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zestybean

Sep 2, 2005, 6:06 PM

Post #1 of 28 (3812 views)
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MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Hello! Does anyone have information on MFAs in Writing for Children? Has anyone gone to one? Do you think they are quality, or as quality as MFAs in poetry or fiction? I have yet to meet anyone who has gone to one. I'd love to talk to someone who has. Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks.

edwriter

Sep 4, 2005, 5:12 PM

Post #2 of 28 (3793 views)
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Re: [zestybean] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I have not attended such a program, but I did research some available low-residency options for an article that was republished online here:

http://www.boost4writers.com/...ingYourEducation.htm

Hope this information is helpful to you.

Best,
Erika D.

Quiet Americans: Stories
http://www.erikadreifus.com

nikila4

Sep 18, 2005, 9:08 PM

Post #3 of 28 (3767 views)
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Re: [edwriter] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Check out the University of British Columbia. You can focus on writing for children. Plus, i believe it is a good school. They put out the literary journal Prism Int'l.
cheers.

bkzbroscius

Feb 27, 2007, 10:30 PM

Post #4 of 28 (3718 views)
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Re: [nikila4] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Does anyone have information on the Simmons College M.F.A. in writing for children? Thanks.

dunnkc

Feb 28, 2007, 4:59 PM

Post #5 of 28 (3651 views)
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Re: [zestybean] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I know Hollins U in Virginia has an MFA for children's literature. You might e-mail them to get some more info.

koh1977

Mar 16, 2007, 1:50 PM

Post #6 of 28 (3593 views)
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Re: [zestybean] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I applied to all the low-res programs I could find with concentrations in children's/YA writing...(not too many out there)...

They include University of British Columbia - rejected, Spalding University - rejected, Vermont College (Union Institute), Lesley University, Hamline University, and Pine Manor College.

I asked similar questions in the low-residency message board, but not too many people seem to be replying...Sorry I can't be more help... :-/

Moonshade

Nov 3, 2007, 3:16 PM

Post #7 of 28 (3527 views)
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Re: [koh1977] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Has anyone completed the MA/MFA Children's literature at Hollins University? I hear they have a pretty reputable program. Has anyone completed the MA Children's Literature at University of Florida? I didn't know that U of Fl. has an MA in children's literature until recently, not to sure about it either.

Hollins program has been around a long time, but I've never heard anyone here on the boards discussing it. From what I can glean from their website, their alumnis are heavily published. Anyone have an insiders view on this program?

dawnbuth

Jan 9, 2008, 8:52 PM

Post #8 of 28 (3442 views)
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Re: [koh1977] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I also applied to low res programs for children. I applied to: Lesley, Vermont College, Pine Manor (accepted), Spalding (accepted) and Hamline. Still waiting to hear from those other 3 schools. You're applying for the summer residency?

[reply]I applied to all the low-res programs I could find with concentrations in children's/YA writing...(not too many out there)...

They include University of British Columbia - rejected, Spalding University - rejected, Vermont College (Union Institute), Lesley University, Hamline University, and Pine Manor College.

I asked similar questions in the low-residency message board, but not too many people seem to be replying...Sorry I can't be more help... :-/[/reply][reply][email]

koh1977

Jan 9, 2008, 10:12 PM

Post #9 of 28 (3428 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I'm not sure who you're asking actually about applying for the summer residency, dawnbuth, but I am at the second residency at Pine Manor as I write this (will be starting my second semester there). It's a great program with a wonderful faculty and group of students! (And the children's/YA group definitely has the most fun!) ;-) There's even talk of possibly getting Deborah Wiles on the faculty I believe. Good luck to you in your decision!

dawnbuth

Jan 10, 2008, 9:50 AM

Post #10 of 28 (3402 views)
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Re: [koh1977] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Thanks for the good wishes and the great news on Pine Manor. I'm waiting to hear from Lesley and Vermont before I make a decision, but it's nice to hear from someone who is enjoying Pine Manor. Is there any advice you can offer-anything that you know now that you wish you'd known before your first residency?

In Reply To

koh1977

Jan 10, 2008, 1:47 PM

Post #11 of 28 (3374 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

I don't know if I have any great advice necessarily, but I don't think I quite realized how much time I needed to put into the program, etc. I think a low-res program is actually more difficult in that you have to be way more disciplined and good with time management. You have to figure out what the most important thing is to you and make sure you're selfish about that.

I definitely found it helpful to talk with other students and faculty in the 2 programs I was accepted into (Lesley and Pine Manor). Ultimately, that's what I based my final decision on...I'm sure Lesley has a wonderful program as well, but I loved the idea of being part of a newer program, a very diverse program, and a program that celebrated this great sense of community that you don't always get as a writer.

Moonshade

Jan 12, 2008, 4:12 PM

Post #12 of 28 (3330 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Congratulations on your acceptances dawnbuth, that's wonderful. If you were asking me if I'm applying to any schools, the answer is no. I've asked questions about the MFA/Writing for Children, but unfortunately as you've said, there's not much response. I don't think that Writing for Children is as high a priority on this board as writing for adults.

Right now I've finished my first novel and entered it into a contest. I'm working on my second novel now. I don't have an MFA, just a BA in English Lit. I may go for a low-res MFA/Writing for Children and YA or just a low-res MFA Creative Writing. It's so difficult to assess the MFA/Writing for Children programs though. I seriously wish graduates of the programs would give some feedback. I have yet to read of ONE Hollins Unversity student/alumni on this board and their program is well-established. Or alumni from other Writing for Children programs like Vermont College. It's so frustrating.

That being said,

koh1977, can you share your experiences from the program? What's the curriculum like? How many pages are you required/expected to write per week/month? Do you see a quantam leap in your writing from just your one semester of residency?

SweetJane

Jan 13, 2008, 1:42 PM

Post #13 of 28 (3297 views)
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Re: [Moonshade] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

This might be slightly irrelevant, but I wanted to clue people in: I'm an MFA student at University of Florida, whose English Department houses the Center for Children's Literature and Culture and whose library contains the Baldwin Library of Children's Literature. While you won't find any craft classes on writing children's lit, unfortunately, it's nonetheless a really exciting place to be if you're interested in studying it (and UF makes it easy to transition from an MFA to a literature PhD within the department). Already, I've taken two English seminars in Children's literature and two independent studies on YA fantasy here, and it's been a great experience. Just something to consider for those into Children's lit.

SJ

"Oh, all the poets they studied rules of verse
and those ladies, they rolled their eyes"

Moonshade

Jan 13, 2008, 4:36 PM

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Re: [SweetJane] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

SweetJane,

Your comments aren't the least bit irrelevant. I popped into the Baldwin Children's library myself a few months ago. They do have an extensive collection of children's literature and critical essays. I spent quite a few hours browsing.

Since you did independent studies on YA fantasy, are you writing for children or do you intend to?

SweetJane

Jan 13, 2008, 4:43 PM

Post #15 of 28 (3276 views)
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Re: [Moonshade] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Not currently writing YA fantasy, though it's something I've always wanted to get around to doing. Currently, I'm working on a series of poems that utilizes themes/settings/elements from Peter Pan. As you can see, literary studies here have definitely had some impact on my creative writing.

In Reply To

SJ

"Oh, all the poets they studied rules of verse
and those ladies, they rolled their eyes"

Moonshade

Jan 14, 2008, 1:02 PM

Post #16 of 28 (3242 views)
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Re: [SweetJane] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

SweetJane, I do believe that literary studies will have an impact on your writing. At this time, I have to do my studies independently since I'm not enrolled in a progam. When I went the Baldwin Library, they were having a Alice in Wonderland exhibit, which I found quite interesting. I haven't read that book in years, but now it's on my list.

And, I want to write YA fantasy too, I have some story ideas in mind, but I'm working on another novel so it will be a while before I can tackle those ideas. Plus I need to do some serious reading in contemporary YA Fantasy as well as classic before I get started on mine.

dawnbuth

Jan 24, 2008, 5:32 PM

Post #17 of 28 (3191 views)
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Re: [Moonshade] MFA/Writing for Children	Can't Post

Has anyone heard anything about the writing for children program at Hamline? Or a Vermont? Those are the only 2 programs I know of specifically for writing for children.

dawnbuth

Feb 5, 2008, 8:16 PM

Post #18 of 28 (3143 views)
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To everyone:	Can't Post

I am wondering if it makes more sense to go to a school that focuses in on one genre (ie. VC writing for children) or a school that has a variety of genres it deals with (Lesley). What is the general opinion? Pros and cons?

dawnbuth

Mar 19, 2008, 9:39 AM

Post #19 of 28 (3076 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] To everyone:	Can't Post

Is anyone around going for an mfa in writing for children?

jharvard

Mar 19, 2008, 5:50 PM

Post #20 of 28 (3053 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] To everyone:	Can't Post

Yes, if they let me in!

dawnbuth

Mar 19, 2008, 6:00 PM

Post #21 of 28 (3040 views)
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Re: [jharvard] To everyone:	Can't Post

In Reply To

Yes, if they let me in!

Who have you applied to? I'm doing low-rez at Vermont College beginning this summer.

gnay24

Mar 19, 2008, 7:55 PM

Post #22 of 28 (3019 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] To everyone:	Can't Post

It's great to read posts about children's book writing since it isn't talked about much on this forum. Anyway, I applied for and was accepted into the New School program for writing for children. :o) Anyone else attending that program this fall?

jharvard

Mar 20, 2008, 12:29 AM

Post #23 of 28 (2998 views)
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Re: [dawnbuth] To everyone:	Can't Post

Vermont, Hamline, and Pine Manor. Now let me go knock on some wood ...

dawnbuth

Mar 20, 2008, 9:32 AM

Post #24 of 28 (2980 views)
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Re: [jharvard] To everyone:	Can't Post

In Reply To

Vermont, Hamline, and Pine Manor. Now let me go knock on some wood ...

Did you apply for the fall 08 semester (with a summer residency) or are you applying for the spring 09 (january residency)?
Because if you applied for this fall, you should've heard already. I applied to those schools too, plus Spalding and Lesley. Those are the best schools with a focus on writing for children.
Good luck!

dawnbuth

Mar 20, 2008, 9:34 AM

Post #25 of 28 (2977 views)
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Re: [gnay24] To everyone:	Can't Post

In Reply To

I've heard good things about that program. It's a traditional mfa program right, not low-res? Is it in NYC? When do you start?

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