Polish it up, send it out!

The MFA Program for Writers invites you to join us on Friday, March 6th for our program’s 50th Anniversary Faculty Reading, at 6:30pm at the Baltimore Theater in the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Reception to follow, 7:30-10:30, on the 19th floor. More events at bit.ly/3NSHkUB

What do these three women have in common? They'll all be on stage at our 50th Anniversary Faculty reading at AWP! March 6, 6:30 p.m. Lord Baltimore Hotel Reception to follow until 10 pm!

Polish it up, send it out - and tag a friend!

The Holden Residency Scholarship to the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson is a single-residency scholarship that covers tuition and residency fees for a writer of color in any genre. (Writers who have previously earned an MFA in creative writing are ineligible.) Visit www.warrenwilsonmfa.org.

Polish it up, send it out! Anyone already submitted to any of these?

Congrats on recent Wally publications!

Please share with folks who are attending AWP! We'll see you in Baltimore.

Polish it up, send it out! Good luck! And if you're new here, follow us to get these curated submissions weekly.

The prestigious MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College has expanded its program to include Creative Nonfiction! Learn more at www.warrenwilsonmfa.org. We look forward to your application - due by March 1 to join our July 2026 residency.

The deadline to apply is less than a month away! We can't wait to meet our next cohort of new students in July. Wally community, share this post with your networks, help get the word out!

Asheville may be covered in snow and 21 degrees now, but back in early January during residency we enjoyed 60 degree afternoons. Thanks to current Wallies Alan Baer, Sarah Blood, Gabriel Hendrix, and finally Sara Grace, your loyal social media correspondent), for their photos.

A few of these close today -- polish it up and send it out!

Did you know that Lesley's lecture - and dozens of other incredible lectures from our faculty - are available to download for $5 each, from the MFA Store at Warrenwilsonmfa.org? Start learning today!

Dreaming of summer, and the warmth and sunshine of Swannanoa, NC, just outside Asheville, where our MFA residency takes place. Big thanks to current Wallies Halley Cotton, Henry Harriman, and Ethan Cramer for sharing their beautiful shots from recent summers.

Celebrating Grace Spulak's forthcoming short story collection, now available for pre-order from Autumn House Press. The collection won the publisher's 2025 Rising Writer Prize in Fiction, selected by judge K-Ming Chang.

Our final public lecture of the January 2026 residency is today at 10:15 AM. Come hear Matthew Olzmann's talk in the Y-Alumni room at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly.

We can't believe it's almost time for our final faculty reading this residency. Come listen to the words of Dan Tobin, @vanessahua.bsky.social, and Connie Voisine tonight at 7:30 PM.

Today’s featured grad is poetry Wally Liz Steinglass! Liz credits the program with teaching her to “tell a fuller, more authentic story” about herself, which makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Congratulations Liz!

Today there will be one public lecture given by faculty member Steven Kleinman at 10:15 AM. Join us at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in the Y-Alumni room.

Come to the penultimate faculty reading for this residency at 7:30 PM to hear readings from @timhorvath.bsky.social, @martharhodespoet.bsky.social, and Marisa Silver.

Tonight we're back at 7:30 PM with a very special reading honoring our founder Ellen Bryant Voight. Program faculty members will read a selection of Ellen's work.

Today’s featured grad is poetry Wally Adam Michael Finney! Adam was surprised by how the MFA program for writers is simultaneously challenging and rewarding. He says it felt natural, like he was made for the program, and we have to agree! Congratulations Adam!

Before we take the day off tomorrow, join us at 7:30 PM for faculty readings from Dilruba Ahmed, @danchaon.bsky.social, Matthew Olzmann, and Hanna Pylväinen.

Today's public lectures are being given by @vanessahua.bsky.social and @yanyiii.com at 9AM and 10:15 AM, respectively. We can't wait to see you in the chapel at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly!

Another day, another night of faculty readings! Tonight we're featuring Program Director @ritabanerjee.bsky.social, Natalie Bakapoulos, @daisyfried.bsky.social, and Atonya Nelson. See you at 7:30 PM.

Today's public lectures are at 9AM and 10:15AM by faculty members Sally Keith and Lesley Nneka Arimah. Join us in the chapel at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly.

Tonight's faculty readers: Jennifer Grotz, @sjsindu.bsky.social, @yanyiii.com, and Sally Keith. 7:30 PM in the Y-Alum room!

This week we’ll be featuring profiles of our soon-to-be grads, and up first is fiction student Jamin Stortz! We’re so glad that the program has showed you “what it really means to be an artist.” Congratulations, Jamin!

Today we have two public readings available in the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly Chapel. Come listen to Marisa Silver at 9AM and Alan Shapiro at 10:15 AM.

Join us at 7:30 PM to listen to tonight's faculty readers: CM Burroughs, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Alan Shapiro, and @samuelkolawole.bsky.social.

Today's public lecture is Hanna Pylväinen's "Therapizing Plot" which will be held in the Chapel at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. See you there at 2:30 PM!

If the nighttime readings leave you wanting more, you’re in luck! Some of our fantastic residency lectures are open to the public. If you’re in the Black Mountain area, join us at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in the chapel from January 4-7th and in the Y-Alumni room from January 9-11th.

Tonight's faculty readers are Steven Kleinmann, @elenavox.bsky.social, and @nafissa.bsky.social. See you at 7:30 PM!

Every night at 7:30 PM EST during residency, members of our faculty read selections of their work. If you're in the Black Mountain, NC area, join us in the Y-Alum room located in the Blue Ridge Center building on the campus of the Blue Ridge Assembly.

Today's the day! Safe travels to all Wallies heading to residency, we can't wait to see you!

Join us virtually on January 9 for a reading honoring our founder and the unparalleled poet, Ellen Bryant Voight. Faculty members will read selections of Ellen's work. Register online to join via Zoom. Pre-registration is required to attend. tinyurl.com/32f33ybs

Just 1 more day! On the final day of residency we hold a graduation ceremony. Graduates ready their work, family and friends attend, and new grads receive their unique walking stick!

Happy New Year! We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors this year. If you're thinking that your 2026 might include the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, apply here: tinyurl.com/5dwzy6ck

One Warren Wilson employee everyone is excited to see in 2 days? It's Lizzie of course! She comes to every class, and if you're lucky, she might sit by your feet and wait for belly rubs.

In 3 days, Wallies will start wondering who their advisor will be for this semester! In our program, faculty members choose who they want to work with, and it's exciting to know your advisor connected with your work!

Wondering what the vibes will be like at residency in 4 days? Some words that come to mind are: excitement, friendship, inspiration, growth. Residency is always supportive, and never competitive.

Only 5 days to go! When they're not learning from our incredible faculty or listening to readings, Wallies have the opportunity to participate in fun residency activities like our infamous dances.

Just 6 more days until our Wallies are all together again! Residency is the one time every semester where Wallies and faculty get to spend time together in person. This time is a crucial part of our community.

In 7 days, we're excited to return to our winter home, the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, which was inaccessible in early 2025 in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

8 days to go! Residency is ten days of intense learning, with students attending all classes in all genres.

The blue ridge mountains are calling! 9 days to go!

No matter what you're celebrating, we're wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.