Lots of students coming to see me about applying for an MA or MFA in Creative Writing. What’s the most important factor in getting in?
THE WRITING SAMPLE!
(A while back a Important Person at Vandy told me, “We don’t give a shit about their GPA–it’s all the writing. I’m going to say I’ve had this confirmed again and again. I am also going to say I read applications for BSU’s program. I look at a number of factors, but the writing is key.)
[I think Vandy admits about three writers a decade, so…]How can you make your sample glow? I’m not just talking about quality. I’m saying how can you give your 25-40 (80, Iowa! Oh, I forgot, you’re Iowa) pages the best chance of being seriously thought out/read/selected?
