CreativeWritingPositions

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LAST UPDATED: Sat., Nov 22, 8:43 PM (PST) -- Please change the date/time when you update this page

Welcome to the Creative Writing Job Seekers wiki for 2008-2009! This is intended as a collaborative space for all job seekers to pool their resources. We wish everyone the best of luck in the coming months.

If you also hear, at a later date, from one of the schools listed below, please add your date to the listing.

Please alphabetize all listings.

Wiki Counter (How many people are using this Wiki?) CHOOSE ONE: I'm on the market 34 Have TT job, looking for a new one  9 I'm lurking       1

Primary Genre CHOOSE ONE Poetry 26 Fiction  11 Nonfiction  3 Playwriting/Screenwriting  0 Other (please specify) 1 (applying in fiction and poetry)

How Are You Feeling Right Now? Great, since so many of these requests are for me 0 Hopeful    8 Was great, now not so sure 2 Somewhat at sea    3 Like a pork chop amongst the vegans    6 (unwanted and unloved) Foul-mouthed and/or cursing academia    2 In need of an exorcist (to keep me from checking this Wiki obsessively)   3 Very thankful for beer 1

If you know anyone involved in the creative writing job search this year, please tell them about this page. The more people who use it, the more useful it will be.

2009-2010 Creative Writing Job Postings
Poetry

Carnegie Mellon, Assistant Teaching Professor (10/15/2008) Case Western Reserve, Assistant Professor (11/10/2008) College of Staten Island CUNY Open Rank(11/15/2008) Cornell U, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) East Tennessee SU, Assistant Professor (12/15/2008) Illinois SU, Assistant Professor (10/31/2008) Indiana SU, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) Loyola U, Chicago, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) Montclair SU, Assistant Professor (11/3/2008) New Mexico SU, Assistant Professor (10/20/2008) Ohio Northern U, Assistant Professor (11/17/2008) Ohio SU Lima, Assistant Professor (11/10/2008) Point Park U, Assistant Professor --Not a poetry position. (see multi-genre Q&A below) Roger Williams (12/01/2008) Seton Hall University, Assistant Professor (12/8/08) St. John's U, Assistant Professor (11/14/2008) Salisbury U, Assistant Professor (11/17/2008) Texas State U, Assistant Professor (11/1/2008) UC San Diego, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008) UC Santa Cruz, Assistant or Associate (11/01/2008) U of Colorado, Boulder Assistant Professor (10/24/2008) U of Colorado, Denver Assistant Professor (10/01/2008) U of Houston, Open Rank (2 positions) (10/15/2008) U of Missouri, Columbia, Profess/Endowed Chair (11/14/2008) U of Northern Colorado, Assistant Professor (11/01/2008) U of Oregon, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008) U of Rochester, Assistant Professor (11/7/2008) Washburn U, Assistant Professor (10/24/2008) Willamette University (11/7/2008) Wofford College, Assistant Professor (11/7/2008) York College, Assistant Professor (No Stated Date)



Fiction

Arizona State U, Assistant Professor (10/13/2008) American U, Assistant Professor (10/13/2008) Arkansas Tech, Assistant Professor (11/25/2008) Arkansas State U, Assistant Professor Central Michigan U, Assistant Professor (10/20/2008) Concordia College, Assistant Professor (12/10/2008) Florida International University, Assistant Professor (12/01/08) Kansas State U, Assistant Professor (11/3/2008) Miami U (Ohio), Assistant, Associate, or Full (11/10/2008) - SEARCH CANCELLED AS OF 11/17 Nebraska Wesleyan U, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) NW Missouri State University, Assistant Professor (11/1/08) Oakland U, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) Point Park U, Assistant Professor (12/1/08) See multigenre Q&A below. Portland State U, Assistant/Associate Professor (11/7/2008) Salisbury U, Assistant Professor (11/17/2008) San Jose State University, Assistant Professor (11/12/08) Susquehanna U, Assistant Professor (10/15/2008) U of Alabama, Assoc/Assist (11/1/2008) U of Louisiana, Lafayette, Assoc/Assist U of Michigan, Visiting Professor (11/10/2008) U of Nebraska, Omaha, Associate Professor U of North Carolina, Greensboro, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008) U of North Texas, Assistant Professor (10/15/2008) Western Illinois U, Assistant Professor (12/8/2008)



Creative Nonfiction

American U, Assistant Professor (10/13/2008) Bentley College, Open Rank (12/01/2008 preference) Dartmouth College, Assistant (11/03/2008) Grand Valley State University, Assistant Professor (11/03/2008) Nebraska Wesleyan U, Assistant Professor (12/1/2008) State U of NY @ Oswego (1/5/2009) U of Alabama, Assoc/Assist (11/1/2008) U of Wyoming, Assistant Professor



Playwriting/Screenwriting

Ball State U, Assistant Professor. screenwriting & poetry/creative nonfiction (10/15/2008)



Open Genre

Creighton U, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008) Eastern Michigan University (11/15/2008) George Washington U, Assistant Professor (11/17/2008) Millsaps C, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008) North Central College, Assistant Professor (multiple genre) (11/14/2008) North Georgia C & SU, Assistant Professor (Immediate Review) York College of PA, Assistant Professor (mid-October)



Professional Writing

U Mass, Dartmouth, Assistant Professor (11/15/2008)

Departments Requesting More Documents
[NOTE: Please list in chronological rather than alphabetical order.]

Poetry

UC Denver (10/10) 7; (11/7) 1 Texas State (10/22) 2; (11/13) 1; (11/4) 1 University of Utah (11/1) 1; (11/6) 1; (11/11) 1 Santa Cruz (11/3) 2; (11/17) 2; (11/19) 2 Wofford College (11/4) 3; (11/11) 1; (11/17) 1 Washington College (11/4) 2; (11/12) 2 Iowa State (11/10) 1 University of Houston (11/13) 1 Case Western Reserve (11/14) 8 Northwestern University (11/14) 3 UC Boulder (11/14) 6 Illinois State (11/18) 3 Willamette (11/21) 1



Fiction

U North Texas (10/24) 2 Susquehanna U (10/28) 1 Arkansas Tech (11/10) 3 U Alabama Birmingham 1 (11/11) 3 North Texas (11/11) 1 Texas State (11/11) 1 Kansas State U (11/13) 6 U Louisiana Lafayette (11/14) 2 U North Carolina Greensboro (11/15) 1



Non-Fiction

Grand Valley State (11/7) 2



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-genre



Calls or Emails for Preliminary Interviews
Poetry

Washington College (MLA interview) (11/19) 1

UC-Denver (MLA interview)(11/19) 4

Fiction

Central Michigan: Request for phone interview (11/6) 3 U of Nebraska, Omaha: Request for phone interview (11/12) 1



Non-Fiction



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre



Rejections
Poetry

Northwestern University (11/14) 4

Colorado (Boulder) (11/19) 12



Fiction



Non-Fiction

DePaul University (11/12) 1



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre



Calls or Emails for Campus Visits
Poetry



Fiction



Non-Fiction



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre



Departments Rejecting On-Campus Interviewees
Poetry



Fiction



Non-Fiction



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre



Schools That Made Offers
Poetry



Fiction



Non-Fiction



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre



Has Anyone Heard From...?
University of North Carolina at Greensboro or Miami University (Ohio)? (both fiction jobs)

Request for more info from UNCG sent by mail. Miami job was pulled because of lack of funding.

Affirmative Action forms sent out: UNC Greensboro, Cornell, UC Santa Cruz, Creighton, Utah, Case-Western Reserve, Illinois SU

, Staten Island, U Oregon

No word yet from Carnegie-Mellon (poetry)

Q. Wesleyan (fiction)?

A. No word here as of 11/21.

Hiring Freezes and Cancelled Searches
Dartmouth, due to budget considerations. Job will be reposted next year. 11/20

Miami had to pull the search due to budget cuts.

Cornell has announced a hiring freeze through March; it is unclear whether it will apply to the current search. (11/7) This is incorrect: the hiring freeze is for staff only (apropos of an email from President Skorton). I'm pretty sure the search (actually, there are two or three in English) is still on. (11/15)

Creighton just announced a hiring freeze, but the English Dept. is unsure whether or not that will affect them (11/13).

The entire UC system will very likely be subject to midyear budget cuts, though reports differ as to whether this will affect current searches (11/15).

Western New England College: Received Confirmation of application letter 11/15; cancelled search as of 11/16/08

Salisbury U's poetry search, from their website: "While the University is currently under a hiring freeze for this position, we are still encouraging qualified applicants to apply for this job, so that once this position becomes available; we have a pool of applicants for consideration. We believe that we will be able to determine the status of these searches in early January."

This is not official, but I have heard from an inside source that Carnegie Mellon is going to be under a hiring freeze.

More information and discussion at http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php?topic=53773.60

Questions/Comments About Specific Listings
Poetry

Q: Washington College: Interview scheduled by phone or over e-mail?

A: Phone



Q: UC Denver: Phone call or email?

A: E-mail

A: Phone



Q: UC Boulder: Was the dossier request sent via e-mail or snail mail?

A: E-mail. Request was for a book (or book-length) writing sample.



Q: Texas State: Was the request for more info for Poetry or Fiction?

A: Poetry.



Q: Did people hearing from Washington College get a request by email or letter?

A: E-mail.



Q: What did Case Western Reserve ask for? Did you get an email?

A: Letters & writing sample via email



Fiction

Q: Did other folks have their application vanish from the Nebraska-Omaha website?



Q: What additional materials were asked for at the Alabama-Birmingham job? I just got my Affirmative Action letter on 11/20, though the letter itself was dated 10/30....

Q: Same here. I was wondering if they looked at the Associates first, then moved on to the Assistants. A: I received a request for dossier and writing sample via email. A: I received the request for dossier and writing sample via email on 11/11 and received the AA letter 11/21.



Q: For the person contacted by Susquehanna, when did you send in your application? I want to know if there's any hope for me!



Q: I was just wondering if anyone can offer any insight into just how difficult it is to land an interview in a search such as the one at UNCG or Miami of Ohio. Any knowledge on those particular searches would be appreciated.

A: Hard to say, as every search is different. (Also, how do you measure "difficult?") It depends on whether the institution is going to do preliminary interviews at MLA/AWP, or via phone, or just go straight to their top choices (it does happen!). In past searches UNCG has done phone interviews.



Non-Fiction



Playwriting/Screenwriting



Open/Multi-Genre

Q: Is the Point Park University job poetry or fiction?

A: The weblink previously provided under "fiction" was to an ad for last year's search. For 2009-10, Point Park is hiring a fiction/nonfiction writer. The poetry position was already filled in 2008-09.

A: The ad at Higheredjobs.com didn't specify genre: http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175348899

A: Looks like the job ad at Higheredjobs.com has been updated to specify that it's a fiction/nonfiction job opening.



Search-Related Comments, Questions, Tips, FAQs, Etc.
Q: Another related topic to hiring freezes:  travel grant and stipend drought! Any tips on funding the trip to San Francisco? It will cost at least $2000...

A: This is my first go at this, but if I am understanding this correctly, there is a good chance that an awful lot of us are going to have to go to SF and then AWP. Which is great, because writers are really, really rich.

Q: A candidate with an MFA from a top-five program and good/great pubs vs. a PhD. with poor/no pubs: who wins and why? (Lets' say that the job in question here lists workshops as its primary responsibility.)

A: Toss up.

A: I'd argue it's not even close to a toss-up. Some schools with search committees run entirely by Ph.Ds are going to always pick the Ph.D., but those ads usually say Ph.D. strongly preferred. If those are the only things in play - degree and publications - the person with the better publications wins; this is particularly true if the job lists workshops as its primary responsibility (and if the job is for teaching at an MFA program, a Ph.D. may actually be a handicap). Of course, I can't imagine any job where the only things in play are degree and publications.

A: There's a new crop of Creative Writing PhDs just now starting to hit the market who have all of the above: a top-five MFA program, strong publications, and a PhD. These people also publish academic articles, translate, run presses and journals, and teach lit classes. They can navigate MFA culture and academic culture, and they tend to have deep teaching experience. This new crop of candidates is putting to rest the idea that folks who seek out a Creative Writing PhD only do so because they can't write or publish.

A: Gosh, I guess the rest of us should just pack it in.

A: Um, yes you should! Or get some auxiliary skills like fire-eating, which would probably be more useful than everything else put together. Seriously, though, I think the point of the above post was that the initial question that started this question was bogus (i.e. folks who pursue CW PhDs are not cretins who have no skills or creds).

A; I know, right? But can they do the uneven bars AND the floor routine? That Romanian judge is a stickler...

A: There are still a lot of Iowa-model MFA programs that don't like to hire PhD's. Maybe this will change.

A: Why do you think that is?

A: Lingering mutual hostility between critics who perceive writers to be flaky & not rigorous, and writers who perceive critics to be pedantic, hostile or overly enamored of theory. Maybe a certain degree of professional insecurity on both sides.

A: Somehow this kind of thinking seems a bit outmoded.



Q: Someone mentioned below a previous fiction search that yielded 100 applicants. Can anyone speak to the typical number of applicants for one of the poetry jobs?

A: I received a count of 200 in one of my job response letters from a department this fall.



Q: With the economy in turmoil, is there a real chance that MLA and/or final interviews will be cancelled? Will institutions try to save a buck by doing more over the phone? Is there precedent for actions like these?

A: Yes, yes and I'm not sure. Anyone remember the last big downturn?

Q: Do you think jobs that have Dec.1 deadlines are going to start reviewing and contacting people before that date, or will they wait till everything is in?

A: I think they will wait until everything is in.

A: I disagree. My department is doing a non-creative writing search whose deadline is Dec. 1st and the committee is made copies of all the incoming application materials on a rolling basis. So by the time the deadline comes around they will have already looked over most everything.

A: My department waited until the deadline to start looking through materials. There were exactly 100 applicants. This was for one of the fiction positions.



Q: Can we talk about the inside folks? Which jobs have them?

A: I think it's alright to indicate you think there is an inside candidate for a job, perhaps without mentioning their name? What do others think?

A: I don't see why not, as long as names aren't named.

A: Poetry inside candidates:

Willamette; Case Western Reserve; Loyola; UC Denver; Washington College; U. of Oregon; UCSD

A: This is just heart-breaking. I've received a dossier request from lots of these places. I know the inside candidates may go elsewhere, things may fall through, etc. etc., but this whole practice is just dreadful. Please, someone come up with a more humane process.

A: I wouldn't sweat inside folks too much. They are often in an equally awkward position. I think very few are guaranteed the position in any implied or explicit way. They've just been interviewing for a year. Here's a link to an interesting first-person piece in the Chronicle about the inside biz: http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i26/26c00201.htm. No need for broken hearts.

A: I agree. Hiring inside isn't always the most advantageous move for a department.

A: I agree that a department probably doesn't just want to settle on a current adjunct for at TT gig, but if you look at the faculty sites of these schools the insiders can be a bit scary. Sheesh.

A: How are they scary exactly? I'm not sure quite what you mean.

A: Well, there are insiders to some of the jobs above who have as many as five or six books published, prizes, etc. That's scary to me. And heartbreaking.

A: It's not as if you can stop insiders from applying for jobs at the schools they're teaching. I second or third the observations above that insider hiring is not necessarily to the department's benefit. Nor does it necessarily give them an advantage. The opposite, sometimes.

A: A few of the jobs with inside candidates are specifically tailored to these candidates; the search is done as a legal obligation, not because the department is looking for other possible employees.



Q: Is it unusual to get no requests for further documents by now? (Nov. 18th) I've applied to about 60 jobs.

A: It depends on a number of factors. How many jobs did you apply for this year? It seems like a lot of places have yet to request additional information at this point.



Q: So do creative writers on the job market need to plan to attend MLA as well as AWP?

A: Most places interview at MLA, but this year it seems like there are more listings saying they will interview at AWP. Bad news for job seekers.

Q: Why is that bad news for job seekers? The timing?

A: Yeah, that messes up the timing pretty bad, actually. Since they're about 6 weeks apart. To say nothing of doing both trips. Lots of schools will be doing their campus visits in mid-late Jan/early February before the schools interviewing at AWP have even met with a single candidate for initial interviews. It just gums up the works basically. Potentially searches that began at MLA could make an offer before AWP searches have even finished their campus interviews, let alone decided on a candidate, or made an offer. Oh well.

A: It's also expensive to have to plan two trips like this (airfare, hotel, and conference). When it's just one conference it's an easier gamble that you'll have to be there.



Q: What did Denver ask for?

A: Cover letter, CV, and poetry sample, uploaded on its job site. Follow-up requested a new cover letter addressing specific queries about Copper Nickel, etc; 2 sample syllabi (one poetry-only; one fiction & poetry); writing sample (again); letters of rec.; plus anything else you wanted them to consider.



Q: Those of you who heard from Denver, when did you send your material in? I'm wondering if the fact I got the material past their initial review date may have influence how seriously they consider my application. Do schools ask for more materials on a rolling basis?

A: Materials sent in late Sept, but the search is rolling, i.e. applications will be screened until position is filled, so later applications appear to be getting responses. Generally, though, sending things late will disqualify you as a candidate. Search committees don't like to meet more than once or twice if they can help it.



Q: I'm curious if there's another resource for listings beyond the mla and awp postings?

A: www.newpages.com tends to list a small amount jobs on their blog, but again, there is a lot of overlap between there and AWP/MLA. Most departments go through the formal channels.

A: ADE site; http://www.higheredjobs.com/; http://chronicle.com/jobs/



Q: I'm curious about how others respond to an initial request for a "description of your work" (usually specified as one or two pages), particularly for poets. I borrowed from a description written for a grant application and mostly discussed my manuscript-in-progress. But for creative writing, this seems like a strange requirement; maybe it's a holdover from other job listings that ask for a dissertation abstract or description of current research. Any thoughts about this?

A: Sounds like a holdover to me, or maybe the department has a template for any listings, be they writing or lit or whatever. I'm a prose writer, not a poet, but I've never been asked for a description of my work, just samples.

A: Not strange at all. If you’re unable to articulate a poetics, you’ll do poorly with a job talk, not to mention falling short in the classroom itself.

A: You should always describe your work in your cover letter, at least a paragraph. And it will serve you well in your interview or job talk if you're able to describe compellingly -- and perhaps theoretically -- what you're trying to accomplish as a writer. This is even more true if you're applying at a research-intensive institution. Liberal arts and teaching colleges often want to hear more about your teaching. If your poetics inform how you teach, so much the better. If not, better prepare to talk about your dream courses.



Q: Every time I apply for a position I receive a follow-up letter or email asking me to complete an affirmative-action questionnaire. Most of these mailings state that completion of the survey is voluntary and anonymous, though most also require you to list your name, which seems to contradict at least the anonymous claim. So is participation really voluntary? If you don't fill this out and return it (and sometimes return postage is not pre-paid, either), will the hiring committee or the department hold this against you?

A: This came up on the Chronicle of Higher Education forums-the consensus there was that search committees and department chairs should not/would almost certainly never see the AA forms, and wouldn't know if a specific individual filled them out. Some people there still urged everyone to fill them out, because there's apparently a slim possibility that a search could be canceled by administrators if they decided that the applicant pool wasn't large enough or diverse enough.



Q: How many requests for additional materials are generally sent, when a department narrows its applicants that way?

A: Most common narrowing process is a) an initial pool of 20-30 minimally qualified candidates, requested to send additional material; b) winnowed to 10-12 for initial interviews (MLA, AWP or telephone), c) 2-3 for a campus visit. Search committees often have in mind a third or fourth "backup" candidate if the initial campus visitors are unacceptable. Bear in mind that this year may see more telephone interviews, as search budgets are cut back and conference trips are cancelled. With telephone interviews there is less pressure to narrow the pool quickly.

List-Related Comments & Suggestions
Q: Where is last year's wiki?

A: Gone. No trace of it.

Q: Any ideas on how we can "spread the word" about this wiki more effectively?

A: key search terms...like so: poems, poetry, jobs, jobs in poetry, creative writing gig, creative writing job, work in creative writing, creative writing wiki, creative writing search results, job searches, how to make a cv, how to land a creative writing job, new hire in fiction, fiction jobs, etc...add more...

A: Email everyone! Please!And if you read this but don't post: start posting!

A: Post about it on listserves.

A: Blog about it.

Q: Perhaps we should list the updates in chronological order, rather than alphabetizing them? This would make it easier to see the recent updates.

A: While chronologically makes it easier to see what's new any given day, it's really hard to find particular schools, and generally much harder for those of us who don't check every day, or who need to refresh our memories. Is there a way to do both?

A: There were multiple calls to alphabetize last year, for the same reasons mentioned above. It seems there's not any easy solution.