2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[xhou]

wonder if Iowa have finished notifying its fiction acceptances!!! 

Edited February 28, 2022 by xhou

[MissMosquito]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:44 PM, koechophe said:

I mean, I did major in English, and I graduated like... last year, and I still don't have a community like that either, so you're not alone lol. I loved my workshop when I was in college, but there came an exact point where it was much more about me helping other people than other people helping me. I feel kind of bad for saying this, but almost every workshop I've been a part of has felt the same way--I feel like I give a lot, but don't end up receiving much effort/time from people in return. But that's okay, I do value the things I have gotten from them, and I hope that an MFA will kick my butt a bit more =). 

Not sure if you're part of MDP's email chain, but we've been doing some workshops. I've been slowly working through everyone's pieces, and if you are there, I will get to you eventually =). If not, please feel free to DM me and I can do my best to help out. I'd like to think I can give some sort of useful advice for poetry, but my specialty is definitely fiction and it's not even close.

 

 

 

Thanks for the perspective. And I am a part of MDP's chain. I started workshopping one short story so far, but I'm a slow reader, and not used to offering feedback on fiction. As a poet, I feel a bit outnumbered in that group, but I'm open to mixing up a workshop for some new perspectives, as long as y'all fiction & CNF writers don't mind feedback coming from the perspective of a poet!

[MissMosquito]

Has anyone head a peep yet from Brown, Notre Dame, VA Tech, University of Colorado--Boulder, or U. of Virginia?

[MDP]

24 minutes ago, xhou said:

wonder if Iowa have finished notifying its fiction acceptances!!! 

I wonder too....based on years past, I think they probably will notify a few more -- seems like they space out through mid-March most years.

8 minutes ago, MissMosquito said:

Has anyone head a peep yet from Brown, Notre Dame, VA Tech, University of Colorado--Boulder, or U. of Virginia?

I didn't apply to any of these except UVA, and I haven't heard anything from or about them -- I think they generally start notifying the first/second week of March!

[koechophe]

22 minutes ago, MissMosquito said:

Thanks for the perspective. And I am a part of MDP's chain. I started workshopping one short story so far, but I'm a slow reader, and not used to offering feedback on fiction.

Gotcha! I'm not talented enough to figure out what forum name everyone in the email chain has based off their emails ?

[Sydup]

@MissMosquito I applied to VA Tech and Brown, nothing from them so far. Brown won't send out acceptances likely for another week or two or three. VA Tech, if on schedule like in preceding years, should send out decisions within the week or next. 

[MDP]

2 minutes ago, koechophe said:

Gotcha! I'm not talented enough to figure out what forum name everyone in the email chain has based off their emails ?

There's a column on the spreadsheet for forum username  

[Sydup]

What is everyone waiting for? I have 1a/0w/3r/4p -- those pending are: Virginia Tech, Brown, Syracuse, and University of Arizona Tucson (which that one is probably a L). 

[RosA-R]

42 minutes ago, MissMosquito said:

Hi RosA-R,

Welcome! When I first started out on my publishing journey, I paid for a Duotrope subscription. They send out a monthly email listing those literary magazines that recently opened their reading period for unsolicited submissions. The list is categorized by those lit mags that pay for publication and those that don't. Hyper-links are included to info about the lit mag such as acceptance rate, what kind of literature they publish, and how long they've been around. I would try submitting to new lit mags that haven't gained much of a readership and notoriety yet. They're likely to be less selective and name driven with their publication process.

On the flip side, they also likely won't give you much of an edge on a CV, because of that lack of notoriety, but you've gotta start somewhere. It's rare that someone publishes in a top tier magazine right off the bat. When or if it does happen, I wonder if they have some kind nepotism or big-name professor rec in their back pocket. My advice is to start with the small, nascent lit mags first, and then work your way up.

After you've published enough in tier one to feel confident, I'd encourage you to try your hand at submitting to more established, or what I call tier 2 literary magazines. That's where I'm at right now. I can say from experience that without an MFA program to back me up, it's been difficult to break into this level of publication. You might ask, "How do I know which journals would be considered a tier 2 publication?" Well, I used the same glass ceiling I've come across from experience, the MFA program, as my criteria--all the publications attached to a university creative writing program. While I've only garnered one publication so far from this tier level, I find the process of submission to be helpful for subsequent MFA applications, because as I research journals, I'm learning what aesthetic they publish, and likely what aesthetic the related institution looks for when accepting prospective MFA candidates.

Don't worry about tier 3 at this point. This level publishes the elite 1% of the writing community. These literary magazines both university press and independently run that are so famous they've infiltrated the collective consciousness of the general public, i.e. Tin House, Paris Review, New Yorker, etc. As a result, they are mostly unattainable even for those writers with an MFA degree on their CV.

FYI: the tier system, is just something I've worked out in my head from my experience with submitting. It's my opinion, not a hard and fast rule by any means, so take it with a grain of biased salt.

Some newer publications I've had success with that I'm proud to shout out about are Cathexis Northwest Press, The Conglomerate, Francis House, and Gris-Gris.

Other tips: 

When you're first starting off, don't submit anywhere that charges a Submittable fee. That's also a hint that the publication is likely more selective. They're charging a fee because they have established themselves enough to have a staff they need to pay with those fees.

It is worth it to pay for both Duotrope and a Submittable subscriptions. Most publications, even the new ones, use Submittable for their submission process. You can also search for publication opportunities on the Submittable website. I like to search for those publications that are about to close their reading period. In addition to searching by deadline, you can also search by genre, whether they charge for submission, and some other options that I can't remember off the top of my head.

Hope this info helps, and best of luck with publications in the coming year!

Thanks so so much for the advice! I just built a 'tracker' spreadsheet, and now I have more names to add! I hadn't considered adding tiers, but I will definitely do that now. The only issue is that I have found so many magazines that I am unfamiliar with, so I need to find a way to figure out their 'tier'. For example, does anyone know anything about Longleaf Review? Their deadline is today and I thought it would be a good way to get the ball rolling, unless its like some sort of insane prestigious publication, lol.

37 minutes ago, MissMosquito said:

Residencies are usually for more established writers with an MFA degree and a significant publication track--it's to give those writers time and space to complete a book for publication. I would suggest checking out summer workshops or festivals with workshops. If you pick up a Poets and Writers Magazine, summer workshops are always listed at the back of the magazine with application deadlines and who will be heading the workshops.

Thanks! My first degree was in Fine Arts, so I had assumed residences ran the same way. There, we were encouraged to apply before graduation and even had a whole course on how to do so, along with grant writing. I wasn't aware there were more requirements for writing residencies, so I will focus more on workshops. If anyone is into poetry, I recommend Ariana Brown's workshops! I have taken three classes of hers, and am about to sign up for another! 

[koechophe]

15 minutes ago, MDP said:

There's a column on the spreadsheet for forum username  

I'm apparently not the most observant person when it comes to spreadsheets either lol. 

[saqua609]

3 hours ago, Misshellis said:

First time applicant here (fiction) just wondering if anyone has heard from Maryland or Virginia Tech? I apologize if this has already been asked!  According to an email from VT, they were supposed to start notifying people in mid-February. I'm not feeling too hopeful since I only applied to a handful of places, but it'd be nice to be put out of my misery lol.  

Hi, I got and email acceptance to the University of Maryland - College Park for fiction Friday afternoon. Haven't heard from VT.

[Nightwitch]

13 minutes ago, saqua609 said:

Hi, I got and email acceptance to the University of Maryland - College Park for fiction Friday afternoon. Haven't heard from VT.

Congratulations!!

[Nightwitch]

1 hour ago, MissMosquito said:

Ooh! I hadn't heard of this resource. Is it just for fiction, or does it include helpful info for poets as well?

Hi! There are calls for poetry and CNF included too! I'm sorry, I didn't particularly notice if there were any workshops  exclusively for poetry, but there are plenty of journals and publishers welcoming poets to submit. I think it's a monthly or bimonthly newsletter and you can access the older issues on the site

[Yellow62]

41 minutes ago, MDP said:

I wonder too....based on years past, I think they probably will notify a few more -- seems like they space out through mid-March most years.

I didn't apply to any of these except UVA, and I haven't heard anything from or about them -- I think they generally start notifying the first/second week of March!

Yes, I think that's the case! I'm also waiting on UVA. From what I remember, I actually think they have their admitted students wait a week or two before posting about it on socials, so its very possible they will be notifying this week, as most waitlists/rejections I see reported from them are from mid-March last year. 

[Misshellis]

42 minutes ago, saqua609 said:

Hi, I got and email acceptance to the University of Maryland - College Park for fiction Friday afternoon. Haven't heard from VT.

Congrats! Guess I’ll cross them off my list ?

[beefboy]

hey guys, just wondering what you guys have to say about getting an MA in creative writing vs an MFA. i just got into an MA program that im pretty psyched about but was just curious

[MDP]

Spotted another NYU Fiction accept in Results.

[Nightwitch]

15 minutes ago, beefboy said:

hey guys, just wondering what you guys have to say about getting an MA in creative writing vs an MFA. i just got into an MA program that im pretty psyched about but was just curious

Congratulations!! Where did you get in?

[Nightwitch]

OMG It's the first of March ??? 

[MDP]

Dying due to the lack of updates. So slow on here and the results page today, lol. I NEED to know!!!! Hollins, UVA, and UNM could be notifying any day now according to their usual time lines...I'm going nuts

[Rm714]

7 minutes ago, MDP said:

Dying due to the lack of updates. So slow on here and the results page today, lol. I NEED to know!!!! Hollins, UVA, and UNM could be notifying any day now according to their usual time lines...I'm going nuts

I am also struggling sanity-wise. I keep having dreams related to calls/emails/anything MFA-decision-related..I'm thinking about this all way too much.

[finch66]

1 hour ago, beefboy said:

hey guys, just wondering what you guys have to say about getting an MA in creative writing vs an MFA. i just got into an MA program that im pretty psyched about but was just curious

Hey congrats! I was also recently accepted to an MA in English w/ CW concentration program and I discussed some differences with a prof of mine recently. One of the pros, IMO, is that you have an easier in to a PhD program. This is good for you if you are interested in sticking around academia for a while longer, and more schools seem to be looking for PhDs to hire profs if that's a job market you're looking to get into. Another pro is that you still get to do your creative thesis and come out with a publishable piece of work, and you still get a workshop environment, but you also get more work with applying theory to your writing because of the academic work you're doing. 

I'm keeping my MFA options open, but like you, I am also psyched about a possible MA path. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by finch66
clarity

[questioningquestions]

12 minutes ago, MDP said:

Dying due to the lack of updates. So slow on here and the results page today, lol. I NEED to know!!!! Hollins, UVA, and UNM could be notifying any day now according to their usual time lines...I'm going nuts

Same, especially since it looks like Iowa is notifying in spaced-out batches... How hard would it be to just sit down and power through the few acceptance calls and then send mass rejection emails the same day!!

[MDP]

10 minutes ago, questioningquestions said:

Same, especially since it looks like Iowa is notifying in spaced-out batches... How hard would it be to just sit down and power through the few acceptance calls and then send mass rejection emails the same day!!

Right. I can't take this shit. Getting Cookout directly after I clock out. This is too much

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

1 minute ago, MDP said:

Right. I can't take this shit. Getting Cookout directly after I clock out. This is too much

You’re still waiting on Hollins U., right?