Creative Writing Jobs 2009-10

PLEASE NOTE: This page is misnamed - this information is for jobs starting August 2010 - should be called "Jobs 2010-2011"

New Job Listings 2010-11
Note: It might be helpful if folks put the location of where they found the listings next to the actual school names above (e.g. AWP, Chronicle, HR site, etc.)

Fiction


 * Amherst College (visiting; non-TT)
 * Arizona State University
 * Butler University (visiting; non-TT)
 * Cleveland State University
 * Denison University
 * Hollins University (primary field = fiction, but also asking for strong pubs. in poetry)
 * Kansas State University
 * New College of Florida (Writer in Residence, Spring 2010 semester)
 * Reed College (visiting; non-TT)
 * Rhodes College / Deadline November 6th
 * Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
 * Stanford University (Tenured Associate Professor)
 * Texas Tech
 * University of Alabama (TT, apps due Oct 15)
 * University of Louisville, Axton Fellowship in Creative Writing
 * University of Nevada, Las Vegas (TT, open rank)
 * University of San Diego
 * Western Michigan University
 * Willamette University

Poetry


 * Brooklyn College (HR listing)
 * College of Charleston
 * George Mason University
 * Nebraska Wesleyan University
 * Northern Kentucky University
 * Penn State York
 * St. Lawrence University (visiting; non-TT)
 * Texas Christian University
 * University of Dubuque (creative writing, TT)
 * University of Connecticut (Prof. in Residence; not TT)
 * University of Houston
 * University of Nevada Reno
 * University of North Carolina--Greensboro
 * University of Oregon
 * University of Wisconsin--Green Bay

Non-Fiction


 * Dartmouth College
 * George Washington University (Jenny McKean Moore Visiting non-TT)
 * Ohio University
 * University of Alabama (TT, apps due Oct 15)
 * University of Alaska--Fairbanks
 * University of San Francisco
 * USC
 * Wheaton College

Playwriting/Screenwriting


 * RISD
 * Ursinus College (non-TT; visiting)

Open Genre


 * Eastern Illinois State
 * Eastern Michigan University
 * Flagler College
 * Lebanon Valley College
 * North Central College
 * Point Loma Nazarene University (fiction or non-fiction)
 * Rhode Island School of Design (play-writing and script-writing, but also fiction and/or hybrid forms)
 * Shepherd University
 * University of Dayton -- Herbert W. Martin Fellowship in Creative Writing and Diversity

Who is using this Wiki:
Poet: 8

Fiction Writer: 6

Creative Non-Fiction Writer: 1

Multi-Genre double/triple threat: 6

First Time on Market: 3

Unemployed and looking for job: 1

Have job and looking for new one: 4'"'

Have short-term gig, looking for TT: 6

Gluttons For Punishment: 1

Now what?: 1

Questions/Comments about Specific Job Listings
POETRY

'''Q: Does anyone know if Houston's listing is for this year, or last year?? On their HR website the due date for app stuff is listed as Oct 1 2008, not 2009. Anyone?'''

'''Q: How did you find this Houston listing originally? It's not on MLA or Chronicle. '''

A: It's in AWP

A: I sent my application in during August. ..

A: They just re-posted their listing on AWP this month to say apps accepted until November but they started reviewing materials Oct. 1

A: I know someone there. They're well into their search.

A: I can confirm that.

C: Texas Christian University (beware: potential inside candidate)

'''Q: University of Oregon--wasn't this listed as awarded to Geri Doran in last year's wiki? Is this a whole new position? '''

A: I think Geri Doran got a visiting writer position.

A: No, Geri is on their permanent faculty. This is a whole new position.

'

Q: Has anyone had a dossier request yet?

A: Nevada Reno emailed me asking for a dossier 10/2.

 

Q: Are Green Bay and Nebraska on AWP? I see them on their home sites--but otherwise can't find them listed. 'Also--can't find St. Lawrence at all--the university employment page says there are no academic jobs in English--what's up with that?'''

A: Wisconsin-Green Bay and St. Lawrence job ads are posted on the JIL. Nebraska Wesleyan on the Chronicle of Higher Education.

FICTION

'''Q: Rhodes college asks for "Letter, C.V. and dossier containing three professional references." Does that mean the NAMES of three references or the actual letters of recommendation? '''

A: If they're asking for a dossier, that means actual letters.

A: Definitely letters.

NON-FICTION

'''Q: Dartmouth College - IS THIS LISTING LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR? NOT ON CHRON OR DARTMOUTH SITE.'''

A: Dartmouth search is new--see AWP listings. They canceled a fiction search last year due to budget, but reinstated a search this year for CNF.

'''Q: USC -- IS THIS LISTING LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR? NOT ON CHRON OR USC SITE?'''

Q: Where is that RISD job listed? A: JIL/ADE

'''Q: Where is the Alabama job listed? (I only managed to track down a listing at the school website after I saw it listed here; they posted it 9/30 and say review begins 10/15? Sounds like they have an inside candidate and are just going through the motions.)(Oh, wait -- there it is, on AWP.  Posted 10/13 with a 10/15 deadline!  What do you make of that?)''' A: I agree - sounds like a legal requirement/ghost job.

General Questions about Job Market Preparedness and Job Materials
'''Q: I have a chapbook with multiple stories coming out. How do I present this on my CV? It isn't a book obviously, but it isn't a journal either. Make a new category? (Every bit helps, right?) '''

A: Do you have your CV divided into types of publication? Mine just has "publications" as a general category--I include both books and individual poems in journals. (And I got a TT job, if that makes any difference...)

'''Q: I've heard that it's better to find out who's chairing the search committee, and address the cover letter to that person (instead of "To The Search Committee.") What's the best way to find out who is the chair? Or is this even necessary? And if not, what's the best version of "To The Search Committee" to use? Does any of this matter?'''

A: I'm sure that it's a good idea to find the SC chair's name, but I think "To the Search Committee" is a perfectly reasonable way to begin a letter, and in the long run this particular detail is not going to make a difference in how the committee evaluates your application.

A: It seems to me that if they don't list a specific "send to" name in the posting, then they don't want you to know who the SC Chair is, and thus wouldn't want you to address your letter to said person, even if you could suss out who it was.

A: Having served on search committees in fiction I can assure you that you should not use the chair's name if the listing states to send your letter & materials to "Search Committee." This is not what you were asked to do; why not do as asked in this case? The idea of asking for things to be addressed to the committee generally is to communicate to you that this letter will be screened by a committee of equals. The search chair is usually acting primarily as the moderator of the other committee members and, even more so, as a liaison to the rest of the department and with candidates, and generally has no more voting power. Not even always seniority. You do not know the relationship of the search chair to the other committee members and listing her/his name on the letter might alienate someone else on the committee who has a lot invested in the search, someone who, say, doesn't like the search chair (seriously). All committee members are screening your letter. (At a later time, when you are contacted, or if you feel like contacting the search chair independently of your letter, sure, use her or his name.)