Customer Reviews

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

What I liked about this book: It surveys more programs than Amy Holman's "Insider's Guide..." book, it's concise, it deals majorly with funding (which some people did not appreciate on the reviews, but I'm guessing they're the ones to whom money is not an issue) and it gives some good general advice on the application process.

What I did not like about this book: In his reviews Kealey makes such comments as "easily a top ten school" or "top five program", etc., but does not give clear guidelines as to why. Neither does he give a listing of schools by Top 5, Top 10, etc.. He's entirely too glib and subjective in some of his reviews (I know it's ironic, but a guide to Creative Writing MFA programs should NOT be a creative writing project but a more 'to-the-point' reference work) and the interviews he includes are usually self indulgent and easily skippable stuff with any good advice being entirely generic.

Still, it's one of the two best books on the subject (the other being the Amy Holman book that this is sold in tandem with) and has enough good information (and enough unique from Holman) that in the absence of better guides I recommend its purchase to anybody considering MFA programs.

If Mr. Kealey or Ms. Holman reads this I strongly urge them to revise their works into a more straightforward guide that includes more detailed narrative descriptions of individual programs. The ideal book would also have charts of ranking (along with explanations of the rankings) and cross-reference programs by residency status, length of program (they range from 1 to 3 years, that is a very important consideration), financial aide (one of the strengths of this book), concentration of the program (i.e. "what's a good program for creative non-fiction?" or "good for fiction writers, poet's not so much") and other criteria.

If you only buy one book to research MFA programs, this is it.

I came into this process completely ignorant, and Tom Kealey has brought me up-to-speed in a matter of hours. As a prospective student of a low-residency program, I was impressed with the amount of information he includes for both these and traditional schools.

This book is well-stocked with Q&As and interviews of professors and graduates--truly an insider's guide. Kealey also describes in detail the application process, giving tips on letters of recommendation, personal statements, and so on. But his book doesn't stop there; it also includes a chapter on what to expect once you're in the program--workshops, teaching, public readings, and more.

This book is concise and straight forward, and extremely well-organized. I highly recommend it!

I'm the author of the MFA Handbook, and I feel the need to respond to some of the recent reviews posted here. (and I'm sorry this means I have to give my own book *stars*. I would've rather left it unrated, but the Amazon page would not allow that).

First of all, I've put the book out into the world, and I have to take what criticisms come with that. I definitely do. I don't have an "agenda" with the book, but rather I want it to be a roadmap for potential students in the MFA world. As I say in the book: I'm the bus driver. I'm giving a tour of the MFA city. It's important that students use this tour, their own research, and their own criteria in choosing the programs that fit them best. The MFA Handbook is intended to help reduce the stress and confusion inherent in the application process.

It's true that I've made funding an important issue in the book. I don't think it's wise for writers to drop $35,000 a year on a program when there are other options out there. Part of being a writer is living within your means until (and hopefully when) the work begins to pay for itself. An MFA should be, to my mind, two to three years when a writer can focus primarily on her or his work, and not on the bills arriving in the mail. I'm not saying that funding is the only thing. I'm saying it's an important thing.

There is the implication in some of these reviews that the MFA Handbook has led students away from top programs like UC-Irvine, Iowa, and Johns Hopkins, and this is not true. I've given those program all very positive, and hopefully balanced, reviews in the book.

As far as the research in the book goes, I interviewed more than forty professors, program directors, and students. Not all of the interviewees wanted to go on the record (especially some students who were currently enrolled in programs). I never quoted from anyone who wouldn't go on the record. Those that did included George Saunders, Aimee Bender, Michael Collier, Tracy K. Smith, Geoffrey Wolff, and many others, and you'll see their comments throughout the book.

It's not my intention at all to say "Go to this program, or go to that program." I want students to have options. The MFA Handbook is all about options. And I want students to have educated and informed options, and I've written a handbook that does that to the best of my abilities.

In any case, and with respect to the reviews previously published here: If you're considering an MFA in creative writing, there are three books that will help you. One is The Creative Writing MFA Handbook by me, Tom Kealey, another is An Insider's Guide to Creative Writing Programs by Amy Holman. And the third is the AWP Official Guide to Writing Programs, by the Associated Writing Programs.

I don't feel in competition with the other books. I feel like potential students should seek as much information as they possibly can. If you'd like a preview of the tone and information contained in the MFA Handbook, please do surf over to our MFA Blog via..

mfablog.tomkealey.com

Sincerely,

Tom Kealey

This book is indispensable for anyone considering a writing MFA program. Kealey covers everything that a prospective student should consider: reasons to get an MFA, criteria for choosing programs, how to prepare a strong application (including suggestions for manuscript selection), etc. There's even advice on getting the most out of whatever program you attend, and on your post-MFA options. The treatment of all of this is extremely lucid, and Kealey's tone is casual and easy to read. Most importantly, his descriptions of various residency programs are very thoughtful, with useful information (such as funding levels and program size) that you won't find compiled elsewhere. To the degree that he ranks programs (which isn't complete; he simply mentions on a few schools' profiles that he considers them "top five," "top ten," etc.) his criteria are explicit and clear.

As for the author: Kealey's qualifications are impressive (UMass MFA, Stegner Fellowship, a current teaching position at Stanford), and his dedication even more so -- he runs a blog at creative-writing-mfa-handbook.blogspot.com, where he is willing to answer any question not addressed by the book.

Everyone considering an advanced degree in creative writing should read this book. The evaluations of individual programs aren't all that important -- what's more important is the way Kealey lays out the whole MFA process: what to look for in schools, what the application process is like, and how to make the most of your time once you finally get in. Kealey doesn't have an agenda, he has a point-of-view: he values programs with good funding that let you get a lot of writing done.

I read this book right after undergrad and realized that the MFA scene wasn't my cup of tea. I owe Tom a big thank you for the time and money he saved me.

Because, see, last year, when I finally decided to pursue my MFA (poetry), I intended to apply to three programs - none of which offered funding, and none of which accepted more than 5% of all applicants.

Thank goodness for missed deadlines. By the time I realized I simply didn't have time to polish a portfolio, gather good recommendations and take the GRE, I'd heard that this book was being published. I waited for it, bought it, opened it and read it cover to cover in a single sitting. Walking away from it, slightly dazzled, I felt far more in control of the process. The Handbook:

1. Offers helpful overviews of numerous MFA programs, half of which I didn't know existed and many of which I'd never have considered; I now have a list of 22 schools that I'd be thrilled to attend.

2. Provides thought-provoking advice regarding funding, teaching, "safety schools" and the like, and suggests criteria that are most assuredly crucial in making the right decision for yourself and your writing.

3. Simplifies the application process, offering useful tips on getting recommendations, writing your personal statement and refining your portfolio.

I am confident that, should I get an acceptance letter next year, I will be heading off to a program far more suited to my needs and desires than I would have had I not read this guide.

I thought the stuff about the application process was really helpful, but the info on the schools was a little vague and confusing. It was hard to tell what he thought sometimes and a lot of it was just his opinion, not fact. My poetry prof who was helping me out said that some of the info was just plain wrong, or subjective, and she has two creative writing degrees and knows a ton of people who teach in these programs. But I thought some of the little details were interesting; there just weren't enough of them, I guess. I still had to go to all the websites and talk to people anyway. i also bought Amy Holman's An Insider's Guide to Creative Writing Programs at the same time and found that guide to be A LOT more helpful. It doesn't give you that much more info, but it's more straightforward and unbiased.

But hey, the good news is that I ended up getting into two pretty good programs, so some of it must have worked!

I am really surprised by some of the reviews here at Amazon for this book. When I started to consider getting an MFA, I looked for every resource I could get my hands on. "The Creative Writing MFA Handbook" has been by far the most useful in helping me decide which programs I want to apply to and, with application time starting, helping me submit the best possible applications I can.

One review stated that the book was not well-organized. I had absolutely no trouble finding anything I looked for in it, even the low-residency programs. One review complained that Tom talks too much about finances. Well, I tend to agree with him that how much funding a MFA program provides for its students reflects how much they care about their writers. Particularly at this point in my life, just starting a family, finances are very important in my search for an appropriate MFA program. I really appreciate the material he included on fellowships and assistantships.

I also bought Amy Holman's "An Insider's Guide to Creative Writing Programs" around the same time I bought Tom's book. After reading Tom's, I personally didn't have much use for Holman's, so it has sit on my shelf ever since. Holman does a good job of talking about various funding sources for writers in general, fellowships and the like, but other than that, I didn't find it very helpful. There is not nearly as much info about the various graduate writing programs in her book as there is in "The Creative Writing MFA Handbook."

This book is definitely the book to buy if you are considering applying to MFA Creative Writing programs (or even PH.D. programs)in the US.

Recent reviewers have grotesquely misrepresented the advice Kealey gives in his guide to MFA programs. One example: he doesn't suggest that you apply to programs based on funding. He just doesn't. He evokes a range of criteria and gives some advice about how strongly and when (in the application process) to weigh each factor -- and this, in turn, gets the reader thinking about what's important to him or her. I suspect that criticisms like those posted here have more to do with understandably wounded egos (Kealey clearly admires all of the big-name programs but doesn't resoundingly endorse every single one of them in every single way) than with the merits of the book, which wasn't primarily written for a reader who already has an MFA or is currently studying for one. To a prospective MFA student like me, the book is incredibly useful. The program evaluations take you beyond what you get from the AWP guide and the Holman book, which rely very, very heavily on program web site content that you could find for yourself. Kealey interviewed people, looked at what he sees as important, and made (consistently thoughtful) judgments about dozens of programs. You're simply not going to get this kind of evaluative description unless you're fortunate enough to have a creative writing teacher who will advise you in person. Bottom line: the book gives you a few robust tools that are perfect for helping you begin to make your own informed decisions.

Anyone going through the creative writing MFA process must buy this book. I bought it for my daughter who was already into the process and wished I had purchased it earlier. This is an excellent, well written, authoritative guide from start to finish.