This essential handbook, revised and updated for 2010, provides everything you need to know about deciding where and how to apply to the best graduate creative writing programs for you. -The top programs in the United States. -How to decide where to apply. -Advice on preparing your application. -A look at PhD programs in writing. -Tips on becoming a teaching assistant. -How to get the most out of your MFA experience. A collection of articles edited by the staff of Poets & Writers Magazine, this handy resource includes straightforward advice from professionals in the literary field, additional resources to help you choose the best programs to apply to, and an application tracker to keep you organized throughout the process.

Guides prospective graduate students through the difficult process of researching, applying to, and choosing graduate schools in creative writing. This handbook includes special sections about Low-Residency writing programs, PhD programs, publishing in literary journals, and workshop and teaching advice.

Aspiring novelists are given advice on writing polishing, and marketing mysteries, suspense tales, Westerns, science fiction, and romances

The Low-Residency MFA Handbook offers prospective graduate students an in-depth preview of low-residency creative writing MFA programs. Interviews with program directors, faculty, alumni, and current students answer the many questions prospective graduates have, including: What happens during the non-residency semester? What are the brief residencies like? What community is established between faculty and fellow students? What opportunities are there for writers to gain pedagogical training through a low-residency format? And, most importantly, is the low-residency model right for you? These questions, and more, are answered in detail. The guide also clarifies the application process and offers application tips from program directors and alumni. It also considers funding, program structures, and unique opportunities such as editorships and assistantships. For prospective graduate students looking for detailed information, The Low-Residency MFA Handbook provides a personalized and genuinely useful overview.

The Low-Residency MFA Handbook offers prospective graduate students an in-depth preview of low-residency creative writing MFA programs. Interviews with program directors, faculty, alumni, and current students answer the many questions prospective graduates have, including: What happens during the non-residency semester? What are the brief residencies like? What community is established between faculty and fellow students? What opportunities are there for writers to gain pedagogical training through a low-residency format? And, most importantly, is the low-residency model right for you? These questions, and more, are answered in detail. The guide also clarifies the application process and offers application tips from program directors and alumni. It also considers funding, program structures, and unique opportunities such as editorships and assistantships. For prospective graduate students looking for detailed information, The Low-Residency MFA Handbook provides a personalized and genuinely useful overview.

Break into the Bestselling Young Adult Market with this Indispensable Guide! Whether you're just getting started or are on the hunt for an agent or publisher, Writing Great Books for Young Adults is your complete insider source on how to succeed in the flourishing world of YA fiction and nonfiction. In this updated and revised edition, veteran literary agent ReginaL. Brooks offers invaluable advice for YA writers on everything from shaping your novel to crafting the perfect pitch for your book. Learn How To: Develop an authentic, engaging voice and writing style Construct dynamic plots that will resonate with readers Avoid common pitfalls related to tone and point of view Navigate the emerging genres of YA nonfiction and New Adult Create an exceptional query letter and proposal that will grab the attention of agents and publishers You'll also discover how successful film adaptations like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games have broadened the market for your book. Filled with tips and advice from agents, editors, and popular YA authors, Writing Great Books for Young Adults is your ticket to an incredible YA career! "Brooks offers writers who are serious about attracting teen readers solid guidance through the creation process of writing YA fiction."—Library Journal

"I write this blurb in distress because for years I've been stealing John McNally's sharp insights into writing and publishing and passing them off as my own. Now this generous so-and-so is sharing his vast experience as a writer and editor with everyone. Worse yet, this book, despite its instructional value, is irresistibly, un-put-downably readable."---Timothy Schaffert, author, Devils in the Sugar Shop --