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Key Takeaways
- A master’s in creative writing hones students’ skills in various creative writing genres. Learners develop their own work and build skills for various literary and communication-focused careers.
- Specializations for a creative writing master’s program include fiction, nonfiction, poetry and screenwriting.
- At the master’s level, creative writing programs include both Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) options. Most programs take about two years to complete.
Do you want to create written work that ignites a reader’s imagination and even changes their worldview? With a master’s in creative writing, you can develop strong storytelling and character development skills, equipping you to achieve your writing goals.
If you’re ready to strengthen your writing chops and you enjoy writing original works to inspire others, tell interesting stories and share valuable information, earning a master’s in creative writing may be the next step on your career journey.
The skills learned in a creative writing master’s program qualify you to compose your own literary works, teach creative writing to students of various ages or pursue other writing-focused careers.
This article explores master’s degrees in creative writing, including specializations, common courses, admission requirements and creative writing careers. Read on to learn more about earning a master’s degree in creative writing.
What Is a Master’s in Creative Writing?
A master’s in creative writing is an advanced degree that helps you develop the skills to write your own novel, poetry, screenplay or nonfiction book. This degree can also prepare you for a career in business, publishing, education, marketing or communications.
In a creative writing master’s degree program, you can expect to analyze literature, explore historical contexts of literary works, master techniques for revising and editing, engage in class workshops and peer critiques, and write your own original work.
Creative writing master’s programs usually require a thesis project, which should be well-written, polished and ready to publish. Typical examples of thesis projects include poetry collections, memoirs, essay collections, short story collections and novels.
A master’s in creative writing typically requires about 36 credits and takes about two years for full-time enrollees to complete. Credit requirements and timelines vary by program, so you may be able to finish your degree quicker.
Specializations for a Master’s in Creative Writing
Below are a few common concentrations for creative writing master’s programs. These vary by school, so your program’s offerings may look different.
Fiction
This concentration helps you develop fiction writing skills, such as plot development, character creation and world building. A fiction concentration is a good option if you plan to write short stories, novels or other types of fiction.
Nonfiction
A nonfiction concentration focuses on the mechanics of writing nonfiction narratives. If you plan to write memoirs, travel pieces, magazine articles, technical documents or nonfiction books, this concentration may suit you.
Poetry
Explore the imagery, tone, rhythm and structure of poetry with a poetry concentration. With this concentration, you can expect to develop your poetry writing skills and learn to curate poetry for journals and magazines.
Screenwriting
Screenwriting is an excellent concentration to explore if you enjoy creating characters and telling stories to make them come alive for television or film. This specialization covers how to write shorts, episodic serials, documentaries and feature-length film scripts.
Admission Requirements for a Master’s in Creative Writing
Below are some typical admission requirements for master’s in creative writing degree programs. These requirements vary, so check with your program to ensure you’ve met the appropriate requirements.
- Application for admission
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Transcripts from previous education
- Writing samples
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement or essay
Common Courses in a Master’s in Creative Writing
Story and Concept
This course focuses on conceptualizing, planning and developing stories on a structural level. Learners study how to generate ideas, develop interesting plots, create outlines, draft plot arcs, engage in world building and create well-rounded characters who move their stories forward.
Graduate Studies in English Language
Understanding literature is essential to building a career in creative writing. This course prepares you to teach, study literature or write professionally. Expect to discuss topics such as phonology, semantics, dialects, syntax and the history of the English language.
Workshop in Creative Nonfiction
You’ll study classic and contemporary creative nonfiction in this course. Workshops in creative nonfiction explore how different genres have emerged throughout history and how previous works influence new works. In some programs, this course focuses on a specific theme.
Foundations in Fiction
In this course, you’ll explore how the novel has developed throughout literary history and how the short story emerged as an art form. Coursework includes reading classic and contemporary works, writing response essays and crafting critical analyses.
M.A. in Creative Writing vs. M.F.A. in Creative Writing: What’s the Difference?
While the degrees are similar, a Master of Arts in creative writing is different from a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. An M.A. in creative writing teaches creative writing competencies, building analytical skills through studying literature, literary theory and related topics. This lets you explore storytelling along with a more profound knowledge of literature and literary theory.
If you want your education to take a more academic perspective so you can build a career in one of many fields related to writing, an M.A. in creative writing may be right for you.
An M.F.A. prepares you to work as a professional writer or novelist. M.F.A. students graduate with a completed, publication-ready manuscript. Coursework highlights subjects related to the business of writing, such as digital publishing, the importance of building a platform on social media, marketing, freelancing and teaching. An M.A. in creative writing often takes less time and requires fewer credits than an M.F.A.
If you want to understand the business of writing and work as a professional author or novelist, earning an M.F.A. in creative writing might be your best option.
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Creative Writing?
Below are several careers you can pursue with a master’s in creative writing. We sourced salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in November 2024.
Postsecondary Creative Writing Teacher
Median Annual Salary: $78,130
Minimum Required Education: Ph.D. in creative writing, English or a related field; master’s degree may be accepted at some schools
Job Overview: Postsecondary teachers, also known as professors or faculty members, teach students at the college level. They plan lessons, advise students, serve on committees, conduct research, publish original work, supervise graduate teaching assistants, apply for research grants and teach subjects in their areas of expertise.
Editor
Median Annual Salary: $75,020
Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in English or a related field
Job Overview: Editors plan, revise and edit written materials for publication. They work for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, advertising agencies, media networks, and motion picture and video production companies. Editors work closely with writers to ensure their written work is accurate, grammatically correct and written in the appropriate style for the medium.
Journalist
Median Annual Salary: $57,500
Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field
Job Overview: Journalists research and write stories about local, regional, national and global current events and other newsworthy subjects. Journalists need strong interviewing, editing, analytical and writing skills. Some journalists specialize in a subject, such as sports or politics, and some are generalists. They work for news organizations, magazines and online publications, and some work as freelancers.
Writer or Author
Median Annual Salary: $73,690
Minimum Required Education: None; bachelor’s degree in creative writing or a related field sometimes preferred
Job Overview: Writers and authors write fiction or nonfiction content for magazines, plays, blogs, books, television scripts and other forms of media. Novelists, biographers, copywriters, screenwriters and playwrights all fall into this job classification. Writers may work for advertising agencies, news platforms, book publishers and other organizations; some work as freelancers.
Technical Writer
Median Annual Salary: $80,050
Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
Job Overview: Technical writers craft technical documents, such as training manuals and how-to guides. They are adept at simplifying technical information so laypeople can easily understand it. Technical writers may collaborate with technical staff, graphic designers, computer support specialists and software developers to create user-friendly finished pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Master’s in Creative Writing
Is a master’s in creative writing useful?
If your goal is to launch a career as a writer, then yes, a master’s in creative writing is useful. An M.A. or M.F.A. in creative writing is a versatile degree that prepares you for various jobs requiring excellent writing skills.
Is an MFA better than an MA for creative writing?
One is not better than the other; you should choose the one that best equips you for the career you want. An M.F.A. prepares you to build a career as a professional writer or novelist. An M.A. prepares you for various jobs demanding high-level writing skills.
What kind of jobs can you get with a creative writing degree?
A creative writing degree prepares you for many types of writing jobs. It helps you build your skills and gain expertise to work as an editor, writer, author, technical writer or journalist. This degree is also essential if you plan to teach writing classes at the college level.