MFA Creative Writing:Resources
M.F.A. Creative Writing Resources
Barely South Review
Our MFA students gain valuable experiences and exposure in the program. With the recent addition of the MFA student-staffed online literary journal Barely South Review, we are excited to give our writers another venue for honing their skills in literary service to a broader reading and writing community.
The journal runs three issues a year, offering original and arresting stories, poems, essays, craft interviews, and features.
For more information please read Barely South Review's submission guidelines here.
The Norton Girault Literary Prize
The MFA Creative Writing Program is pleased to be able to offer The Norton Girault Literary Prize, an annual award competition alternating among the genres of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
The inaugural prize was offered in 2012 in Fiction. The prize rotated among the other genres in succeeding years: Cristina Garcia (Fiction), David Wojahn (Poetry), Natalie Diaz (Poetry), and John McManus (Fiction).
Norton Girault Interview [Watch on Youtube]
Norton Girault served on cruisers and destroyers in World War II and the Korean War. After retiring from the Navy as a captain, he taught English at Norfolk State University for 15 years. His stories, poems and essays have been published in Crescent Review, MSS, Snake Nation Review, Timbuktu, Long Story, and other magazines. He's been a scholar at Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and a guest at Yaddo Writers' Colony. A vital member of the Hampton Roads literary community, he has participated in Old Dominion University writing courses for many years.
[extracted from the 2009 ODU Literary Festival brochure]
MFA Reading Series
First- and second-year students may participate in the MFA Student Reading Series at Borjo Coffeehouse in the University Village. Borjo is located at 4416 Monarch Way (757.440.5800). Parking is available on the street and in neighboring garages.
Third-year students have the opportunity to participate in the Thesis Reading Series, held at Chandler Hall in the Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Building on the ODU campus.
Contact Program Director's Office for currently scheduled events at 757-683-4010 or at mfagpdassistant@odu.edu.
Residencies
The residency program began in the fall 1997. Since that time, ODU has had many writers in residence give one-on-one tutorials to students and give public presentations and readings.
Those writers and poets have included Gary Short, Lee K. Abbott, Phillip Gerard, Margaret Gibson, Melissa Fay Greene, Jack Myers, Robert Olmstead, Laurie Stone, Denise Duhamel, Marilyn Chin, Michael Parker, Sandra Scofield, Michael Ruhlman, Cornelius Eady, Karen McElmurray, and Karan Mahajan.
Study Abroad Programs
Are you ready to take part in a class that will thrust you into the realm of adventure, hands-on education, friendship, and more importantly, one which will absolutely, definitively, change your perspective on life as you know it?
Whether you are an experienced world-wide traveler or a novice at simply finding your way through the streets of Norfolk--this class will challenge you in all aspects and it will reward you beyond what you thought possible.
Over the past several years we have traveled to England, France, Scotland, and Holland. Next time we go, please join us.
Contact Information
If you're interested in taking part in one of Old Dominion University's Travel Writing courses and you want more information, contact the Study Abroad Office at studyabroad@odu.edu :
2006 Dragas Hall
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0093
USA Telephone: 757-683-5378
Fax: 757-683-5196.
Or contact John McManus (cwgpd@odu.edu) in ODU's English Department:
Department of English
Batten Arts and Letters, 5020
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia 23529
(757) 683-4010
Friends of the MFA Creative Writing Program
Friends of the MFA Creative Writing Program is a non-profit , community support organization established in 2011.
Its mission is to secure support for the MFA Creative Writing Program and support the literary arts in the community; specifically, it strives to:
- assist in securing funds for special needs beyond the resources allocated to the MFA Creative Writing Program budget
- promote ongoing interest in the MFA Creative Writing Program among students, alumni, staff, faculty, and the community at large
- promote the strengths of the University and the MFA Creative Writing Program in particular
- provide opportunities for networking and collaboration among members of the community, MFA alumni, and the MFA Creative Writing Program.