2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[writernity]

17 minutes ago, newyearnewtea said:

First time poster here: have been in and out of the hospital for over a month now, so of course I got rejections from both Cornell and JHU while I was languishing in the ICU (lol), but JUST GOT MY FIRST ACCEPTANCE TO MICHIGAN!!!

Cannot overstate how much I know these decisions--or even beyond the decisions, the constant, anxiety-inducing waiting--can mess with your head, but so proud to be in community with all of you at every stage of this process. You never know when a day will become your day.

CONGRATS!! 🎉🎉 Omg I hope you're okay though and recovering from whatever was going on 🙏

[AngusWanderer]

37 minutes ago, newyearnewtea said:

First time poster here: have been in and out of the hospital for over a month now, so of course I got rejections from both Cornell and JHU while I was languishing in the ICU (lol), but JUST GOT MY FIRST ACCEPTANCE TO MICHIGAN!!!

Cannot overstate how much I know these decisions--or even beyond the decisions, the constant, anxiety-inducing waiting--can mess with your head, but so proud to be in community with all of you at every stage of this process. You never know when a day will become your day.

Congrats! And hope you are getting better! 

Is this for poetry or fiction? 

[saramsarang]

53 minutes ago, newyearnewtea said:

First time poster here: have been in and out of the hospital for over a month now, so of course I got rejections from both Cornell and JHU while I was languishing in the ICU (lol), but JUST GOT MY FIRST ACCEPTANCE TO MICHIGAN!!!

Cannot overstate how much I know these decisions--or even beyond the decisions, the constant, anxiety-inducing waiting--can mess with your head, but so proud to be in community with all of you at every stage of this process. You never know when a day will become your day.

That sounds super rough, hope you're doing better now and here's to a fast recovery. Congratulations on Michigan!!

[Scribe]

I ran out of reactions a while ago, but before i go to bed, i just wanted to tell everyone here I'm truly happy for all the good news today. being a writer often is about being able to both separate and connect things. i can keep separate my jealousy and my happiness. i can connect my cold comfort to you guys. i'm in awe of you. my first words to my kid, the first words she ever heard, were "never give up". I don't know what i'm going to do if i don't get in anywhere, but i've never considered giving up. I'd tell you the same but somehow don't think i need to. keep on going. keep on making art. the world is full of a lot of things happening at the same time. write it all down. 

[vw765]

Lurker here, but was waitlisted at Michener today for Screenwriting. What are the odds any of the admitted three decline? Feels slim to none, and I'm not sure if it's better to hold out hope or grieve and move on... 🥲

[jadedoptimist]

4 hours ago, vw765 said:

Lurker here, but was waitlisted at Michener today for Screenwriting. What are the odds any of the admitted three decline? Feels slim to none, and I'm not sure if it's better to hold out hope or grieve and move on... 🥲

Congrats!! Welcome to Waitlist Purgatory... where we languish, waiting for a sign...just kidding. Definitely hold out hope! I'm in line for a  coveted 3-spot MFA too and I'm still holding out hope that one person will decline, just because they have a better offer or don't want to move to the area.

9 hours ago, newyearnewtea said:

First time poster here: have been in and out of the hospital for over a month now, so of course I got rejections from both Cornell and JHU while I was languishing in the ICU (lol), but JUST GOT MY FIRST ACCEPTANCE TO MICHIGAN!!!

Cannot overstate how much I know these decisions--or even beyond the decisions, the constant, anxiety-inducing waiting--can mess with your head, but so proud to be in community with all of you at every stage of this process. You never know when a day will become your day.

YESSSSS. Congrats. Proud of u for getting through those rejections while sick! You're killing it!

[newyearnewtea]

9 hours ago, AngusWanderer said:

Congrats! And hope you are getting better! 

Is this for poetry or fiction? 

Thank you so much!! Slow but steady it goes. And poetry

[jadedoptimist]

And to torture me, I arrived at school today (am student teacher) to find a James Michener book staring at me...

[blondebrunette_29]

Hey, I am a senior undergrad, major in English and minor in Creative Writing, applying to 8 programs: Brown, Cornell, UMich, UArizona, Iowa, UVA, Pitt, and WashU. I have had three publications lit publications and I have presented research-based work at conferences. I have had two rejections so far and this is my first time applying. Just looking for some solidarity with other people applying. I am also applying to some back ups in other disciplines, but I am really hoping for one MFA acceptance somewhere.

[mudpuddle1]

feeling bleh 😢

Edited February 21 by mudpuddle1

[jadedoptimist]

19 minutes ago, mudpuddle1 said:

feeling bleh 😢

I am feeling MAXIMUM bleh today. Only an acceptance call could lift me out of this bleh week. But that's okay, being bleh is part of being human. mud puddle, I saw your post before about rolling over your app -- don't be scared to reach out to the coordinator/admin and ask if they got your app! I hate doing stuff like that but you'll be proud of yourself once you get it done. 

[cashewgirl]

Just got my UTK Fiction waitlist email!

A little confused about the numbers. In the email, they said "We had a strong pool this year and were forced to make many difficult decisions in determining our five MFA offers." Does that mean 5 total- including fiction, non fiction, and poetry? I know someone mentioned earlier that there were only 3 spots for fiction this year but that would leave 1 for nonfic and 1 for poetry but it seems like they already have at least 2 acceptances for poetry (according to draft and spreadsheet). What am I missing here?

[SarahRuth]

Got my first waitlist notification - from UT Knoxville! Not sure if it's for fiction or nonfiction, as I applied for both. Still waiting on UA, Oregon State (nonfiction only), and Wyoming!

@cashewgirl There are only five acceptances on draft, all of them fiction and poetry. My primary genre is nonfiction, so yeah, I don't know what to make of it.

Edited February 21 by SarahRuth

[mudpuddle1]

@cashewgirl Hey! I think I was the one that mentioned UTK having the 3 spots for fiction. I may have misspoke. It's possible that it's 3 spots split between fiction/nonfiction. Their website isn't super clear. I'm sorry if I caused any confusion. 

Edited February 21 by mudpuddle1

[cashewgirl]

11 minutes ago, mudpuddle1 said:

@cashewgirl Hey! I think I was the one that mentioned UTK having the 3 spots for fiction. I may have misspoke. It's possible that it's 3 spots split between fiction/nonfiction. Their website isn't super clear. I'm sorry if I caused any confusion. 

No worries!! That makes sense. So it's probably 5 spots for all 3 genres?

[mudpuddle1]

@cashewgirlI believe so!

Edited February 21 by mudpuddle1

[prufrock_]

fiction waitlists from Syracuse up on draft 👀 maybe all acceptances out as well.

Edited February 21 by prufrock_

[Chex]

12 minutes ago, mudpuddle1 said:

feeling bleh 😢

Woooh. Was just about to type that today is existential crisis day for me. Making all sorts of wild and outlandish plans and thinking how difficult everything is. What do I do later this year? Finally move out and rent a small room where I can write in peace? Take everything I have (which isn't much) and start a small shop or other business and hope it thrives so I can at least have something going in one aspect of my life? Move to a neighbouring country and look for decent jobs there?

I was just reading about three writers who had  painful experiences with publishing. John Kenneth Toole, who died by suicide after years of having his novel manuscript rejected by publishers. The novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, would be published over a decade after his death, and would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981. Helen DeWitt, who worked odd jobs for years and years, producing manuscripts that were rejected over and over. She struggled for years before her 50th(!!) manuscript was accepted for publication as her debut novel, The Last Samurai; becoming a bestseller after publication in 2000. She had also considered suicide. Dow Mossman, who went to Iowa Writer's Workshop in the late 60s. His one novel, The Stones of Summer, languished and went out of print soon after publication when the publishing house folded. He broke down and spent time in a sanatorium. Thereafter, he worked as a welder for some 20 years while looking after his parents. His work was rediscovered in the 2000s and a Sundance-winning film made about him and his book. The book was republished by Barnes & Noble. 

It can be hard navigating this writer life because we tie part of our ego to recognition. More important than anything else is that we take care of ourselves, take care of our minds, and create some kind of stability and joy for ourselves outside of writing. The writer must be alive (and well) to do the writing. We can't tie everything to external recognition for our work. We have to take care of ourselves. 

Yesterday was very difficult for me with the back-to-back rejections from Cornell and (the constructive ones) from Michener and Michigan, not to mention the other constructive one from Vanderbilt last week. That makes 7 out of 12 applications, all Rs so far. It's so hard. But I still have to take care of myself. I still have to find joy and inspiration in my life because what else do we have if we don't have that? We are people and we deserve to be cared for, deserve to have soft and affirming places in our lives. Sending deep compassion to everyone feeling terrible right now. I hope we make it through this and come out to better things. But we can only do so if we persevere, take care of ourselves, and try try again.

[prufrock_]

Just got my Syracuse rejection. This one hurts!!! We have a little cry and move on. 

 

I still have more pending than I have rejections, so I haven't lost hope! Once the rejections outweigh the pending (and assuming no acceptances) then i'll start spiraling, i'm sure.

Edited February 21 by prufrock_

[saramsarang]

4 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

Just got my Syracuse rejection. This one hurts!!! We have a little cry and move on.

Me too! While I'm glad not to be in limbo, all of these rejections hitting me all at once isn't a great feeling either. I've been crying so much recently and I'm not sure what to do with myself anymore at this point. I guess it is what it is, we'll just have to pick up the pieces and life goes on. 

[mr. specific]

41 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

fiction waitlists from Syracuse up on draft 👀 maybe all acceptances out as well.

Yeah, I got an email today that lists all admits in fiction and poetry, so Syracuse is done.

[jadedoptimist]

This is super rough... sending solidarity to everyone who got rejections! Tbh I wish I could just get my Syracuse, Michener, and Michigan rejections right now to help me move forward. Not having that closure yet but still having to mourn is hard

[airlinefood_enjoyer]

I may be entering delulu mode here but has anyone heard anything else on the U of Arizona front for fiction or poetry?

[triciadawn]

Got into Minnesota State Mankato for fiction! No word on funding yet, but I’m SO EXCITED! 
 

1a/0w/3r/8p

[mr. specific]

4 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

This is super rough... sending solidarity to everyone who got rejections! Tbh I wish I could just get my Syracuse, Michener, and Michigan rejections right now to help me move forward. Not having that closure yet but still having to mourn is hard

Same.  So people got Michener rejections already? I still haven't received rejections from Michener, Vanderbilt, or UMass Amherst. If it's not happening I want to cross them off the list.