Minor or Concentration in Creative Writing

How does your story go?

Stories and poems are universal to the human existence. They help us understand each other’s lived experiences, open our minds and connect us emotionally across vast distances or even time itself. No matter where we come from or what we do, all of us have stories to tell. How does yours go?

Frostburg’s Creative Writing Minor and Concentration help students learn to read, think and work like established authors do, making them more effective storytellers. With a diverse, active creative writing community, a vibrant arts scene and gorgeous mountain setting, Frostburg is the ideal place for up-and-coming writers to develop their craft.

Hone your creative writing ability to complement any major with this widely applicable minor, or enhance your English major with an in-depth creative writing concentration.
Get meaningful, constructive feedback on your stories or poems from published authors and your peers in writing workshops.
Understand the ways of the publishing industry and learn how to successfully pitch your writing – and yourself – to prospective publishers.

Creative Writing Highlights

Meet fellow student-writers in 3 A.M. Society, Frostburg’s creative writing org, to share your work with peers in an informal setting and find feedback, camaraderie and inspiration.
Grab a comfy seat in the Center for Literary Arts in downtown Frostburg and read the latest literary journals or work on your next submission.
Listen to established poets, novelists, memoirists and other authors through Frostburg’s Reading Series, and learn from those writers in class in small-group discussions.
Work for Bittersweet, Frostburg’s student literary journal, and learn to produce a publication. Or submit for a chance to see your own work published in Bittersweet.
Network with publishers, editors and other authors at Indie Lit Fest, Frostburg’s annual festival celebrating independent presses and their publications.
Submit your own play to the International One-Act Play Competition for a chance to win, or help stage the winning play at the One-Act Play Fest in Frostburg’s historic Palace Theatre.

About Our Creative Writing Faculty

Learn from dynamic, well-published and award-winning poets, novelists and short-story authors.
Realize the often-humbling process authors go through to turn new ideas into publishable stories, poems or essays.

Sample Creative Writing Courses

Creative Writing: Fiction — Workshop-based course that teaches major elements of fiction: style, characterization, point of view, structure, pacing and conflict. Includes class critiques of student stories.

Creative Writing: Poetry — Workshop-based course that teaches major elements of lyric and narrative poetry: imagery, metaphor, theme and form. Includes class critiques of student poems.

Form and Theory of Fiction and Poetry — In-depth study of the techniques and methods employed by major writers of fiction and poetry, including consideration of structure, language, form, voice, theme, point of view and character.

Advanced Fiction Writing or Advanced Poetry Writing – continued study of the specified craft through advanced individual work. In the workshop setting, students work to produce publishable writing and learn how to approach publishers and editors.

Career Outlook for Writing Professionals

Skillful writing is a valuable ability in any career, as all fields require good communication on some level. Applicants for writing-specific jobs who have experience and a collection of strong sample works will be in the best position for employment. Writers have a variety of career options open to them, including jobs in public relations, journalism and publishing or freelancing and publishing their own works, as well as a highly desirable skill set that can help them build careers in almost any industry.

For more information, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ pages on Writers & Authors, Technical Writers and other Media and Communication Occupations.