Not at all! If you have the time to do that, I think it's a great idea.

I don't know anything about MFA programs in the UK, but Iowa and Michigan are considered to be the best in the USA. They are, of course, extremely competitive, so I recommend casting a wide net that includes some top tier programs as well as smaller ones. I attended a very small and fairly new program, and it was great for me.

Hey Lucas! Let's have a private conversation about this and see what we can figure out. If you follow me on Twitter (@bbrianwallace) it will allow me to send you a DM.

@@brianwallacebakerCertainly, Brian. Many thanks, indeed.

Did you get in ?!

@@randyfloyd17 I am afraid, not. I am still trying though. Once again, thank you for your help, Brian.

I don't recall any of the programs I applied to requiring interviews. Sorry I can't be of more help there.

@@brianwallacebaker No problem, thanks anyway!

Hi Jeremy! This is an excellent question, and I actually plan on making a video about this, hopefully soon. But the short answer is that I do not currently have a teaching job. I may get one in the future, but after I graduated with my MFA I decided that now wasn't the right time. A big part of that is because I realized that academia really isn't a great career track for most people. Most writers get stuck as under-paid adjunct instructors. Good tenure track positions are few and far between. So I decided to forge my own path. The other part of it is that my wife and I are exploring self-employment opportunities. I'm growing a freelance editing business that is very promising, and I continue to write and occasionally publish. That's good enough for me. But I do enjoy teaching, and if I find a way to teach that pays well and works with my lifestyle, then I'd love to teach again.

That's a great question! Read a lot of the kind of stuff you like to write and build a consistent writing practice every day, even if it's just a few minutes a day. If you do that, you will be ready to rock the college creative writing scene and start sending stuff out for publication. You don't have to wait though if you want to send stuff out now. Some literary journals take work by minors, and some even have specific categories devoted to young writers like you. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Message me on Twitter or Instagram, and we'll see what we can figure out. My handle is @bbrianwallace. :)

I taught at WKU while doing my MFA there. Now I work as a freelance editor.

Anything relevant. Teaching experience, publications, relevant jobs, your education, any relevant awards you've received, etc.

I feel your pain! My long list of MFA programs was very long! Here are a couple of ideas: First, if you are hoping for full funding, focus on the programs that fund all their students. Some programs only fund a fraction of their students, which adds a lot of unnecessary stress to your application, in my opinion. Also, pay attention to where the MFA programs are located. There was one program I probably would have applied to had it not been for its city's notorious crime rate. Crime rate was actually a big factor for my wife and me. I wanted to study without the fear of being jumped. haha So maybe that's not your concern, but you can look at city size, geography, demographics, politics, housing costs, or whatever else is important to you.

It’s not a problem if you are from another country where English is not the first language, you just have to reach a good Toefl or Ielts score

Good test scores, yes, but for the MFA it's all about the writing sample. They want to see that you have a good command of the English language from an artistic and academic standpoint.

Sorry for my very late reply! My MFA program has had international students before, so it is totally possible. You just need to make sure that you are able to write artistically for a native English speaking audience.

Yes, most programs charge an application fee.

That's very strange! Try this: www.fiverr.com/s2/454acbfea3.

Hey Lee Ann! That's a great question. Everyone's situation is different. For example, I know people who only apply to one or two programs because of geographical constraints. The reality though is that the more programs you apply to, the less slim your chances of acceptance become. I totally get the mental and/or scheduling burden of applying to 10+ programs, so if that's a concern then that's okay. Just do what you think you can handle, or maybe do slightly more than you think you can handle because you can usually handle more than you think you can. I get the money concern too, but here you have some options. Some schools will waive application fees if you can show them that the fees create a financial difficulty. So it might be worth sending some emails to see if that's a possibility at the programs you want to apply to. I hope that helps! Good luck!

With regard to Brian’s response on the issue of financial realities, especially as they relate to application fees for MFA programs, I can speak to them: during the year I applied, I worked in a public service job at a local food bank, for which I received an admittedly modest living stipend but no salary. Most of the programs I applied to already included fee waiver prompts in the application portals, but for those that did not, I explained my financial situation and respectfully asked for waivers. With the exception of one program, I received waivers for all my applications and saved over $1,000. As should be obvious, it certainly pays to research and ask. Feel free to also direct message me if you have further questions. Best of luck!