Creative Writing Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register for a creative writing class?
In order to register for a creative writing class, you will need to submit a writing sample to the relevant instructor no more than two days before the first meeting of class. You will then need to attend the first class, after which accepted students will be given a registration code. Pre-registration or early registration is not possible for creative writing courses: You must register for them during the semester they are offered.
What are my chances of being accepted to a writing class?
This depends on how many students apply to any given class, and varies from semester to semester. Writing workshops by nature must be small, and each class usually has about 10-12 students. We offer 4-7 workshops each semester; you may wish to have an alternative class in mind, just in case.
What should the writing sample consist of?
Unless otherwise noted, writing samples should consist of 4-7 pages of creative work, geared to the genre of the class you’re interested in. This can be, for example, 4-7 poems, depending on their length, a long story, or a few shorter stories. The most important thing is that the work should be creative; academic essays are not suitable in this case. These workshops are designed to help writers improve their skills, so the writing samples are not expected to be perfect. Samples should be submitted to the department office. Email submissions are not accepted.
I’ve never taken a creative writing class, but would like to. Where would be a good place for me to start?
ENG 19a, Introduction to creative writing is a good option for beginning writers, as is ENG 39a, Poetry the Beginner’s Ear, and ENG 19b, Autobiographical Imagination.
What is the difference between Directed Writing: Fiction, and Directed Writing: Short Fiction?
Directed Writing: Fiction is a more advanced workshop. Students who have never taken a fiction class but are interested in doing so would be better served by taking the short fiction class first.
What is the difference between the thesis option CW major, and the regular CW major? Where can I find the requirements for both?
The regular CW major is designed to allow maximum freedom and development to its majors. By not requiring a thesis, majors may take more workshops, and expand their abilities without the pressure of writing a book in a single year. Acceptance to the thesis option is by application only. The thesis option requires 3 CW workshops to the standard major’s 4, but in addition requires a two-semester thesis and a tutorial bibliography. You can find the requirements for both, as well as the requirements for the double major here.
When is the deadline to apply to the CW thesis track? What do I do to apply?
The deadline varies from year to year, but is generally in late March or early April. Accepted students are notified at the end of the spring semester. The application should include a sample of work (20 pages of poetry, or 35-50 pages of fiction) as well as a transcript of courses taken to date.
I have more questions that haven’t been answered here. What should I do?
Contact the English Department at chaucer@brandeis.edu, or at 781-736-2130
this page updated July 27, 2005