LibGuides: Creative Writing: Resources for Writing Careers


Library Research Guides

To MFA or not to MFA

Two of the most common career career paths of aspiring American writers are enrolling in an MFA program or navigating the New York City publishing world. Some books and articles debating the merits of each:

MFA vs. NYC by Chad Harbach (Editor)
Call Number: Main Stacks PN155 .M45 2014
ISBN: 9780865478138
Publication Date: 2014-02-25
Essays discussing the career paths of MFA programs vs the New York City publishing world and the ways writers make (or fail to make) a living within them.

MFA vs NYC: The Free Stuff
Half of the essays in MFA vs NYC available online for free.
27 Writers on Whether or Not to Get Your MFA
MFA vs POC
by Junot Díaz.

Directories of MFA programs:

Poets & Writers MFA Database
Searchable directory of low and full-residency MFA programs.
NewPages' Big List of Graduate Creative Writing Programs

Tips on applying to MFA programs:

"Anatomy of the MFA Application: The Personal Statement”
by Kat Asharya

Literary Organizations

Literary organizations support writers by offering a variety resources such as grants, awards, workshops, readings, professional advice, and news. A sampling:

The Academy of American Poetry
Describes itself as "the nation’s largest membership-based organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of contemporary poetry and supporting poets at all stages of their careers."
The Asian American Writers’ Workshop
A "national not-for-profit arts organization devoted to the creating, publishing, developing and disseminating of creative writing by Asian Americans."
The Authors Guild
A membership organization that provides contract reviews, professional advice, webinars and other events about the writing business.
CantoMundo
A "national organization that cultivates a community of Latinx poets through workshops, symposia, and public readings."
Cave Canem
A "home for the many voices of African American poetry and is committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of African American poets."
The Center for Fiction
Describes itself as "the only nonprofit literary organization in the U.S. solely dedicated to celebrating fiction."
Kundiman
A "national nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing generations of writers and readers of Asian American literature."
Lambda Literary
"Lambda Literary nurtures and advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies, and affirm the value of our stories and our lives."
PEN America
"[C]hampion[s] the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible."
Pen Parentis
"[P]rovides critical resources to working writers to help them stay on creative track after starting a family."
The Poetry Foundation
Is "an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture."
Poetry Society of America
Describes itself as "the nation's oldest poetry organization . . . Its mission is to build a larger and more diverse audience for poetry, to encourage a deeper appreciation of the vitality and breadth of poetry in the cultural conversation, to support poets through an array of programs and awards, and to place poetry at the crossroads of American life."
VIDA: Women in Literary Arts
Is a “non-profit feminist organization committed to creating transparency around the lack of gender parity in the literary landscape and to amplifying historically-marginalized voices, including people of color; writers with disabilities; and queer, trans and gender nonconforming individuals."
VONA/Voices of Our Nations
A "multi-genre workshop for writers of color."

Workshops

Workshops and writing classes offer opportunities to continue honing your craft and meet other members of the writing community. Some relatively local workshops and classes as well as a few online:

Apogee Journal workshops
New York City, multi-genre.
Catapult writing classes
New York City and online, multi-genre.
Cave Canem workshops
New York City, for poets of color.
Center for Fiction workshops
New York City and online, fiction.
Grub Street
Boston and online, multi-genre.
Juniper Summer Institute
Amherst, MA, multi-genre.
LitReactor
Online, multi-genre.
The Poetry Project
New York City, poetry.
Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center
Provincetown, MA and online, multi-genre.
Sackett Street Workshops
New York City and online, multi-genre.

You can find additional additional workshops in Literary Marketplace, Poets & Writers Magazine (most recent issues in the Main Library's Stimson Room), and on the web.

Residencies and fellowships

Writing residencies are retreats, usually for emerging writers, offering them a place to work on their projects. They can also be an opportunity to network with other members of the writing community. Fellowships are monetary awards that can help pay for a residency or fund other activities related to your writing project and career.

Asian American Writers’ Workshop
For Asian American writers, multi-genre. The
Open City Fellowship “gives writers the opportunity to write and publish narrative nonfiction over the span of six months on the vibrant immigrant communities of New York City.” The Margins Fellowship is an “opportunity for three emerging creative writers, aged thirty and under, to establish a home for their writing”
CantoMundo Retreat
For Latinx poets.
CaveCanem Retreat
For black poets of African descent, ages 21 and over.
Kundiman Retreat
For Asian American writers, multi-genre.
Lambda Literary Emerging Writers' Retreat
For LGBTQIA+ writers, multi-genre.
Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center
Residencies, multi-genre.
VoNA - Voices of Our Nation
For POC writers, multi-genre.

Search for additional residencies and retreats in Poets & Writers' Conferences and Residencies Database.

Journals for professional writers

Offering tips, news, reviews, information about opportunities, etc.

Poets & Writers
Available online 2004-present. Current print issues are located in the library's Stimson Room, back issues on level 2 1/2. Published by Poets & Writers, a nonprofit literary organization serving writes of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Aside from literary news articles, reviews, and author interviews, the magazine includes information on grants and awards and the business of writing: literary magazines, presses, jobs, events, and author directories.
Publishers Weekly
Journal of the book publishing industry, New York-centric. This link is to Mount Holyoke's subscription access to the journal. Current print issues can also be found in the library Reading Room on level 4, back issues in the Periodical Stacks on level 2 1/2.
Publishers Weekly
Link to the PW web site. Some content is not freely available online.

Writer's Digest
Professional magazine for writers. Provides practical technique articles, and tips and exercises on fiction, nonfiction, poetry and the business-side of writing and publishing.