The Fiction MFA Clinic

The Fiction MFA Clinic:
An Insider’s Insights on Applying, Getting in, and Making the Most of Your Time in Graduate School

Nicole Idar

Price:
$30 ($25 members)
Monday, November 14, 12 – 2 p.m.

Suggested Book

Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students, by Tom Kealey (This book is not available at a discount.)

Also Recommended

Low-Residency MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Creative Writing Students, by Lori A. May

Writer's Workshop in a Book: The Squaw Valley Community of Writers on the Art of Fiction, ed. Alan Cheuse & Lisa Alvarez

Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer, by Bret Anthony Johnston

American University, UVA, George Mason, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Maryland all offer master’s degrees in fiction writing, and with deadlines coming up at the latter four schools, now’s the time to apply. If you’re planning to, or even if you’re still thinking about it, you’re in good company! Sign up for this two-hour lunchtime class, and together we’ll go over the major steps involved in getting an MFA in literary fiction. You’ll get practical advice on essential questions like how to decide if an MFA is right for you, how to apply, and how to craft a strong submission, plus you’ll get the inside scoop on what it’s like to go back to school if you’re a mature student, what funding opportunities exist, what it’s like to teach while taking classes in the evening, and how to make the most of your MFA program once you’re enrolled. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask the questions which most concern you—all in a friendly and supportive setting. Everyone is welcome, whether you’ve just started writing or you’ve already published work. Come join us!

About The Instructor

Nicole Idar left a career in financial journalism to pursue an MFA in fiction from George Mason University, enrolling 10 years after she earned a BA in English & American Literature from Harvard University. She was the 2010-2011 Thesis Fellow in Fiction at GMU, and won the Mary Roberts Rinehart and Dan Rudy awards for her stories. Her work has appeared in the New Ohio Review and World Literature Today, and is forthcoming in Rattapallax. She remembers feeling anxious about whether or not to apply to MFA programs when she was still a journalist, and wishes this class had been available at the time!