Micheal Said:

Does anyone know of any colleges in the midwest with a good creative writing program?

We Answered:

Often schools that offer strong graduate programs in creative writing will also be seen as offering strong undergrad programs as well. That's not always entirely true, but a school with a strong graduate program is probably more likely to attract famous writers to give readings and offer a strong community of writers on campus.

The University of Iowa has a very strong reputation for its Masters program in creative writing. It was the first school to offer this degree, and is typically regarded as the best (or one of the top 5, depending on who you ask) graduate programs. I think the Bachelors degree program is more recent, but students would still benefit from being at such a strong school. Teaching assistants are grad students from the Masters program, which is probably one of the most difficult programs to gain acceptance to. The program attracts a ton of well-known writers for readings, and I'm sure undergrads would get to sample many of the benefits as well. Plus, there would always be readings and other activities put on by the grad students. The downside is that undergrads might play second fiddle to grad students in terms of teacher attention, access to resources, etc.

The University of Wisconsin also offers a creative writing graduate program that is gaining in reputation. I'm not sure whether they also offer an undergrad degree, but it's worth checking out.

You might also just want to check out schools in states or cities that you feel attracted to, see if they have a creative writing program, and then just evaluate it based on how well you think the school will fit your personality. A creative writing degree doesn't exactly qualify you for many careers, so the name value of your degree isn't that important. The name might be more important if you choose to do a Masters degree afterward, because an M.F.A. can qualify you teach at colleges. Either way, though, it's really about how you develop as a writer

But for your B.A., it's best to pick a school where you can see yourself growing most as a person. Writing is as much about the experiences you have outside the classroom as it is about what you write for class. After all, you need to have material to write about. So it's important to pick a school where you can enjoy things other than just writing. What other things would you like to do while in college? Do you want a school with a quirky student newspaper or a good radio station? Do you want the opportunity to study abroad for a semester? Would you like to do a minor or take courses in languages, psychology, astrophysics, or whatever your fancy may be? Do you want to live in a larger city where you have more opportunities for internships? Does the school offer professional skills courses in editing, journalism, or teaching that will help you find a day job after you graduate, while you're waiting for your books to hit the bestseller charts?

Check out what courses you would be required to do on each school's website - are there interesting electives that meet your interests? Also, would you like to write mainly in fiction and/or poetry, or would you also like to study playwrting, screenwriting, translation, etc? Some schools offer more of these options than others.

If you're interested in learning more about the reputation of graduate programs in creative writing, these are discussed on the websites below. The reputation of a graduate program will often translate to the school's undergraduate program (if it offers one), but reputation shouldn't be your only concern. Use those reputations as a starting point, and then evaluate which school seems like a good fit.

http://creative-writing-mfa-handbook.blo…
http://sethabramson.blogspot.com/2006/12…
http://sethabramson.blogspot.com/2007/01…

Tammy Said:

Can someone help me find a creative writing program for 11 yr old son?

We Answered:

I would ask the teacher; then the middel school or high English dept. Also the public library might be albe to help locate sucha program.

Here's what I found with a Google Search
SuperCamp - Claremont Colleges


Claremont, CA 91711, U.S.A.

800-285-3276
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Results. It's not a word you associate with summer camp, but its what parents have come to expect when they send their sons and daughters to SuperCamp. Higher grades, breakthroughs in confidence and motivation, new-found communication and leadership skills -just some of the results documented from over 27 years and more than 50,000 graduates. Watch our video online and other words will jump to mind, such as dynamic and engaging, but most campers

Lydia Said:

What college-university has a good creative writing program or focus on English?

We Answered:

If you really want to learn from the BEST!!! Go to Taylor University in northern Indiana where you will learn from Dr. Dennis Hensley. I'm not blowing smoke here. He loves God and is well recognized in the writing community both at a university level and profession writers level. He speaks all across the country several times a year and has his hand in nearly every major writing contest in the US. You won't go wrong with Doc Hensley...and you can take that to the bank!

Dale Said:

Are there any American colleges that have both a good drama program and a creative writing program?

We Answered:

There are lots: Brown, Columbia, Colby, Dartmouth, Franklin & Marshall, Hampshire, Hamilton, Northwestern, U Mich Ann Arbor, Vassar, UNC Chapel Hill...

Shirley Said:

How much does an acceptance to Interlochen's summer program for creative writing actually measure my skill?

We Answered:

I can't exactly answer this question, but maybe this will help.

I was in the high school creative writing program last year, and the answer is...they won't tell us. A girl even asked the question directly at a group meeting last summer, and the program director said something to the effect of "just be happy to be here."

Here's what I can tell you:

While I was there, there were two high school classes: one with eight students (mine) and one with seven. After spending three weeks brainstorming and workshopping with the other seven students, I can honestly say that every one of them expressed some sort of (for lack of a better word) brilliance. Not to say that we didn't all struggle, but there was no doubt that every one of the writing students deserved to be there. I have since concluded that the acceptance rate doesn't matter--although I have heard of a few people getting rejected--and likely varies from year to year, anyway. The caliber of students attending is incontrovertible.

But congratulations, by the way. I'm coming back this summer (first session). Hope to see you there!