lumen learning creative writing

Learn how Writing Skills Lab was developed to address college readiness gaps by Lumen Learning and the writing and rhetoric team at University of Mississippi.

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See the learning outcomes for yourself.

All instructional content is outcome-aligned, including curated existing open educational resources (OER) and original new OER developed for this course. Content includes text, video, images, assessments. etc. 

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Waymaker Writing Skills Lab

Waymaker Writing Skills Lab focuses on the rhetorical content and strategies that are the baseline of effective college writing but also tend to give students trouble.

Course scope gives students a way to master rhetorical concepts and skills in small bites, through practice opportunities and targeted feedback.

Instructors can have students work through the material at their own pace or assign portions that align with what they’re covering in class.

• Updates to course include two new modules, “Reflection” and “Revision." Learn more about the updates in our blog .

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Coming June 30, 2020!

Lumen Learning will be releasing a new Corequisite Waymaker course for English Composition . This course will cover content traditionally taught in the first half of Composition, but supported with additional content for students to review and practice prerequisite reading and writing skills. 

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Earning A Master’s In Creative Writing: What To Know

Updated: Nov 1, 2023, 1:51pm

Do you want to create written work that ignites a reader’s imagination and even changes their worldview? With a master’s in creative writing, you can develop strong storytelling and character development skills, equipping you to achieve your writing goals.

If you’re ready to strengthen your writing chops and you enjoy writing original works to inspire others, tell interesting stories and share valuable information, earning a master’s in creative writing may be the next step on your career journey.

The skills learned in a creative writing master’s program qualify you to write your own literary works, teach others creative writing principles or pursue various other careers.

This article explores master’s degrees in creative writing, including common courses and concentrations, admission requirements and careers that use creative writing skills. Read on to learn more about earning a master’s degree in creative writing.

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What Is a Master’s in Creative Writing?

A master’s in creative writing is an advanced degree that helps you develop the skills to write your own novel, poetry, screenplay or nonfiction book. This degree can also prepare you for a career in business, publishing, education, marketing or communications.

In a creative writing master’s degree program, you can expect to analyze literature, explore historical contexts of literary works, master techniques for revising and editing, engage in class workshops and peer critiques, and write your own original work.

Creative writing master’s programs usually require a thesis project, which should be well-written, polished and ready to publish. Typical examples of thesis projects include poetry collections, memoirs, essay collections, short story collections and novels.

A master’s in creative writing typically requires about 36 credits and takes two years to complete. Credit requirements and timelines vary by program, so you may be able to finish your degree quicker.

Specializations for a Master’s in Creative Writing

Below are a few common concentrations for creative writing master’s programs. These vary by school, so your program’s offerings may look different.

This concentration helps you develop fiction writing skills, such as plot development, character creation and world-building. A fiction concentration is a good option if you plan to write short stories, novels or other types of fiction.

A nonfiction concentration focuses on the mechanics of writing nonfiction narratives. If you plan to write memoirs, travel pieces, magazine articles, technical documents or nonfiction books, this concentration may suit you.

Explore the imagery, tone, rhythm and structure of poetry with a poetry concentration. With this concentration, you can expect to develop your poetry writing skills and learn to curate poetry for journals and magazines.

Screenwriting

Screenwriting is an excellent concentration to explore if you enjoy creating characters and telling stories to make them come alive for television or film. This specialization covers how to write shorts, episodic serials, documentaries and feature-length film scripts.

Admission Requirements for a Master’s in Creative Writing

Below are some typical admission requirements for master’s in creative writing degree programs. These requirements vary, so check with your program to ensure you’ve met the appropriate requirements.

• Application for admission
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Transcripts from previous education
• Writing samples
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement or essay

Common Courses in a Master’s in Creative Writing

Story and concept.

This course focuses on conceptualizing, planning and developing stories on a structural level. Learners study how to generate ideas, develop interesting plots, create outlines, draft plot arcs, engage in world-building and create well-rounded characters who move their stories forward.

Graduate Studies in English Literature

Understanding literature is essential to building a career in creative writing. This course prepares you to teach, study literature or write professionally. Expect to discuss topics such as phonology, semantics, dialects, syntax and the history of the English language.

Workshop in Creative Nonfiction

You’ll study classic and contemporary creative nonfiction in this course. Workshops in creative nonfiction explore how different genres have emerged throughout history and how previous works influence new works. In some programs, this course focuses on a specific theme.

Foundations in Fiction

In this course, you’ll explore how the novel has developed throughout literary history and how the short story emerged as an art form. Coursework includes reading classic and contemporary works, writing response essays and crafting critical analyses.

MA in Creative Writing vs. MFA in Creative Writing: What’s the Difference?

While the degrees are similar, a master of arts in creative writing is different from a master of fine arts in creative writing. An MA in creative writing teaches creative writing competencies, building analytical skills through studying literature, literary theory and related topics. This lets you explore storytelling along with a more profound knowledge of literature and literary theory.

If you want your education to take a more academic perspective so you can build a career in one of many fields related to writing, an MA in creative writing may be right for you.

An MFA prepares you to work as a professional writer or novelist. MFA students graduate with a completed manuscript that is ready for publishing. Coursework highlights subjects related to the business of writing, such as digital publishing, the importance of building a platform on social media , marketing, freelancing and teaching. An MA in creative writing also takes less time and requires fewer credits than an MFA.

If you want to understand the business of writing and work as a professional author or novelist, earning an MFA in creative writing might be your best option.

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Creative Writing?

Below are several careers you can pursue with a master’s in creative writing. We sourced salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Postsecondary Creative Writing Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $74,280 Minimum Required Education: Ph.D. or another doctoral degree; master’s degree may be accepted at some schools and community colleges Job Overview: Postsecondary teachers, also known as professors or faculty, teach students at the college level. They plan lessons, advise students, serve on committees, conduct research, publish original research, supervise graduate teaching assistants, apply for grants for their research and teach subjects in their areas of expertise.

Median Annual Salary: $73,080 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in English or a related field Job Overview: Editors plan, revise and edit written materials for publication. They work for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, advertising agencies, media networks, and motion picture and video production companies. Editors work closely with writers to ensure their written work is accurate, grammatically correct and written in the appropriate style for the medium.

Median Annual Salary: $55,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field Job Overview: Journalists research and write stories about local, regional, national and global current events and other newsworthy subjects. Journalists need strong interviewing, editing, analytical and writing skills. Some journalists specialize in a subject, such as sports or politics, and some are generalists. They work for news organizations, magazines and online publications, and some work as freelancers.

Writer or Author

Median Annual Salary: $73,150 Minimum Required Education: None; bachelor’s degree in creative writing or a related field sometimes preferred Job Overview: Writers and authors write fiction or nonfiction content for magazines, plays, blogs, books, television scripts and other forms of media. Novelists, biographers, copywriters, screenwriters and playwrights all fall into this job classification. Writers may work for advertising agencies, news platforms, book publishers and other organizations; some work as freelancers.

Technical Writer

Median Annual Salary: $79,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Technical writers craft technical documents, such as training manuals and how-to guides. They are adept at simplifying technical information so lay people can easily understand it. Technical writers may work with technical staff, graphic designers, computer support specialists and software developers to create user-friendly finished pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Master's in Creative Writing

Is a master’s in creative writing useful.

If your goal is to launch a career as a writer, then yes, a master’s in creative writing is useful. An MA in creative writing is a versatile degree that prepares you for various jobs requiring excellent writing skills.

Is an MFA better than an MA for creative writing?

One is not better than the other; you should choose the one that best equips you for the career you want. An MFA prepares you to build a career as a professional writer or novelist. An MA prepares you for various jobs demanding high-level writing skills.

What kind of jobs can you get with a creative writing degree?

A creative writing degree prepares you for many types of writing jobs. It helps you build your skills and gain expertise to work as an editor, writer, author, technical writer or journalist. This degree is also essential if you plan to teach writing classes at the college level.

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Sheryl Grey is a freelance writer who specializes in creating content related to education, aging and senior living, and real estate. She is also a copywriter who helps businesses grow through expert website copywriting, branding and content creation. Sheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Indiana University South Bend, and she received her teacher certification training through Bethel University’s Transition to Teaching program.

Want to adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open practices.

Purpose of a Portfolio

The purpose of a portfolio is to showcase your final drafts and to do a self-assessment to evaluate what you have learned.

Organizational Instructions

The following is a set of instructions of what is expected in the portfolio. It is listed in the order that the portfolio should be organized.

• Title the portfolio with a creative title representing the entire collection of poems you’ve written. Example: Poems: Word Pictures
• Include your first and last name
• Include the name of the class: ENGL 1465–Creative Writing
• Include the due date
• Include a photo of yourself working on one of your poems on a computer.
• Font size should be 24 pt. or 36 pt. Choose a font size that makes the title fit on one line. Also, choose a font that is readable.
• The titles of the poems should be left-justified near the one-inch margin edge.
• Page numbers should be right-justified near the one-inch margin edge.
• Dots between the titles and page numbers are optional.
• Do not list the the title page or the table of contents page page on the table of contents page.
• Use an easy-to-read 12 pt. font.
• Step back and look at your poems critically.
• Write an evaluative essay (500-1,000 words).
• Which poem is your best work? Best work does not necessarily mean your favorite work. Best work means the one that is written well. How did you go about writing it? Why is it your best work? Cite specific examples from the poem to defend why you think it is your most effective piece.
• Which poem would you just as soon forget or trash? what problems did you encounter with it? Why is it your least effective piece? Cite specific examples from the text of the poem to prove why you think it is your least effective piece.
• What are you able to do as a poet that you couldn’t do before taking this class? Be specific by identifying more than one example. What in the class helped you the most with your writing?
• What did you learn about yourself by completing this portfolio?
• What are your writing goals for the summer?
• Make a section title page titled Final Drafts
• Imagery Poem
• Figure of Speech Poem
• Allusion or Symbol Poem
• Copy and paste the graded final drafts into the portfolio from the most effective to the least effective poem. Do not include the rubrics in the portfolio. You will need that information, however, for the next step.
• Revise all final drafts in the portfolio before submitting your portfolio. Follow the directions provided ont he graded assignment as well as the rubric. It’s a good idea to compare your original final draft submission with the graded final draft in order to understand what kind of revisions have been made by the instructor and what kind of revisions still need to be made.

Formatting Instructions

• The portfolio project must be typed in a Microsoft Word document (.docx).
• Use an easy to read 12 pt. font for all the sections except the title page.
• Use 1″ margins.
• Double-space the essay page.
• Single-space the poems.
• Put page numbers in the lower right-hand corner. When page numbers are at the bottom of the page, you do not need to include your last name.
• Leave the name heading on the final drafts of your poems in the top left-hand corner.

Introduction to Creative Writing by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Writing - TCC OER Subject Guide: OER starting points

• OER starting points
• OER licenses
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This guide compiles starting points for OER and freely available resources for English and Writing  courses and topics. This OER subject guide was created for TCC faculty and staff and reflects TCC courses and curriculum. The purpose of this guide is to help faculty and staff more easily find and review OER in their areas so that they can make decisions about quality, accuracy, relevancy, and potential use.

OER starting points for writing, by course area/theme and material type

General writing handbooks.

• Curriculum & online lab resources
• Anthologies & essays

Pre-college writing

Rhetoric and composition.

• Resources for ELA & multilingual students

Technical writing

Writing about literature, bible as literature, environmental literature/writing, health care writing, culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy, textbooks, courses, and readers:.

• Writing, Reading, and College Success: A First-Year Composition Course for All Learners (OER textbook) Athena Kashyap & Erika Dyquisto, City College of San Francisco, 2020. Funded by an ASCCC grant. "The goal for this textbook was to revise and adapt the open educational resource (OER) textbook, Writing for Success [...] We succeeded in meeting our goal by adding additional scaffolding for developmental and ESL learners to help them with reading, writing, and college success skills; materials for learning in multiple modalities; teacher resources; and expanded materials about the reading and writing process. This in-depth revision allowed us to combine pre-collegiate level English instruction along with first year composition materials." Organized into 12 chapters, including a grammar chapter. Integrates checklists and exercises throughout. Online, PDF, print book files, and LMS course formats. CC BY-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• About Writing: A Guide (revised edition) Revised 2016 textbook edition created by Oregon community college instructor. Beginning writing text includes the basics of composition, grammar, citing, and research -- broken down into easy-to-tackle sections. Includes a "Multilingual Writers and ESL Challenges" section. Available formats include web, e-pub, PDF, and MOBI. Licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution).
• A Guide to Rhetoric, Genre, and Success in First-Year Writing (OER textbook) OER textbook created by Cleveland State University professors, 2017. Organized into 12 chapters plus appendices. Many chapters include a "Deeper Reading" section. Online, EPUB, and digital PDF formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand. more... less... Suggested by TCC instructor Sabine Endicott
• (Re)Writing Communities and Identities - Sixth Edition (OER textbook) Phillip Marzluf, et al., Kansas State University, 2021, last updated 2024. "Enables college-level students to develop their ability to compose various informative and expressive genres, including analyses, reflections, summaries, syntheses, and informative reports. While students raise their consciousness about their writing process and audience-based informative strategies, they also familiarize themselves with important social and cultural issues related to the theme of 'identities and communities.'" Organized into 7 chapters, including a handbook. PDF format. CC BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Pocket Style Guide (OER guide) Frost & Samra et al., Kellogg Community College, 2020, via LibreTexts platform. "This is by no means a complete reference for every English question you might encounter in your life; however, it is a collection of common issues and areas of concern that professors across all disciplines address." Organized into 5 main sections: Etiquette Issues, Writing, Grammar and Punctuation, Research and Documentation, and Writing for Employment. Online, PDF, print book files, and LMS course formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing for Success Textbook "that provides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and composition." Includes a chapter for English Language Learners and has sections on sentence-creation and grammar. 2015, Univ. of Minnesota. Multiple file formats available to download and edit. CC BY NC SA 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial).Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing for Success – 1st Canadian H5P Edition (OER textbook) Tara Horkoff, BCcampus (Canada), 2021. A "text that provides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and composition. It includes over 150 interactive H5P activities." The self-check H5P activities are integrated throughout text, with grammar activities concentrated in chs. 2-3. Online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and Common Cartridge (web links) formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• The Word on College Reading and Writing Created by Oregon community college instructors, 2017. Uses a reading apprenticeship-style approach to teaching reading and writing; organized into two main sections, Part I Working with Texts and Part II Writing. PDF and online versions available, as well as peer reviews. Licensed under a CC BY NC license (Creative Commons - Attribution - Noncommercial). Eligible for Print on Demand.
• EmpoWord: A Student-Centered Anthology & Handbook for College Writers 2018, Portland State Univ. Three major sections: Description Narration and Reflection; Text Wrestling; and Research and Argumentation. Designed for 1st and 2nd-year college composition courses. Strong emphasis on vocabulary, concepts, and strategies, as well as using student writing to exemplify those writing strategies. Online and PDF versions available for entire text and individual chapters. Licensed under a CC BY NC license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial). Eligible for Print on Demand.

Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):

• Writing Commons Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).
• The Writing Center @ UNC-Chapel Hill Excellent handouts and videos around key writing concepts, including Writing the Paper; Citation, Style, and Sentence Level Concerns; Specific Writing Assignments or Contexts; and Writing for Specific Fields. Licensed under CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).

Curriculum & online lab resources

• University Writing Resources (OER collection) Collection of openly licensed writing handouts, assignments, assessments, etc., provided by Auburn University writing instructors, shared 2022. Materials "support students and instructors across the disciplines in their writing and writing instruction. We define writing broadly, so you will find resources on ePortfolios, visual design, professional communication, and presentations in addition to traditional writing tasks like reflective writing, literature reviews, peer review, and editing and proofing." Use subject tags on the right to narrow down, including resources for Abstracts, Peer Review, Plagiarism, Research Writing, STEM Writing, and more. All resources provided in both PDF and editable Word formats. Materials have CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
• Project CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments) An open access resource for faculty and librarians. It is intended to be a collaborative space for adapting and experimenting with research assignments and sharing the success or lessons learned so that others may benefit. The database contains multiple, reliable and reproducible research assignments.
• RUwrite online writing lab Regent University, created 2020. Online writing lab created as an open alternative comparable to MyWritingLab. "To help you become a professional leader with strong writing skills, this digital learning experience will guide you through the fundamentals of excellent writing. Your journey will begin with essentials related to grammar and sentence construction. As you progress through the units, you will sequentially build your skills to applying punctuation correctly and writing in a scholarly voice." Organized into four units: Topic 1: Parts of Speech, Topic 2: Structuring Your Sentences, Topic 3: Polishing your Punctuation, and Topic 4: Writing in a Clear, Scholarly Voice. Each unit has embedded videos and practice exercises using Google Forms. (Note: You do NOT have to have a Google email address for the exercises.) Online format. Site utilizes openly licensed content. more... less... Case study written about creating this online writing lab, Open Solutions: Creating an OER Writing Lab at https://virginialibrariesjournal.org/articles/10.21061/valib.v65i1.604/print/
• Excelsior Online Writing & Reading Labs Online writing and reading labs from Excelsior College, updated 2023. Online Writing Lab includes slides and activities for aspects of the writing process, including Grammar Essentials, Avoiding Plagiarism, Academic Writing 101, and more. Online Reading Comprehension Lab includes sections for Previewing, Questioning, Paraphrasing, and more. Online format, with embeddable activities and exercises. All PDFs updated for accessibility. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.

Anthologies & essays

• 88 Open Essays: A Reader for Students of Composition & Rhetoric (open collection) Edited by Sarah Wangler and Tina Ulrich, Northwestern Michigan College, 2019, "This book is a free and open resource for composition instructors and students, full of essays that could supplement OER rhetoric and writing texts that lack readings. All of the essays in this reader are versatile rhetorically and thematically. It is arranged alphabetically by author name. Each essay has a series of hashtags that apply to the essay in some way. You can search for essays thematically for topics like education, the environment, politics, or health. You can also search for essays based on composition concepts like analysis, synthesis, and research. You can search for essays that are based on shared values, essays that rely heavily on ethos, logos, or pathos, essays that are very kairos-dependent, and essays that are scholarly." Online, digital PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Bad Ideas About Writing (OER collection) West Virginia University, 2017. A compilation of essays from English and writing instructors that push back against established ideas and stereotypes about writing and research. "[T]he same core questions such as what is good writing, what makes a good writer, how should writing be assessed, and the like persist across contexts, technologies, and eras. The project has its genesis in frustration, but what emerges is hope: hope for leaving aside bad ideas and thinking about writing in more productive, inclusive, and useful ways." Faculty peer reviews of this text available on this site. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• My Slipper Floated Away: New American Memoirs (OER anthology) Anthology of 25+ essays written by students at Lehman College in the Bronx, 2020. "The writers are immigrants or the children of immigrants and/or POC. They grew up hearing gunshots and sirens at night, played fire escape basketball and still celebrate Thanksgiving by dancing. The stories reveal the writers' intense longing to belong in America and their passion to succeed in this country, while dealing with myriad challenges. They bear witness, in riveting, artful narratives that will be revelatory to Americans who fear and resent immigrants or people of color." Essays grouped by theme (e.g. Resilience). PDF format. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial - No-Derivatives) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Spaces Peer-reviewed essays on writing, "an open textbook project for college-level writing studies courses. Each volume contains peer-reviewed collections of essays about writing—all composed by teachers for students.” Each essay and volume available as web or downloadable PDF versions. Click the “Downloads” tab to browse and download essays. Could be used for a textbook or as supplemental sources. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Public Domain Core Collection Collaboration between Ryerson and Brock universities (Canada). "The Public Domain Core Collection consists of over 50 titles of public domain works that have been created using Pressbooks and made available in online, epub, pdf and editable formats." Includes classic fiction and non-fiction titles, in areas of American and African-American literature, British literature, women's literature, classic philosophy, mythology, political science, and more. Public Domain. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Entering the Conversation: A College Composition Compilation Edited by Naomi Salmon, UW-Madison. "This collection of readings that emerged out of partnerships between OER enthusiasts, composition instructors at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and contributors who shared ideas and resources on a Twitter thread about open composition." Readings, essay and discussion prompts, and activities. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing LCC: An Anthology of Student Writing Collected at Lansing Community College Lansing, Michigan (OER collection) Open pedagogy collection of student essays from English courses at Lansing Community College, 2020. "Student writing collected from English classes at Lansing Community College with brief notes from instructors. Intended audience--faculty and students. A brief annotated bibliography about publishing student writing and permission form in Appendices." Online, PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution). Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Composition Reading Bank (libguide) Compiled by Columbus State Community Library College, last updated 2021, "a repository of links to freely available texts that replaces a traditional reader for Composition courses." Organized into tabs for common topics, such as Society & Culture, Identity, Food & Health, and more. Online format. Most articles are not openly licensed but are freely available online. Not eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Unleashed: Reader Compiled by Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2020. "This reader contains example genres and strategies, along with example arguments and other general readings. It contains full accessibility." Word format via Google Docs; make a copy to edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Reading Anthology: Three Levels (OER course) OER course from Lumen and currently hosted by LibreTexts. Online reading anthology organized into three modules/levels with openly licensed/public domain readings. Each level includes both creative and non-fiction readings. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Thematic Reading Anthology (OER ancillary materials) OER course from Lumen and currently hosted by LibreTexts. Curated collection of openly licensed or public domain primary texts, organized thematically, including themes of Food, Culture, Nature & Conservation, Technology, Health Care, Politics, and Literature. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• TheConversation.com "Academic rigor, journalistic flair." A collection of essays and articles on current issues, written by academics. Browse by topic, e.g., Arts + Culture and Economy + Energy. Online format. CC BY- ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NoDerivatives) format.
• Building Blocks of Academic Writing (OER textbook) Carellin Brooks, BCcampus (Canada), 2020. Designed for intermediate level and Adult Basic Education curriculum. "Covers typical writing situations for developing academic writers, from prewriting and research through expressing themselves online. Developmental work in different types of paragraphs—descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive—allows students to build capacity for longer essays." Organized into 11 chapters, each with review questions for writing practice. Includes an appendix for Grammar Review. Faculty peer reviews of this text on this site. Online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and Common Cartridge formats. CC BY NC (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• ENGL000: Pre-College English course (OER course) Saylor Academy course, with 5 units focusing on active reading and analytic writing, as well as an intro to the expository essay. Includes active reading practice in each unit, plus study guides and review exercises available. Web version only. TIP: Click on the "Resources" menu link for a shortcut to the files and link to resources used in the course. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
• Basic Reading and Writing (OER course) OER course from Lumen and currently hosted by LibreTexts. “Focuses on helping students identify and apply foundational concepts and skills in reading and writing.” Organized into 5 main modules: Success Skills, Critical Reading, Writing Process, Research Process, and Grammar. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand.

TCC-created resources: 

Additional Canvas course shells:

• Successful College Composition (3rd Edition) Created by Georgia State University instructors, 3rd edition published 2019. A reworking of the "Writing for Success" OER text, with a new instructor's manual. Online, PDF, Word, and course cartridge file formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Rhetoric and Composition: A Guide for the College Writer Includes a “Grammar and Mechanics” section. last updated 2021, Wikibooks. Online, printable, and PDF versions available. CC BY SA 3.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Skills Lab (OER course) Lumen Learning online course developed in collaboration with Univ. of Mississippi writing faculty, and currently hosted by LibreTexts, last updated 2020. Organized into 9 module. Focuses more on academic reading and arguments. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• ENGL001: English Composition I Saylor Academy course, with 4 units focusing on critical thinking and academic writing skills. Includes study guides and review exercises. Web version only. TIP: Click on the "Resources" menu link for a shortcut to the files and link to resources used in the course. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
• ENGL002: English Composition II Saylor Academy course, with 6 units focusing on basic research concepts and writing techniques. Includes study guides and review exercises. Web version only. TIP: Click on the "Resources" menu link for a shortcut to the files and link to resources used in the course. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
• Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence Amy Guptill, Open SUNY, 2016. “Designed for students who have largely mastered high-school level conventions of formal academic writing and are now moving beyond the five-paragraph essay to more advanced engagement with text. It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes.” Available as PDF, e-book, and web page. Licensed under a CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike). Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Commons Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters, including the Writing Process, Academic Writing, and Rhetoric. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).
• Writer's Handbook, Writing Process and Structure From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. Sections on different stages of writing a paper, including getting started, drafting, and revising. Freely available online (not OER).
• Writer's Handbook, Academic and Professional Writing From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. Sections on different types of academic writing, including analysis and research papers. Freely available online (not OER).
• How Arguments Work - A Guide to Writing and Analyzing Texts in College (OER textbook) Anna Mills, City College of San Francisco, via LibreTexts platform, updated 2021. "How Arguments Work takes students through the techniques they will need to respond to readings and make sophisticated arguments in any college class. This is a practical guide to argumentation with strategies and templates for the kinds of assignments students will commonly encounter. It covers rhetorical concepts in everyday language and explores how arguments can build trust and move readers." Organized into 11 main chapters + a Teacher's Guide. Online, PDF, print book files, and course cartridge formats. CC BY NC (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Unleashed: Argument (OER textbook) OER textbook by Sybil Priebe, North Dakota State College of Science, 2019. Focuses on writing and understanding argument essays, with different examples of argument essays. Word format via Google Docs; make a copy to edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Informed Arguments: A Guide to Writing and Research, Revised 2nd ed. (OER textbook) Texas A&M University instructors, revised second edition 2022. "Our goal is for students to leave this course as critical thinkers, polished writers, and informed citizens who can engage in civil public discourse." Organized into 8 sections, including sections on Types of Argumentation, Joining the Academic Conversation, and Researched Writing . PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Designing Arguments for Academic, Public, and Professional Audiences - Fourteenth Edition (OER textbook) Phillip Marzluf, Kansas State University, 2021. "This college-level textbook guides students through five different types of arguments: evaluations, responses, persuasive rhetorical arguments, proposals, and practical professional development arguments." Organized into 6 chapters. PDF format. CC BY NC (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Reading, Writing and Evaluating Argument (OER textbook) Chris Werry, San Diego State University, 2018. OER textbook for first year writing, with sections on claims, strategies, close reading, analysis, drafting, fallacies. Integrates exercises and videos throughout. Includes a glossary. Editable Word format. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Intermediate College Writing: Building and Practicing Mindful Writing Skills (OER textbook) Dawn Atkinson and Stacey Corbitt, Montana Technological University, 2022. "An open textbook designed for use in university‐level courses that focus on cultivating study skills alongside effective academic and workplace writing skills." Designed for co-req models. Organized into 9 units, with 44 total chapters. Activities and discussion questions are embedded throughout, so this text could also be used as a workbook or the basis for activities or discussion forums. PDF format via Google Drive. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• EmpoWord: A Student-Centered Anthology & Handbook for College Writers 2018, Portland State Univ. Includes a major section on "Research and Argumentation." Designed for 1st and 2nd-year college composition courses. Strong emphasis on vocabulary, concepts, and strategies, as well as using student writing to exemplify those writing strategies. Online and PDF versions available for entire text and individual chapters. Licensed under a CC BY NC license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial). Eligible for Print on Demand.
• A Guide to Rhetoric, Genre, and Success in First-Year Writing (OER textbook) OER textbook created by Cleveland State University professors, 2017. Includes chapters on "Making Academic Arguments," "The Research Process," "Sources and Research," and "Ethical Source Integration." Many chapters include a "Deeper Reading" section. Online, EPUB, and digital PDF formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand. more... less... Includes chapters on "The Research Process," "Sources and Research," and "Ethical Source Integration."
• Writing in College: From Competence to Excellence 2016, Open SUNY Textbook. “It is well suited to composition courses or first-year seminars and valuable as a supplemental or recommended text in other writing-intensive classes.” Includes a chapter on argument. Available as PDF, e-book, and web page. Licensed under a CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike).
• Reading, Writing and Evaluating Argument – teaching materials (OER collection) Teaching materials for Chris Werry's Reading, Writing and Evaluating Argument OER textbook, linked above.

For TCC Library-created and external resources on research and information literacy skills, explore the Information Literacy and Research Skills OER subject guide , linked below, including sub-tabs for Research skills and information literacy , and for Research and writing .

• Information Literacy and Research Skills - TCC OER Subject Guide by Jennifer Snoek-Brown Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 50 views this year
• Brehe's Grammar Anatomy "Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy makes grammar accessible to general and specialist readers alike. This book provides an in-depth look at beginner grammar terms and concepts, providing clear examples with limited technical jargon." Practice exercises in each chapter. Includes glossary. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Conventions 101: A Functional Approach to Teaching (and Assessing!) Grammar and Punctuation “This is a collection of cumulative units of study for conventional errors common in student writing. It’s flexible, functional, and zeroes in problems typically seen in writing of all types, from the eternal “there/they’re/their” struggle to correct colon use. Units are organized from most simple to most challenging.” A “cheat sheet” is also included at the end of the textbook. Available in multiple formats, including PDF, online, eBook, and ePub. 2016, Columbia Gorge Community College. CC BY NC 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial) Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing for Success Univ. of Minnesota, originally published 2015, updated 2019. "[P]rovides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and composition." Includes a chapter for English Language Learners and has sections on sentence-creation and grammar. Multiple file formats available to download and edit. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• About Writing: A Guide (revised edition) Includes a chapter on Multilingual Writers and ESL Challenges, as well as other chapters on basic grammar. 2015, Klamath Community College in Oregon. CC BY 4.0 license (Creative Commons - Attribution). Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Writing Commons Web texts for students and faculty in college-level courses that require writing and research. Web texts are stand-alone modules with essays, activities, and supplemental materials. Ten main sections/chapters, including Style and Sentence-Level Mechanics. Web texts are available to print, email, PDF and hyperlink. Most are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - No Derivatives).
• Writer’s Handbook, Grammar and Punctuation From the UW-Madison Writer's Handbook. The “Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist” could be a particularly useful supplement for students. Freely available online (not OER).
• Daily Grammar Archive Links to free, self-paced grammar lessons and quizzes you could incorporate into classes. Daily Grammar consists of 440 lessons and 88 quizzes. Includes answers. Freely available online (not OER).

Resources for ELA  and multilingual students

• Intro to Academic Writing for ESOL Textbook and course, revised edition Sept. 2018. Written by a community college instructor in Oregon. Materials for ESOL learners with intermediate-high writing skills to help transition to college-level composition courses. Includes syllabus, textbook, slideshows, creative writing journal, and homework. Each unit previewable on website; files linked to Google Docs. CC BY NC SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) Eligible for Print on Demand.
• College ESL Writers: Applied Grammar and Composing Strategies for Success (OER textbook) Georgia State University, 2018. "[D]esigned as a comprehensive grammar and writing etext for high intermediate and advanced level non-native speakers of English. We open the text with a discussion on the sentence and then break it down into its elemental components, before reconstructing them into effective sentences with paragraphs and larger academic assignments. Following that, we provide instruction in paragraph and essay writing with several opportunities to both review the fundamentals as well as to demonstrate mastery and move on to more challenging assignments." Accessible PDF and Word formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Transition with Purpose: Pathways from English Language to Academic Study (OER textbook) Michele Miller and Anne Greenhoe, Portland State University Library, 2018. "This Open Access Textbook will guide students through their English language to academic degree studies [...] Key elements include culture and expectations in an American university, transferring academic skills from ESL to content-specific academic courses, and helpful exercises to be academically successful." Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Advanced Community College ESL Composition: An Integrated Skills Approach (OER textbook) Created by California Community College instructors, 2020. "This book has been created to provide a framework for building your skills in writing and critical thinking. It provides access to published samples from professional authors along with essay drafts from ESL students who have polished their skills in their respective writing courses." Organized into 4 main sections: The Writing Process, Sentence Structure, Literary Analysis, and Critical Thinking and Reading. Appendices include sample essays from ESL students. Faculty peer reviews of this text available on this site. Online and PDF formats. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.

Canvas course shells:

• Effective Professional Communication: A Rhetorical Approach (OER textbook) Rebekah Bennetch, et al, Univ. of Saskatchewan (Canada), 2021. "focuses on communicating in professional environments." Organized into 7 main chapters, including Technical Writing Essentials and Writing a Report, plus several appendices. Covers different modes of communication, including memos, letters, text messages, reports, and speeches. Online, PDF, EPUB, course cartridge, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Technical Writing Essentials:Introduction to Professional Communications in the Technical Fields - H5P Edition (OER textbook) Suzan Last, BCcampus (Canada), 2022. "This open textbook is designed to introduce readers to the basics of technical communication: audience and task analysis in workplace contexts, clear and concise communications style, effective document design, teamwork and collaboration, and fundamental research skills. This text includes over 40 interactive H5P activities created by Deb Nielsen." Organized into 8 chapters, plus appendices. Online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and Common Cartridge formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Technical Writing (Central Oregon CC textbook) Created by Central Oregon Community College instructors, 2017. "A textbook focusing on writing in the workplace, with an emphasis on audience analysis, writing for specific situations, document design, research processes, and visual aids." Organized into 14 chapters. Online, EPUB, Digital and Print PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Technical Writing Essentials (OER textbook) Created by Univ. of Victoria instructors (Canada), 2019. This open textbook "is designed to introduce readers to the basics of technical communication: audience and task analysis in workplace contexts, clear and concise communications style, effective document design, teamwork and collaboration, and fundamental research skills." Organized into 8 chapters plus appendices. Online, EPUB, Digital and Print PDFs, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Technical Writing Strategies (OER textbook) This text was adapted by Lumen Learning from materials developed by Dr. Elizabeth Lohman, with additional updates by Joshua Dickinson, Jefferson Community College / SUNY, 2017. "[O]verviews the fields of technical writing and professional communication. It includes sections introducing students to the field of study, audience-centered communications, APA and MLA formats, language and tone, visuals, websites, memos, letters, descriptive and prescriptive reports, classification and partition reports, white papers, informative presentations, research, problem analysis, summaries and responses, proposals, feasibility reports, persuasive presentations, and writing conventions." PDF format. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Howdy or Hello?: Technical and Business Communications (OER textbook) Matt McKinney, et al., Texas A&M University, 2021, revised pilot edition. "Technical writing courses introduce you to some of the most important aspects of writing in the worlds of science, technology, and business." Organized into 20 chapters, including chapters on different types of oral and written communications. PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Introduction to Professional Communications (OER textbook) Melissa Ashman, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Canada), 2018. "This book covers key business communications topics that will help you in your career, including intercultural communication, team work, professional writing, audience analysis and adapting messages, document formatting, oral communication, and more.” Organized into 8 main parts, with sub-sections. Includes links to two open online course packs using this text. Online, EPUB, Digital PDF, Print PDF, and course cartridge formats. CC BY NC SA 4.0 (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Workplace Writing: A Handbook for Common Workplace Genres and Professional Writing (OER textbook) Kansas State University, 2016. "This handbook is designed for a generalized business writing course that seeks to meet the needs of a variety of student majors and career interests. In it you will find: descriptions and discussions of common genres, both routine and formal, print and electronic, and in-class activities and sample assignments. You will also find commentary on how to adapt the writing process to the rhetorical constraints of a workplace as well as how to think about, conduct, and use research outside an academic setting." Includes lots of sample assignments. PDF, EPUB, and Kindle formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
• Open Technical Writing: An Open-Access Text for Instruction in Technical and Professional Writing (OER textbook) Created by University of Arkansas-Fayetteville instructor, 2019. "This book presents technical writing as an approach to researching and carrying out writing that centers on technical subject matter. Each and every chapter is devoted to helping students understand that good technical writing is situationally-aware and context-driven." PDF format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.

To browse OER on Writing about Literature , explore the Literature OER subject guide , linked below >> click on the sub-tab for " Writing about literature ."

• Literature - TCC OER Subject Guide by Jennifer Snoek-Brown Last Updated Aug 5, 2024 163 views this year

To browse OER on  Bible as literature , explore the  Literature OER subject guide , linked below >> click on the sub-tab for " Bible as literature ."

To browse additional OER and library resources on  environmental literature and writing , please explore the Literature OER subject guide , linked below and then click on the " Environmental literature/writing " sub-tab:

Related OER subject guides:

For additional OER and library resources on  health communication , please explore the  Communication Studies OER subject guide , linked below and then click on the " Health communication " sub-tab:

• Communication Studies - TCC OER Subject Guide by Jennifer Snoek-Brown Last Updated Jul 24, 2024 128 views this year
• Public Health Writing Guide (Open access guide) Boston Univ. School of Public Health, 2018. “The Public Health Writing Guide provides concrete strategies for improving your prose, increasing your productivity, and meeting the specific needs of your readers. Our goal is to provide you with some best practices that can be useful to you over the course of your career, any time you are looking for encouragement, structure, or advice about how to get started.” Includes an expansive section, Part III: Specific Types of Writing in Public Health. Tone is practical and straightforward. Sections of the guide are embedded within image map pop-ups; the entire guide is also available in PDF format for online viewing or download. Open access. Not eligible for Print on Demand.

Library e-books:

Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.

• Community Tool Box A service of the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas. "[R]esources and tools to help people work together to build healthier communities." The Table of Contents outlines the resources plus related toolkits. Chapter 6. Communications to Promote Interest includes sub-sections like “Section 7. Preparing Public Service Announcements” and “Section 15. Creating Fact Sheets on Local Issues.” CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license.
• Science Writing and New Media: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health (OER ancillary materials) Cynthia B. Taft, MIT OpenCourseware, Fall 2016. “Over the course of the semester, we will explore the full range of writings by physicians and other health practitioners.” Potentially some good readings and assignments in the Readings and Assignments sections. PDF files. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
• Soft Skills Training: Communication Competency Curriculum (OER ancillary materials) Health Workforce Initiative, California Community Colleges. “The purpose of the Health Workforce Initiative is to identify health care workforce needs and cultivate solutions. The role of the Health Workforce Initiative is to facilitate a community college response to workforce needs.” Developed specifically for community-college level of students in health care. The “Communication Competency Curriculum” set includes a “Written Communication” activity sheet and accompanying PowerPoint slides; other sets may be useful, as well. PDFs and PowerPoint slides downloads. Terms of use page includes a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, and to use this statement when reusing their materials: “CC BY, copr. California Community Colleges, Chancellor’s Office.” Eligible for Print on Demand.

The Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pedagogy OER Subject Guide, linked below, provides a starting point for OER professional development and curricular materials relating to issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion; trauma-informed practices; and culturally responsive, inclusive, and anti-racist pedagogy and practices. This guide includes concepts and keywords; TCC OEDI resources; introductory and more in-depth professional development resources (toolkits, guides, etc.); curriculum resources (activities, assignments, etc.); OER and EDI rubrics; instructional design; accessibility; as well as EDI-focused OER in different disciplines across the curriculum, including Writing. 

• Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pedagogy - TCC OER Subject Guide by Jennifer Snoek-Brown Last Updated Jul 26, 2024 98 views this year

Your OER and liaison librarian

Attributions

Except where otherwise noted, the content in this guide was compiled by Jennifer Snoek-Brown,  Tacoma Community College Library , and is licensed under a  CC BY SA 4.0  license.

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• Last Updated: Jul 26, 2024 12:53 PM
• URL: https://tacomacc.libguides.com/oer_writing

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Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

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Writing Skills Lab

Table of Contents

Course contents.

• About This Course
• Course Contents at a Glance
• Learning Outcomes

Faculty Resources

• Faculty Resources Overview
• I Need Help

Module: Rhetorical Reading

• Why It Matters: Rhetorical Reading
• Introduction to Rhetorical Context
• Rhetorical Context
• Practice: Rhetorical Context
• Introduction to Active Reading Strategies
• Strategies for Active Reading
• Academic Reading Strategies
• Introduction to Vocabulary-Building Reading Strategies
• Read Strategically: Context Clues
• Practice: Context Clues
• Read Strategically: Retain New Words
• Read Strategically: Diversify Your Vocabulary
• Putting It Together: Rhetorical Reading

Module: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay

• Why It Matters: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
• Introduction to Organically Structured Essays
• Formulaic vs. Organic Structure
• Beyond Formulaic Writing
• Practice: Organically Structured Essays
• Introduction to Effective Paragraphs
• Key Sentences
• Logic in Paragraphs
• Paragraph Transitions
• Revising Paragraphs
• Introduction to Effective Introductions and Conclusions
• Introductions
• Conclusions
• Putting It Together: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay

Module: Readability

• Why It Matters: Readability
• Introduction to Apostrophes
• Possessives
• Contractions, Acronyms, and Numbers
• Introduction to Semicolons and Colons
• Semicolons: The Connectors
• Colons: The Signposts
• Practice: Semicolons and Colons
• Introduction to Commas
• Commas As Separators
• Conjunctions and Lists
• Comma Overuse
• Introduction to Run-on Sentences and Sentence Fragments
• Run-on Sentences
• Sentence Fragments
• Putting It Together: Readability

Module: Analysis

• Why It Matters: Analysis
• Introduction to Analysis As Critical Thinking
• What Is Analysis?
• The Language of Analytic Assignments
• Overcoming Barriers to Analysis
• Introduction to the Keys to Successful Analysis
• Suspend Judgment
• Analytic Thesis
• Introduction to Types of Analysis
• Rhetorical Analysis
• Process Analysis
• Critical Analysis
• Putting It Together: Analysis

Module: Rhetorical Appeals

• Why It Matters: Rhetorical Appeals
• Introduction to Logos
• Appeals to Logos
• The STAR Criteria
• Manipulative Appeals to Logos
• Kairos and Logos
• Introduction to Pathos
• Appeals to Pathos
• Manipulative Appeals to Pathos
• Kairos and Pathos
• Introduction to Ethos
• Appeals to Ethos
• Manipulative Appeals to Ethos
• Establishing Ethos
• Putting It Together: Rhetorical Appeals

Module: Academic Argument

• Why It Matters: Academic Argument
• Introduction to Argumentative Thesis Statements
• Argumentative Thesis Statements
• Practice: Argumentative Thesis Statements
• Introduction to Logical Fallacies
• Common Logical Fallacies
• Spotting Logical Fallacies
• Introduction to Building Common Ground
• Audience Analysis
• Audience Awareness
• Tone, Language, and Appeal
• Introduction to Rebuttal and Refutation of Counterargument
• Formula for Refutation and Rebuttal
• Further Your Understanding: Refutation and Rebuttal
• Putting It Together: Academic Argument

Module: Evaluating Sources

• Why It Matters: Evaluating Sources
• Introduction to Types of Sources
• Scholarly vs. Non-Scholarly Sources
• Types of Sources
• Introduction to Print Sources
• CRAAP Analysis of Print Sources
• Introduction to Online Sources
• CRAAP Analysis of Online Sources
• Introduction to Multimedia Sources
• CRAAP Analysis of Multimedia Sources
• Putting It Together: Evaluating Sources

Module: Using Sources

• Why It Matters: Using Sources
• Introduction to Integrating Source Material
• Bringing Sources into the Conversation
• Introduction to Using Paraphrase, Summary, and Quotation
• Paraphrase and Summary
• Practice: Using Paraphrase, Summary, and Quotation
• Applying Paraphrase, Summary, and Quotation
• Introduction to Citing Sources
• MLA Works Cited
• MLA In-Text Citations
• Practice: Citing Sources
• Using Online Citation and Reference Tools
• Introduction to Establishing Source Credibility
• Building Credibility through Source Integration
• Credibility Markers
• Putting It Together: Using Sources

Module: Multimodality

• Why It Matters: Multimodality
• Introduction to Multimodality
• What is a Mode?
• The Five Modes
• Examples of Multimodal Texts
• Introduction to Remediation and Remix
• What Are Remediation and Remix?
• Remix and Attribution
• Putting It Together: Multimodality

This courseware includes resources copyrighted and openly licensed by multiple individuals and organizations. Click the words "Licenses and Attributions" at the bottom of each page for copyright and licensing information specific to the material on that page. If you believe that this courseware violates your copyright, please contact us .

Cover Image: "Writing." Authored by: Pexels. Provided by: Pixabay. Located at: https://pixabay.com/en/adult-blur-book-business-color-1850177/ . Content Type: CC Licensed Content, Shared Previously. License: CC0: No Rights Reserved .

Lumen Learning

Lumen Learning provides a simple, supported path for faculty members to adopt and teach effectively with open educational resources (OER). Read more about what we do.