The Writer December 2014

Indeed, one of the writer’s most important qualities is tenacity. Call it what you will – resolution, determination or plain old stick-to-itiveness – the writer needs to keep going. There is value, of course, to showing up to put words on the page. At a certain point, however, dogged perseverance needs to coalesce around a specific project. Sometimes idea-hopping is good. It exercises creativity and gives you an opportunity to experiment and play and, presumably, land on the idea that is a true spark for you. This is the idea that consumes you, the one you feel compelled to explore in depth. This idea has heat and energy. You cannot ignore it. There’s no magic to this. It’s just a matter of following what intrigues you and finding the story…

TURN THE PAGE TO READ MORE ABOUT CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAMS! An MFA degree in creative writing provides the opportunities, time and resources to pursue your passion. You’ll work closely with experienced instructors whose repertoires include advanced degrees, journal publications and perhaps a book deal or two. MFA classes, instructors and fellow students can guide your development as a writer and make all the difference in your future career. Ready to take the plunge? Consider this your crash course. THE PERFECT PROGRAM Not all degree programs are created equal, but they do all offer one certainty: a structured environment in which to write. MFA programs are available in a variety of formats to fit your schedule and needs. Here are the three most common options. • Traditional MFA programs offer one…

Artists create, as Shakespeare pointed out, “the abstracts and brief chronicles of the time.” Hamlet was speaking of his time. Novels that chronicled, satirized and criticized their time came along a century or so later. Poetry has a much longer history; its chronicles of human feeling date back many thousands of years. Literature may be studied as an art form, and often has been, but its significance lies in the deeply human meanings the art conveys. It is with those meanings that Goddard College’s studies in literature and writing are primarily concerned: studies that have at their base bringing words to life and giving life to words. The terms are joined because studies in writing must include reading what others have written, and studies in what has been written come…

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s low residency Master of Fine Arts in Writing is the favored creative writing program for writers committed to the pursuit of a literary life, offering emphases in poetry, fiction, playwriting, creative nonfiction, and young adult fiction. The course of study comprises five extended symposiums in residence on our campus at the beautiful Lied Lodge & Conference Center in Nebraska City and four mentored semesters of writing and reading at home. Our students and faculty gather twice a year for 10-day residencies. Each residency features craft lectures and discussions, workshops devoted to student manuscripts, readings by faculty and visiting writers, individual conferences with mentors, and ample social exchange between you and fellow writers. As a resident, you’ll enjoy a private guest room with housekeeping service;…

Serious critique doesn’t have to hurt. At Spalding University, you’ll find a toptier low-residency MFA program that celebrates creativity and community, not competition. We offer intellectual stimulation in a supportive environment to make your writing fresher, richer, more uniquely your own. There’s no such thing as a “Spalding voice.” It’s your voice, and at Spalding, it will be heard. Residencies bring talented students and outstanding faculty together for 10 intensive, interactive days of workshop, craft lectures, readings and more. Cross-genre exploration helps you shake off old habits and discover effective new tools. We explore visual and performing arts to open new creative channels. And we talk about the business of getting published or produced. Our residencies reconnect you to your community and your creativity, leaving you exhilarated, informed and ready…

New England BENNINGTON COLLEGE Degree type: Low-residency MFA in writing. Concentrations: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Contact: Bennington College, One College Drive, Bennington, VT 05201. 802-440-4452. writing@bennington.edu bennington.edu/MFAWriting BOSTON UNIVERSITY Degree type: MFA in creative writing. MFA in playwriting also available. Concentrations: Fiction and poetry. Contact: Creative Writing Program, 236 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215. 617-353-2510. crwr@bu.edu bu.edu/creativewriting BROWN UNIVERSITY Degree type: MFA in literary arts. Concentrations: Fiction, poetry, electronic writing (hypertext) and mixed media. Contact: Literary Arts, Brown University, Box 1923, 68.5 Brown St., Providence, RI 02912. 401-863-3260. writing@brown.edu brown.edu/academics/literary-arts EMERSON COLLEGE Degree type: MFA in creative writing. Concentrations: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Contact: Department of Writing, Literature & Publishing, 120 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116. Pablo Medina, 617-824-8750. pablo_medina@emerson.edu emerson.edu GODDARD COLLEGE Degree type: Low-residency MFA in creative…