MFA, BFA and Other Creative Writing Degrees in New York

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Liberty University

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The allure of New York City is legendary. For generations, creative hopefuls have flocked here to soak in the energy of the city and experience it for all its grit and glamour, darkness and light.

For better or for worse, whether they’re embracing it as a symbol of the American dream or as a sign of despair and destitution, legions of American authors and poets have drawn inspiration from NYC.

J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951), Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities (1987), Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943), and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925) – they’re but a small sample of American authors whose work was influenced by the paradoxes of the world’s greatest city.

Take Wolfe and Fitzgerald, for example. They masterfully used New York City as a backdrop to highlight differences in wealth and class. Bonfire begins with a wealthy bond trader making a wrong turn in the Bronx, while Gatsby’s NYC and Long Island settings (referred to as West Egg and East Egg) underlined differences in the social standing of his characters.

Hiding in every nook and cranny, down every dark alley, and tucked among shining lights and glittery facades, inspiration calls the creative writer to NYC. You don’t need to land a gig with The New Yorker to explore the writing biz here (although it wouldn’t hurt). This city is teeming with indie magazines that explore hybrid and underrepresented genres; coffee houses that dedicate their evenings to open mic nights and poetry slams; and iconic cocktail bars where aspiring playwrights and screenwriters meet for good conversation and a New York sour.

And while events and workshops are a great way to get your footing as a writer in New York, making the transition from struggling artist to bonafide New York writer requires a degree and a plan. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees as well as traditional BA and MA programs in creative writing provide a solid foundation for your talent and creative skillset and a solid pathway to a successful career doing what you love.

There’s No Place Like Home… As Long As it’s New York City

You can leave New York, but New York never really leaves you. For many who make their way here, whether for a visit or to put down roots, New York becomes more than a destination; it’s a feeling that it really is the center of the universe. Authors big and small agree… New York is home. As John Steinbeck once said, “Once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough.”

“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.”

~ Tom Wolfe

“I believe in New Yorkers. Whether they’ve ever questioned the dream in which they live, I wouldn’t know, because I won’t ever dare ask that question.”

~ Dylan Thomas

“I love New York, even though it isn’t mine, the way something has to be, a tree or a street or a house, something, anyway, that belongs to me because I belong to it.”

~ Truman Capote

“The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.”

~ John Updike

“I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York’s skyline.”

~ Ayn Rand

Creative Writing Classes, Courses, and Workshops in New York Can Prepare You for a Creative Writing Degree

It’s long been said that New York is the place where dreams come true. But you won’t work toward realizing your dreams simply by virtue of being here. You’ll need to put in the time and the energy and become fully engaged in the writing community. Luckily, there’s no shortage of opportunities to connect with fellow writers and participate in lively literary activities and events. Simply put, there’s no better way to get your feet wet as a writer in New York than to become part of a writing community.

New York City

This list is only touching the surface of what’s available in NYC, but they may very well become your favorite go-tos:

Strand: Located on the edge of the East Village, Strand has been a NYC staple since 1927. Today, it carries more than two and a half million new, used, collectible, and rare books. It’s a veritable paradise for book lovers, but it’s also home to near-daily events that include book readings with some of today’s most interesting authors. Grab a latte and settle in as authors provide you with unique insight into everything from their writing process to their inspirations.

420 Friendly Writer’s Group: A Brooklyn staple, 420 Friendly Writer’s Group meets monthly at the Grace Health & Wellness Center for good conversation and creative inspiration. Whether you’re working on a novel, poem, short story, or screenplay, you’ll be among friends here.

New York City Writer’s Critique Group: Often meeting at New York Public Library’s Riverside Library in Lincoln Square or Blackwell’s Pub in Midtown, the New York Writer’s Critique Group features a growing and diverse group of writers who have been meeting for support and inspiration since 2014. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve already been published, you’re welcome here. The group always encourages members to have an open mind and a willingness to help and support their fellow writers.

Bowery Poetry Club: Tucked into Manhattan’s East Village, the Bowery Poetry Club is a spoken word, poetry, and reading venue where, on any given night, you’ll find artists sharing their work and elevating their craft. The Bowery Poetry Club is home to open mic nights, poetry slam competitions, and workshops, all of which are delivered in an intimate, comfortable atmosphere that feels like home.

And don’t miss an opportunity to submit your favorite piece to one or more of the countless literary magazines in NYC. There’s nothing like seeing your work in print to give you the motivation to keep your dream alive. Some of the city’s favorites that always welcome submissions include:

Electric Literature, Brooklyn
Breadcrumbs, Brooklyn
Milk Press (poetry), Brooklyn
Literal Latte, Manhattan
Spinning Jenny, Manhattan
Poetrybay, Long Island

Want to explore some of New York’s best indie and mainstream literary publications all in one spot? Check out the Literature and Language Collection on the third floor of the New York Public Library.

Upstate New York

NYC doesn’t hold a monopoly on events and workshops for the creative writer – not by a longshot. Here are just a few of the groups outside of the Big Apple that’ll jumpstart your creativity:

Hudson Valley Writers Guild: The Capital region of the state is where you’ll find the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, a thriving organization that hosts peer writing groups where non-pros gather to help each other workshop ideas, revise, critique, and more. The guild also partners with local libraries to offer multi-genre readings by areas writers. The guild is headquartered in Troy, but you’ll find a slew of events and peer writing groups held in Albany, Schenectady, and outlying suburbs and towns.

Writers in the Mountains: This nonprofit is dedicated to promoting the literary arts in the Catskill Mountains region of Upstate New York. They offer a nice selection of creative writing workshops, classes, and literary events, and they often partner with organizations to bring literary events to local communities. They also produce WIM Review, an online literary journal that showcases the work of emerging writers in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and micro-memoir.

Adirondack Center for Writing: For more than 20 years, the Center has been bringing together readers, writers, and storytellers to the Adirondack region. We love their exciting selection of events that are designed to engage and inspire, such as the Anne LaBastille Memorial Writing Residency, a two-week residency for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, and their Kickass Writers Festival, a festival of readings, workshops, talks, publishing programs, and special performances that take place across Saranac Lake.

New York’s Famous Literary Haunts You Can’t Afford to Miss

To really experience the magic of New York as an author, you have to become a New Yorker – and that means exploring the literary hangouts that have inspired the work of some of America’s most famous writers and poets.

Edgar Allen Poe’s Cottage: Poe spent the last few years of his life in a modest little bungalow in the Bronx. He brought his wife, Virginia, and mother-in-law here for solitude and fresh air while Virginia recouped from tuberculosis. The surroundings proved inspirational for Poe, who wrote some of his most famous works here, including “Annabel Lee,” rumored to be about Virginia.

The Morgan Library: Bibliophiles rejoice! The Morgan Library and Museum on Madison Avenue is superb! Part museum, part independent research library, part shop, the Morgan Library was, at one time, the personal library of famed financier Pierpont Morgan (it was built adjacent to his residence between 1902 and 1906). His son, JP Morgan, upon his father’s death, made one of the most significant cultural gifts in U.S. history by allowing it to be transformed into a public institution. It’s as majestic as you’d imagine and home to rare literature like the Gutenberg Bible and Charles Dickens’ manuscript for A Christmas Carol.

Chumley’s: Some of the biggest names in twentieth century literature have graced the bar stools of Chumley’s in Greenwich Village in their day: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Willa Cather, John Steinbeck, to name just a few. After nearly collapsing in 2007, the owners have revived it and it’s open once again for anyone interested in a vodka and soda and good conversation.

The White Horse Tavern: The White Horse Tavern in the West Village is most synonymous with Dylan Thomas, who was said to have consumed more than 18 shots of whiskey on a single night here (he died later that night). Head to the White Horse Tavern to catch a glimpse of his favorite table (his photo hangs above it) but stay awhile and get inspired by what is still today one of Manhattan’s favorite literary bars.

Writing Colleges in New York Offering Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing Provide a Path to Becoming a Writer

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Bachelor – BA

Private School

Yeshiva University

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Bachelor – BA

Private School

Private School

CUNY Brooklyn College

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Public School

CUNY City College

DIVISION OF HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Public School

CUNY Hunter College

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Public School

CUNY Queens College

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Public School

Long Island University

GEORGE POLK SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

Manhattanville College

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

New York University

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

Pratt University-Main

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

Sarah Lawrence College

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

St. Francis College

DIVISION OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

St. Joseph’s University-New York

BROOKLYN CAMPUS

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

Stony Brook University

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Public School

Syracuse University

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School

The New School

SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Accreditation: MSCHE

Degree: Master – MFA

Private School