2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[electricstardust]

1 hour ago, writernity said:

As others have said, rejections are part of the process-- even the most accomplished authors get a slew of rejections! If you've had any yeses, that's a big accomplishment! I know a lot of writers who have "rejection bingo" sheets or the like where they get themselves a treat once they reach a certain number of rejections 🤣 some compete with friends to see who can get the most rejections in a quarter! The more rejections you get, that means the more you're sending out, the more people are reading your work, and the closer you are to finding the right home for a piece. A rejection doesn't mean your work isn't good-- it might just not be fitting for that particular mag, or just got unlucky in a cycle with too many similar pieces in submission, or it just didn't appeal to the subjective taste of the editors/slush readers. You just have to keep going and make rejections something to celebrate instead of treating them as a punishment.

If you (and anyone else like @Scribe) haven't been using them already, check out the Submissions Grinder by diabolical plots and Chill Subs (and Duotrope, but that needs a paid subscription, for short stories/poems the others are just as good but in searching for book agents and publishers duotrope is best). Those are sites that allow you to search and filter publications and contests to find the right places to submit, and they have user submitted stats so you can see average response times! (Chill Subs is newer and doesn't have much stats yet, but their filtering system is more robust than Submission Grinder)

If you don't know much about how to format submissions or what to write in your letters, there's tons of advice (that may vary by genre) and examples freely available online. Most publications will mention any formatting guidelines on their submission pages, follow what they say and you'll be golden!

 

43 minutes ago, lychees said:

I currently read for (arguably) one of the most prestigious literary journals in the United States, so if it helps to provide some perspective on how rejection goes, especially for the bigger journals out there — so much of what is accepted or not is simply dependent on luck and subjectivity, particularly how the individual reader feels about your piece. Some pieces call to certain people more, and some pieces call to certain people less. Submitting to larger literary journals is absolutely a gamble, which means that rejections are rarely ever personal. The sheer amount of submissions also affects this — dozens of pieces I have shared with the higher-up editors enthusiastically, that are written by phenomenally skilled writers, have been rejected as well because there's a page limit for every journal. All this to say that rejections are inevitable, which means they are never an indication as to your skill or talent — only an indication to always try again. 

thank you both!! this is all such helpful advice!! (also sorry if i’m totally spamming the chat with responding to everyone haha)

1 hour ago, Scribe said:

i think it's largely content related (typos, mentioning things i shouldn't in the supplemental statements, etc) but there's also navigating the applications. there were times things weren't uploading, other times i uploaded things in the wrong place or with an inappropriate file name. even now, i have trouble accessing the portal for UNM. and of course there's getting my recommenders sorted. i just see myself thinking i've submitted to the right place or in the right way and it actually being a waste of time. 

and i’m so sorry you’ve been feeling this way:(( i really truly doubt that your applications were a waste of time, and you’ve got WLs to prove it!! i’m sure the application committees will be able to figure out any misplaced documents. i’ve gotten both good news and bad news, so if you ever want to dm and talk about it (if that’s allowed!), please do so! 

[sylviaplathtears]

Wishing everyone a little calm during these fretful months!! I have tried to stop checking gradcafe and facebook obsessively and it's helped my mood!! Also, a good cry can do wonders ❤️

 

[Scribe]

thank you all so much. your advice is practical AND encouraging. tell me this, do you folks typically send a cover letter with your work? is that standard or not? if so, what does one say and perhaps just as important, what does one not say?

 

ETA: University of Arizona is sending out notifications for nonfiction and apparently for "optional" interviews. THIS calls for some discussion. anyone have any deets about this? do we think it will carry over to the fiction or poetry genres?

 

Edited February 19 by Scribe

[ssuunn]

5 minutes ago, Scribe said:

thank you all so much. your advice is practical AND encouraging. tell me this, do you folks typically send a cover letter with your work? is that standard or not? if so, what does one say and perhaps just as important, what does one not say?

I think a pub will usually say if they require one or not (and most don't). But it never hurts to have a standard, brief one ready that you can customize or add to. I think The Adroit Journal has some good advice on this subject: theadroitjournal.org/2019/08/09/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-a-literary-journal-magazine-or-publication/

[pananoprodigy]

This might be a dumb question but is "English" on the results board a different degree than Creative Writing? Just saw there's an Iowa acceptance from today but not sure if that's the same program?

[3feetofsnow]

4 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

This might be a dumb question but is "English" on the results board a different degree than Creative Writing? Just saw there's an Iowa acceptance from today but not sure if that's the same program?

Does it say MA or MFA?

@Scribe I saw that too and idk but I’m really hoping to hear from them soon. Getting three responses in one day last week is really wreaking havoc on my expectations, haha 

Edited February 19 by 3feetofsnow

[jadedoptimist]

GUYS I WAS JUST ABOUT TO POST ABOUT THAT RESULT LMFAOOOO we're all on the same anxiety wavelength rn

[pananoprodigy]

8 minutes ago, 3feetofsnow said:

Does it say MA or MFA?

I'M LOSING IT LOL, I see it's a PhD admit now! Thanks / sorry to make anyone panic lmao

[3feetofsnow]

9 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

I'M LOSING IT LOL, I see it's a PhD admit now! Thanks / sorry to make anyone panic lmao

No worries! Yeah, the MFA is generally considered the terminal degree in creative writing so if you get a PhD it would usually be in English with a specialization in creative writing

[jadedoptimist]

10 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

I'M LOSING IT LOL, I see it's a PhD admit now! Thanks / sorry to make anyone panic lmao

Ahahaha like I knew it didn't say creative writing but it doesn't seem completely implausible that there could be some kind of relationship between the departments' timing? Or maybe I *am*losing it. 

[Rixor]

1 hour ago, Scribe said:

thank you all so much. your advice is practical AND encouraging. tell me this, do you folks typically send a cover letter with your work? is that standard or not? if so, what does one say and perhaps just as important, what does one not say?

 

ETA: University of Arizona is sending out notifications for nonfiction and apparently for "optional" interviews. THIS calls for some discussion. anyone have any deets about this? do we think it will carry over to the fiction or poetry genres?

 

I posted my own little advice thingy that contained this a bit ago, but it says "awaiting moderator approval" for some reason. But if you're still on the topic of submission cover letters, mine usually go:

Dear [Editor Name],

Thank you for considering STORY/POEM NAME, my XXXX-word GENRE piece, in MAGAZINE NAME. I am SHORT ONE SENTENCE BIO. My work has previous appeared in OTHER_MAGS_IF_APPLICABLE

Thank you for your time and consideration,

NAME

The first time I submitted to journals, I used these long, earnest, heartfelt, editorializing cover letters that are embarassing to look back on and got rejected across the board. A professor helped me understand that short and simple is really the way to go in litmag submissions. 

[Rixor]

So, my 1a might functionally be an r. Someone resigned at the program without much notice, and now there's a possibility it might be cancelled.

The faculty is very kind and communicate about this, but it's scary being back to feeling uncertain about whether or not grad school is happening for me. I'm hoping the program doesn't get cancelled--but I'm also hoping I get another "a" or that one of my "w"s officially turns into one!

[3feetofsnow]

1 minute ago, Rixor said:

So, my 1a might functionally be an r. Someone resigned at the program without much notice, and now there's a possibility it might be cancelled.

The faculty is very kind and communicate about this, but it's scary being back to feeling uncertain about whether or not grad school is happening for me. I'm hoping the program doesn't get cancelled--but I'm also hoping I get another "a" or that one of my "w"s officially turns into one!

Oh no, I’m so sorry! Which program is it if you don’t mind me asking?

[Scribe]

43 minutes ago, Rixor said:

So, my 1a might functionally be an r. Someone resigned at the program without much notice, and now there's a possibility it might be cancelled.

The faculty is very kind and communicate about this, but it's scary being back to feeling uncertain about whether or not grad school is happening for me. I'm hoping the program doesn't get cancelled--but I'm also hoping I get another "a" or that one of my "w"s officially turns into one!

oh no! that blows goats. best of luck. 

[writernity]

Just got a Cornell rejection! Looks like they're going out en masse. I'm just glad to get some kind of news! 🎉

0a/0w/1r/12p

[cashewgirl]

I see one University of Tennessee Fiction acceptance on the draft spreadsheet- anyone else hear back yet? 

[jadedoptimist]

Guys. I got into Northwestern. Wtf

[pananoprodigy]

Just now, jadedoptimist said:

Guys. I got into Northwestern. Wtf

LETS GOOO!! Congrats!!!!!

[messindistress]

3 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

Guys. I got into Northwestern. Wtf

OHMYGOD CONGRATULATIONS

[achu_172]

Just got my rejection from Cornell.

 

 

[jadedoptimist]

28 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

Guys. I got into Northwestern. Wtf

After posting this, I quickly realized Northwestern isn't fully funded (I thought I had applied to only funded schools but I guess one slipped through the cracks...) and my excitement faded lol

[branch]

Filing a claim as a victim of the Cornell Fiction rejectalanche of February 19 2024 o(—<

[Scribe]

2 hours ago, 3feetofsnow said:

No worries! Yeah, the MFA is generally considered the terminal degree in creative writing so if you get a PhD it would usually be in English with a specialization in creative writing

There are at l ast two DTA programs in the US but ain’t nobody got time for that. 

[pomelo]

9 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

After posting this, I quickly realized Northwestern isn't fully funded (I thought I had applied to only funded schools but I guess one slipped through the cracks...) and my excitement faded lol

Hey, still! That’s an awesome achievement and you should be proud. I thought the Litowitz program was fully funded though. Or are you referring to a different program

[jadedoptimist]

Just now, pomelo said:

Hey, still! That’s an awesome achievement and you should be proud. I thought the Litowitz program was fully funded though. Or are you referring to a different program

Thanks! ❤️Yeah, NW has an MFA separate from the Litowitz

Edited February 20 by jadedoptimist