There are hundreds of MFA programs out there offering varying degrees of funding, support, opportunities, the allure of publishing connections, and more. In this event replay–free for all to watch!–Justine breaks down how you can choose the program best for you and get your application materials into shipshape (IDK, is that a phrase used like that?)!
You’ll leave with solid ways to improve your statement of purpose and writing samples, real examples that worked alongside insider tips, and a plan to apply with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re applying now or just curious, this session will get you closer!1
Aaand of course, MFA programs have long been connected to lit mags (or vice versa) because MFAs allow for a regular cohort of learning writers with fresh editorial perspectives. At their best, these journals become incubators: a place where student editors sharpen their taste, make their first big discoveries, and sometimes even help launch careers.
But we also know the flip side—that uneasy feeling of sending your most vulnerable work off to a room full of twenty-somethings who might be reading between workshop deadlines and bad coffee, whilst you wonder, Who are these kids to judge me? And yet, that tension is part of what makes MFA mags so vital. They’re closer to the ground, they’re hungry, and their editorial boards turn over often enough that their vision regularly refreshes. Yes, they’re uneven sometimes, but they’re also electric, often catching the next wave before it breaks anywhere else.
Whether you’re considering an MFA or you’re just curious about how these programs and their journals shape the literary landscape, here’s our list of the 15 best MFA-based literary magazines. These are the ones that have become synonymous with their programs and, love them or side-eye them, still matter.
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