2014, Archives, December 2014, The MFA Years

A Series of Questions

Is it the end of November already? Without seasons to guide you, it’s ridiculously easy to lose track of time in Southern California. While Whittier lives in a Winter Wonderland, I’m left wondering, “What winter?” On Thanksgiving it was 90 degrees. I wrote with my window open. Everyday I say I’m going to retire my… Continue reading A Series of Questions

2014, Archives, November 2014, The MFA Years

The Imagination Lives On: The Challenges of Teaching (Genre) Fiction

By the middle of the fiction unit it was clear some of my students understood that fiction is not just about randomly inventing but also about deliberately constructing worlds and sharing those worlds in an appealing way. For one, students were not ready to produce so much material. Poetry had been a challenging unit for… Continue reading The Imagination Lives On: The Challenges of Teaching (Genre) Fiction

2014, Archives, November 2014, The MFA Years

Adventures in MFA Applications

It's that time of year, isn't it? You're frantically searching Google for any advice when it comes to applying for programs. MFA Draft is picking up, you start writing those letters to your recommenders asking them as kindly as you can to please send that letter (because you have been stalking them on Facebook, and… Continue reading Adventures in MFA Applications