtown Louisville, a top destination for arts, dining, parks, and historic neighborhoods. Each residency includes a theatre performance, museum visit, or other arts experience. Friendships form at our “dormitory,” the elegant 1920s-era Brown Hotel, a short walk from campus.

. . . or virtually . . .

If an in-person residency doesn’t work for you, you can attend a virtual residency in June. You’ll engage with the same immersive curriculum, taught live in real time by our outstanding MFA faculty. Small workshops create a close-knit learning environment. Tuition is the same for both residency types, but virtual residencies cut out travel time and costs.

Continue reading “Spalding Adds a New Virtual Residency Option”

November 2023 eLitPak :: Join Our Community of Writers! Apply to UNCG’s MFA Program

Screenshot of UNCG MFA's flyer for their December 2023 Priority Application deadline
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Application deadline: December 15 (priority); January 15 (final)
UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program offering fully funded assistantships with stipends. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials, developing their craft in a lifelong community of writers. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus teaching opportunities and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. Note our 12/15 priority consideration deadline! Visit our website and view our flyer for more information.

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Hone your craft, find your community with Spalding MFA

Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing logo

The Spalding University MFA is one of the nation’s first low-residency MFA in Writing programs, and it remains one of the most respected. You’ll write more here and receive more one-on-one faculty feedback than in nearly any other MFA program. Our students thrive with this extra attention in our encouraging, non-competitive environment. Over four mentored independent-study courses and five residencies, you’ll work with our outstanding faculty of actively publishing and producing writers. You’ll hone your craft, explore across genres, learn about the business of writing, and build a lifelong writing community.

We believe artists flourish in a culturally rich environment. We’re located in downtown Louisville, known for its arts, dining, parks, and historic neighborhoods. Friendships form at our “dormitory,” the elegant 1920s-era Brown Hotel, a short walk from campus. Each residency includes an interrelatedness-of-the-arts element, be that a theatre performance, museum visit, or other memorable experience.

Continue reading “Hone your craft, find your community with Spalding MFA”

May 2023 eLitPak :: Wilson College MFA Accepting Applications for Fall Enrollment

Screenshot of Wilson College MFA in Creative Writing's flyer for the NewPages 2023 eLitPak
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The Wilson College MFA program is designed for working professionals with a low-residency schedule tailored to meet the needs of artists allowing them to reach the next level in their field. Visit website and view flyer to learn more.

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May 2023 eLitPak :: Chatham University Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing

screenshot of Chatham University low-res MFA in Creative Writing flyer for the NewPages eLitPak Newsletter
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Deadline: Rolling
Chatham’s low-residency MFA in Creative Writing enables students to improve their writing through one-on-one interaction with mentors and other students at the Summer Community of Writers residency. Complete your MFA at your own pace. Join our vibrant creative writing community today! For more information, view our flyer and visit our website.

Want early access to our eLitPak flyers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You can also support NewPages with a paid subscription and get early access to the majority submission opportunities, upcoming events, and more before they are posted to our site.

Interested in advertising in the eLitPak? Learn more here.

May 2023 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Programs

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Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flier or visit website to learn more.

Want early access to our eLitPak flyers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You can also support NewPages with a paid subscription and get early access to the majority submission opportunities, upcoming events, and more before they are posted to our site.

Interested in advertising in the eLitPak? Learn more here.

April 2023 eLitPak :: Apply Today to Belmont University’s MFA in Creative Writing

Screenshot of Belmont University MFA in Creative Writing flyer for 2023 application deadline
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Deadline: August 1, 2023
Hone your craft and pursue writing with your Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Belmont University. To learn more, visit the program’s website, view our flyer, or email [email protected].

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April 2023 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Programs

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Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flier or visit website to learn more.

Want early access to our eLitPak flyers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You can also support NewPages with a paid subscription and get early access to the majority submission opportunities, upcoming events, and more before they are posted to our site.

Interested in advertising in the eLitPak? Learn more here.

March 2023 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake Online MFA & MA Programs

screenshot of Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Program flyer for the June 2022 eLitPak

Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flier or visit website to learn more.

Want early access to our eLitPak flyers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You can also support NewPages with a paid subscription and get early access to the majority submission opportunities, upcoming events, and more before they are posted to our site.

Interested in advertising in the eLitPak? Learn more here.

February 2023 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Programs

screenshot of Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Program flyer for the June 2022 eLitPak

Our Lady of the Lake University offers a 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice. These programs prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flyer or visit website to learn more.

Want early access to our eLitPak flyers? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You can also support NewPages with a paid subscription and get early access to the majority submission opportunities, upcoming events, and more before they are posted to our site.

Interested in advertising in the eLitPak? Learn more here.

January 2023 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake Online MFA & MA Programs

screenshot of Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Program flyer for the June 2022 eLitPak

Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flyer or visit website to learn more.

Not a NewPages Newsletter subscriber yet? View the full January 2023 eLitPak here.

How an MFA Prepared Whitney Collins for Literary Life

Guest Post by Katy Yocom

headshot of Whitney Collins

Whitney Collins graduated from Spalding University’s low-residency MFA program in 2018, won her first Pushcart Prize in 2020, and published her first book to universal acclaim the following year. I asked Whitney, author of prize-winning short story collection Big Bad and the forthcoming Ricky & Other Love Stories, how the MFA program at Spalding prepared her for the literary life. According to Whitney, it all came down to volume, community, and craft.

In her own words:

Volume.

“The sheer volume of work we were asked to generate was remarkable, and, yes, a bit intimidating,” Whitney said. “But it’s doable, and you will AMAZE yourself by being able to do it. The Spalding ‘packets’ prove to you that not only can you write, but that you can also write A LOT. I graduated with a newfound confidence surrounding my generative abilities. I also graduated knowing I had no excuses! Priceless.”

Community.

“The community at Spalding is like no other,” she said. “It’s diverse, both culturally and in genre, and delightfully non-competitive. As Sena (Jeter Naslund, Spalding MFA co-founder) always said: ‘Your competition is in the library, not the classroom.’ Your classmates at Spalding will be your cheerleaders not your critics.” 

cover of Whitney Collins' story collection Big Bad

Craft.

“The short craft essays that you write at Spalding will not just teach you how to think critically about how and why a piece of creative work is working, but you will begin to read creative work differently,” she said. “You will start to dissect successful literature and figure out what is contributing to its success. And if you think critically and read critically, you will begin to write with more awareness. You’ll start hiking with a map instead of relying solely on instinct.”

And then there were the memories…

“My favorite Spalding memory? Just one? Probably just hanging in the Brown Hotel’s lobby bar. Eating, drinking, connecting, and laughing with other exhausted and excited writers.”

Whitney graduated from Spalding’s low-residency MFA program in 2018. Her short story collection Big Bad (Sarabande Books, 2021) won the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. Her work has received a 2020 Pushcart Prize, a 2020 Pushcart Special Mention, and a Best American Short Stories 2022 Distinguished listing. Her second collection, Ricky & Other Love Stories, is forthcoming next year.

Spalding University Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing logo
Spalding’s Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing is now accepting applications for an early-decision deadline of February 1. Email [email protected] to request an application fee waiver code and save $30 when you apply.

Students can begin their studies with Spring residency (May 27 – June 3 in Louisville) or Summer residency (June 25 – July 3 in Québec City). Or apply by August 1 for the Fall semester (November-April).

Learn more at Spalding’s website, or email if you have any questions.


BIO: Katy Yocom is a Spalding alum, associate director of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing, and author of a prize-winning debut novel, Three Ways to Disappear.

December 2022 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake University’s Online MFA & MA Programs

screenshot of Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Program flyer for the June 2022 eLitPak
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Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flyer or visit website to learn more.

If you’re not subscribed to our weekly newsletter, view the full December 2022 eLitPak here.

November 2022 eLitPak :: Apply to UNCG’s MFA Program

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Application Deadline: January 15
UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program with fully funded assistantships and stipends. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus teaching opportunities and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. Note our new December 15th priority consideration deadline! Visit our website and view our flyer to learn more.

Want to get our eLitPak opportunities delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe today!

November 2022 eLitPak :: Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Programs

screenshot of Our Lady of the Lake University Online MFA & MA Program flyer for the June 2022 eLitPak
click image to open PDF

Our Lady of the Lake University’s 100% online Master of Arts-Master of Fine Arts (MA-MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Literature, Creative Writing, and Social Justice prepare critically engaged and socially aware scholars, writers, educators, and professionals. This nationally unique, virtual program combines creativity with practical skills and critical knowledge, while keeping in mind the pursuit of social justice. View flyer or visit website to learn more.

Want to get our eLitPak opportunities delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe today!

October 2022 eLitPak :: Apply to UNCG’s MFA Program & Join their Community of Writers

Screenshot of UNCG MFA's flier for the NewPages September 2022 eLitPak
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Application Deadline: January 15
UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program with fully funded assistantships and stipends. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus teaching opportunities and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. Note our new December 15th priority consideration deadline! Visit our website and view our flyer to learn more.

Want to get our eLitPak opportunities delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe today!

Contest :: 2023 Virginia B. Ball Creative Writing Competition

2023 Virginia B. Ball Creative Writing Competition from Interlochen Arts Academy

Interlochen Arts Academy’s creative writing program is accepting applications for its Virginia B. Ball Creative Writing Competition. This is open to students in grades 8-11 during the 2022-23 school year and awards a full-tuition scholarship.

Stop by the NewPages Classifieds to learn more.

September 2022 eLitPak :: Join Our Community of Writers: Apply to UNCG’s MFA Program

Screenshot of UNCG MFA's flier for the NewPages September 2022 eLitPak
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Application Deadline: January 15
UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program with fully funded assistantships and stipends. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus teaching opportunities and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. Note our new December 15th priority consideration deadline! Visit our website and view our flyer to learn more.

View the full September 2022 eLitPak Newsletter here. Want to get our eLitPak opportunities delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe today!

August 2022 eLitPak :: Wilson College MFA Accepting Applications for Enrollment

Screenshot of Wilson College Low-Res MFA Program flier for NewPages August 2022 eLitPak
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The Wilson College MFA program is designed for working professionals with a low-residency schedule tailored to meet the needs of artists allowing them to reach the next level in their field. View flier or visit website to learn more.

View the full August 2022 eLitPak Newsletter. Don’t forget to subscribe today to receive the September 2022 eLitPak Newsletter straight to your inbox.

Magazine Stand :: Lunch Ticket – Issue 20

Lunch Ticket Literary Art Magazine winter spring 2022 cover image

Lunch Ticket Literary and Art Journal Winter/Spring 2022 is online for all to read published by the Antioch MFA in Creative Writing Program and features fiction by J. T. Townley, Poetry, Joanne Durham, Maya Lewis, Abhijit Sarmah, Ellen June Wright; Writing for Young People featuring Dana Blatte; flash prose by Brett Biebel, Jorge Torrente Cabrera, Minna Dubin, Eliot Li, Linda McMullen, Amber Wozniak; interviews with Robin Davidson, Crystal Hana Kim, Locascio Nighthawk, Paisley Rekdal, Sally Wen Mao; creative nonfiction by Julia F. Green, H’Abigail Mlo; the Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction selections by Diane Forman, JoeAnn Hart, Kristin Marie, Dana Kroos; art by Guilherme Bergamini, Henry Hu, Dana Kroos; and the Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts selections.

Magazine Stand :: Heartwood Literary Magazine – Spring 2022

Heartwood Literary Magazine cover image

Heartwood Literary Magazine is an alumni-run semi-annual online literary publication in association with the low-residency MFA program at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia. The newest issue (#13) features poetry by Oisín Breen, Mary Lucille DeBerry, Pamela Hill Epps, Connie Jordan Green, Gabriel Green, David M. Harris, Peter Leight, Megan Wildhood, and Sara Dovre Wudali; creative nonfiction by Celesté Cosme, Molly Katt, Brina Patel, Amber Pierson, Laura Jackson Roberts, and Michelle Spencer; and fiction by Carl Boon, Melissa Feinman, Matt Gillick, Emily Krauser, and Martin Toman. Heartwood is free to read online here. Heartwood also hosts the annual Heartwood Poetry Prize Contest, open this year from May 15 – June 15, and judged by Bill King, the 2021 Heartwood Poetry Prize Winner.

Podcast :: Literary Citizen from Antioch University MFA Creative Writing Program

Literary Citizen Antioch University MFA Creative Writing Program podcast  logo

Literary Citizen is Antioch University’s member-run MFA Creative Writing program podcast that explores the multi-faceted life of a writer in today’s literary community through insightful interviews with authors, editors, agents, and all of the people who help make writing happen. Antioch University’s MFA program is distinctive for its emphasis on literature, community service, and the pursuit of social justice. Featuring widely-published, award-winning faculty in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, young people, and literary translation, their program has distinguished itself through innovative features such as the MFA Field Study, the Art of Translation, and the Post-MFA Certificate in the Teaching of Creative Writing.

March 2022 eLitPak :: Get your MFA in Creative Writing at Wilson College

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Reach the next level of your career with a concentration in creative writing. The Master of Fine Arts at Wilson College is a two-year terminal degree designed for working professionals or experienced practitioners in their field. This program offers a low-residency schedule tailored to meet the needs of artists. Visit website.

View the full March 2022 eLitPak Newsletter here.

Program :: George Mason University MFA

Screenshot of George Mason University Creative Writing flier for the NewPages Fall 2021 LitPak
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The MFA in Creative Writing program at George Mason University combines acclaimed faculty with a welcoming community to be the place where you want to create literary art. With the new Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice, we are here to develop your artistic and professional careers. Students can receive funding as Graduate Teaching Assistants or Graduate Professional Assistants. Be part of the rich cultural life at Mason, in Northern Virginia, and throughout the Washington, D.C., region. Check out a recording of our recent Online Open House! Just email [email protected] to request access.

Program :: Chatham University Offers Low-Res & Full Res MFA Options

Screenshot of Chatham University MFA/BFA flier for the NewPages Fall 2021 LitPak
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Chatham’s MFA in Creative Writing grows from Rachel Carson ’29, a creative writer known for her social conscience. Our students treat writing as a public act with the power to effect meaningful change. Their ideas, convictions, and writing matters. Our students think deeply about their spaces and identities. They look within then connect to the world with care and intention. Concentrations include travel writing, nature writing, food writing, publishing, social engagement, and pedagogy to complement the MFA degree with genres in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and children’s writing (low-residency only). Additionally, we offer an on-ground full-residency program and a low-residency program.

November 2021 eLitPak :: Georgia College MFA Application Deadline

Screenshot of GCSU MFA flier for the November 2021 eLitPak
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Deadline: February 1, 2022
Apply now to Georgia College’s MFA Program in Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction. We believe in the transformative power of language—prose and poetry. Our program at Georgia College is a small, community-centered, and fully-funded MFA program that values and promotes inclusive and diverse learning opportunities both inside and outside the creative writing classroom.

View the full November 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

Program :: Chatham University MFA in Creative Writing

Screenshot of Chatham University MFA/BFA flier for the NewPages Fall 2021 LitPak
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Chatham’s MFA in Creative Writing grows from Rachel Carson ’29, a creative writer known for her social conscience. Our students treat writing as a public act with the power to effect meaningful change. Their ideas, convictions, and writing matters. Our students think deeply about their spaces and identities. They look within then connect to the world with care and intention. Concentrations include travel writing, nature writing, food writing, publishing, social engagement, and pedagogy to complement the MFA degree with genres in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and children’s writing (low-residency only). Additionally, we offer an on-ground full-residency program and a low-residency program.

Program :: Creative Writing at George Mason University

Screenshot of George Mason University Creative Writing flier for the NewPages Fall 2021 LitPak
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The MFA in Creative Writing program at George Mason University combines acclaimed faculty with a welcoming community to be the place where you want to create literary art. With the new Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice, we are here to develop your artistic and professional careers. Students can receive funding as Graduate Teaching Assistants or Graduate Professional Assistants. Be part of the rich cultural life at Mason, in Northern Virginia, and throughout the Washington, D.C., region. Check out a recording of our Online Open House! Just email [email protected] to request access.

October 2021 eLitPak :: MFA in Creative Writing at UNCG

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Find Your Story Here

UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program offering fully funded assistantships with stipends. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus opportunities in college teaching and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. More at our website. Application deadline: January 1.

View the full October 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

September 2021 eLitPak :: Find Your Story Here

Screenshot of UNCG MFA's flier for the NewPages August 2021 eLitPak
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MFA in Creative Writing at UNCG

Application deadline: January 1, 2022
UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program offering fully funded assistantships with stipends. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus opportunities in college teaching and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. More at our website.

View the full September 2021 eLitPak Newsletter here.

August 2021 eLitPak :: MFA in Creative Writing at UNCG

Screenshot of UNCG MFA's flier for the NewPages August 2021 eLitPak
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Find Your Story Here

UNC Greensboro’s MFA is a two-year residency program offering fully funded assistantships with stipends. Students work closely with faculty in one-on-one tutorials and develop their craft in a lifelong community of writers. UNCG offers courses in poetry, fiction, publishing, and creative nonfiction, plus opportunities in college teaching and editorial work for The Greensboro Review. More at mfagreensboro.org. Application deadline: January 1.

View the full NewPages August 2021 eLitPak newsletter.

August 2021 eLitPak :: Hollins University Jackson Center for Creative Writing

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Our intensive two-year studio/hybrid MFA program helps you find your way in an atmosphere of cooperation and encouragement. We support college graduates who want to concentrate on craft and on reading the way writers do. Visit our website for more information. Application deadline: January 6.

View the full NewPages August 2021 eLitPak newsletter.

MFA at The Ohio State University Opening to Fall 2022 Applications in September

That’s right! On September 1, The Ohio State University will begin accepting applications for their MFA program in creative writing. The deadline to submit applications is December 6 for domestic applicants and November 29 for international applicants.

All admitted students are fully-funded for the entire length of the three-year program and they also receive a graduate teaching associateship, a graduate school fellowship, or a combination of the two. The program also allows students focusing on fiction, nonfiction, or poetry to cross over into other genres.

Besides the workshops and tutorials, there are some other amazing opportunities for students. The program offers an Editors Panel, a public performance showcasing creative work by third-year MFA students called Epilog, two student-faculty readings each semester, Mother Tongue evenings where MFA students get to read their work to their peers, and a Native Craft Reading Series.

Check out all the program has to offer and start getting your application materials ready.

Michener Center for Writers Alumnus Success Stories

The Michener Center for Writers recently shared some great success stories from graduates of their MFA program.

Nathan Harris’ debut novel The Sweetness of Water was chosen for Oprah’s Book Club. The book was released on June 15 from Little, Brown and Company and it has also been longlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize. It follows two brothers in the waning days of the Civil War as they are hired by homesteaders who have lost their own son in the war.

Plus, fiction alum Rachel Heng had her story “Before the Valley” published in The New Yorker. The story follows a woman in a senior-living facility in Singapore as she discovers something unexpected about the career of a fellow resident. New Yorker editor Deborah Treisman interviews Heng about the story and her inspiration.

This made me consider the various ways in which callousness and cruelty are built into our society, in the name of pragmatism or some other utilitarian goal, and the toll this can take on the vulnerable, the elderly, the forgotten.

The Michener Center for Writers is the “only MFA program in the world that provides full and equal funding to every writer.” The program is three years and fully funded. Writers are admitted in a primary genre and also study a secondary genre. There are no teaching duties so fellows can commit themselves fully to their writing. As of Fall 2020, they are no longer requiring GRE scores to apply.

Contemporary Writers Series at Mills College

Mills College’s graduate programs in creative writing and literature present a “balance of traditional academic disciplinary training with cutting-edge work in new media, critical theory, and diverse cultural traditions.”

Not only do students have access to outstanding faculty, but they also become part of a greater writing community and get to produce and promote the college’s Contemporary Writers Series. This series features monthly readings and talks by emerging and renowned writers. All of these readings are free and open to the general public. During the 2020-21 academic year, these were held online.

Recent writers include Layli Long Solider (Chromosomory, Q Avenue Press), Melissa Valentine (The Names of All the Flowers, The Feminist Press at CUNY), mai c. doan (water/tongue, Omnidawn), and Aiden Thomas (Cemetery Boys, Swoon Reads).

January 15 is the priority deadline to apply for the fall semester. After that, they conduct rolling admissions on a space-available basis until July 15. The MFA in creative writing (poetry or prose) does also accept spring enrollment with an October 15 deadline.

Mills College and Northeastern University are currently making progress in making an alliance with one another.

Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program Opening to Creative Nonfiction & Fiction Applications in Fall 2021

Northwestern Litowitz MFA+MA logoThe Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program will open to Fall 2022 applications this fall with the deadline date to be announced. They will be accepting applications in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction only. Poetry applications will be automatically rejected.

They will no longer require nor accept GRE scores as part of the application to the MFA+MA program. Besides the online application form, the department also requires supplemental materials including an official transcript from each institution attended, two-three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a creative writing sample, and sample of writing on a literary topic.

The Litowitz Creative Writing Graduate Program MFA+MA in Creative Writing and English offers intimate classes, the opportunity to pursue both critical and creative writing, close mentorship by renowned faculty, and three fully supported years to grow and complete a book-length project.

Current faculty include Chris Abani (graduate director) and Eula Biss (visiting artist).

July 2021 eLitPak :: Graduate Writing Programs at Hollins University

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Pursue graduate study during an intensive six-week summer session. Programs are available in: Children’s Book Writing & Illustrating; Children’s Literature (MA or MFA); Playwriting (MFA); Screenwriting & Film Studies (MA); Screenwriting (MFA). The 2022 summer courses will be offered June 20 – July 29. For more information, visit our website or call (540) 362-6575. If you’re interested in applying for the full residency programs in the fall, the deadline is January 6.

View the full July 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

June 2021 eLitPak :: Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing

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Low-residency Graduate Programs

Early Placement Application Deadline: August 1 for November entry.
Spalding’s nationally distinguished low-residency MFA is the most affordable of the top-tier programs. Explore across genres, study one-on-one with outstanding faculty, gain editorial experience on Good River Review, and develop a lifelong writing community. Fiction; poetry; creative nonfiction; writing for children and young adults; writing for TV, screen, and stage; and professional writing. Certificate and Master of Arts in Writing also available. Scholarships, assistantships.

May 2021 eLitPak :: Intensive 6-Week Summer Graduate Program

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Pursue graduate study during an intensive six-week summer session. Programs are available in: Children’s Book Writing & Illustrating; Children’s Literature (MA or MFA); Playwriting (MFA); Screenwriting & Film Studies (MA); Screenwriting (MFA). This summer courses will be offered virtually from June 21 – July 30. For more information, visit our website or call (540) 362-6575.

View the full NewPages May 2021 eLitPak Newsletter. Don’t forget to subscribe today to get it delivered to your inbox every month along with weekly updates on calls, contests, lit mag news, book news, and more.

April 2021 eLitPak :: Hollins University Coed Summer Graduate Programs

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Pursue graduate study during an intensive six-week summer session. Programs are available in: Children’s Book Writing & Illustrating; Children’s Literature (MA or MFA); Playwriting (MFA); Screenwriting & Film Studies (MA); Screenwriting (MFA). This summer courses will be offered virtually from June 21 – July 30. For more information, visit our website or call (540) 362-6575.

View the full April 2021 NewPages eLitPak newsletter here. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates on lit mags, presses, writing programs, literary events, and more along with the monthly eLitPak newsletters.

The Magic of Making a Decision

Alma’s MFA in Creative Writing director Sophfronia Scott offers decision-making advice for students approaching the graduate school application season.

There’s a wonderful quote by the Scottish mountaineer William Hutchison Murray about making decisions. Specifically he’s talking about getting to that first step of a climb. The quote goes like this:

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.

Note he says “committed,” which means you have to make a firm decision before the assistance shows up. Why? Continue reading “The Magic of Making a Decision”

March 2021 :: Point Park University Low-res MFA

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Writing for the Screen and Stage: Low-residency MFA At Point Park University

Point Park University’s low-residency MFA in Writing for the Screen & Stage is accepting applications now thru June 15, 2021. Discover your creative voice with a team of professional writers and a program that will prepare you for a multi-faceted writing career. We offer generous artistic scholarships based on your submitted artistic portfolio. Applying is free! Do it today!

View the full March 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

March 2021 eLitPak :: Coed Summer Graduate Programs

screenshot of Hollins University Summer Graduate Programs

Pursue graduate study during an intensive six-week summer session. Programs are available in:

  • Children’s Book Writing & Illustrating
  • Children’s Literature (MA or MFA)
  • Playwriting (MFA)
  • Screenwriting & Film Studies (MA)
  • Screenwriting (MFA)

This summer courses will be offered virtually from June 21 – July 30. For more information, visit our website or call (540) 362-6575.

View the full March 2021 eLitPak Newsletter.

MFA Spotlight :: Saint Mary’s College of California

red background with Saint Mary's College of California in whiteThe Saint Mary’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree program offers a campus environment that feels like a writing retreat within the San Francisco Bay Area. The two-year MFA program at Saint Mary’s offers concentrations in creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, combining a studio writing workshop component with an analytical component. SMC MFA faculty are award-winning writers, poets, and committed teachers who offer decades of experience mentoring emerging writers.

Each year the MFA program invites Visiting Writers to work with MFA students. These groundbreaking writers add to the program’s inclusive community with their diversity of experience. Recent visitors include Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Marie Mutsuki Mockett, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Ada Limón, and Margaret Wilkerson Sexton. Learn more…

February 2021 eLitPak :: Writing for the Screen and Stage

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Low-residency MFA At Point Park University

Point Park University’s low-residency MFA in Writing for the Screen & Stage is accepting applications now thru June 15, 2021. Discover your creative voice with a team of professional writers and a program that will prepare you for a multi-faceted writing career. We offer generous artistic scholarships based on your submitted artistic portfolio. Applying is free! Do it today!

View the entire February eLitPak here. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get first access to future eLitPaks.

February 2021 eLitPak :: Fresno State MFA

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We Grow Writers

In the heart of California, Fresno State’s Master of Fine Arts program is home to The Normal School magazine and the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry. Our creative writing program offers advanced study in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Nineteen of our alumni published their debut books in the past five years. Are you next? Fall 2021 application deadline: March 1.

View the entire February eLitPak here. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get first access to future eLitPaks.

Write in Brooklyn with the MFA at St. Francis College

The low-residency MFA in creative writing at St. Francis College offers a lecture series called Write in Brooklyn which features prominent writers from a range of genres. In 2019, they launched their own YouTube channel allowing you to view these discussions online. Participants in this series have included Mahogany Brown, Dominique Morisseau, Jason Reynolds, and Amber Tamblyn.

The low-residency program meets in-person twice a year in January and June. The January residency this year was moved completely online. They offer separate genre tracks in fiction, poetry, and dramatic screenwriting/playwriting. They have a 6-to-1 student to faculty ratio that offers “an intimate, focused environment for aspiring writers to flourish.”

Stop by their listing on NewPages to learn more.

Becka McKay on The Poetry of Language / The Language of Poetry

Becka McKay, director of the MFA in Creative Writing at Florida Atlantic University as well as poet and translator, was featured in the podcast series In Conversation: An Arts and Letters Podcast. This podcast features Michael Horswell, dean of FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, talking with various faculty members “about research and creative activity that spans the arts, humanities, and social sciences.” New episodes are released on the second Tuesday of the month.

Screenshot of Becka McKay's Interview in the In Conversations podcast

The podcast episode was recorded from a video call back in December 2020. The first question asked was about Becka’s journey of poetry and translation. Her answer: “I have been writing poetry since I could write.” She talked about running away from poetry for awhile and how she majored in history in college and even had thoughts of going to veterinary school. With all of this she had the idea, though, that she wanted to be an historian who writes poetry.

Check out the full podcast here and don’t forget to learn more about the MFA program here.

George Mason University’s Creative Writing Program Launches New Center

Screenshot of Watershed Lit's temporary websiteGeorge Mason University’s creative writing program has recently announced the creation of Watershed Lit: Center for Literary Engagement and Publishing Practice. This new center “represents a commitment to the dynamic ways literature connects people” as well as to students’ professional development. The name emerged from the importance of place and a connection to geography.

Gregg Wilhelm, director of Mason Creative Writing, says “if students graduate from the program without being more thoroughly prepared for the job market, we think that’s a disservice. The many ways students can get involved with Watershed Lit make for unique experiential learning, resume building opportunities.” With the new center, students will be able to explore traditional publishing, digital publishing, literary arts festival management, the evolving roles of literary journals, and so much more.

Watershed Lit’s leadership team consists of representatives of the English Department and the partner enterprises: Fall for the Book, Stillhouse Press, Cheuse Center for International Writers, Poetry Daily, Northern Virginia Writing Project, phoebe, and So to Speak.

A temporary website has launched at watershedlit.gmu.edu. Read the full press release.