Creative Writing
Creative writing is a valued part of the curriculum at Bowdoin. The English department regularly offers two levels of courses in poetry writing and a course in writing narrative prose. It also includes a component of creative writing in several first-year seminars taught each year. Students may also work on their creative writing independently with department faculty and write Honors theses in creative writing.
Each year, the department invites several creative writers to the college to visit classes, present their current work, and participate in informal exchanges with interested students. Recent visitors include Grace Paley (March 2001), Janisse Ray (February 2001), Mark Scott (November 2000), Lawrence Raab (October 2000) Jay Wright (April 2000), Emily Hiestand (April 2000), Frederick Busch (March 2000), Leo Connellan (October 1999), August Kleinzahler (October 1998), Barbara Ras & Ellen Doré Watson (April 1998), Richard Ford (October 1997), and Michael Harper (October 1996).