nyu creative writing

nyu creative writing

The Importance of NYU Creative Writing

1. Introduction

NYU Creative Writing Program has distinguished itself for over thirty years as a leading national center for the study of writing and literature. The undergraduate and graduate programs provide students with an opportunity to develop their craft while working closely with some of the finest poets and novelists writing today. The Department of English, with support from the NYU Creative Writing Program, invite applications for a Clinical Assistant Professor to begin September 1, 2020. This is a full-time one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal. The candidate will have the opportunity to teach introductory creative writing as well as specialized upper-level creative writing courses in areas of interest including but not limited to poetics, genre-specific writing workshops, hybrid and multimedia writing, and creative writing pedagogy. We also anticipate that the successful candidate will contribute to the department’s longstanding tradition of innovative, experimental, and practice-based approaches to literary study. This could include developing courses that integrate the student’s creative writing and critical literary interests, or interdisciplinary courses taught collaboratively with department faculty in other literary and artistic fields. The ideal candidate will be a practicing writer with a strong record of publication, experience teaching creative writing at the college level, and a demonstrated commitment to curricular development and innovation in literary pedagogy. A terminal degree in a relevant field is required. NYU is an equal opportunity employer. The piece of writing will be evaluated in terms of the importance and originality of the ideas presented as well as its style, craft, and professionalism.

2. Benefits of NYU Creative Writing Program

NYU offers many different programs for people interested in studying various forms of creative writing. Writers in New York offers students of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction an opportunity to develop their craft while living the writer’s life in Greenwich Village. The New York program is an intensive two-week program of study in the writing of fiction and poetry which provides students the opportunity to produce significant new work or the revision of work in progress. The program features an outstanding faculty and distinguished writers as special guests. There are also internship opportunities available to students interested in professional writing, giving students real-world experience and network opportunities. A program in Paris is also available where students engage in writing and literature courses that focus on the city of Paris. They will take courses in fiction, poetry, and translation and complete a variety of exercises through which they will develop a creative and formal dialogue with the city as literary texts. NYU offers endless opportunities for students serious about their craft.

3. Courses Offered

NYU is the abode of one of the best MFA programs in the country. The program has a very involved staff, little part-time showing off (to say something about the students’ pockets, not the capability of the staff), and solid “attention” to writing. The program is a two-year program with quite an extensive range of courses. All students are required to take at least 1/2 of their coursework in play and screenwriting. The program boasts not just a generally good mix of workshop/academic courses in diverse genre-specific areas, but courses in translation, counseling (with a focus on helping/teaching writing), and writing/dialogues between authors and editors. There are many electives offered from different departments on campus. The program also contributes toward student tuition by offering teaching opportunities in first-year writing. The part-time teaching opportunity does not apply to all students and is not a part of the initial offer. This comprehensive program is an indicator of the emphasis that is put on fostering students’ artistry.

4. Success Stories

NYU has long been defined by a creative writing program that produces groundbreaking work. Sure, it’s already award-winning, but it’s worth repeating that writing greats like Dylan Thomas, E. E. Cummings, John Dos Passos, and Carson McCullers studied here. The workshop method is at the core of the studies we offer, says NYU’s Morton Kessler. A workshop is a 3-credit course that meets 3 hours per week in which students share original work and receive feedback on their writing. This is an invaluable way to gain writing techniques and skills, often demanded in the writing world. While how competitive the admissions process is may act as a discouragement to some, it in fact is a big plus to anyone serious about their writing. Courses are intended for a group of students who work closely to produce a collective work, often an anthology. They can take this course multiple times and continue to generate new material, so even the most non-competitive student has a chance to have their work published. Gaining entrance into certain workshops can be quite challenging. The program is structured so as to provide a supportive academic environment for student writers and to create an incentive for high levels of writing and literary study. At the upper-division level, where students specialize in a genre, the workshops are more selective. This method has its ultimate goal of student writers attaining a higher level of productive creative writing both on a formal and informal level. NYU writers have won pretty much every award out there. The Academy of American Poets Prize, the Louis Begley Award, and the Kaplan Award are just a few examples of awards for student work at NYU. Having an award can also lead to a publishing opportunity. Freud’s Requiem by Matthew von Unwerth won the Gold Medal in Drama in the 2012 Student Academy Awards, the thesis film Centrifugal by Nikhil Mehta was a National Finalist in the 2012 College Television Awards, and there are numerous book publications throughout the years. NYU creative writers have a surprising degree of freedom to pursue their interests and are encouraged – though not required – to take electives in other writing genres to broaden their knowledge and skills. As Kessler put it: Above all, it’s a place to write my essays. Step into the Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

5. Conclusion

I don’t know any other school that will deal with you like a human being like NYU. The professors and administrators will know you by name, you will be encouraged and expected to be an active participant in any and all your classes. This sense of community is something that is very important to me. I also think people come to NYU to be changed. That NYU will encourage you to develop your beliefs and philosophy in your writing, whatever that may be. I witnessed a wide range of personal, political and professional growth from my peers in the program. The culmination of my degree came with my thesis projects. I learned so much studying under Alice and Sheila, and in the end I felt more of a connection to my work than I ever did in undergrad. This, among many other reasons, is why I am happy to say I am an alum of New York University. Going to NYU was an amazing experience, one of the best in my life. I know writers that don’t feel at home at their MFA programs, sink themselves into needless debt, and never see a positive change in their work. NYU gave me everything I was looking for at this stage in my writing life, and I’ll be quick to recommend it for those who are serious about their work and ready for a positive and significant experience.