Creative Writing Minor

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the creative writing minor will be able to demonstrate competency in several of the following outcomes:

1. Understand and explain principles of creative writing, including form, technique, and style.
2. Deepen that understanding by interpreting and evaluating both published works and the works of peer writers.
3. Apply these principles to produce poems, stories, or essays.
4. Become familiar with the publishing process in the literary market and improve as a writer by submitting work to literary journals and participating in the writing community.
5. Apply principles of creative writing to improve communication in a variety of contexts, including personal, academic, and public life.

Note for Non-English major students preparing for BYU’s MFA program in creative writing: In addition to completing the creative writing minor, non-English major students are strongly encouraged to take ENGL 295 and at least one additional 300-level English literature seminar.  See the English Department for further information.

First Steps

• Review the requirements for the Creative Writing Minor. We have two separate tracks–one for English Majors and one for non-English majors.
• Declare the Creative Writing Minor at the Liberal Arts Advisement Center (1041 JFSB)
• Get to know the creative writing faculty: review faculty pages, read samples of their work, visit with them in their offices, and watch them read from their work at ers.byu.edu
• Visit the Creative Writing Minor Coordinator if you need to discuss course transfers, course substitutions, or any other program-related questions (Michael Lavers, 4162 JFSB)
• Check out the resources and activities below for more ways to get involved!• Review the requirements for the Creative Writing Minor. We have two separate tracks–one for English Majors and one for non-English majors.
• Declare the Creative Writing Minor at the Liberal Arts Advisement Center (1041 JFSB)
• Get to know the creative writing faculty: review faculty pages, read samples of their work, visit with them in their offices, and watch them read from their work at ers.byu.edu
• Visit the Creative Writing Minor Coordinator if you need to discuss course transfers, course substitutions, or any other program-related questions (Michael Lavers, 4162 JFSB)
• Check out the resources and activities below for more ways to get involved!

Review the Requirements

Resources

• BYU Creative Writing Community on Facebook: A great resource for a variety of creative writing opportunities, including writing groups, announcements, and job/ internship opportunities.
• BYU Writing Center: Offers readings, social activities, and critique groups in a variety of genres. 3322 HBLL.
• Contests: Several thousands dollars each year are awarded to student writers
• Scholarships: The department offers generous undergraduate and graduates scholarships for students studying creative writing, including those interested in study abroad and off-campus writing workshops and residencies.

Check us out on Facebook!

Creative Writing on Campus

• English Department Reading Series: Hosts weekly readings by nationally respected writers in multiple genres, and includes Q&A sessions, mini lectures, and refreshments
  
• Creative Writing Readings and activities sponsored by the BYU Writing Center.
  
• Annual English Symposium: Students present their critical and creative work in March at our annual symposium (proposals due every year around the end of January).
  
• Inscape Magazine an English+ course in the fall and club activity in the winter. Work on the editorial staff, read submissions, and submit your own work for publication.