Creative Writing and Poetics

Overview

We organize our curriculum into areas of inquiry rather than genres. In contrast to many MFA programs, our writers enjoy the freedom to experiment across genres and media as suits their creative purposes. Emphasizing experimentation and hybridity, our program invites students to participate in a community concerned with the pursuit of creative writing in a rapidly changing society.

The Creative Writing and Poetics of the University of Washington Bothell poses the central questions of poetics, inquiring into the social, cultural, and technological aspects of writing to ask: How is creative writing an ethical, political and aesthetic endeavor? What forms might creative writing take in an interconnected, transnational society? How does new media alter the environment and possibilities for creative writing?

Each academic year kicks off with the Fall Convergence, a gathering of nationally and internationally renowned writers and artists to engage topics in contemporary poetics. The year closes with the Spring Festival, where graduating students share their thesis work publicly and receive a benedictory reading from a student-nominated invited speaker.

Program Highlights

• Focus on experimental writing and hybrid forms

• Vibrant roster of visiting writers, conferences, and festivals

• Evening program designed for students with jobs and other commitments

• Optional residency in second year

• Flexible part-time or full-time thesis completion

• Connections to Seattle’s thriving literary and arts scene