mfa creative writing portfolio example

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13 Creative Writing Portfolio Examples & How to Create Yours

Just as you need inspiration for writing, it also helps with putting together your writing portfolio . We’re here to provide you with exactly that, in the form of 13 creative writing portfolio examples.

They’re portfolio websites from different kinds of creative writers: some do poetry, some scriptwriting, some copywriting… One thing is for sure though: you’ll leave with ideas, excitement, and a clear vision of how to make your ideas come to life in your own portfolio.

Read until the end because we'll also show you how you can build yours easily, in 5 simple steps.

13 creative writing portfolio examples & why they’re excellent

1. macy fidel.

Macy used Copyfolio's Premier template and "Cardboard Clip" color palette to create her portfolio

This portfolio is great because...

• It has a crystal-clear tagline: you'll know at first glance what Macy does
• The projects are upfront: you don't need to search and click around to check out Macy's writing skills and style
• The homepage has a great about section with a CTA: you can find out a little more about her and know exactly what to do if you'd like to know more
• The bold background color makes it memorable amongst simple white portfolio websites

2. Esa Haddad

Esa's portfolio was made with Copyfolio's "Wallscape" template

• It beautifully shows how a creative writer can do more than just that. He's also a communications professional, doing technical and academic writing next to his creative and poetic endeavors.
• With a black background and white text , this site stands out. Having such a canvas makes it easy for bolder headlines and images to pop, leading the eyes nicely along the page.
• It has an easy way for you to get in touch. All you need to do is click the LinkedIn icon to visit his profile or navigate to the contact page to find out more.

3. Julia Tula

Julia created her portfolio with Copyfolio's "Artboard" template

• It has an aesthetic and consistent design. Using simple squares for thumbnails, in colors matching the color palette pulls the whole site's design together.
• Julia shows a great variety of creative writing pieces in her projects, including discussions about the theory of creative writing, creative non-fiction short stories, and fiction writing as well.
• It showcases Julia's brilliant writing skills with every word she's written on the site. From the tagline, to her about me section, it's all written beautifully.

4. Larissa Vasquez

Larissa created her site with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Billboard" template .

• It sets the mood for her writing portfolio with a white, beige, and brown color scheme.
• The homepage features a photo of scraps of paper on the top —very fitting for a writer.
• Choosing a photo of herself with similar colors , then creating custom beige and brown project thumbnails really pulled it all together.
• It has a simple layout. On the homepage, Larissa added a short introduction, then dove right into her writing samples . This makes it easy for everyone to read her pieces and see her writing skills shine.

5. Andrea Arcia

Andrea created her portfolio with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Letterpress" template

• Andrea used a constantly changing, but cohesive layout to keep you interested and engaged, even with a lot of text on the page.
• She started out with three projects in a portfolio grid but then went on to use columns to display text, adding images every second block. This is a great way if you want to introduce projects or showcase longer stories or poems without overwhelming your visitors.

6. Hannah Rogers

Hannah created her writer website using Copyfolio, and the “Typewriter” template .

• You'll know who Hannah is and what she does right away. She's a versatile creative writer and editor, currently sailing with Firmenich.
• It's easy to learn about her background too : after finishing her degree in English and Creative Writing, she perfected her skills, now offering copywriting, concept content creation, editing, and more.
• Her fields of expertise are also clear : creative writing, brand storytelling, and editing. Displayed with short descriptions for each, it's the perfect way to introduce them.
• It has great creative writing project displays . In the title, you can see her role (e.g. writer, creative lead, producer) —then you can check each piece published online if you click through.

Overall, the portfolio flows well, it’s clear at every step where you need to look, and she showcases her expertise wonderfully.

7. Shweta Shreyarthi

A brilliant structure and clear layout, if we do say so ourselves. She created it with Copyfolio .

• Shweta decided to use a crips white canvas, simple black text, and black and white photos as the base of her site. But to shake it up a little, she’s using an orange accent color, and a pastel but colorful background photo for a few of her sections.
• She has an amazing creative writing portfolio page , where she outlines what she does: she’s a creative communicator, using her copywriting and content creation skills in her work.
• Her expertise is illustrated with work samples , and supplemented with short explanations. You can explore her work in different categories: social media, executive communications, proposal writing, website copywriting, and more.
• The portfolio has a great variety of projects. In each category, she included 2-4 samples for visitors to check: illustrating them with a picture, writing a very brief description (with the client + category), and adding a clear CTA with a link.

8. Magd Elzahed

Magd made her creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio, using the “Typewriter” template .

• It has a distinctive and consistent branding , with the black-and-white top section and typewriter-like serif fonts.
• Shows Magd's mission upfront. She makes it clear that her aim is “to bring your ideas to life through the power of language.”
• an on-brand picture to illustrate it,
• a clear title with the name of the client,
• a short description of what the project was about,
• and a call-to-action button.
• Makes it easy to find out even more about each project if you're interested. Clicking on the buttons takes you to a page going into more detail on what exactly the project entailed, what her task was, and how the final results turned out.
• It has a lot more information available on additional pages: you can read about her journey, services, references, and more.

9. Charlie Labbett

Charlie's portfolio website was made with Copyfolio's "Typewriter" template

• The dark background makes it different from most creative writing portfolios. It also helps the lighter text and silver graphics to pop and draw your attention to them.
• Has a clear tagline , from which you'll know that Charlie's focus is writing horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories within the realm of creative writing.
• It showcases multiple types of writing projects: extracts from longer-form pieces alongside some poetry work. This shows how versatile his writing skills are.

10. Melissa Wade

This lovely portfolio website was built with Copyfolio, using one of the legacy templates, “Agenda” .

• It showcases the many talents Melissa has. She’s an Amazon best-selling author, content creator, brand ambassador, and more.
• Right at the start, she grabs readers’ attention with a strong headline. How? By talking not about herself per se —but about what she can provide them .
• She also added a nicely designed banner. On it are the things you’d typically write in that tagline: what it is exactly that you do, illustrated with more pictures of her and her book.
• The portfolio site uses pictures with harmonizing colors. The pink in her blouse matches the background of the banner and the colorful wall. It helped her create a professional look and stylish design.

11. Lara Ramirez

Lara built a fun and creative writing portfolio using Copyfolio’s “Journal” template .

• It sticks to one, cohesive color palette. See how she chose just a handful of colors, all matching her site’s palette, and only used them throughout the site? Follow her lead to ensure a great look for your own creative writing portfolio too!
• It features fun and unique design elements. Using simple blobs and flower shapes as the background of photos and mockups gives the portfolio a youthful and fun personality.
• Lara used mockups in her project thumbnails , which is an amazing way to elevate a portfolio and make it look even more professional.

12. Deeya Sonalkar

This creative writing portfolio website was made with Copyfolio’s “Journal’ template , combined with the “Charcoal” color palette.

• It sets the tone for a true creative writer portfolio with a Hemingway quote: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
• Deeya builds rapport with a portrait and a short introduction talking about her life-long passion for writing.
• It showcases her various projects , with the thumbnails mostly leading to websites and social media profiles she’s worked on. So visitors can see her words live, in action.
• The website has a consistent design , only using black-and-white images, and simple black text on a white background.

13. Genie Smith

Genie created her portfolio with one of Copyfolio's legacy templates, "Agenda"

• Genie uses images intentionally , to set the mood: hands in black and white, a typewriter, windows, etc.
• It has a deeper purpose other than just showcasing creative writing work . Formerly dealing with mental health issues, Genie turned to writing to help her heal herself —and to help others.
• The layout leads you along the page, keeping you interested . First, you can learn about the big picture of her life and work, then learn more about her, and in the end, check her writing pieces.

How to build your creative writing portfolio based on these examples

Checking out examples and getting ideas is an important first step… But then you’ll have to actually get started. Don’t worry, we’ll help you with the building process: we’ll outline how to create a stunning creative writing portfolio in just 5 easy steps.

1. Choose a platform & create an account

The first and maybe most important choice you’ll have to make is choosing a platform to build your portfolio website. Our recommendation is Copyfolio, a portfolio website builder that was designed for writers. It’s incredibly fast and easy to use, giving you all the help you need to create something powerful.

When you sign up, you can pick your profession (e.g. creative writer) and the goal of your site. Based on these, Copyfolio will generate a starter site for you.

The page and types of sections on them will be determined by your goal, while all the content inside the sections will be based on your profession. And yes, the latter applies to newly added sections too!

This will give you lots of ideas about what to write and where. All you'll have to do is personalize the text here and there and upload your own pictures. This leads us to the second step, to...

2. Personalize the content of your pages

You'll have an almost-complete site on your hands, but you still have to make it yours. So go over your pages and personalize their contents.

The most important part will be the top of your homepage. That's what everyone sees at first —and whether they'll keep checking your portfolio will depend on it too.

If you chose a writing portfolio template with a photo at the top, then try to find a nice picture of yourself to upload there. That'll help build rapport with your visitors.

If you're not comfortable putting yourself out there like that, you can choose a template with no picture, or upload a decorative one like Macy or Julia did above.

3. Add your creative writing samples

Once the basics are done, it’s time to add your projects. Creative writing samples give viewers a chance to see your writing skills in action and as such, they’re an essential part of your portfolio.

(Need a little help with writing yours? Check out our writing sample templates !)

Make sure you choose thumbnail images for them that all go together color- and design-wise, and add 4-6 of them for a good variety.

In Copyfolio , you can add 3 types of projects: case study pages, PDF files, or external links. Whichever you choose, we'll add a thumbnail image for you. When someone clicks on it, the project will open, in the case of PDFs and external links, in a new tab.

4. Set a custom portfolio URL

To put the cherry on top of a professional creative writing portfolio website, you should set a custom URL for it.

If you're not a freelancer, you can simply customize the ending of your URL. In that case, it's going to look something like this: https://copyfol.io/v/dorka —that's the link to our writer's own site, actually.

If you have bigger plans for personal branding, expanding your career, or going freelance, it's best you get a proper domain. You can buy one right in Copyfolio that'll be automatically connected to your site. Or if you've bought one already somewhere else, you can easily connect that too.

+1: Customize your extra settings : SEO, favicon, and more

This 5th step is not essential —that's why we named it a +1. But these little things can add a lot to the overall feel and performance of your portfolio. So if you have the time, we recommend you to go through them and customize each to your brand.

Extra things you could do are:

• Optimizing your SEO settings. You can write custom meta titles and descriptions for each page + upload a preview image that appears when the page is shared online.
• Set a custom favicon. It's the browser icon that appears next to the name of your page and it helps people to recognize your site amongst all the tabs they have open.
• Write a blog. All it takes is adding a blog section and clicking the "Add new blog post button" and your blog is ready to go. It's amazing to showcase your writing skills and share your musings with the world.
• Finetune your design. In Copyfolio, you can switch up the look of your site in one click, using global palettes and presets. Play around with the colors and fonts to see which one matches your brand the most.

Create your creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio!

Sounds pretty easy, right? And even if you have questions along the way, the blog and the in-app prompts and guiding questions will be there to give a helping hand. The Copyfolio Team is also always just an email away.

Give it a try, create your creative writing portfolio for free with Copyfolio today!

Dorka Kardos-Latif

Digital marketer & portfolio expert, the face behind all content on Copyfolio 👋

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How to Build A Creative Writing Portfolio That Attracts Clients [With Examples]

Kara Devlin

Building a creative writing portfolio is essential if you want to work as a professional writer.

Your portfolio is your one-stop-shop that you steer every client and collaborator towards. It gives them an idea of who you are and what you do. Putting together a high-quality creative writing portfolio is one of the most effective ways to attract clients and gain new projects to work on.

Unfortunately, this is part of the business that many writers struggle with. It can be intimidating to build up an entire website dedicated to just you and your work.

This guide will take you through every step to create a portfolio from scratch. By the end of this article, you will have a fully customized creative writing portfolio that showcases your talent and introduces yourself to the writing world. 

The Importance of a Strong Creative Writing Portfolio

Why is it necessary to have a portfolio for your work in the first place?

In the US alone, there are more than 50,000 professional writers. As time goes on, the number of writers is growing and the job opportunities are decreasing.

While the market grows more competitive, it is becoming more and more essential to have a way to promote your unique abilities and showcase your talent.

Whatever goals you have for your writing career, you will need a way to convince people to invest in you or hire you in order to get there. This is where your portfolio comes into play. Your creative writing portfolio is proof of what you are capable of as a writer. It gives a little introduction of who you are and what you offer, but most importantly, it illustrates to potential clients that you have the capabilities to pull off what they want, whether this is a television script or a ghostwritten autobiography.

A strong creative writing portfolio will have the following characteristics:

A Short, but Strong Headline: Sum up what you do within the first few words of your landing page. Potential clients need to know immediately whether they are in the right place to get what they are looking for. 

The Very Best Examples You Have to Offer : A strong portfolio does not just pile together everything the author has written. It brings together the author's best examples in their specific niche. This makes any potential client immediately realize that this is the exact person they need for the project they want to deliver. 

A Section Introducing Yourself : A strong portfolio considers that potential clients are not just interested in working with a good writer, they also want to collaborate with a friendly and responsive person. Take the time to introduce yourself and build up the picture that you will not just be an awesome writer, but a fantastic collaborator as well. 

An Effective Call-to-Action : You need to easily guide potential clients to not just read through your portfolio but hire you immediately. This will usually be a "contact me" button at the bottom of the page that will encourage clients to inquire about your work.

5 Easy Steps to Build Your Own Creative Writing Portfolio

1. choose a platform to host your content.

There are hundreds of websites out there offering to host your portfolio for you. Some come with a steep learning curve, and others are just downright confusing. For this reason we strongly recommend Journo Portfolio .

Journo Portfolio is designed specifically to create your own professional creative writing portfolio within minutes. It allows you to create multiple pages, click and drop elements, and use your own custom URL. You can easily create a professional and unique portfolio to showcase your writing with this simple platform. 

2. Upload Your Collection of Writing Samples

Gather together the pieces you have written and start adding them to your website. Include images, links, and descriptions of your work where necessary to add context to your completed works.

Remember not to add every piece you have ever written. Carefully curate your work to give the best impression of yourself, picking only the highlights of your career to show off to potential clients.

3. Get Creative with How You Present Your Work

If you are a creative writer then clients will be looking for you to be creative and expressive with everything you do. This includes the way you present your work within your portfolio. Take advantage of color, fonts, and formatting to build captivating designs that show off your unique style outside of the written word. Create multiple collections to show off your different forms of writing, each with their own distinctive formatting to show off your versatility.

Find an interesting way to illustrate your approach to your work. Introducing yourself in a friendly manner and employing creative design strategies will show potential partners that you are the ideal choice for them.

4. Utilize The Full Potential of Your Website

Some websites thrive off of simplicity, while others find effective ways to display work over dozens of sections and multiple pages. The point is: your website is entirely customizable to fit your specific needs. If you are an author that covers multiple genres or styles within your writing, you may want to use additional pages to show off your versatility.

A couple of pages can add a lot to even the simplest portfolios. A simple "about me" or "contact me" page can give your clients all the information they need to determine why and how they will hire you for their next project.

You can ensure clients see your website as professional and unique by using a custom URL. This adds a sense of authority as clients will see that you have invested in building your personal brand. 

5. Share Your Portfolio

Now that you have completed creating your portfolio, you can share it with the world! The goal of your portfolio is to give a full picture of who you are as a person and a writer, which makes it ideal to send to everyone you know, even if you don't really know them. Pitching new clients and publications is easy with your new portfolio.

Utilize any and all social media channels you are active on to share your new portfolio. Even people who may not be looking for writers themselves may know someone else who is, and they can pass your portfolio along. The more eyeballs on your work, the better chance you have of getting contacted for new and exciting projects.

Every time you update or change your portfolio, you can renew interest in your work by sharing your developments online. There is no restriction on how many times or ways you can show off your work to others.

Common Questions on How to Create an Effective Writing Portfolio

Can i create a writing portfolio with no published work.

Of course! Many new writers feel anxious about creating a collection of their stories if they have had no paid work or testimonials to back them up. There is no rule that says you can only use published work for your writing samples.

It is a good idea to create a portfolio even if you have no published work as this will still be your way into gaining more clients and projects. Pick out some of your best samples, or write them up specifically for this purpose, and showcase them on your website.

How do I Build a Writing Portfolio for University?

Creating a portfolio to use for MFA applications or university grading is not so different from creating one to find work. Follow the steps listed in this guide and simply personalize your portfolio to meet the specific requirements you are looking for. For example, include a page on your academic experience or a section dedicated to why you are interested in an MFA. Your portfolio is entirely yours to customize, so take advantage of this if you are creating it for a specific purpose.

Should I Include Every Piece I Have Ever Written in my Portfolio?

The answer to this question is a definite no. While you may be a fantastic writer, there is no doubt that some of your pieces are better than others. Cut out the pieces you are not so happy with, and leave your best pieces to fill out your portfolio. Remember: quality is much better than quantity. 

The Best Writing Portfolio Examples to Help You Get Started

Isabel wyatt.

See Isabel's portfolio here: isabelwyatt.journoportfolio.com

This portfolio includes so many fantastic elements in a truly creative way. Isabel Wyatt starts off her landing page with a succinct header to immediately showcase her three roles within the create industry : writer, editor, and creative producer. Wyatt also employs a side bar with a description and photo of herself, introducing her personality and experience alongside each other to potential new clients.

Wyatt formats her portfolio as a story, describing her different work and adding examples as she goes along. She does not let her examples sit by themselves, adding her creative thought process and project approach to enhance her completed work.

This portfolio is the perfect example of how to pick and choose your best work. Wyatt only picks work samples that illustrate her process and results, limiting herself to two or three pieces per section. This prevents overwhelming or confusing readers. 

Abigail Miller

See Abigail's portfolio here: abigailjoannachicago.journoportfolio.com

Abigail Miller effectively presents her portfolio for her readers to have easy access to each part of her work. She puts the sections of her site right at the top of the landing pages, directing clients to click through to see her short stories, current projects, or just to directly contact her. This means that clients do not have to read through lots of irrelevant examples if they are just looking for one specific piece.

Miller also makes use of creative imagery and a succinct, friendly description to introduce her readers to who she is as soon as they land in her portfolio. This means potential clients get an instant impression of who she is and whether they want to work with her or not.

Additionally, Miller is transparent about her creative process, giving examples of her character concepts alongside her work. This allows clients to see how she approaches projects and achieves successful results.

Nick Pullara

See Nick's portfolio here: pullaranick.journoportfolio.com

Nick Pullara's minimalist, but evocative landing page draws in readers to click through the rest of his site to learn more about him and his work. He knows he does not need to explain all of his work in the first few words of the page, letting intrigue work for him.

Pullara also utilizes multiple pages for different projects, and gives each section of his work the time it deserves. This means that potential clients will also give each example the time it deserves as they have to devote their attention to one section at a time.

Pullara also includes a page dedicated to his professional resume, making it even easier for potential clients to see his experience with creative projects. While this is not a necessary step for many writers, it can be extremely helpful for writers who are looking for more corporate projects.

Vinati Sukhdev

See Vinati's portfolio here: www.vinatisukhdev.com

Vinita Sukhdev effectively utilizes all aspects of her site to give readers a full picture of her accomplishments as a creative writer.

Sukhdev's "East or West" page gives extended details on her book and its reception, linking images and videos to illustrate various moments of its launch. Sukhdev also includes excerpts from the book and interviews about it, employing all this information to demonstrate how well this project did. Best of all, this page uses an effective call to action for readers, a simple button that directs them to an amazon page to buy the book.

In Sukhdev's " Advertising Case Studies" section, she illustrates her work within advertising, giving each case study an individual page which explains her approach and its success to each campaign. She includes images within these pages, giving proof to back her words. 

Melissa Alvaredo Sierra

See Melissa's portfolio here: melissaalvarado.journoportfolio.com

Another fantastic example of a creative writing portfolio, Melissa Alvadero Sierra's website is an effective landing page for all potential clients. This begins with her succinct header, "writer", which immediately lets readers know they are in the right place.

Her minimalist layout pushes her work to speak for itself, letting potential clients see if she is the right fit using just her completed projects.

Moreover, Sierra's "About" page is also extremely effective, detailing her accomplishments and goals so anyone can get a clear idea of her recognised talent and ambition. 

Time to Get Started on Your Very Own Portfolio

Now that this guide has shown you exactly how to build an effective creative writing portfolio that attracts clients, it is time for you to start making your own.

Hop onto Journo Portfolio, upload your work, and play around with the settings as much as you want to create a website that is uniquely you. Take a good look at your past work and decide what to include, and how to include it. Then, just share your website with the rest of the world, sit back, and watch as clients jump to work with you on their next big project. Remember to keep updating your site with any fresh pieces you work on throughout your career.

Working as a professional writer becomes so much easier once you have made and shared your portfolio. Don't hesitate to get started!

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10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees Of Fully-Funded MFA Programs With Your Personal Statement (Guide + Samples +Tips)

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Have you been struggling to write your personal statement or SOP? Reading some good statement of purpose examples and MFA personal statement samples can make your application season easier and less stressful. Also, it helps to read practical advice by professors who have sat on MFA in Creative Writing Admissions Committees, particularly professors who know what makes a good MFA personal statement.

This article will take you through the process of writing an SOP. Attached, herein, are 10 statement of purpose examples (or 10 MFA Personal Statement examples, if you like), contributed by writers who gained admission into fully-funded MFA in Creative Writing programs. We’ve also shared tips from creative writing professors on how to write a personal statement. 

The purpose of this article is to help you write a personal statement that will wow the admission committee members in the English, Literature and Creative Writing programs you’re applying to. 

What is a Statement of Purpose or a Personal Statement?

A statement of purpose, in the context of applying to a graduate writing program, tells an admission committee about who you are, what your work focuses on, why you are applying to their program, and what you will do in the future.

Writing a statement of purpose is akin to attending an audition or an interview or a workshop . You need to stamp your suitability and prospects as best as you can.

Owing to this, a statement of purpose or personal statement should do more than what it is called. It has to show your purpose.

Before you start the process of writing your graduate school essay, take note of the following:

Focus on your Interest.

Know what you are interested in as a creative person, or what your work focuses on. For example, if you are interested in Memoir writing , Travel writing, or Speculative Fiction , or Historical fiction or Ancient Greek poetry , you should be able to write a few words regarding your approach to that area. 

Many writers cannot really point a finger to what they are interested in because of their fecundity. And that’s okay.

In fact, writing tutor, Daniel Galef, with his untrammeled imagination wrote in his SOP:

“It’s difficult to describe what kind of fiction I write, because I’m not sure there is a kind of fiction I write. No two stories I’ve written have been alike. One of them is alike, but none of the others are.”

Research the Programs you are Applying to.

Read widely about the programs you are applying to and note your findings systematically. There is no escaping from this exercise because you need to know about the schools of your interest. In turn, that knowledge needs to reflect on the pages of your SOP.   

This will tell the admission committee that you care about their creative writing program and that your SOP is not generic.

For instance,

• Who is on the faculty of XYZ arts program?
• What are their specializations?
• Have the faculty members published any books or stories or poetry collections?
• If yes, what works have they published?
• What fascinates you about their English and creative writing program?
• What are their acceptance rates of this MFA or PhD in Creative Writing Program?
• How does their funding work? Does the MFA or PhD program provide full-funding for students who want to study creative writing? 
• How many years will it take to complete the MFA program? Do they allow students to run an MFA and PhD joint program?
• What is the workload like?
• Where are they located?
• What are your general thoughts of their Creative Writing program?

Knowing these will help you decide whether a grad school program is best for you.

This article has been broken into four parts with headings of no consequence.

(Note: The headings mean nothing. They are just to stimulate understanding. You should not break your SOP into headings. Very few, if any, creative writing programs will be impressed with a segmented statement of purpose or personal statement.)

We’ll Call The First Part ‘The Open Window’

The initial part of your SOP should make a commanding entry with the essence of your being. It should offer little windows into you, and reveal profoundly what you are about as a person, and as a creative, taking into consideration where you are from.

This is that place you afford the admission committee a brief uncensored moment about your ‘who’. It should be so transparent that they can look through it and see your world.

One of the most transparent “window” statements I think I have heard about oneself is from Shane Patton in the movie ‘Lone Survivor’. At the tail end of his speech, Shane, while trying to join a band of war brothers, says with gusto,

Pardon the asterisks. Your SOP does not have to be Shane-Pattonesque. However, it has to have some art-mosphere. It must be written in a style and voice that are unique to you. However, your SOP should employ the ‘story approach’.

Important Questions These Statement Of Purpose Samples Address.

This guide will help you to address the following questions in your personal statement or letter of intent:

• What kind of a storyteller or poet are you?
• Where are you coming from?
• How has your socialization/environment/formative years/job experience informed the way you view the world?
• What are your motivations?
• Also, what feeds your imaginations?
• More importantly, what inspired you to start writing in the first place?
• What has sustained it? 

Here, Okwudili Nebolisa gives us a perfect window statement in this sample statement of purpose. Here’s how he opens his grad school essay:

It’s one of the most insightful MFA personal statement examples I’ve read in a while.

From the foregoing, Okwudili created a short background of himself and gave an idea why he had first chosen a path outside the art. It’s one detail many Creative Writing admission committees would be interested in.

He went further (though, not included in this article) to tell the committee how he found his way into the arms of poetry .

Here is another statement of purpose example that has a compelling window ‘personal’ statement:

Simply put, this MFA applicant talks about her approach to writing fiction , speaks of how it has become a tool in her hand against societal norms, mentions her writing influences, and states what draws her to them.

Note: You should be able to say who and what influences you, and clearly express the ways in which they do.

This sample statement of purpose opens with a vivid and memorable story.

Here’s another opening statement from another MFA personal statement example or letter of intent. It also exemplifies the important point I was trying to make. It says:

We’ll call the second part ‘the Briefcase’

Here, you supply the gist of your educational experience. You may add your professional interest and inform the admission committee about relevant activities you have been engaged with recently.

Assuming you work as a content writer/creator , how has it helped your craft? The same thing applies if you work in any other endeavor outside the literary sphere.

For example, an applicant says in this MFA in creative writing personal statement sample:

Note: Non-writing related jobs and experiences are important. Think about the many ways they can give you insight about your craft. They are worth the mention in the sense that they set you apart because of the experience you must have had, and add to what your craft can gain.

Here’s how a teacher explained her experience in her MFA statement of purpose example. It can also work in a teaching statement:

Going further, you may emphasize on your literary achievement and recognition here. Here’s another good example of a statement of purpose. Here’s how this MFAyer stated his/her literary achievement:

Note: you may say one or two things about your publishing history.

Let’s call the third part “the Knock”

You must exemplify clear-headedness here in talking about why you are seeking this degree now.

In one of the grad school statement of purpose examples we received , one MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:  

Another sample statement of purpose for an MFA in Creative Writing Application put it this way:

Write About Your Dreams, Hope and Intentions

Next is to inform the graduate committee on why you are knocking on their doors.

Are there members of the faculty you want to work with? If yes, state why. Is it something about their academic tradition or vision? Does the school’s location appeal to you? Or is it about their commitment to diversity?

You should end this part of the statement of purpose with an idea of the project you hope to write during your time on the program. This will inform the professors that you already have an idea of what kind of book your thesis will be.

It shows seriousness. Also it shows that you’re more likely to begin once you arrive. We have more statement of purpose examples to illustrate how this can be done in your MFA portfolio.

Note: Your intended project should contain the promise of presenting something fundamentally new and important to the literary world.

For example, in her statement of purpose, this MFA in Creative Writing applicant wrote:

Here’s an excerpt from another sample statement of purpose for a graduate school (MFA) application:

We’ll Call The Last Part The Telescope

Here you have to be futuristic. Talk about the big picture. What do you intend to do with the knowledge and network you would have acquired in the MFA program? 

Do you want to go on to teach creative writing professionally , (If yes, where do you have eyes one? ) Do you want to start a publishing outfit or a literary magazine ?

What other career plans do you have? Do you want to go back to your job? (If yes, how would the degree help in making you better at your job?)

Note: Ensure you close your grad school statement of purpose on a hopeful note. Show preparedness to start. Exude confidence. Express anticipation on getting in. 

Hopefully, these statement of purpose examples have given you a clear idea of what a successful personal statement looks like.

But that’s not all. Some MFA Admission Committee members have shared a couple of tips on Twitter. So we’ll share more of them alongside tips sent in by some generous past and current MFA students..

Tips For Writing A Good Statement of Purpose or Letter Of Intent .

If you’re applying to graduate creative writing programs, pay attention to your writing samples first. But also, craft your SOP with the following tips in mind.

There Are No Hard and Fast Rules To Writing An SOP.

There is no hard and fast rule in writing an SOP. Just ensure that yours is well-knit, with flowing ideas and a fantastic rhythm. Keep it organized and clear. Stick to the manuscript formatting guidelines. As with everything else, make your submissions error free.

Here’s what MFA Admission committee member has to say:

Now, on to our next point.

Ensure That Your Writing Samples and SOPs Are Creative, Well-written and Workshopped.

Your writing sample largely pre-determines the success of your SOP. The admission committee may not open your SOP if your samples aren’t any good.

So, ensure your writing samples matter and are on the verge of saying new things. If you’re eligible, you can apply to get feedback from volunteer MFAyers at the MFA App Review .

And if you’re lucky, the MFA App Review might match you with a reviewer who will send you more unique statement of purpose examples.

More from Elizabeth McCracken who, if you don’t already know, has been a longstanding member of the admission committee at the University of Texas’ MFA in Creative Writing program.

Be Original.

Resist the temptation to copy other writers’ personal statements or statement of purpose examples and samples you might find online.

Trust your story, your style and voice. The adcoms can tell when everyone sounds the same. And they don’t like it. Here’s a quote from Elizabeth McCracken’s Twitter page:

Consider Starting With a Story 

“While your personal statement can’t be wildly creative, it is important to show your storytelling skills if you want to get into a creative writing program,” advises Elyse Hauser .

“One way to do this is to open with a story, giving you a chance to “show, not tell” your writing abilities. This also helps your personal statement stand out from the rest. [Also] admissions staff are likely to keep reading a statement of purpose that has a unique and exciting beginning.” 

Don’t Be Afraid To Assert Yourself. In Your Statement Of Purpose.

MFA programs are avant-garde compared with other university grad school and undergrad programs so feel free to assert yourself even if you feel you are without the “right” credential and publishing history.

Another tip from Matt Bell Of making your statement of purpose stellar.

What you think serve as your ‘shortcomings’ can work for you if you stir them properly. It matters so much that you have the right motive and that you show promise. Do not play small. Play confident. 

More from Matt Bell.

Employ A Memorable Tone.

“The standard Personal Essay Voice, like the droning and soporific Poetry Reading Voice, is forgettable and undermines its own content,” says Daniel Galef. “Trying for a different tone is a gamble—nothing is so unfunny as someone trying to be funny and failing—but if you can pull it off it makes you stand out.”

Comply With The Creative Writing Program’s Submission Guidelines.

Check for specific information required by the English and creative writing program you are applying to and ensure you stay within the shores of their requirement.

Get Feedback From Current and Past Students.

It is important to get feedback from people who may be on writing programs or who have extensive knowledge of graduate school application processes.

A couple of MFA groups on Facebook offer beneficial company. For example, join the MFA Draft ’21 if you intend to apply this Fall. This Facebook group offers support and advice to anyone applying to get into a writing program next year.

Wrap Up On Statement of Purpose Examples, Samples and Tips:

At this point, you’re no longer asking questions like: what is a statement of purpose? How can I write a good MFA or PhD statement of purpose that will earn me a spot in that fully-funded Creative Writing program.

The aforementioned grad school statement of purpose examples will guide you in your journey. As one of the professors advised, take a deep breath. 

The next step is to start writing that personal statement or letter of intent, because quite frankly, it won’t write itself. You can always edit your SOP. 

Please edit it. Remember, the admission committee members are also accomplished writers and writing teachers. They’re primed for spotting and frowning at grammatical errors.

While writing and editing your personal statement, take note of the admission committee’s advice above. What are they often looking for in a good statement of purpose for graduate school? If in doubt, you can always return to the great statement of purpose examples we’ve published above.

Wondering if you need an MFA in Creative Writing to be a writer? Then you should definitely read our take on the topic . Also, we have more on writing scholarships here .

Have you written a successful statement of purpose for a creatIve writing program? Please leave a comment below. We are open to adding more tips and samples that readers might find helpful.

Authors’ Bios: 

Tega Oghenechovwen has published work in  Longreads, The Rumpus,  Black Sun Lit, Litro UK, and other venues. He tweets @tega­_chovwen.

Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam is a lecturer in Cornell University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Mukana Press Anthology of African Writing, MTLS, Fiction 365, Asterix Journal and elsewhere. She tweets at @chiomaiwunze_

Interested in  writing for Creative Writing News ? See our  Write for Us page . We look forward to hearing from you.

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WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

12 best writing portfolio examples and how to create your own

• Brandi Hunter
• Dec 18, 2023

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain →

When it comes to starting a business  around your writing, visibility is everything. The more well-curated and attention-grabbing your writing is, the higher the chance that potential clients and publications will notice your talent. Making a website  that presents your writing portfolio can help introduce the industry to your talent and invite new work.

You may be thinking, “I’m a writer, not a website designer”—that’s where Wix can help. Its templates and beginner-friendly website builder make getting started as straightforward as it can get. To get the creative juices flowing, here are 12 writing portfolio examples from Wix users. Later on, we’ll provide a more straightforward step-by-step guide to building your own.

Start building your online portfolio  with Wix today.

12 writing portfolio examples

Jed Donahue

Sam Carlson Creative

Lauryn Higgins

Jessica Van Devanter

Madison Gray

Jane-Ellen Robinet

Christina Sterbenz

Bryn Dippold

Charlotte Kho

Emma Newell

Maddie Pfeiffer

Rachel A.G. Gilman

01. Jed Donahue

Jed Donahue’s website is a great example of how speaking to your client’s pain points can compel them to reach out. The homepage header copy, “When you need great content, I’m here to help,” focuses on the customer’s needs. Testimonials from previous clients provide proof that Jed can deliver results. Meanwhile, the “What I can do for you” section gives a practical breakdown of the workflow and services that clients can expect.

02. Sam Carlson

Sam Carlson takes his writing portfolio a step further by putting his client work front and center. He highlights his creative flair and prowess as a copywriter by including engaging introductions for each case study. Every project page boasts a concise and clever summary, followed by the client's logo and key project assets. Additionally, his "Fun" page, which presents his personal projects, offers a glimpse of his hobbies and talents outside of writing.

03. Lauryn Higgins

If you, like Lauryn Higgins , have an extensive writing portfolio that includes several bylines with well-known media companies, you can strategically add publication logos to your website and link them to your author pages to show off your credibility. On her “Awards and Publications” page, she features snapshots of some of her best clips, along with several awards.

04. Jessica Van Devanter 

If you don’t have any visual content to display and don’t want to go through the process of finding a set of free-to-use visuals that match your branding and content, take a look at Jessica Van Devanter’s writing portfolio. By making the site’s design the focal point, she bypasses the need for external graphics or images that may not align with her branding. 

Her logo, a shrewd-looking fox, serves as the background for the large header, which captures the viewer's attention upon arrival. Below it, a mountain graphic underlays the main content area, providing a sense of continuity without overpowering the text. 

The structure of each page is reminiscent of a timeline, with her written works positioned as milestones, guiding visitors through her professional journey. The bright green and white font colors provide a deliberate contrast against the muted blue background, ensuring readability and drawing the eye to her written work.

Use Wix’s logo maker  to start building out your personal brand.

05. Madison Gray

As a writer and an artist, Madison Gray masterfully demonstrates both skill sets throughout her portfolio. Pairing her highlighted works with original images draws visitors in and creates a visually engaging narrative of her talents. Each project page indicates which skills she utilized to complete the project, offering a comprehensive understanding of her multifaceted abilities.

06. Jane-Ellen Robinet  

Jane-Ellen Robinet limits her writing portfolio to a page to help website visitors get the information they need quickly. The above-the-fold section summarizes her unique value proposition (“INSIGHT + PERSPECTIVE + EXPERIENCE”) and provides specific job titles for the services she provides (“Editor | Writer”). The header features anchor links to each section of the page to ensure easy navigation. 

07. Christina Sterbenz

Rather than categorizing work by publications, Christina Sterbenz structures her portfolio page around writing topics and pairs each section with a compelling image from one of the relevant clips. This strategy adds visual appeal and gives each topic a personal touch, making the stories more approachable and intriguing to visitors. The images, paired with informative captions, humanize the subjects, enticing readers to delve deeper into her work.

In terms of website design, the portfolio benefits from a clean layout and a modern, minimalist font, which together enhance the site's readability and aesthetic appeal. Visitors can effortlessly scan the pages, finding what they are looking for without feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, the consistent use of design motifs—such as circles and lines throughout the site—contributes to a cohesive and memorable brand identity.

Like this format? Use this creative CV website template  to get started.

08. Bryn Dippold  

Bryn Dippold uses Wix’s blog maker  to showcase her work samples. This approach of republishing content directly on her portfolio, rather than merely linking out to external publications, serves as a strategic method for keeping visitors on her site for longer and providing a comprehensive view of her work.

Many Wix website templates already come with an integrated blog. Alternatively, you can choose to add the blog feature to any template, tailoring it to fit your unique style. Wix allows you to customize the blog settings, enabling you to curate and present your best work in a manner that aligns with your professional image and goals. 

09. Charlotte Kho 

Charlotte Kho uses neutral colors, layered design elements and striking imagery to introduce herself as a digital and creative storyteller. The “Resume” page provides a lot of information, but its clean layout is easy on the eyes, and you have the option to download her CV. On the “Work” page, Charlotte offers a small selection of her best work, plus links to view more of her published pieces.

Like this layout? Make it your own as Charlotte did by customizing this business CV website template .

10. Emma Newell 

Emma Newell's website demonstrates a balance of simplicity and engaging elements, creating a visually appealing and user-friendly experience. The site employs subtle animations that add a dynamic touch without overwhelming the visitor. Notably, when you click on any link in the menu bar, the content below appears to swipe out of view as new content takes its place. This seamless effect maintains the homepage's structure and provides an uninterrupted browsing experience.

11. Maddie Pfeifer

Maddie Pfeifer effectively leads with her experience by featuring her resume on the homepage. It details her past work, highlights her skillset and lists the awards she has received in the course of her career. We appreciate that she prominently placed her contact information above the fold for easy accessibility.

Her website is a model of organization, making excellent use of Wix’s advanced menu features . The dropdown functionality in her navigation bar allows for an expanded array of options, enhancing the user experience. Visitors, when exploring the “Portfolio” page link, are greeted with the option to select content categories like “Event coverage” or “Crime & courts,” tailoring their browsing to their interests.

12. Rachel A.G. Gilman 

Rachel A.G. Gilman elevates her homepage's simplicity with a playful, animated headshot, contrasting colors and a classic font choice, creating a dynamic first impression. Under the “Writing” tab, her comprehensive archive is meticulously sorted into distinct categories, making it easy to sift through her published work and accomplishments.

How to make a writing portfolio of your own

After exploring some of the best portfolio website examples , you’re probably eager to get started on learning how to make a portfolio  of your own. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just getting started, these tips will help you present your work in a way that captivates and communicates your unique voice and skills. 

01. Identify your target audience

To properly tailor your site design to your audience, you need to identify who you’re looking to impress. For instance, if you’re using this type of website  to pitch to editors, you might consider spotlighting your best features or most impressive bylines. On the other hand, if you’re cultivating a professional portfolio  for freelance clients, you might want to put testimonials or a list of services front and center.

02. Establish your goals 

Setting clear goals is crucial to track your progress and success. If your objective is to boost engagement with freelance clients, you might measure this by the number of inquiries or project offers you receive through your portfolio site. On the other hand, if increasing your visibility as a writer online is your goal, you could focus on monitoring website traffic, page views, or how long visitors stay on your site. Regularly assessing these aspects will help you understand what's effective and what needs improvement in your portfolio.

03. Choose the right platform

When looking for a platform for your online presence, choose a portfolio website builder  that aligns with your technical ability and the amount of time you can dedicate to maintenance. Although creating a bespoke website might be impressive and a simple clippings curator (such as Muck Rack) would be convenient, it’s a better idea to go for a builder that combines the best of both worlds, offering both customizability and convenience. 

With Wix, you’ll have hundreds of customizable templates to choose from and AI tools that make designing and filling it with images a breeze. Furthermore, Wix enriches your website with features like built-in forms, custom email addresses, and newsletter capabilities, ensuring you can easily connect with your audience and maintain those connections effortlessly.

Check out this selection of Wix website templates for writers .

04. Decide how you want to structure your showcase

When building the “Works” or “Clips” section of your online writing portfolio, your focus should be on showcasing your writing as well as highlighting the outlets you've collaborated with. Select pieces that represent your best work and reflect the type of work you aspire to continue doing. Remember, it's always about quality over quantity. A handful of outstanding pieces will have a greater impact than a multitude of average ones.

If you're at the beginning of your career and lack professional bylines, don't hesitate to include your best work from college or independent projects. Additionally, consider starting a blog that reflects the kind of work you aim to do professionally. 

05. Build an archive

Imagine losing your most valued work if a website goes down or a publisher removes your article. To prevent this, create an archive on your portfolio site. By uploading and publishing posts using the Wix content management system, you not only safeguard your work but also boost your site’s SEO and engage visitors more effectively. However, remember to check your contracts, as some publishers may restrict this. If time is limited, consider downloading your articles as PDFs and linking to them on a dedicated page. It's best to maintain this archive separately from your featured works, ensuring they continue to be the main attraction.

06. Flesh out the rest of your site

Your writing portfolio is more than just your work; it's a complete presentation of your professional persona. Each page on your site plays a critical role in telling your story. Here's how to make them count:

Home: The homepage is your portfolio's front door, welcoming and guiding visitors. It's crucial that this page clearly communicates what you offer as a writer. Make sure visitors can instantly understand your area of expertise and writing style.

About: On your “About” page, detail your professional journey, educational background and skill set. This page is an excellent place to infuse personality into your resume. Consider including a PDF version of your resume so hiring managers can add it to their databases.

Contact:  The “Contact” page is your open invitation for communication. Offer multiple methods to reach you, such as a contact form and an email address. Consider using scheduling software  to make it easy for potential clients to set up consultation calls. 

When writing the copy for these pages, make sure your tone is consistent, engaging and speaks to your desired audience. If incorporating imagery, make sure they’re high-quality, complement the text and reinforce your professional image. Each element should seamlessly blend to form a cohesive and inviting online presence.

07. Test and publish

Broken links, grammatical errors or faulty contact forms may lead visitors to doubt the quality of your work or discourage them from reaching out. Make sure to do a thorough assessment of your site, and consider sharing your writing portfolio with others to get their feedback.

08. Update your website

Regularly update your portfolio with your latest work. This keeps your site fresh and shows potential clients your active involvement and range of skills. A current portfolio can also inspire new project ideas among visitors.

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5 Uncommon Tips on Your MFA Creative Writing Application

A couple of years ago, I made the decision to apply to MFA programs in creative writing. Compared to medical school or law school, the application process for an MFA can sometimes feel like a crapshoot, with the odds of getting into a fully-funded program hovering somewhere below four or five percent (and some programs like Iowa, Michigan, Michener—gulp—even less!). Still, it seems that every year, a few applicants manage to get admitted to a handful of programs, which brings up the question of whether the process is as random as one might initially think.

As a caveat, I’ve never served as a reader for any programs’ admissions committee (for a genuine insider look, follow Elizabeth McCracken’s twitter and listen to everything she says!), but I happen to have been lucky enough to get accepted to several fully funded schools on my first try. Whenever someone asks me for advice, I get a little queasy, because I barely knew what I was doing back then. However, I’d like to think that I’ve had some time to reflect on the process and have spoken to many people, including students who’ve been accepted and faculty members. I’ve since graduated from my MFA and hold (at the time of writing) a Zell postgraduate fellowship in fiction at the University of Michigan.

I’ll skip the general consensus—polish the writing sample, apply to more than one school, get feedback on your materials, etc. Instead, I’ll offer some less common ones that I thought worked for me. I hope they help with your application, and I’m certainly indebted to many writers who came before me and similarly shed light on their own experiences.

• Presenting yourself . Most of us writers tend to dislike being pigeonholed, or to accept the idea that there are certain themes or styles we keep reverting to again and again.  I definitely struggled with this (and continue to) but for the application process, presenting ourselves in a way that is unified and meaningful can sometimes spell the difference between sticking out in the pile or not. I write a lot about the Philippines, where I grew up, and this location not only influences the setting of my stories, but also informs my thematic sensibility as well as my identity. My personal statement talked about my background growing up in a predominantly Christian and Chinese-Filipino family, the conflicts at the dinner table as a result of our ethnic and religious upbringing, and how these issues are explored in my work. My fiction samples were chosen with this in mind (of course, they also happened to be my best work at the time), and I imagine my recommendation letters further attested to my experience as an immigrant. As a result, I believe I demonstrated myself as someone who deeply cares about what I write and has something important to say about the world around me. A place or region might not be the element that binds your application materials together. It might be a style, philosophy, or occupation—but whatever it is, it should resonate meaningfully in all aspects of your work (you can even ask your recommenders to talk about it). If readers can come away with the feeling that they know you and what motivates you to write, then you only need to show that you also can write.
• Range and length of sample . This might sound like a contradiction to the above, but it really isn’t. Rather, this is the part where you get a chance to display your skill and flexibility as a writer. For my sample, I chose three stories with varying styles: fabulist, comedic, and straight realist. They also differed in their lengths: short, medium, and long. What kept them all together was the setting of the Philippines, which again referred back to my personal statement and kept them from feeling haphazardly chosen. You might wonder if this is a good idea, since schools often just ask for 25 to 30 pages of creative sample, and might even say something to the effect that they’re looking for “a demonstration of sustained, quality work.” I debated with myself on the correct approach, and you might not agree with my conclusions: If programs clearly ask for just a single story, and if they feel more traditional in their aesthetics, then perhaps sending a longer story is better. However, the risk of sending one story is the risk of increasing subjectivity, and has to do more with the practical reality of the selection process than anything else. We all know that readers have different tastes, and if for some reason they don’t connect with the first few pages of your work, they most likely won’t read on. If you present them with a shorter work first, they might be willing to read the beginning of the second story, and if they still don’t like that, then the third. If each story is different stylistically, you’re increasing the chances that one of these would be appealing to the readers, and they might reconsider the stories that they passed on the first read.
• Potential . I’ve heard anecdotes of applicants being turned down because the admission committee thought they were “overqualified” to be studying in an MFA program. This probably doesn’t apply to most of us, but the principle remains: administrators are looking for people they believe can get something out of the two-to-three-year experience. In other words, they’re looking for writers’ potential as much as writers’ ability. I can certainly speak to this. When I applied, I’d barely taken any creative writing workshops. I’d just started writing literary fiction and I was unpublished. I took screenwriting as an undergrad (a related field, I know) but I still emphasized the things I anticipated learning from an MFA, including the benefit of being in a community. I did not downplay my background in screenwriting (and as it happened, also journalism), but I was able to articulate how each tradition influenced me as a writer. You might be someone who’s majored in creative writing as an undergrad and knew for a long time that you want to write literary fiction. That’s okay (in fact I think that’s great!). But you still have to find a way to communicate your limitations while playing to your strengths. To a large extent, it seems to me more of an attitude check: nobody wants to be with the writer who feels privileged and entitled to a seat at the MFA table.
• Preparedness . Sometimes, perhaps because I got in on my first try, I wonder if my acceptance was a fluke, and if I was really ready for the MFA experience. Of course, I’ve heard many people who felt similarly, some who even have a lot of creative writing background under their belt. The impostor syndrome aside, I do think that it’s good to gain as much exposure to the literary world as possible before applying to an MFA program. This not only gives you a better sense of why you write and what you write (going back to my first point), but moreover it increases the likelihood that once you are accepted, you’ll know how to make the most out of your time and the resources being offered. I had a wonderful experience at the University of Michigan—indeed, I’ve never read or written more in my life than I did at that point, and I could not have asked for a better set of cohort or mentors. I have grown exponentially as a writer. Rightly or wrongly, though, I did consciously set myself apart as someone who was a beginner, who had the most to learn about writing literary fiction. This attitude has enabled me to develop in leaps and bounds. At the same time, I could see how—had I been further along in my progress—I could’ve used the MFA in a different way: writing that novel I’ve always wanted, giving more thought to the direction of my career, the business side of the industry, finding an agent, etc. I think there’s something valiant and admirable about finding yourself as a result of experimenting during the MFA years, but it might also be worth considering and being aware of the different trajectories in entering a program. As a suggestion for preparing yourself pre-MFA-application, I highly suggest going to a conference (the Napa Writers’ Conference, Wesleyan Writers Conference, and the Key West Literary Seminar being some of the more well-known ones I’ve personally attended and recommend).
• On success . My final note on the application process is less of a tip and more of a reminder. When the time comes around to February or March, and should you find yourself not getting into the programs of your choice, recuperate from the rejections and take them in stride. View the result both as a sobering reminder of the odds stacked up against anyone applying for an MFA, and also as an opportunity to become better prepared, so that if you do get in later, you will be in an improved position. Similarly, should you be fortunate enough to get into your top programs, view the achievement as the means to an end, and not the end in itself. If a study were to be conducted on MFA admittances, I’m almost sure that the findings would show that acceptances to programs are in no way predictive of future success in publishing. Only diligence and perseverance are positive indicators of writerly success, and in this sense, we all can take comfort in the fact that all of us have a fair shot if we’re in it for the long haul.

Image: The Hopwood Room, where some workshops are held at the Helen Zell Writers’ Program, University of Michigan.

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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. It’s exactly what I dd in my sample. Anyone who wants to see real successful samples of statements of purpose should read this post: 10 Statement Of Purpose Examples: How To Wow The Admission Committees Of Fully-Funded MFA Programs (Guide + Samples +Tips) https://www.creativewritingnews.com/statement-of-purpose-examples-2/

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The Best 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs in 2023

April 7, 2023

Whether you studied at a top creative writing university , or are a high school dropout who will one day become a bestselling author , you may be considering an MFA in Creative Writing. But is a writing MFA genuinely worth the time and potential costs? How do you know which program will best nurture your writing? This article walks you through the considerations for an MFA program, as well as the best Creative Writing MFA programs in the United States.

First of all, what is an MFA?

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree that usually takes from two to three years to complete. Applications require a sample portfolio for entry, usually of 10-20 pages of your best writing.

What actually goes on in a creative writing MFA beyond inspiring award-winning books and internet memes ? You enroll in workshops where you get feedback on your creative writing from your peers and a faculty member. You enroll in seminars where you get a foundation of theory and techniques. Then you finish the degree with a thesis project.

Reasons to Get an MFA in Creative Writing

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. Just look at Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison or bestselling novelist Emily St. John Mandel.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons you might still want to get a creative writing MFA. The first is, unfortunately, prestige. An MFA from a top program can help you stand out in a notoriously competitive industry to be published.

The second reason: time. Many MFA programs give you protected writing time, deadlines, and maybe even a (dainty) salary.

Third, an MFA in Creative Writing is a terminal degree. This means that this degree allows you to teach writing at the university level, especially after you publish a book.

But above all, the biggest reason to pursue an MFA is the community it brings you. You get to meet other writers, and share feedback, advice, and moral support, in relationships that can last for decades.

Types of Creative Writing MFA Programs

Here are the different types of programs to consider, depending on your needs:

Fully-Funded Full-Time Programs

These programs offer full-tuition scholarships and sweeten the deal by actually paying you to attend them.

• Pros: You’re paid to write (and teach).
• Cons: Uprooting your entire life to move somewhere possibly very cold.

Full-Time MFA Programs

These programs include attending in-person classes and paying tuition (though many offer need-based and merit scholarships).

• Pros: Lots of top-notch programs non-funded programs have more assets to attract world-class faculty and guests.
• Cons: It’s an investment that might not pay itself back.

Low-Residency MFA Programs

Low-residency programs usually meet biannually for short sessions. They also offer one-on-one support throughout the year. These MFAs are more independent, preparing you for what the writing life is actually like.

• Pros: No major life changes required. Cons: Less time dedicated to writing and less time to build relationships.

Online MFA Programs

Held 100% online. These programs have high acceptance rates and no residency requirement. That means zero travel or moving expenses.

• Pros: No major life changes required.
• Cons: These MFAs have less name-recognition

The Top 15 Creative Writing MFA Programs Ranked by Category

The following programs are selected for their balance of high funding, impressive return on investment, stellar faculty, major journal publications , and impressive alums.

Fully Funded MFA Programs

1) johns hopkins university, mfa in fiction/poetry (baltimore, md).

This is a two-year program, with $33,000 teaching fellowships per year. This MFA offers the most generous funding package. Not to mention, it offers that sweet, sweet health insurance, mind-boggling faculty, and a guaranteed lecture position after graduation (nice). No nonfiction MFA (boo).

• Incoming class size: 8 students
• Admissions rate: 11.1%
• Alumni: Chimamanda Adiche, Jeffrey Blitz, Wes Craven, Louise Erdrich, Porochista Khakpour, Phillis Levin, ZZ Packer, Tom Sleigh, Elizabeth Spires, Rosanna Warren

2) University of Texas, James Michener Center (Austin, TX)

A fully-funded 3-year program with a generous stipend of $29,500. The program offers fiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting. The Michener Center is also unique because you study a primary genre and a secondary genre, and also get $3,000 for the summer.

• Incoming class size : 12 students
• Acceptance rate: a bone-chilling less-than-1% in fiction; 2-3% in other genres
•   Alumni: Fiona McFarlane, Brian McGreevy, Karan Mahajan, Alix Ohlin, Kevin Powers, Lara Prescott, Roger Reeves, Maria Reva, Domenica Ruta, Sam Sax, Joseph Skibell, Dominic Smith

3) University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop is a 2-year program on a residency model for fiction and poetry. This means there are low requirements, and lots of time to write groundbreaking novels or play pool at the local bar. Most students are funded, with fellowships worth up to $21,000. The Translation MFA, co-founded by Gayatri Chakravorti Spivak, is also two years, but with more intensive coursework. The Nonfiction Writing Program is a prestigious three-year MFA program and is also intensive.

• Incoming class size: 25 each for poetry and fiction; 10-12 for nonfiction and translation.
• Acceptance rate: 3.7%
• Fantastic Alumni: Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, Garth Greenwell, Kiley Reid, Brandon Taylor, Eula Biss, Yiyun Li, Jennifer Croft

4) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Anne Carson famously lives in Ann Arbor, as do the MFA students U-Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program. This is a big university town, which is less damaging to your social life. Plus, there’s lots to do when you have a $23,000 stipend, summer funding, and health care.

This is a 2-3-year program, with an impressive reputation. They also have a demonstrated commitment to “ push back against the darkness of intolerance and injustice ” and have outreach programs in the community.

• Incoming class size: 18
• Acceptance rate: 4% (which maybe seems high after less-than-1%)
• Alumni: Brit Bennett, Vievee Francis, Airea D. Matthews, Celeste Ng, Chigozie Obioma, Jia Tolentino, Jesmyn Ward

5) Brown University (Providence, RI)

Brown offers an edgy, well-funded program in a place that doesn’t dip into arctic temperatures. Students are all fully-funded for 2-3 years with $29,926 in 2021-22. Students also get summer funding and—you guessed it—that sweet, sweet health insurance.

In the Brown Literary Arts MFA, students take only one workshop and one elective per semester. It’s also the only program in the country to feature a Digital/Cross Disciplinary Track.

• Incoming class size: 12-13
• Acceptance rate: “highly selective”
• Alumni: Edwidge Danticat, Jaimy Gordon, Gayl Jones, Ben Lerner, Joanna Scott, Kevin Young, Ottessa Moshfegh

Best MFA Creative Writing Programs (Continued) 

6) university of arizona (tucson, az).

This 3-year program has many attractive qualities. It’s in “ the lushest desert in the world ”, and was recently ranked #4 in creative writing programs, and #2 in Nonfiction. You can take classes in multiple genres, and in fact, are encouraged to do so. Plus, Arizona dry heat is good for arthritis.

This notoriously supportive program pays $20,000 a year, and offers the potential to volunteer at multiple literary organizations. You can also do supported research at the US-Mexico Border.

• Incoming class size: 9
• Acceptance rate: 4.85% (a refreshingly specific number after Brown’s evasiveness)
• Alumni: Francisco Cantú, Jos Charles, Tony Hoagland, Nancy Mairs, Richard Russo, Richard Siken, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, David Foster Wallace

7) Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ):

Arizona State is also a three-year funded program in arthritis-friendly dry heat. It offers small class sizes, individual mentorships, and one of the most impressive faculty rosters in the game. Everyone gets a $19,000 stipend, with other opportunities for financial support.

• Incoming class size: 8-10
• Acceptance rate: 3% (sigh)
• Alumni: Tayari Jones, Venita Blackburn, Dorothy Chan, Adrienne Celt, Dana Diehl, Matthew Gavin Frank, Caitlin Horrocks, Allegra Hyde, Hugh Martin, Bonnie Nadzam

FULL-RESIDENCY MFAS (UNFUNDED)

8) new york university (new york, ny).

This two-year program is in New York City, meaning it comes with close access to literary opportunities and hot dogs. NYU is private, and has one of the most accomplished faculty lists anywhere. Students have large cohorts (more potential friends!) and have a penchant for winning top literary prizes.

• Incoming class size: 40-60
• Acceptance rate: 6%
• Alumni: Nick Flynn, Nell Freudenberger, Aracelis Girmay, Mitchell S. Jackson, Tyehimba Jess, John Keene, Raven Leilani, Robin Coste Lewis, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong

9) Columbia University (New York, NY)

Another 2-3 year private MFA program with drool-worthy permanent and visiting faculty. Columbia offers courses in fiction, poetry, translation, and nonfiction. Beyond the Ivy League education, Columbia offers close access to agents, and its students have a high record of bestsellers.

• Incoming class size: 110
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• Alumni: Alexandra Kleeman, Rachel Kushner, Claudia Rankine, Rick Moody, Sigrid Nunez, Tracy K. Smith, Emma Cline, Adam Wilson, Marie Howe, Mary Jo Bang

10) Sarah Lawrence (Bronxville, NY)

Sarah Lawrence offers speculative fiction beyond the average fiction, poetry, and nonfiction course offerings. With intimate class sizes, this program is unique because it offers biweekly one-on-one conferences with its stunning faculty. It also has a notoriously supportive atmosphere.

• Incoming class size: 30-40
• Acceptance rate: N/A
• Alumni: Cynthia Cruz, Melissa Febos, T Kira Madden, Alex Dimitrov, Moncho Alvarado

LOW RESIDENCY

11 bennington college (bennington, vt).

This two-year program boasts truly stellar faculty, and meets twice a year for ten days in January and June. It’s like a biannual vacation in beautiful Vermont, plus mentorship by a famous writer, and then you get a degree. The tuition is $23,468 per year, with scholarships available.

• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Incoming class: 40
• Alumni: Larissa Pham, Andrew Reiner, Lisa Johnson Mitchell, and others

12)  Institute for American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM)

This two-year program emphasizes Native American and First Nations writing. With truly amazing faculty and visiting writers, they offer a wide range of genres offered, in screenwriting, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

Students attend two eight-day residencies each year, in January and July, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At $12,000 a year, it boasts being “ one of the most affordable MFA programs in the country .”

• Incoming class size : 22
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Alumni: Tommy Orange, Dara Yen Elerath, Kathryn Wilder

13) Vermont College of Fine Arts

One of few MFAs where you can study the art of the picture book, middle grade and young adult literature, graphic literature, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry for young people. Students meet twice a year for nine days, in January and July, in Vermont. You can also do many travel residencies in exciting (and warm) places like Cozumel.

VCFA boasts amazing faculty and visiting writers, with individualized study options and plenty of one-on-one time. Tuition is $48,604.

• Incoming class size: 18-25
• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Alumnx: Lauren Markham, Mary-Kim Arnold, Cassie Beasley, Kate Beasley, Julie Berry, Bridget Birdsall, Gwenda Bond, Pablo Cartaya

ONLINE MFAS

14) university of texas at el paso (el paso, tx).

The world’s first bilingual and online MFA program in the world. UTEP is considered the best online MFA program, and features award-winning faculty from across the globe. Intensive workshops allow submitting in Spanish and English, and genres include poetry and fiction. This three-year program costs $14,766 a year, with rolling admissions.

• Alumni: Watch alumni testimonies here

15) Bay Path University (Long Meadow, MA)

This 2-year online program is dedicated entirely to nonfiction. A supportive, diverse community, Bay Path offers small class sizes, close mentorship, and a potential field trip in Ireland.

There are many tracks, including publishing, Narrative Medicine, and teaching. Core courses include memoir, narrative journalism, and the personal essay. The price is $785/credit, for 39 credits, with scholarships available.

• Incoming class size: 20
• Acceptance rate: an encouraging 78%
• Alumni: Read alumni testimonies here

Prepare for your MFA in advance:

• Best English Programs
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Best MFA Creative Writing Programs – References:

• https://www.pw.org/mfa
• The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students , by Tom Kealey (A&C Black 2005)
• Graduate School Admissions

Julia Conrad

With a Bachelor of Arts in English and Italian from Wesleyan University as well as MFAs in both Nonfiction Writing and Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, Julia is an experienced writer, editor, educator, and a former Fulbright Fellow. Julia’s work has been featured in  The Millions ,  Asymptote , and  The Massachusetts Review , among other publications. To read more of her work, visit  www.juliaconrad.net

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MFA Application Advice

A former director of a graduate writing program offers tips on compiling the most common MFA application materials, including a statement of purpose, a writing portfolio, letters of recommendation, and transcripts. 

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Portfolio/Audition Requirements

Creative writing.

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Portfolio Requirements (MFA)

A portfolio of current work representing your best writing and your aesthetic sensibility is required of all applicants to the MFA Creative Writing Program. This portfolio must contain:

• An artist’s statement that broadly addresses your writing / artistic practice, your creative  / critical influences, and your reasons for applying to CalArts’ MFA Creative Writing Program.  
• A creative writing sample up to 25 pages in length. Within the 25 maximum pages, applicants may submit any number of pieces in any number of genres. While our program welcomes hybrid, multi-genre, and multi-media samples, all samples will be considered on equal terms. 

All applicants must submit the Writing Sample and Artist Statement by uploading them into the Written Materials section of the online application. Additionally, any supplemental media integral to your writing practice should be submitted in the Portfolio/Audition Submission "Upload Media" section. 

The MFA Creative Writing Program requires two letters of recommendation.

Home • Admissions • Portfolio/Audition Requirements • Critical Studies • Creative Writing

The Writer's Pocket Guide

The Writer's Pocket Guide | The Pocket MFA

In-depth craft guides for serious writers

MFA Applications III: The Writing Sample

The writing sample matters. Know what to send, what not to send, when to send it, and for whom to ask for help. Read this guide—the competition is stiff.

Also known as The Only Thing That Really Matters in an MFA application, the writing sample is where you should be putting all your creative energy. It should represent your best work. But can it actually be made better in the few months leading up to application deadlines?

With MFA admissions folks, it’s more about seeking out and recognizing potential, rather than about expecting perfectly polished work. There’s got to be something at the heart of the work that’s purely you and speaks to the latent powers of the Future You after two or three years of intensive schooling.

But make no mistake, it’s got to be good. Competition will be stiff.

This guide in the MFA Applications series is a particularly tough one, because the writing sample is the most important piece of your package—yet it’s also the most personal. So what advice can I give you? Gleaned from personal experience, instructors, professors, articles, and program directors, here’s a shortlist of things to keep in mind.

Quality, not Quantity

Don’t push the 40-page limit if you have an absolutely clean 20 pager that you love. Or a 15-pager, for that matter. The risk is that a more mediocre second writing sample might let the air out of your transcendent shorter piece.

Receiving Rejection

You may only get into a few schools, or you may get into none, but don’t take it personally, and don’t give up on your writing. After you reach a certain level of competence, the admissions process is more a question of taste rather than a lack or abundance of technical skill. In other words, a work may be great, but not up the reader’s alley. All things being equal, admissions readers (like all first-line-of-defense readers) are going to recommend a piece they love, rather than a technically-proficient piece that doesn’t make a personal imprint.

The Importance of Feedback Pay for it if you can afford it, as long as the reader is someone you trust, or try to get it for free from friends, but good God, man, don’t submit without at least a second pair of eyes giving it a once-over. And not just for typos, but for content, flow, thematic power, characterization. Misplaced commas or misspelled words can be a huge irritant, but it may not be a deal killer if you’re the second coming of Michael Chabon. Stories that don’t make sense, or lack well-rendered characters, are a different case all together. In addition to yours truly , there are a number of people and consultancies that provide reading services—just ask Google. If you can...

Solicit feedback from someone whose sensibilities are similar to yours—someone whose suggestions consistently hit the mark without interfering with your story's intent.

This is very important. You don’t want the edits to change the core of your story, its meaning, the thing that makes it important to you. You’ll feel bad about submitting it, and if you don’t get in, you’ll always wonder if it’s because you sold out on the advice of someone you didn’t trust, whose instincts were different from your own.

Following Rules

This one was easy for me, being the anal retentive, OCD, rule-follower that I am. 40 pages means 40 pages. Times New Roman means – guess what - Times New Roman, not Courier. Paperclips don’t mean staples.

Pretty Words—Meh

Some, maybe many, maybe all, admissions readers aren’t content with beautiful passages and evocative descriptions. You need to strike an emotional chord. Magazine readers, agents, and editors say the same; in order to grab your reader, the work has to speak from deep inside your heart. Evocative and emotional resonance is important to demonstrate—because it’s harder to teach than the purely technical stuff. If you can come in with a unique voice and gutsy, emotional chops, someone's going to like you.

MFAs as Readers

It's true. Most—but not all —schools employ their currently enrolled students for a first pass at the appallingly-named "slush pile." I don’t know if that’s good or bad. Maybe some good stuff slips through. Or, one positive aspect of this process may be that the reader on the other side may not be too different than you. You’re relatively new to writing, and you’ve recently discovered you want to do it for a living. Your first-round audience may be, in fact, very much like you, therefore making your work more "relatable." But you and I know relatability is itself a fiction. No two MFAs are the same. Oh well. Either way, it is what it is.

Don’t Write Only for an Admissions Audience

That said, it’s not wise to write purposely for your audience, unless it’s true to your personal style. Don’t pretend to be dark because the director has a reputation for loving literary horror. Don’t keep it short only because a faculty member is a pioneer of flash fiction. And certainly don’t riff on styles of notable alumni only because you think it’ll catch their eye.

Write stuff that means something to you.

You can’t fake a love for your work, nor can you imitate someone else’s style with the same panache with which you deliver your own. And every reader is on the hunt for a sample that’s fun to read, beautifully and meaningfully rendered, and unique to you as a candidate.

Above all, I recommend getting on it ASAP. You need time to draft, edit, rewrite, get feedback, and repeat as necessary. You’ll want to plan ahead out of consideration for your readers, too. Don't ask your supporters to move mountains only because you’re procrastinating, you’ve lost track of time, or because you planned poorly. This is especially true if you’re asking the help of your busy friends on a pro bono basis.

Story coaches can get expensive, so if you’re going down the professional route, you’ll want to give the coach a clean draft, give her time to respond, and work out a revision schedule so she can comment on a second draft. Then when application deadlines start coming round, you can complete a final draft based on a couple rounds of feedback, at least. If you want to do more than a couple of major rewrites, you’ll need to pull the entire schedule in by a few weeks or months, depending on how quickly you can produce. Personally, I'm a slow writer, so I'd err on the side of more, rather than less, time. Once you lay out the schedule, it may appear to you that time is running out. And you would be correct.

It’s time to get serious!

Need help? We've been through it too!

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MFA Applications IV: The Personal Statement

MFA Applications II: Planning

MFA Applications I: Researching Schools

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MFA Creative Portfolio & Audition Requirements

Portfolio requirements by program.

During the admissions process, MFA applicants will demonstrate their aptitude and potential for creative work through the submission of a creative portfolio. The required materials within the portfolio will be based on the discipline, and may include writing samples, short films, photographic series, and more, as well as an accompanying description contextualizing the nature and purpose of the project. Throughout the application process, students can work with their admissions counselor for guidance on acceptable formats. All creative portfolio materials must be submitted digitally. Portfolio materials will not be returned. Please review the requirements for each MFA program below.

3D Animation & VFX Portfolio

NYFA believes that to be successful in the MFA 3D Animation & VFX degree program, an applicant must have an intermediate skill level in 3D Animation and VFX. The portfolio will be used to assess this skill level and determine if the applicant has the prerequisite knowledge to meet the demand of the courses.

Portfolios should include 4-6 works including drawings, paintings, cartoons, comics, conceptual illustrations, graphic renderings, digital images, slides of 3-D models, sculptures, or other visual designs which display the applicant’s creative abilities.

Acting for Film Auditions

The required creative portfolio to apply for NYFA’s Acting for Film MFA must include a selection of filmed monologues that show the breadth and depth of the actor’s abilities. The two contrasting audition pieces must be one dramatic monologue and one comedic monologue that are approximately 60-90 seconds in length each. The monologue requirements should include two contemporary (published after 1960) monologues.

See more on our  Audition Requirements page  for the Performing Arts.

Cinematography Portfolio

Students applying for the Cinematography MFA program can choose from the following portfolio options:

• Video Submissions: 1-2 live-action, fiction or non-fiction film/video submissions (3 to 10-minutes in length each). Applicants must describe what part they had in creating the project.
• Sample Storyboards: 6-8 sample storyboards or visual designs with a 1-2 page accompanying description.
• Photography Series: A series of 6-12 photographs with a 1-2 page accompanying description.

Documentary Filmmaking Portfolio

When applying for the MFA in documentary filmmaking program, students may choose from one of the following options:

Filmmaking Portfolio

Students applying for the MFA in filmmaking should include a writing sample or a visual sample. Prospective students can select from the options for each below.

Writing Sample (choose from below)

• Excerpt: Excerpt from an original screenplay or prose fiction piece (5-10 pages)
• Original Work: Original short story, article or critical studies essay examining a literary or cinematic work (play, screenplay, television series, film, etc.) (3-7 pages)
• Treatment or Outline: Treatment or outline of a film, webisode or television series concept (3-7 pages)

Visual Sample (choose from below)

• Visual Series: Any visual or studio art, including, but not limited to: paintings, drawings, sculptures, set designs, mixed media arts, photographs (3-10 pieces), with an accompanying description contextualizing the submission
• Short Film: Live-action or animated fiction or non-fiction film/video (3-10 minutes in length). Applicants must describe what part they had in creating the project

Game Design Portfolio

Students submitting a game design portfolio for the MFA program can choose from the following:

• Drawing Series: 5-7 drawings, paintings, cartoons, comics, conceptual illustrations, graphic renderings, storyboards, digital images, slides of 3-D models, sculptures, character designs, storyboards, 2D art and animation, 3D art and animation or other visual designs, which display the applicant’s creative abilities.
• Prototypes: 3-5 Unity prototypes, game modifications, Github profiles, code samples, paper game prototypes, level maps, design documents, skill trees, or system diagrams.
• Business Plan and One Sheet: 1-3 Game business plans and marketing one-sheets.

Photography Portfolio

The required portfolio materials for our photography MFA programs should include 10-15 photographs with an accompanying description contextualizing the submission. In addition to the above, Photography MFA students must meet the following requirements:

• Mac Proficiency: Demonstrate basic proficiency with Mac computers.
• DSLR Proficiency: Understand all aspects of DSLR camera exposure, including equivalent exposures and the balancing of natural / ambient / constant light with strobes.
• Equipment Proficiency: Prepare to demonstrate proficiency in studio and location strobe systems and pass a practical grip equipment safety test.
• Adobe Proficiency: Display a proficiency with Adobe Lightroom 5 (or equivalent software) and Photoshop CC.

Applicants who have not completed a BFA in Photography may be tested via a written and practical test on the above points. Students must be present on the Los Angeles campus to complete the test, which will be given during Orientation week.

Producing Portfolio

Students applying for our MFA in Producing degree may choose one from the following three creative portfolio options:

• Excerpt: Excerpt from an original screenplay or prose fiction piece (5-10 pages).
• Writing Sample: Original short story, article or critical studies essay examining a literary or cinematic work (play, screenplay, television series, film, etc.) (3-7 pages).
• Treatment or Outline: Treatment or outline of a film, webisode or television series concept (3-7 pages).

Screenwriting Portfolio

Applicants for the MFA in Screenwriting program may choose from one of three creative portfolio options:

Related links

Featured content, a list of must-see netflix shows and films in 2023., nyc broadcast journalism students were treated to a visit from the emmy award-winning journalist and documentarian tony harris., in june 2023, nyfa and the beijing film academy (bfa) jointly announced an exciting study abroad program for students in china..

• Extended University
• UTEP Connect

You love writing fiction or poetry and want to earn an advanced degree, but how do you put together a successful application to a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program? We chatted with Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny, MH, MFA, Director for UTEP’s Online MFA, and she helped us answer six (6) of the most frequently asked questions about getting successfully accepted into a competitive master’s in creative writing. Read on to learn more about creating a strong statement of purpose and a writing sample that demonstrates literary quality.

What is a statement of purpose for an mfa in creative writing.

The statement of purpose introduces you to the admissions committee. This is your opportunity to let them know who you are, your interests and background, and why you are pursuing an MFA.

Specifically, be sure to address why you want to be considered for that particular MFA program. Highlight what you will contribute.

The statement of purpose is not a resume or bio, but rather the qualifications you bring to the program as well as the reasons why you want to earn your degree from this program.

Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny, MH, MFA, Associate Professor of Instruction and Director of The University of Texas at El Paso’s fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing recommends doing your homework and learning about the faculty. If there is a specific faculty member that you are looking forward to working with, highlight why you are interested in working with them.                                                  

What determines literary quality in the writing sample?

A piece with literary quality inspires the reader to keep reading. That may be through captivating storytelling. Or words that paint intriguing images. Or perhaps an engaging plot where the reader must find out how the story ends.

In short, the words are chosen carefully, capturing attention from the very first sentence.

Since you’re applying to a master’s program in creative writing, you already know that you can benefit from additional education, mentoring, and practice. Your writing sample should demonstrate knowledge of the craft and will provide clues to your potential as a poet or fiction or nonfiction writer.

Resist the temptation to submit a writing sample that crosses several genres. Instead, focus on the one genre in which you feel most comfortable writing and create a strong piece that stands on its own merits. A strong MFA program will give you the opportunity to explore a variety of genres and writing styles under the guidance of experienced writers.

What genre is best for the MFA application writing sample?

Research the application requirements for each MFA in Creative Writing program before submitting your writing sample. Make sure that you are delivering a piece that aligns with that specific program’s stated goals.

For example, UTEP’s online MFA in Creative Writing is looking for fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that brings attention to social issues and the human condition. They do not work with genre-literature such as fantasy, vampires, and sci-fi unless it’s used to address social, political, or cultural issues.

If you cannot find detailed guidelines on the program website, reach out to the program contact. The more information you have as you put your application together, the better you can position yourself for consideration.

What considerations affect the committee’s decision?

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing programs accept a limited number of applicants. With multiple applicants for each spot, selection committees can afford to be choosy.

Formatting doesn’t necessarily matter, but whatever you submit should be well-edited and proofread. Don’t submit something that is clearly still undergoing revisions.

Make sure that your statement of purpose and writing sample speak to something that aligns with what the program offers. If you are applying to more than one program, it may be tempting to use the same writing sample and statement of purpose. This can severely impact your chance for being selected. In fact, your application will be more competitive if it is tailored to specific program requirements.

For letters of recommendation, ask people who know your writing, capabilities, and sense of responsibility. This may include your colleagues, former professors, and supervisors. Recommendation letters and other credentials may be used to determine whether the candidate will be able to find a balance between work, life, and the online program.

How can you increase the likelihood your application will be accepted?

UTEP’s Director for the Online MFA, Professor Aguilar-Zéleny, offers these top suggestions for MFA in Creative Writing candidates:

• Start your application early.
• Ask questions.
• Read the curriculum.
• Read the faculty bios and look for a mentor.
• If your application is not accepted, reach out and ask for feedback.

“A student who is willing to improve–that is the type of student I want in our program,” says Professor Aguilar-Zéleny. She goes on to recommend her favorite revising tool: “Share and read the statement of purpose and the writing sample out loud.”

What should you consider when choosing an MFA in Creative Writing program?

UTEP’s fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing lets you earn your graduate degree from anywhere in the world. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on workshops, but there’s no residency requirement, so you can earn your master’s in creative writing from Texas without ever leaving home. And UTEP’s program is the only bilingual MFA in Creative Writing in the U.S. Classes and discussions are held in English, but creative assignments may be submitted in Spanish, allowing you to write in your native language or expand your ability.

Students come from a variety of fields, but they all share a common passion – an interest in improving their writing ability. Whether you are interested in establishing yourself as a writer or advancing your teaching career, UTEP’s online creative writing program lets you gain essential credentials without uprooting your life.

What’s Next

We invite you to explore our online program and see what it will take to make that next step into your profession. If you are interested in learning more, reach out and an enrollment counselor will contact you directly.

GET STARTED

Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso Extended University UTEP Connect Online Programs 500 W University Ave. El Paso, Texas 79968

E: [email protected] P: 1-800-684-UTEP

MFA Application & Portfolio Advice

RISD Graduate Printmaking Professor Andrew Raftery speaks to Art Prof Clara Lieu , providing advice on how to prepare an MFA application.

• Watch the 6 min. version (MFA advice)
• Watch the 47 sec short (letters of recommendation)
• Watch the 2 min. version (advice to young artists

They discuss the portfolio , writing the artist statement , getting letters of recommendation , when to attend, and more.

Raftery regularly reviews MFA applications for the RISD MFA Printmaking program and shares insights based on those experiences.

Video Walkthrough

• People often underestimate how impactful the statement in the application can be.
• The statement can really influence the way a person on the admissions committee views the portfolio.
• When writing your statement, consider what you want someone to know about your studio practice, if you couldn’t be in the room to explain that to them.
• Don’t write in your statement that you want to be a part of an artistic community, or that there are people you want to work with.
• These are generic topics that most students address in their statement but that say little about who they are.
• The most common mistake with statements is people being too general when speaking about their practice.
• Get specific! Talk about your process, your materials, and your motivation.
• Within a portfolio of 20 slides, the first 10 slides are the most impactful.
• You can include portfolio pieces in various media, but you need to demonstrate a cohesive artistic voice.
• When to apply for an MFA is a very personal decision, based on each person’s life resources.
• For letters of recommendation, it’s important that the letters come from someone in the art world, a professor from school who is familiar with your studio practice.
• Letters of recommendation from people who know you well, but who don’t have knowledge of your studio practice are not effective.
• Masterful knowledge of techniques isn’t 100% necessary, and a statement can help show that you have interested in honing those skills in your studio practice.

Join our 2025 Art School Portfolio Group!

Our Art School Portfolio Group provides ongoing support and feedback from our staff of professional artists for students applying or transferring to a BFA, MFA, or post-baccalaureate program.

To participate, you’ll need to 1) join our Discord server and 2) pay a one time fee, or pledge monthly on our Patreon.

Andrew Raftery

Andrew Stein Raftery is a printmaker specializing in narrative scenes of contemporary American life. Trained in painting and printmaking at Boston University and Yale, he has focused on burin engraving for the past 12 years, publishing the portfolios Suit Shopping in 2002 and Open House in 2008.

Both projects were exhibited at Mary Ryan Gallery in New York and were collected by the Whitney Museum of American Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the British Museum.

In 2003 Raftery received the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, and in 2008 he was a fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. He was elected to membership in the National Academy in 2009.

Art historical research is closely aligned with Raftery’s studio practice. In his position as professor of printmaking at RISD, he often collaborates with the RISD Museum on exhibitions and educational programs

Recently he was a consulting curator for The Brilliant Line: The Journey of the Early Modern Engraver , fall 2009 at the RISD Museum and at the Block Museum at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He is a recipient of RISD’s John R. Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching.

This video provides a critique of art art school portfolio, starting with an overview of…

This video provides a critique of an MFA art school portfolio, starting with an overview…

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by Writing Workshops Staff

2 years ago

• #Fiction MFA
• #MFA Application Prep
• #MFA in Creative Writing Application Preparation
• #MFA Personal Essay
• #MFA Statement of Plans
• #MFA Statement of Purpose

Tips For Your 2023 MFA Application

First, let us encourage you. Applying to MFA programs isn't fun, though it often feels like the right next step. We know. We've been in your shoes. An MFA gives you time to develop and an audience of attentive first-readers for a period of time. And that is valuable and wonderful and the very reason you should apply.

But people can't tell you what they're looking for before they read it, so spend the most time with your sample and send in work you're proud of. It will show.

It sounds obvious, but your writing sample is the key .

You need references and a statement of purpose and all the other stuff, but only the sample matters.

So, rely on your voice and style in the writing. The only thing we have as writers is our point of view and our voice, and that is what makes us unique. Don't prune the elements of your writing that make it distinctly yours . Don't write toward a workshop aesthetic or what you think people want to read. Take risks. Prize the sentence and the story. And be you . The best MFA programs are looking for a spark in your work that will make them excited to add you to a chorus of distinct writers who will most benefit from time and attention.

As you're getting your work into shape, let people who understand what you're trying to do encourage you. Support is invaluable. Hopefully you have a few first readers who can help you strengthen your sample before you send in your application. If you don't already have a community, find and take a workshop in your town. You can also find a bunch of online classes where you can be part of a cohort and receive valuable feedback.

Below are a few quick links we think you might like :

IWW graduate Carmen Maria Machado's story "The Husband Stitch" in Granta. Treat yourself to a great piece of fiction.

10 Statement Of Purpose Examples

Where Great Writers are Made and a List from The Atlantic.

Advice on the Statement of Purpose

MFA Programs Database

5 Uncommon Tips on Your MFA Creative Writing Application

This lecture by Kurt Vonnegut on the shapes of stories demonstrates that everything has already been done except through your particular point of view. So work on being more you in your work.

Okay, we'll be cheering you on! If you'd like a second set of eyes on your MFA Application feel free to contact us here or click on the button below. We'd be happy to help.

And, if you're looking for a class in fiction , poetry , nonfiction , or screenwriting , we've got you covered.

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How to get published.

Kendall Dunkelberg

Thoughts on the MFA Writing Sample: What are we looking for?

As I begin to review writing samples submitted for The W’s new low-residency MFA in Creative Writing , I’ve been thinking about what it is, exactly, that I hope to see in them, and how I will make my final decisions. The writing sample is the main ingredient of the application packet; everything else either confirms what I learn from the writing sample or rounds out the picture I have of the applicant and therefore helps me make my decision. That “everything else” primarily consists of things you have little control over because it has already been done or is based on what you’ve done: transcripts and letters of recommendation are pretty much out of your hands by this point—your letter of intent and writing sample are the only parts you control, so concentrate on them.

What should you include in your writing sample? Clearly, the obvious answer is “your best work,” but how do you decide? Send us the writing that you care the most about. Wouldn’t it be a drag to be admitted into a program on the strengths of your most polished piece of writing that doesn’t represent the kind of writer you really want to be? You might end up in a program whose values are very different from your own. On the other hand, if you send me the poem you wrote last night because it’s the one you love most right now (but tomorrow that may be different), chances are that poem will be too rough and won’t adequately represent your capabilities. So strike a balance: somewhere between the stories or poems that have been workshopped to death over the years (and are polished but not alive for you anymore) and the stories or poems that you wrote last week (that haven’t had a chance to really mature). This should result in work that represents you well, that is the kind of writing you want to continue to do, and that is work you’ve had a chance to fully explore and make as good as possible.

Quality is more important than quantity. As long as you meet the minimum requirements (10 pages), there’s no need to send more. If you’re writing poems: send me 10, though if you want to send 15, I won’t complain if the additional poems better represent your range as a poet. Don’t send more just to pad your writing sample (it will look weaker if it’s padded); send only your best poems. If you’re submitting prose: don’t send me 2 stories at 40 pages. Send me 1 story as long as it’s 10 or more pages. If you write flash fiction, send enough to get within the range and send your best, but there’s no reason to send more just to get close to 30 pages. I will thank you for giving me less to read. In 10-20 pages, I should have plenty to base my decision on, but some stories might go 30 pages. And if your absolute best story is 32 pages, I’ll consider it. But don’t send me many more than 30 if you can help it. (Send a novel excerpt, if that’s your best writing, and keep it at or under 30 pages).

When I read your writing sample I will look at it and give it a score (my grad council wants me to have a rubric, and though I’m not a huge fan of those for creative writing, I can work with that). Here’s what I’ll base that on. First, how publishable is it? I expect to see some writing samples that could be publishable already and some that are close. What I want to find are writing samples that show strong potential to be publishable. I want to see that applicants have taken care with their samples, and that they have a sense of what is being published today. I don’t really care a lot about what style you write in, at least not initially. I’m mostly looking for care with language, feeling for form, and attention to detail. Once I’ve found that in a piece of writing, then the style might begin to make a difference.

A second criterion will be: how appropriate is the sample for our program. Yes. We want you to send your best work that is also most appropriate for us. That’s a difficult task, and one you may not be able to have complete control over. You can try to get a good sense of what we do in our program and what we would want to see, of course. This will help you decide what to send and how to write your letter of intent. What you can’t predict (nor can we) is what other writers will send us. But that is one practical side of the admissions process. When accepting writers into the program, I need to be thinking long-term about what classes I’ll need to fill and what kind of balance and mix of writers I have in a program. You can’t predict whether I’ll have twice as many poets apply this year as fiction writers, so the competition in poetry might be stiffer. Nor can you know whether a couple of my nonfiction writers are graduating early, so I have extra space in that area (because my other nonfiction students will need some more people in their classes). I will likely consider both the writing sample and the letter of intent in deciding this, so describing what goals in the letter can also be important.

Besides these big picture kinds of criteria, I will also consider how polished and sophisticated the writing sample is. This is important because a writing sample that contains a lot of grammatical errors or that doesn’t show some understanding of the conventions of the genre you’re working in (even if you break them) might not go very far in the process. I would consider understanding the basics here to be absolutely vital for the successful applicant, but I would also hope that most everyone would have a very high score in this area. So the differences here may be small — if you do your work to send in a writing sample that is absolutely clean.

In then end, though, I hope you’ll remember that I don’t see my job as ‘weeding people out’ as much as it is ‘making a good selection.’ I’d like to let everyone into the program, but I also want to find a good group of writers who will work well together, and I’d like to let people enter the program when they seem ready for it. If I turn down an application, I don’t want to send the signal that the writer has no potential, but rather that the writer may not be a good fit for us right now. This may mean that the writer should explore other opportunities to improve his/her writing and apply again later, or it may mean that the writer should consider other programs that would be a better fit for the kind of writing he/she wants to do. Far be it from me, in other words, to judge someone’s value based on a 10-30 page writing sample! All I can do is work with what I know and make the best decisions I can, subjective and human as those will undoubtedly be.

And I hope, as long as the number of applicants remains manageable enough to make this possible, to engage each writer in a dialogue about their writing, to offer some encouragement, and to make the process more of a discussion than a decision.

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Published by kendall dunkelberg.

I am a poet, translator, and professor of literature and creative writing at Mississippi University for Women, where I direct the Low-Res MFA in Creative Writing, the undergraduate concentration in creative writing, and the Eudora Welty Writers' Symposium. I have published three books of poetry, Barrier Island Suite, Time Capsules, and Landscapes and Architectures, as well as a collection of translations of the Belgian poet Paul Snoek, Hercules, Richelieu, and Nostradamus. I live in Columbus with my wife, Kim Whitehead; son, Aidan; and dog, Aleida. View more posts

3 thoughts on “ Thoughts on the MFA Writing Sample: What are we looking for? ”

Any particular reason they don’t make this information apparent on the application?

I can’t speak for other programs, but in our case , we do try to give as much information as possible up front before the application. On the one hand, we have a How to Apply page that includes our Guide for Applicants . On the other hand, we also will review a writing sample and letter of intent prior to the full application, so applicants get some feedback before they ever officially apply.

I think more program directors are trying to inform their applicants about their expectations. Others assume applicants will inform themselves with resources like The Creative Writing MFA Handbook or guides like those found at AWP , Poets & Writers , Publisher’s Weekly , and New Pages .

Dr. Dunkelberg: Thanks a million times for your guide on writing the letter of intent, which I found on the W’s website. No other program I found had the information up front that yours has. For those of us who are very timid about applying, this makes all the difference in the world! Thanks again!

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Writing a Winning MFA Statement of Purpose: Example & Advice

Are you applying to a master’s in fine arts program and looking for advice on how to make your statement of purpose stand out? Writing an effective statement of purpose can be challenging – but with some guidance, it doesn’t have to be. The Admit Lab is here to provide tips and insight into the statement-writing process, including an MFA statement of purpose example that demonstrates the components of a winning MFA application essay. Let us help take the stress out of making your writing shine!

Know thyself

Writing an MFA statement of purpose begins with a deep and introspective examination of one’s unique experiences, interests, and goals. The essence of the statement lies in the ability to convey your journey and the specific motivations that drive your desire to pursue a master of fine arts. The document should provide a detailed account of your artistic journey so far, punctuated by the experiences that sparked your interest in the arts. Whether it was an early childhood fascination with colors, your first drawing class at school, or the pivotal moment when you realized that art was your calling, these experiences are instrumental in detailing your artistic evolution. Reflect on the moments that challenged you, those situations that pushed you to evolve and grow as an artist. Perhaps it was a critique that made you rethink your work or a piece that didn’t turn out as expected, leading you to explore a new technique or medium. Finally, consider your future goals. Why are you pursuing an MFA? How do you envision it helping you achieve your artistic objectives? Remember, this statement is your opportunity to show the admissions committee not just who you are as an artist today, but who you aspire to become.

Speaking to Fit

When it comes to articulating your fit for a particular MFA program, it’s vital to conduct thorough research on each institution you’re applying to. Unlike an undergraduate program, an MFA is highly specialized and significantly influenced by the ethos, facilities, faculty, and community of the program. Begin by delving into the curriculum, understanding the course offerings, the teaching methodology, and the predominant artistic philosophies that the program adheres to. Understand the core values of the institution and how they resonate with your own artistic beliefs. Explore the faculty profiles, their work, and their accolades, and see if their style or approach to art aligns with yours. The community is another crucial aspect to consider. Does the program foster a collaborative environment, or is it more individualistic? What opportunities exist for exhibitions, internships, or collaborative projects? As you gather this information, identify the facets that make this program an ideal fit for you. Maybe it’s a particular course that perfectly aligns with the skill you wish to master, or perhaps it’s the opportunity to work under a faculty member whose work you’ve long admired. These specifics should be woven into your statement, crafting a narrative that not only showcases your understanding of the program but also highlights why you’re a great match.

Highlight Strengths and Skills

As demonstrated in the MFA statement of purpose example below, when writing your statement of purpose for an MFA program, it’s imperative to highlight your strengths and skills, particularly those that are transferable and align with the qualifications sought by the program. Start by analyzing the program’s requirements and identifying the skills and qualifications they value the most. Then, reflect on your artistic journey, your academic accomplishments, past projects, internships, or any relevant work experiences. Identify the skills and strengths you’ve developed throughout these experiences and articulate them in your statement. These could range from technical skills specific to your art form, like mastery in a particular medium or technique, to soft skills like creativity, perseverance, critical thinking, or collaboration. Emphasize how these skills have shaped your artistic practice, and supported your creative growth, and how they will contribute to your success in the MFA program. For instance, if you’ve honed your skills in digital art through a series of projects, discuss how this technical expertise will allow you to experiment and create innovative art in an MFA program that values digital mediums. Similarly, discuss transferable skills, such as your ability to work collaboratively on projects or your experience in organizing art exhibits, depicting how these skills make you a valuable addition to the program. By weaving these elements into your statement, you demonstrate not only your qualifications and preparedness for the program but also your potential to contribute to their community.

Choose Your Focus

When crafting the focus of your statement of purpose for an MFA program, it’s essential to illustrate a clear understanding of your artistic discipline and your specific creative intentions within it. This focus forms the crux of your statement, providing a lens through which the admissions committee can view your artistic aspirations. Start by elaborating on your chosen art or discipline – be it visual arts, creative writing, theatre, or any other art form. Discuss what drew you to this discipline, share your exploration and evolution within it, and the unique perspectives or techniques you’ve developed. Then, transition into your intended creative focus within this discipline. For this, discuss your future goals, the kind of projects or works you wish to create, the themes or issues you wish to explore, and how you intend to push the boundaries of your craft. It’s essential to be specific and articulate here; don’t just assert your passion for your art form, demonstrate it by discussing your ideas, inspirations, and creative vision in detail. Show how these align with the MFA program’s philosophy and how the program will provide the perfect platform to realize these ambitions. Remember, your focus is not just about what you wish to do, but also about who you wish to become as an artist and the impact you aim to make through your art. Thus, use this part of your statement to paint a vivid picture of your artistic journey ahead, making the reader invested in your creative future.

Craft a compelling narrative

In crafting a compelling narrative for your MFA statement of purpose, ensure that it’s a true reflection of your journey as an artist. Storytelling is a powerful tool that brings your artistic passion to life, connecting with the reader on a personal level. Share your story through a lens of authenticity and honesty, focusing on the experiences that have shaped you as an artist. Talk about the transformative moments, the challenges you’ve overcome, the triumphs you’ve celebrated, and the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Highlight pivotal artworks or projects that have influenced your work, the inspirations behind your creations, and how you’ve evolved artistically over time. As shown in any of our MFA statement of purpose example, this narrative should not be a mere recitation of events; instead, it should be a deeply personal and stirring exploration of your artistic journey. Remember, the purpose here is not to impress but to express, not to showcase your achievements

Show, don’t tell

It’s also crucial to detail specific instances where your creativity was ignited. Rather than merely stating that you’re passionate, demonstrate this passion through concrete examples. For instance, perhaps there was a time when you found inspiration in the mundane, like how the shadow-play of leaves on a sunny day led you to explore light and shadow in your art. Or maybe there was a moment of emotional turmoil that you transformed into a powerful painting, allowing you to process your feelings and create a piece that resonated with others. Don’t shy away from discussing the creative process either – how you felt while creating, the techniques you used, the risks you took, and how you pushed your boundaries. You might also describe how a particular artist, artwork, or art movement has influenced you, demonstrating this through specific projects or pieces you’ve developed in response. Providing these specific examples offers a deeper insight into your creative excitement, making your statement more compelling.

Capturing Your Audience

You should aim to draw in your reader with creative prompts or reflective vignettes that highlight your writing prowess. This could be realized through the portrayal of the artistic experiments and breakthroughs that excite you, the personal anecdotes that reveal your commitment to art, or the captivating descriptions of your pieces. Using these techniques allows you to paint a vivid picture of your artistic journey and the exploration of your creative voice. It’s important, however, to maintain a balance of creativity with transparency and clarity. You want your statement to be enthralling, but it should also effectively communicate your artistic narrative, your motivations, and your potential in the MFA program. Remember, your reader isn’t just looking for a good story, but also an understanding of who you are as an artist.

Customize for each school

When crafting your statement of purpose for an MFA program, consider the unique strengths and characteristics of each school you’re applying to and tailor your SOP accordingly. Showcase in your SOP how your artistic aspirations align with the school’s offerings and ethos. For instance, if you’re applying to a program known for its strong focus on experimental forms, highlight your interest and past work in this area. If a school boasts a renowned faculty member whose work resonates with your own, mention how you look forward to learning from their expertise. Additionally, if a school offers unique resources such as specialized workshops, state-of-the-art studios, or community engagement projects that will enhance your artistic journey, include these elements in your SOP. By customizing your SOP for each school, you not only demonstrate your thorough understanding and appreciation of the program but also articulate how your artistic journey can be enriched by, and contribute to, the unique fabric of each institution.

Convey enthusiasm clearly

In the process of authoring your statement of purpose for an MFA program, a crucial element to incorporate is a clear display of your enthusiasm. It’s essential to remember that while the SOP is an academic document, it doesn’t necessarily have to be devoid of emotion. Rather, it is your opportunity to convey your passion for your art, your commitment to honing your craft, and your excitement at the prospect of joining the MFA program. An engaging, enthusiastic tone can truly make your application stand out, prompting the reviewers to envision you as an energetic, dedicated participant in their program. As demonstrate in any of our MFA statement of purpose example below, use vivid, evocative language to describe your past projects, your artistic inspirations, and your future aspirations. Highlight instances where you’ve gone beyond the call of duty in your pursuit of art—be it late-night sessions at the studio, extensive research for a project, or even a piece of art you created that deeply moved your audience. Underscore your eagerness to immerse yourself in the MFA program, the skills you wish to acquire, the faculty you’re keen on working with, and how this journey would contribute to your growth as an artist. Remember, an engaging, passionate SOP can serve as a compelling testament to your dedication, thereby making the admission committee not just consider, but want to admit you!

MFA statement of purpose example

Mfa statement of purpose example 1:.

As an artist, I have always thrived on expressing the inexplicable—translating the deepest emotions and profound experiences into captivating visual narratives that resonate with the viewer on a profound level. My unwavering passion for art was ignited during my transformative undergraduate years, where I delved into the mesmerizing power of visual storytelling and discovered the immense potential it holds. Now, with an ardent desire to further harness and nurture this power, I am excited to embark on a remarkable journey by joining the esteemed MFA program at your institution.

The allure of your program lies not only in its prestigious reputation but also in the vibrant artistic community it fosters such as X and Y. It is with great admiration that I have come across the works of Professor X, whose exploration of abstract expressionism aligns seamlessly with my personal artistic inclinations. I believe that under her expert guidance, in addition to the X and Y courses, I will have the invaluable opportunity to push the boundaries of my artistic expression, unravel new depths of creativity, and make meaningful contributions to the ever-evolving art community. Both of these courses will provide me with *** and will help me reach my artistic goals.

By immersing myself in the rich artistic discourse, collaborating with fellow passionate artists, and embracing the diverse perspectives offered by the program, I am confident that I will not only grow as an artist but also develop a profound understanding of the profound impact art can have on society. I am looking forward to joining the X, Y and Z activities, because…With an unwavering dedication to my craft and an insatiable hunger for artistic growth, I am eager to embark on this transformative journey and make a lasting mark in the world of art.

MFA statement of purpose example 2:

“Bridging the gap between digital and traditional art forms has been the relentless driving force of my artistic journey. As an enthusiastic undergraduate art student, I have consistently sought to experiment with a multitude of mediums and techniques, pushing the boundaries of creativity to create art that not only challenges the status quo but also sparks conversations.

The MFA program at XYZ University, renowned for its innovative approach and unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, presents the perfect platform for me to further deepen my understanding and expand my artistic skillset. I believe X, Y and Z will allow me to….

The potential to engage in fruitful collaborations with like-minded peers by joining X, Y and Z, as well as the invaluable opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty members such as the esteemed Professor Y, fills me with immense excitement and anticipation. I believe their expertise will help me…

Through this transformative program, I aim to create art that not only blurs the lines between the digital and the real but also captivates the audience with its unparalleled uniqueness, leaving a lasting impression and provoking thought-provoking discussions within the art community and beyond.”

MFA statement of purpose example 3:

“Art, for me, is not only a medium to engage in dialogue with society, but also a powerful tool to challenge and question existing norms, and ultimately, to invoke meaningful change. With each piece in my body of work, I strive to shed light on pressing social and environmental issues, aiming to inspire reflection, empathy, and action.

The MFA program at XYZ University represents a significant milestone in my artistic journey, as it provides the perfect platform to further refine and amplify my creative voice. The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum, coupled with its emphasis on critical thought and conceptual exploration, promises to equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to create art that has a lasting impact. I am looking to enroll in courses Z and X because…

One aspect of the program that particularly excites me is the opportunity to work closely with Professor Z, a renowned artist known for his socially engaged art. His mentorship will not only provide invaluable guidance but also inspire me to push the boundaries of my own artistic practice. I cherish this chance to learn from a visionary in the field and am eager to absorb his wisdom and insights. I believe his expertise in **** will help me achieve X, Y, and Z.

As I embark on this immersive journey, I am filled with anticipation and enthusiasm. I am confident that through this program, I will not only create art that matters but also contribute to the ongoing societal discourse, sparking conversations and provoking thought. I am excited to make a meaningful impact through my artistic endeavors and play my part in shaping a better future for our society.”

Navigating the Complexities of Crafting an Impactful Statement of Purpose

Despite the clear and articulate vision presented in your statement of purpose, it is essential to consider the potential uncertainties that may arise. Are you confident that your artistic intent and future goals align well with the program’s objectives? Does the statement effectively capture your unique artistic approach and how it will evolve throughout your academic journey? Have you convincingly conveyed how this program is the ideal fit for your creative aspirations? Remember, the admissions committee will be reviewing countless applications, many of which will be from individuals with comparable talents and ambitions. Therefore, to stand out from the crowd, every sentence of your statement must reflect your passion, dedication, and potential for exceptional contributions to the art world. A mere oversight or misjudgment can be the difference between acceptance and rejection, with significant implications for your career and life trajectory. Therefore, it may be prudent to seek expert feedback on your statement, to ensure it represents the best version of your aspirations and abilities before submission. You wouldn’t want to leave something this important to chance, would you?

Solicit feedback from trusted individuals who can evaluate your SOP objectively. Ask them to focus on assessing the clarity of your message, the flow of your thoughts, and the overall potential of your SOP to impress the admissions committee. Encourage them to be honest in their feedback and to highlight areas where you can improve. Remember, constructive criticism can provide invaluable insights that may not be obvious to you. This step, while sometimes daunting, can essentially help refine your SOP, ensuring it truly reflects your passion, showcases your abilities, and resonates with the admissions committee.

We hope that, with the advice we’ve given, you now have a greater understanding of how to write an effective MFA statement of purpose. Remember: when you write for your master’s degree program in fine arts, be focused yet concise; demonstrate why you’re uniquely qualified but humbly aware; and use powerful language to make your point stick. If you feel that you need more help perfecting your statement for success, The Admit Lab can assist with everything from essay review to crafting original content tailored just for you. Don’t struggle alone – we are here to lighten the load and help make sure that your application packs a punch! So don’t delay – check out our graduate school application essay services and stand out among the rest of the applicants. All the best!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Dr. Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab . As a tenure-track professor, Dr. Barr spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

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How to Apply to a Poetry MFA Program (Creative Writing)

"...those two to three years is your time to grow as much as you can, so make sure you can identify what’s important to synthesize during your time there." - dimitrireyespoet.com.

Applying to an MFA program is a nerve-wracking and overwhelming experience. With over 200 MFA programs, one can quickly feel intimidated by the application process. If you read through this blog and still feel a bit unsure, reach out to me on my contact page for additional advice and services.

1) Know the Poet in the Mirror

You need to know your work and how to describe yourself as a writer. MFA program or not, the way to move around within the literary community is by having a definitive identity. Knowing your personal identifiers places yourself in certain spaces effortlessly and helps you find your tribe indefinitely. Articulating an identity can be among the hardest and most uncomfortable situations for anyone; luckily, all writers have an identity as long as they write often.

If you are still asking yourself “HOWWWWW?!?” just look for what themes jump out at you. Are you talking more about the urban landscape? Are you talking more about imagery? Are you talking more about your race, your creed, your ethnicity, your religion? All of those things count in making you your own poet. If you need help analyzing your own work, please be sure to check out 5 Ways to Analyze a Poem.

If you are applying to a program and still questioning your identity, don’t worry.

To be honest, it was hard to describe my poetic identity before my MFA and many would argue that’s a good reason people seek an MFA to begin with. Regardless, you should still know which poems seem to be the strongest, as well as what fits to a theme. Consider what fits well together and organize those poems.

You should also print them out or rewrite them all on separate pages. Spread them out on the floor and look at them. Many writers do this to survey an entire collection.

This was example when I was putting my thesis together for grad school. I taped all of my “poems that fit” to the wall. Then I edited each poem and shuffled the order of appearance until it created an acceptable dialogue.

2) Search for the Appropriate Faculty

As another technique with applying to programs, many people send countless applications to plenty of universities with MFA programs in their area. If your lifestyle doesn’t permit you to leave (as mine did) this works, but if you have the means to move to a different state, I’d suggest you apply to programs that are far as well. Doing so expands your options, especially if there aren’t many programs in your state/ province, but it simultaneously allows you to be more choosey in your selection process.

You should be choosing a program where the professors are able to nurture your particular poetic identity. It’s a good idea to research the core faculty at each university in order to see if they’d compliment your work well. For example, if you are going to a university where two professors are about the African American/ African diasporic experience and there’s three other Caucasian professors that represent Appalachia and you’re a Vietnamese-American writer trying to get a position on the Asian American experience, that might not be the college for you.

This is not to say that you CAN’T learn from individuals that write from different perspectives, we need that too, but there should be some sort of focus when listening to faculty from the different perspectives. Remember: those two to three years is your time to grow as much as you can, so make sure you can identify what’s important to synthesize during your time there. Feel free to write me if extra advice is needed.

Try to look for professors that are going to help mold you into a better writer.

3) Think About the Location

College = Money = Debt

I’m not a math blog but this algorithm is pretty simple.

You need to think about the location, the tuition, and the college culture of the university you’re going to. You also have to determine which is more important as well. Is it important to get out of debt as quickly as possible?

If money is an issue, you are going to need to look into universities with partial or full funding. Be mindful that these programs receive the most applications and are therefore more competitive since any writer would love to write for a few years without needing to work.

If you want to stay close to home, consider looking up the programs in your area and seeing which one fits the best for you. Note, that if there aren’t many programs in your state you may have to look outside your area in neighboring locations.

Lastly, you have to think of the culture of the university which many MFA applicants don’t think enough about. Sure, Pratt, NYU, and Columbia are great names on a bio but there’s a give-and-take in regards to the experience. Now this example (as many things on this blog) is biased, as I’m only sharing with you my own experiences— both in what I’ve physically done and what I’ve been told from other writers.

So let’s say you get accepted to NYU or Columbia. There’s going to be about 60 other people that got accepted into that program that year, which means the classes are going to have more students than other programs. If you’re looking to get a certain professor you might not get them for the two to three years that you’re there. The MFA program I attended at Rutgers-Newark accepted only 8 poets internationally each year. Because of this, it was highly competitive to get in, but we got individualized teaching and mentorship from the faculty.

4) Get a Professional to Review Your Material

This is very important and will give you an edge over others! I’ve helped other students get into graduate programs (and one recently got accepted to an MFA program. YAY!) and it really matters if you have an individual who is familiar with the application process and has the skill set to look it over.

If a professor looks over it, they’ve gotten their Masters, maybe even their PhD. They’ve been up to bat before, they’ve done an application, and they’ve looked over countless others. In addition to that, they’re going to know certain keywords and other items that you should put into the application to get it accepted.

For example, a dear poetry friend and mentor of mine, Michael Vancalbergh, was my Comics & Graphic Novels teacher. I once told him in an assignment that I was a budding poet and he was like, “No no no no no. You have to apply to an MFA program.” So we started going over my poetry, my personal statement, and my resume. With only three months leading up to the deadline for the application he was tearing my stuff to bits. I also had two other professors, Barbara Foley and Frances Bartkowski, doing the same thing. Vancalbergh was a published writer whose written poetry and poetry reviews while Foley and Bartkowski had either written books of theory, fiction, or both while being full-time faculty at the university.

So the more heads on your application, the better. It’ll be easier for others to help you polish your application.

5) Put Together a Great Portfolio

You will need a collection of your work when applying to an MFA program. This obviously is the most telling portion of your application because this determines many things like if you will be able to grow with the program, if the faculty would be able to work with you, and if you have the overall potential to become a better writer by the time you graduate.

There are other ways that you can organize your portfolio but this isn’t a simple manuscript submission. You need to make sure you’re putting your best work in the pile. Organize it in a way where you’re putting your best poem first, followed by your next best poem, and so on. You have to catch the attention of these judges that are reading the portfolios and if they see that your first couple of poems are strong, they’ll be able to see potential when reading the rest of your work.

6) Have a Solid Personal Statement

Judges will look at this soon after they’ve looked at your work. Although your portfolio is vital, your personal statement is just as important. This is your chance to tell them who you are as a person and as a writer. This is the moment that the poet behind the poem and the person behind the poet gets to explain who they really are. Depending on the school you are applying to, the questions would be along the lines of, “why do you want to get your MFA?” and, “what are you going to do after you get your MFA?”

Make sure it’s knockout and that you’ve had individuals in academia look through it to suggest changes. The personal statement, after your portfolio, could be the deciding factor of an acceptance or rejection.

7) Have Great Recommendations

I like to think that the recommendation letters are equivalent to an extra Draw 4 in Uno. If you’re application is neck and neck with one or several individuals— meaning you and those others have very similar applications— the strength of your recommendation letter can put you over others,

Make sure they’re coming from the most highly decorated people you know (particularly in poetry, secondarily in academia) and make sure that they can talk very nicely about you.

BE AWARE, that references WILL BE HONEST in their perceptions of you. This is another one of those countless reasons it’s good to be a nice, upstanding person!

Also, allow them time to write the recommendation. No one likes to write a letter on short notice and this can cause your reference to be haphazard or generic. If the request is too short notice, they may deny writing it altogether!

8) Have an MFA Geared Resume

It’s great if you have been a nurse in the Peace Corps or a volunteer firefighter. Those things make you quite interesting. Even if you were a cashier or an administrative assistant, thats cool, too! The reviewers just want to know what you’ve done up until this point.

What many fail to realize about the MFA application is that what the reviewers really look for are literary- based highlights. Have you volunteered or participated at open mics, attended any workshops, published any work, or have done anything else in the literary space? This will make the institution feel as if you are serious about your writing career and you’re ready to be in an MFA program.

So are you ready to be in a MFA program?

Now this is where your research and decision making begins. Trust the process, this shouldn’t be something that takes a day to figure out.

Click on the links throughout this article and check Poets and Writers for more MFA information.

Watch my MFA playlist on YouTube and search creative writing resumes in your search engine.

If you still feel as though you need additional help after reading my blog and watching the video below, contact me for a consultation or edits and you’ll be sure to get some extra insight on how to make that application shine.

If you need to get on a writing routine, for just $7.99, you can take part in my online writing community of poets. Click on the picture to learn more.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing The Write Stuff for Writers

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Grow Your Writing Passion into a Career with Liberty’s Online MFA in Creative Writing

Many people write creatively, but few hone their skills to develop their writing craft to its highest form. Even fewer learn the other skills it takes to become a successful writer, such as the steps needed to get a book published and into the hands of readers. Liberty’s 100% online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing can help you develop your writing passion into a career so you can set your works free to impact culture and the world.

Employers in every industry need professionals who have strong writing skills, so you can be confident that your ability to write effectively can also help set you apart in your current career. With in-demand writing expertise and the ability to customize your degree with electives in literature or writing practice, Liberty’s online MFA in Creative Writing can help you achieve your professional writing goals.

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is designed to help you build on your writing skills with specific workshops dedicated to the craft of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or screenwriting. With a work-in-progress approach to writing practice and mentorship from our faculty of experienced writers and scholars, you can learn the specific skills you need to make your writing stand out.

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Why Choose Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing?

Our online MFA in Creative Writing is mainly offered in an 8-week course format, and our tuition rate for graduate programs hasn’t increased in 9 years. Through our program, you can study the writing process and develop your creative skills through workshops with experienced writing professionals. With our flexible format, you can grow in your creative writing while continuing to do what is important to you.

As a terminal degree, the online MFA in Creative Writing can also help you pursue opportunities to teach writing at the K-12 or college level. You will gain comprehensive and in-depth exposure to writing, literature, publishing, and many other professional writing skills that you can pass on to students. Partner with the Liberty family and learn under faculty who have spent years in the field you love. Your career in professional writing starts here.

What Will You Study in Our MFA in Creative Writing?

The MFA in Creative Writing program is designed to help you become an excellent creative writer across the genres of creative fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and poetry. You can learn how to produce aesthetically and culturally engaged creative works while gaining professional knowledge and practice. You will also study foundational contemporary literature so that you have a background in studying important works to draw on for your writing.

To help you in your professional writing, you will also study many essential skills in editing, layout, and the business of publishing so that you can best position yourself for success in the market. Through your creative writing courses and workshops, you can develop your craft so that you will be ready for your thesis project.

Here are a few examples of the skills Liberty’s MFA in Creative Writing can help you master:

• Marketing your projects and pursuing new writing opportunities
• Organizing writing and adapting it to different types of writing
• Tailoring writing to specific audiences and markets
• Understanding what makes art effective, compelling, and impactful
• Writing compelling stories that engage readers

Potential Career Opportunities

• Book and magazine writer
• Business communications specialist
• Creative writing instructor
• Publications editor
• Screenwriter
• Website copy editor and writer
• Writing manager

Featured Courses

• ENGL 600 – Editing, Layout, and Publishing
• ENGL 601 – Writing as Cultural Engagement
• ENGL 603 – Literary Theory and Practice
• WRIT 610 – Writing Fiction

Degree Information

• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides (login required).
• Download and review the Graduate Manual for MFA .

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Admission Information for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form .
• Creative Writing Sample – A creative writing sample of one creative writing work of at least 2,500 words or a culmination of creative writing samples totaling 2,500 words.*
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

*A sample of one or more poems totaling a minimum of 750 words may also be submitted. Song lyrics are not accepted at this time as writing samples.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
• Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
• If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application .
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Dual Enrollment

Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.

Transcript Policies

Unofficial college transcript policy.

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

• Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
• Cumulative GPA
• A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
• Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

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• Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
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• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an mfa in creative writing.

A Master of Fine Arts degree, or MFA, is a terminal degree in an artistic craft that demonstrates that you have achieved the highest level of training and skill in your discipline. Like a doctorate, an MFA often allows you to teach courses at the graduate level while also providing many opportunities for scholarship and leadership in education. If you want to grow your creative writing skills to become the best writer you can be, then the Master of Fine Arts can help you get there.

How will students work towards developing their writing skills?

With creative writing workshops and a thesis project, you will receive support and guidance to help you become the best writer you can be.

How long will it take to complete the MFA in Creative Writing?

You can complete the MFA in Creative Writing in just 48 credit hours!

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What You Won’t Learn in an MFA

An mfa can teach you skills, but will it prepare you for a writing career.

By 2018, I had written five books and decided to pursue an MFA in creative writing with a concentration in fiction. For me, earning an MFA gave me the time and space I needed to quit my day job and transition to writing full-time, but that was something I had been building toward for over a decade. Of course, I can’t speak to all MFA programs, but in many cases, they focus almost exclusively on writing skills and don’t give writers the concrete skills they need to make money writing and publishing. I often found myself answering questions for my classmates about what publishing was really like. It simply wasn’t being taught, sometimes because faculty themselves were struggling with how to navigate writing as a business.

An MFA program may be the right choice to help you become a better writer, or because you want the qualification to teach writing at a college; it may not give you insights into navigating the publishing landscape.

Here are some of the professional development skills you may need to gain outside of the classroom on your writing journey.

Getting published

Many MFA programs don’t talk to authors about the good, the bad, and the ugly in both traditional publishing and self-publishing. There is often an assumption that if you’re in an MFA program, you’ll be seeking a traditional publishing deal. But most programs also don’t teach writers the skills to query small presses or agents who can query large presses. Even as self-publishing has become an increasingly popular publishing choice, many MFA programs aren’t giving students a clear picture of what it involves.

Contracting

My MFA program was great, but never once during my studies did I hear anyone talk about how to read, negotiate, or understand a contract. As an indie author, you’ll have fewer contracts to interact with than authors who choose to traditionally publish their work, but contracts will still come up—contracts with designers who are working on your books, contracts with podcasts or magazines publishing excerpts of your work. In my MFA program, students who were publishing were left to talk with each other to try to understand how contracts work. Most writers aren’t legal experts, and we benefit from having either a private attorney or an attorney through an organization such as the Author’s Guild review our contracts. I would love to see MFA programs better prepare writers to navigate these business interactions, to negotiate writing rates, and to understand what rights we may be signing away with a particular contract.

Writing to market

The culture of MFA programs often shames or diminishes the idea of writing to market, and instead prioritizes creating literary art for the sake of art. This is a completely valid way to approach your writing life. However, if your goal is to publish your work and sell books, understanding the market and how to write books that appeal to readers is important. There’s nothing wrong with writing books with mass-market appeal, but, depending on the program you attend, you may not hear that in classes. Especially for writers considering the self-publishing route, learning how to understand current trends and how to write books that connect to them is invaluable.

Writing is your passion, and seeing your name in print might be your dream, but when it happens, your writing also becomes a business. Understanding how to manage a writing business is something that most new writers won’t have a lot of experience with. For example, when you get paid from book sales, speaking arrangements, or most anything to do with your books, taxes aren’t going to be withheld. Instead, you’ll need to put money aside to pay your taxes. MFA programs generally don’t cover these details or highlight the importance of hiring an accountant or tax professional to help you with setting up your writing business. You may need to form an LLC for your self-publishing business, open a business bank account, and file taxes appropriately for your writing work. As a self-published author, you also may need to keep records tracking orders and inventory.

Most authors are not able to make a living from books alone. Many writers are balancing a variety of different content creation and income streams. This may include teaching at a college or university (for which a terminal degree such as an MFA is required), freelance writing, and independent teaching, to name a few possibilities. The more writing programs can give MFA students the tools they need to understand the business side of their work, the more successful they will be.

Sassafras Lowrey writes fiction and nonfiction and was the recipient of the 2013 Lambda Literary Award for emerging LGBTQ writers.

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