How to Become a Writer in Texas with a BFA, MFA or Similar Creative Writing Degree

Texas’ Creative Writing Classes, Courses, and Workshops Can Prepare You for a Creative Writing Degree

By now, you’ve probably realized that becoming a writer doesn’t follow a predetermined path. There’s no step-by-step outline that offers the assurance of success. A career in writing is simply not that prescriptive. Writing is, by its nature, an expression of one’s inner self – a glimpse into the writer’s mind. It’s something that comes from deep within. Your journey as a writer begins with getting to know yourself – reflecting on your feelings, examining your perceptions, and finding your vision. After all, the piece the keeps Larry McMurtry’s name alive, Lonesome Dove, was written from the perspective of the American West as he, himself, had lived it.

Honing your skills as a writer, then, means you’ll need to find an outlet for self-expression and inquiry – an environment where you can interact, challenge yourself, and find your voice. The best way to accomplish this is to get involved with your local writing community.

Luckily, large cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston have tons of opportunity for the amateur writer to take advantage of. If you’re interested in poetry, you’ll want to check out the Austin Poetry Society. The group holds virtual meetings and hosts a bunch of events where you can get your stuff heard, like open mic nights and roundtable discussions. You can also submit to any of their special topic contests throughout the year and contend for a chance to win the top case prize of $200.

If you’re local to the Dallas area, be sure to check out DAWG, the Dallas Area Writers Group. This group is open to writers of all levels and all genres and is a wealth of opportunity for developing some much-needed connections. DAWG hosts author speaking events, open mic nights, and critique nights where you can read your work and get feedback from your peers and published authors, too. Attending one of their published author presentations is a great way to learn more about how to get published as well as how to strengthen your chances of getting published. You can also submit a manuscript for publication to the group’s local circular, Texas Shorts, which is an anthology of short stories written by Texas authors.

The Houston Writers Guild is a hot connection for writers in the Houston area. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hobby writer or a published pro, the Houston Writers Guild is open to you. This group is committed to providing an environment for writers to network, improve writing skills, and ultimately be successful. It hosts writing workshop events, critique groups, and round table discussions. Critique groups meet virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays and in-person on Thursday evenings. Workshops are offered on Monday nights and Wednesday mornings.

It’s also important to stay in the know about the happenings in your local literary scene. Local circulars like the San Antonio Review and the Texas Review are top resources for information about local literary events and excellent opportunities to get your material published and out there for a massive audience. The San Antonio Review publishes mostly poetry, fiction, essays, and reviews but takes submissions of all kinds. The Texas Review publishes creative nonfiction, poetry, and fiction pieces twice a year and offers writing contests where you can win some serious money. Top prize is the X.J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, which not only pays our $10,000, but also gets the winner published.