Prospective Students

A few of the many books published by RC Creative Writing alumni.
A few of the many books published by RC Creative Writing alumni.

Creative Writing and Literature Major
Do you want to write fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction in private tutorial classes with faculty mentors? Do you want to study writing and literature in small seminars? Creative Writing and Literature Majors write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction under the close guidance of faculty mentors, and may workshop their writing with other student writers in small writing seminars. Majors also study the art of writing through the study of literature, and may fulfill the literature requirement through the English Department, through a foreign language and culture of interest course, and through courses offered in the RC Arts and Ideas in the Humanities program. More

For many students, the Creative Writing and Literature major is a way to combine a serious interest in writing with another LSA major.

Creative Writing and Literature graduates pursue successful careers as writers, editors, advertising professionals, attorneys, and many other writing-related fields. Each year our graduates are admitted to competitive schools in the fine arts, education law, business, public policy, social work and other courses of professional study that demand proficient writing skills and creative approaches to problem solving.

The Creative Writing and Literature Major is open to all LSA students. For more information or to declare, please call 734-763-0032 or please visit RC Academic Services, 1816 East Quad.

RC Creative Writing students have demonstrated unparalled success in the esteemed U of M Hopwood Awards program, winning over 100 awards since the 1994-95 school year.

Creative Writing Internships
RC Creative Writing supports volunteers and interns helping out with kids’ literacy programs, publishing, and fundraising. Check out these opportunities, get some great experience, and make a difference! Opportunities


826michigan

826michigan is a non-profit dedicated to helping students 6 to 18 with creative and expository writing skills, and helping teachers inspire their students to write. Started in  June 2005. 826michigan believes great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. To make that a reality, 826michigan provides drop-in tutoring, after-school workshops, in-schools tutoring, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications.
An internship can earn 1-2 independent course credits. 826 always needs energetic people tutor students; design, run, or assist with workshops, or work in the robot store! The tutoring lab and workshop space lives in the back of the 826 building; the storefront is occupied by Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair, which sells robot parts, toys, and games for kids. All profits go to 826michigan programs, helping to keep them free for students.
826michigan is located on Liberty Street between Main and Fourth, near Kilwin’s and Liberty Street Video. Check out 826’s website and contact Amanda at amanda@826michigan.org for more information.

Dzanc Books 

Dzanc Books is a non-profit publishing house created in 2006 to advance great writing and champion writers who don’t fit neatly into the marketing niches of for-profit presses. Dzanc not only publishes excellent books of literary fiction, but works in partnership with literary journals to advance their readership at every level. Dzanc is also fully committed to developing educational programs in the schools and has begun organizing many such workshops and Writers In Residency programs.
RC students can become involved by helping Dzanc wade through submissions, helping with mailings, and learning/assisting in the publishing side of Dzanc. Much of the work can be done online. More information about opportunities. To apply, contact intern@dzancbooks.org.

University of Michigan Press Marketing Intern

The marketing intern will learn about scholarly publishing in particular as well as the publishing industry more generally. Responsibilities include assisting the Marketing, Sales, and Outreach Department staff in all areas of book publishing, promotion, publicity, communication, and organization, with a particular focus on administrative support for conference planning and award nominations. Other duties include social media, website maintenance, entering metadata into databases, placing shipment orders, conducting short-term research projects, and providing general clerical support.
The University of Michigan Press is a vital component of UM Library’s Michigan Publishing, the primary academic publishing division of the University. In partnership with authors and series editors, the Press publishes in a wide range of humanities and social science disciplines. Through global digital and print publishing and distribution programs, the Press champions the Library’s research and scholarly communication missions.
The Press and its authors play a critical role in the teaching and learning mission of the University by applying new pedagogies to the development of instructional materials that promote college success for students. To address the educational and information needs of regional readers, the Press also produces publications on Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
The Press has a rich history of publishing expertise, and continues to lead the development of digital scholarship and the dissemination of knowledge as widely and freely as possible.
Academic Publishing is an important field in the midst of a period of exciting transformations. The Press is at the forefront of helping scholars produce and circulate their influential ideas throughout the academy and beyond. Contact Shaun Manning, Publications Sales Manager, at shaunman@umich.edu

One Pause Poetry

Located in west Ann Arbor, One Pause Poetry strives to make poetry accessible to all. It is non-academic and non–market-driven. It honors diversity and quality in its selection process and is dedicated to supporting Michigan poets. Established and emerging writers are selected for its reading series and website, with the goal of breaking down categories and camps and encouraging collaboration and innovation across poetic forms, the arts, and media.
One Pause Poetry is named after the 15th-century enlightened Zen master and poet Ikkyu Sojun, whose name means “Once Paused.” Ikkyu revolutionized the aesthetics of medieval Japan—much of what we consider when we think of Japanese culture. Rock gardens, Noh Theater, calligraphy, and poetry are because of Ikkyu and the group of artists he surrounded himself with. It’s something to aspire to here and now.
Poets (or writers interested in poetry) can work as interns at One Pause in areas of editing, special projects, event planning, fund-raising, social media, and website updating, using CMS (content-management) programs like Expression Engine (training provided). The website has an active mp3 project and a micro-essay section (interns work as summer editors and solicit poems), children’s poetry and more. One Pause also offers a bi-monthly poetry salon at Argus Farm Stop (Liberty at Second Street). Some former interns now work in publishing and editing, and  on other poetry non-profits like Poets House in NYC. For more information, contact Sarah Messer, One Pause Poetry director, at bliss@umich.edu.

Summer Internship Funding for Creative Writing Students

The Residential College is pleased to offer a new source of funding for Creative Writing students in unpaid summer internships through the David and Sylvia Nelson Award. Two students will receive a minimum $2,500 stipend to help support a summer unpaid internship for an organization in a creative-writing related field, such as editing, publishing, social media writing, or teaching creative writing for a nonprofit (for example, a youth arts organization).
This award is open to all RC and LSA students majoring in RC creative writing.
Submit a 2-4 page proposal to Laura Thomas via email before 5 pm on March 30. Include: (1) A written description of your unpaid internship, including information about the organization’s mission, a description of your expected duties, and how your internship will support your writing and career goals. (2) A budget of expenses you expect to incur during this unpaid internship. For example, if you must relocate to perform this work, itemize your anticipated living expenses. (3) A letter from the organization offering the unpaid internship verifying that you have been hired for this work.
The funding committee’s decision will be based on financial need and academic promise in creative writing, poetry or non-fiction.
Only unpaid internships performed over the coming summer will be considered.
David and Sylvia Nelson are both U-M graduates. In 2005 they endowed the David Robert and Sylvia Jean Nelson Foundation for Arts and Letters primarily to provide talented students financial assistance so they may continue their studies at the university level in visual, performing and literary arts.  Nelson scholarships have been provided to students at the University of Michigan, the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and the Detroit Public Schools’ Detroit School of Arts.

For information on independent study course credit for your RC internship, contact Laura Thomas at lcthomas@umich.edu

Laura Thomas talks with RC Review staff at the 2014 Voices festival.
Laura Thomas talks with RC Review staff at the 2014 Voices festival.

RC Review, Writers’ Teas ….
The RC Review is an annual, refereed journal of RC student writing and art, compiled, edited, and published by RC students. RC students also contribute to other campus journals, including Xylem and Cafe Shapiro Anthology, and are also involved in theater and drama (including RC Players), music (including RC Singers), journalism (Michigan Daily), blogs, and stand-up comedy. Not to mention extemporaneous bursts of individual creative zeal. Several current students share some of their activities. Writers’ Teas and open-mic nights give students opportunities to read aloud and discuss each other’s work.

Creative Writing Faculty
Information on RC Creative Writing faculty and a brief history of the Program.

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