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Creative Writing Tips from Harvard’s Faculty

Harvard’s English faculty hosts a powerhouse of acclaimed creative writers. As lecturers and professors, they devote countless hours to passing on the skills of their craft to students. The Crimson asked four faculty members who teach fiction-writing classes to share their creative writing wisdom.

“You can make an entire world up in your head and transmit it to other people with scribbles on a page,” said Claire Messud, a Senior Lecturer. “Making up stories is open to all of us.” While not every Harvard student will have the opportunity to take their classes, anyone can try their hand at creative writing.

Start small, and make time to write.

Paul Yoon, Briggs-Copeland Lecturer, in an email: Start small. Oftentimes when we have an “idea” to write something, we’re operating on a level that is somewhat abstract and leans on the bigger picture. How to begin a story you want to tell? I like starting with just one sentence or focusing on an object or a specific detail, like describing setting or one character trait. Just that. Go micro, focus. Start small. And go step by step from there.

Claire Messud, Senior Lecturer: Learning the habit of making time for writing is the challenge for many people. Almost everybody makes time to exercise now. It’s just the same—you can say, I’m going to sit at my desk for an hour, or write until I have 200 words. You just make a plan. If you do something several times a week for weeks and months, you will get better at it.

Imagine the iceberg, not just the tip.

CM: It isn’t just about figuring out a plot and characters. It’s about really imagining the world, circumstances, and particularities of those characters and that situation—not just what’s going to appear on the page, but the entire world. Hemingway speaks about the tip of the iceberg. The tip of the iceberg is what the story is, but there’s an entire iceberg under the water. You have to make the iceberg to make the story.

Revise for clarity.

Laura M. van den Berg, Briggs-Copeland Lecturer, in an email: In my experience, a common struggle for students is the discomfort of sitting with the uncertainty of the first draft—i.e. I’m not sure where this story is going, I don’t know what this character is up to, I don’t know how it will end . Sometimes students worry that this not-knowing is a sign that they’re doing something wrong, when the not-knowing is very often an essential part of the process.

I tend to write my own drafts very quickly and messily and intuitively—and then spend a lot of time re-shaping and re-casting and re-imagining. In the first draft, the most important question I ask myself is “Why not?“ For every draft after the first, the question is, “Why?”

CM: Revision is really at least 50 percent of the work. Some of the things to think about: How much of what’s in my head have I conveyed on the paper? Have I been clear? It’s great to be beautiful or lyrical or inventive, but none of it matters if you haven’t expressed clearly what you wanted to express. The process of revision is about a clarification and a distillation. If you have three scenes, each of which does one thing, can you figure out a way to have one scene that will do all three things?

Read as if living depended on it.

Jamaica Kincaid, Professor of African and African American Studies in Residence, in an email: It is more important that you read than to write because when you are writing you have first read what you are writing before you write it. So the best thing, so it seems to me, for a writer is to read as if living depended on it. Nothing else really matters.

LMV: If you want to write poems or short stories or essays or novels, it is critically important to have read deeply in the genre—from the canon to what the canon has missed to what’s being written right now to everything in-between. And of course writers should also read expansively, roaming outside the genres they themselves work in.

PY: Always be open to inspiration. “Best American Short Stories” is a fantastic anthology. In terms of literary magazines, I think my current favorite, the ones that feel bold and ambitious and the ones I consistently want to pick up are: Tin House, A Public Space, and Ecotone. Books and stories are our best teachers.

Take your time during the publishing process.

LMV: Take your time getting to know the landscape. Read literary magazines and get a feel for who regularly publishes work that you love. Pay attention to where writers you admire have published/are publishing their work. Make sure you have given your work everything you have before you send it out into the world—an editor (almost always) is only going to read the piece once. Mightily resist the urge to rush.

No writing is wasted.

CM: No writing is a waste of time. You can always write better, and any writing you do is going to teach you how to write. You just have to dive in. You have to be unafraid. The language is ours. What a great freedom.

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Harvard Undergraduate Creative Writing Collective

Become part of our vibrant community..

The Harvard Undergraduate Creative Writing Collective is concerned with filling the gap in the creative writing community on Harvard’s campus. Through mentorship, drop-in hours, networking events, book clubs, workshop events, speaker series, and service opportunities, we ultimately seek to create a radically inclusive, tight-knit community for writers of all kinds on campus (& beyond), by: • Providing support and accountability for writers working on projects • Connecting writers with publishers, nonprofits, grants, and each other • Organizing writing & non-writing related events & programming • Partnering with other creative orgs at Harvard • Serving the greater Boston community

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Harvard Undergraduate Creative Writing Collective Cambridge Massachusetts United States

Creative Writing and Literature Degree Requirements

The Master of Liberal Arts, Creative Writing and Literature degree field is offered online with one 3-week course required on campus at Harvard University.

Getting Started

Explore Degree Requirements

• Review the course curriculum .
• Learn about the on-campus experience .
• Determine your initial admissions eligibility .
• Learn about the 2 degree courses required for admission .

Upcoming Term: Summer 2024

Course registration is open March 4 – June 20. Learn how to register →

Fall 2024 courses and registration details will be live in June.

Required Course Curriculum

Online core and elective courses

On-campus summer writers’ residency

Capstone or thesis

12 Graduate Courses (48 credits)

The program is designed for creative writers interested in fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing.

The degree is highly customizable. As part of the program curriculum, you choose either a capstone or thesis track as well as the creative writing and literature courses that meet your learning goals.

The synchronous online format and small class size ensure you’ll receive personal feedback on your writing and experience full engagement with instructors and peers.

Required Core & Elective Courses View More

• HUMA 101 Proseminar: Elements of the Writer’s Craft
• 1 advanced fiction writing course
• 3 creative writing courses
• 1 creative writing and literature elective or creative writing independent study
• EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities is a literature option
• On-campus summer writers’ residency

Browse Courses →

Thesis Track View More

The thesis is a 9-month independent research project where you work one-on-one in a tutorial setting with a thesis director.

The track includes:

• Thesis proposal tutorial course
• Master’s Thesis (8 credits)

Capstone Track View More

The capstone track includes the following additional courses:

• 1 literature course
• Precapstone: Building the World of the Book (fiction and nonfiction options)
• Capstone: Developing a Manuscript (fiction and nonfiction options)

In the precapstone , with support from your instructor and peers, you’ll engage in a series of structured writing exercises that make it possible to delve deeply into your characters—what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live—as you structure the world of your fiction or nonfiction.

In the capstone , with ongoing community support, you continue your work of in the precapstone and write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages — the equivalent of a thesis.

You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring) and in your final academic year. The capstone must be taken alone as your sole remaining degree requirement.

On-Campus Experience: One-Week Writers’ Residency

Participate in an weeklong writers’ workshop on campus.

Learn and network in person with your classmates, agents, and editors.

Nearly all courses can be taken online, but the degree requires an in-person experience at Harvard University where you enroll in a summer residency.

After completing 7 or more courses, you come to Harvard Summer School for a weeklong master class taught by a notable instructor. An agents-and-editors weekend follows. HSS offers, for an additional fee, housing, meal plans, and a prolonged on-campus experience here at Harvard University.

Choose between two on-campus experience options:

• One-week Writers’ Residency with extended online sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes online and submit a final piece of writing.
• One-week Writers’ Residency with extended on-campus sessions: During the two weeks that follow the intensive week of on-campus instruction, you attend additional writing classes on campus and submit a final piece of writing. Three-week housing is available for this extended on-campus option. Learn more about campus life at Harvard .

International Students Who Need a Visa View More

To meet the on-campus requirement, you choose the One-Week Writers’ Residency with extended on-campus sessions and study with us in the summer. You can easily request an I-20 for the F-1 student visa through Harvard Summer School. For more details, see International Student Study Options for important visa information.

In-Person Co-Curricular Events View More

Come to Cambridge for Convocation (fall) to celebrate your hard-earned admission, Harvard career fairs offered throughout the year, HES alumni networking events (here at Harvard and around the world), and, of course, Harvard University Commencement (May).

Confirm your initial eligibility with a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent.

Take two courses in our unique “earn your way in” admissions process that count toward your degree.

In the semester of your second course, submit the official application for admission to the program.

Below are our initial eligibility requirements and an overview of our unique admissions process to help get you started. Be sure to visit Degree Program Admissions for full details.

Initial Eligibility View More

• Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a 4-year regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
• You cannot already have or be in the process of earning a master’s degree in creative writing or a related field. Check your eligibility .
• If English is your second language, you’ll need to prove English proficiency before registering for a course. We have multiple proficiency options .

Earn Your Way In — Courses Required for Admission View More

To begin the admission process, you simply register — no application required — for the following two, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online).

These prerequisite courses count toward your degree once you’re admitted ; they are not additional courses. They are investments in your studies and help ensure success in the program.

• Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42a Writing in the Humanities.
• You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
• Advanced Fiction Writing

While the two courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we recommend that you start with the proseminar. The 2 courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Applying to the Degree Program View More

During the semester of your second degree course, submit the official application to the program.

Don’t delay! You must prioritize the two degree courses for admission and apply before completing subsequent courses. By doing so, you’ll:

• Avoid the loss of credit due to expired course work or changes to admission and degree requirements.
• Ensure your enrollment in critical and timely degree-candidate-only courses.
• Avoid the delayed application fee.
• Gain access to exclusive benefits.

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have 10 more courses after admission to earn the degree. Applicants can register for courses in the upcoming semester before they receive their grades and while they await their admission decision.

The Office of Predegree Advising & Admissions makes all final determinations about program eligibility.

Search and Register for Courses

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) offers degree courses all year round to accelerate degree completion.

• You can study in fall, January, and spring terms through Harvard Extension School (HES) and during the summer through Harvard Summer School (HSS).
• You can enroll full or part time. After qualifying for admission, many of our degree candidates study part time, taking 2 courses per semester (fall/spring) and 1 in the January and summer sessions.
• Most fall and spring courses meet once a week for two hours, while January and summer courses meet more frequently in a condensed format.

To Complete Your Degree

Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Complete your courses in five years.

Earn your Harvard degree and enjoy Harvard Alumni Association benefits upon graduation.

Required GPA, Withdrawal Grades, and Repeat Courses View More

GPA. You need to earn a B or higher in each of the two degree courses required for admission and a B– or higher in each of the subsequent courses. In addition, your cumulative GPA cannot dip below 3.0.

Withdrawal Grades. You are allowed to receive 2 withdrawal (WD) grades without them affecting your GPA. Any additional WD grades count as zero in your cumulative GPA. Please note that a WD grade from a two-credit course will count as 1 of your 2 allowed WD grades. See Academic Standing .

Repeat Courses. We advise you to review the ALM program’s strict policies about repeating courses . Generally speaking, you may not repeat a course to improve your GPA or to fulfill a degree requirement (if the minimum grade was not initially achieved). Nor can you repeat a course for graduate credit that you’ve previously completed at Harvard Extension School or Harvard Summer School at the undergraduate level.

Courses Expire: Finish Your Coursework in Under Five Years View More

Courses over five years old at the point of admission will not count toward the degree. As stated above, the proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.

Further, you have five years to complete your degree requirements. The five-year timeline begins at the end of the term in which you complete any two degree-applicable courses, regardless of whether or not you have been admitted to a degree program.

Potential degree candidates must plan accordingly and submit their applications to comply with the five-year course expiration policy or they risk losing degree credit for completed course work. Additionally, admission eligibility will be jeopardized if, at the point of application to the program, the five-year degree completion policy cannot be satisfied (i.e., too many courses to complete in the time remaining).

Graduate with Your Harvard Degree View More

When you have fulfilled all degree requirements, you will earn your Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature. Degrees are awarded in November, March, and May, with the annual Harvard Commencement ceremony in May.

Degree Candidate Exclusive Benefits View More

When you become an officially admitted degree candidate, you have access to a rich variety of exclusive benefits to support your academic journey. To learn more, visit degree candidate academic opportunities and privileges .

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Extension Courses

Return to Department List

Department - CREA

Crea e-22 section 1 (26257).

Spring 2023

Introduction to Creative Nonfiction

Margaret Deli PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University

This is a workshop-based course for students interested in creative nonfiction: reading it, discussing it, and writing it for yourself (perhaps for the first time). Drawing on a wide variety of forms and voices, we close read for craft by analyzing the internal mechanics of style. The focus of these discussions is exemplary work by authors like Zadie Smith, Chang-Rae Lee, Susan Orlean, and James Baldwin. These conversations are the jumping off point for students' own writing: by the end of term, students produce two different essays to be workshopped by their peers.

CREA E-24 Section 1 (24510)

Story Development

Shelley Evans MFA, Screenwriter

This workshop introduces the unique challenges of longform storytelling, and helps writers develop strategies for approaching long projects, either screenplays or novels. Many writers are drawn to the page by character or language or theme, but story is the scaffold on which movies and novels depend. Over the course of the semester, we learn to work creatively with the tasks of story building. We begin with ideas where and how do we find them? What kinds of ideas can carry a story? How can you turn a wobbly idea into one that works? We then consider character who does the story belong to? How do their desires, problems, and drives give the story its essential energy? Then we turn to story development and structure, the primary work of the course: how do you keep an idea alive for two-hundred pages, or two hours? What elements help a story build energy and momentum, and deliver us to a satisfying close? We explore these essential story energies using writing exercises, examples from film and literature, and the shared experience of working writers.

CREA E-25 Section 2 (16665)

Introduction to Fiction Writing

Randy S. Rosenthal MTS, Editor

A workshop for writers with little or no experience in writing fiction. The class focuses on the elements of fiction: dialogue, voice, image, character, point of view, and structure. Students are asked to read and discuss fiction by major writers, to critique each other's work, and to write and revise at least one short story. Requirements also include several short writing exercises.

CREA E-25 Section 1 (16814)

William J. Holinger MA, Director, Secondary School Program, Harvard Summer School

CREA E-30a Section 1 (16374)

Beginning Poetry: Listening to Lines

David Barber MFA, Poetry Editor, The Atlantic

This intensive workshop offers students the opportunity to develop their aptitude and affinity for the practice of poetry. Students follow a structured sequence of writing assignments, readings, and exercises aimed at cultivating a sound working knowledge of the fundamental principles of prosody and the evolving possibilities of poetic form. There is a special emphasis on listening to lines and saying poems aloud, in concert with an eclectic assortment of audio archives. Another principal focus is the verse line through time, as we turn for instruction and inspiration to what the critic Paul Fussell calls the "historical dimension" of poetic meter and poetic form. The collective goal of the course is to create the conditions for reading and writing poems with a stronger sense of technical know-how and expressive conviction as well as a renewed appreciation for why poetry matters.

CREA E-45 Section 1 (13975)

Beginning Screenwriting

Susan Steinberg PhD, Filmmaker, Writer

This is an intensive course that provides members with a command of basic screenwriting elements and creative methods. The course goal is to promote each member's originality, voice, knowledge, and screenwriting technical skills, and to give scripts a written script structure and an act one of which they feel proud and can use to advance their work. Students are welcome to write an entire script, should they wish to and some have. During the semester, students produce a completed feature film or television treatment and the film first act in script format, as well as the film logline or pitch. Those who wish to use the course to write an entire screenplay or to rewrite a screenplay may pursue these goals, but must notify the instructor to arrange a writing schedule. Students need not enter with a script concept. Ideas are developed in class. Each person is encouraged to develop a creative approach and method appropriate to their working style. Alternative narrative styles and methods are presented in class.

CREA E-90 Section 2 (26063)

Fundamentals of Fiction

Tracy L. Strauss MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University

This intensive, immersive course is designed for graduate-credit students with strong writing skills and an interest in becoming fiction writers but little formal experience, students who would like to develop a solid foundation in story and scene structure before embarking on an advanced fiction writing course. The first part of the course focuses on a close analysis of plot and structure in several short stories and novels. Students then apply these techniques and methods to generate and shape their own ideas, build a solid narrative foundation, and use scene structure to craft a dramatic story. Using Janet Burroway's Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, students explore and learn the fundamentals of character, dialogue, showing versus telling, and point of view. By the end of the course, students complete a short story or the first chapter of a novel (about 15 to 20 pages of fiction), which is workshopped in class.

CREA E-90 Section 1 (26368)

Christopher S. Mooney MA, Author

CREA E-90 Section 1 (16784)

Crea e-91 section 1 (16697).

Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing

This course is designed for students with strong writing skills who have an interest in writing plays and/or screenplays, but little formal experience. The course introduces basic principles of dramatic writing and provides a foundation for advanced playwrighting and screenwriting courses. Using both plays and screenplays as study texts, we elucidate the elements of dramatic writing and consider how those elements work differently in different mediums. Plays and screenplays are similar but not the same both genres create narrative using character and dialogue, but plays lean more heavily on the inner life and voice of characters, while screenplays unfold in the external world, building stories with images and action. Weekly exercises guide students through the process of developing different kinds of scripts assessing potential story ideas, doing pre-draft character and backstory exploration, finding structure, and writing scenes. By the end of the semester, students have completed a short outline and the first twenty pages of a play or screenplay, which are workshopped in class. Prerequisites: This course is intended for students with strong writing skills, not beginning writers.

CREA E-100r Section 1 (24317)

Advanced Fiction: Writing the Short Story

Shay Youngblood MFA, Commissioner, Japan-US Friendship Commission, United States State Department

This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing short fiction for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of short fiction and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new short stories (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term. Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring a 10-page sample of their work to the first class.

CREA E-100r Section 1 (16881)

Elizabeth Ames MFA, Writer

This course is for writers who love to read short stories and wish to make their own short stories come alive on the page. Students should arrive with a commitment to and curiosity about the short story form; we build on that foundation through close reading and in-depth discussion of exceptional published short stories. To better understand and employ key craft elements, students complete in-class writing exercises, reflect and present on both their own short stories and published work, and offer clear-eyed critiques of their peers' works-in-progress. Much of our time is spent in workshop. Students carefully read and thoughtfully respond to one another's short stories and we work together to determine how best to filter and synthesize the feedback offered in a workshop setting. The skills honed via peer critique are crucial in editing one's own work and students showcase their growth through the revision of one of two stories they write this semester. Prerequisites: A beginning or intermediate fiction writing course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring a 10-page sample of their work to the first class.

CREA E-100r Section 2 (26530)

Thomas Wisniewski PhD, Lecturer on Comparative Literature, Harvard University

CREA E-101r Section 1 (16305)

Writing a Nonfiction Book

Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library

This is a course for people who are embarked on a book-length work of nonfiction: biographers, memoirists, historians, journalists, science writers, and others who are writing for a non-specialist audience. Students should have a clearly formulated book idea or, ideally, be already working on a project. In the course we talk about voice, structure, audience, and how to pitch projects to agents and publishers. We also read samples from a wide variety of nonfiction books. Prerequisites: At least one creative writing class; preferably beginning or advanced narrative (or creative) nonfiction.

CREA E-101r Section 2 (16883)

Deirdre Alanna Mask JD, Writer

CREA E-101r Section 1 (25084)

Christina Thompson PhD, Editor, Harvard Review, Harvard College Library - Elizabeth Greenspan PhD, Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania

CREA E-105r Section 1 (16475)

Advanced Fiction: Writing the Novel

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta PhD, Writer

This is an advanced fiction-writing course. Class meetings run mainly as workshops: students respond to one another's novel excerpts. We also discuss process, as well as elements of fiction that relate to the novel. Students are expected to produce two new chapters (10 to 20 pages each) and to revise them during the term. Prerequisites: Students should have successfully completed other fiction-writing courses and begun writing a novel when the semester begins.

CREA E-105r Section 2 (16882)

Crea e-105r section 1 (26259), crea e-105r section 2 (26407), crea e-105r section 3 (26529), crea e-110r section 1 (26361).

Advanced Poetry Writing: The Art of the Line

Good poets pay attention to the words in a poem. Great poets attend to the sounds. How do you suggest anger in a line? How do you create levity, melancholy, suspense just by working with vowels, consonants, and meter? In this poetry writing workshop, we survey an array of poetic forms, from the ancient hemstitch of Beowulf to the recent sonnet cycles of John Murillo. We study the line: the meter, the caesura, the break. And with these tools, students explore new possibilities in their own writing. Prerequisites: A beginning poetry course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-114 Section 1 (16783)

Advanced Fiction: Writing Suspense Fiction

Learn how techniques used in suspense fiction structure, pace, tension, and plot can be applied to your own writing. In addition to studying the bestselling works of both commercial and literary writers of suspense, students complete weekly writing assignments and participate in writing workshops. Writing samples will also be read and critiqued by a literary agent. Prerequisites: An introductory and/or intermediate fiction course or permission of the instructor. Students should bring to class either a work in progress or an idea for a novel or short story.

CREA E-114 Section 1 (26367)

Crea e-118r section 1 (16366).

Advanced Creative Nonfiction

Kurt Pitzer MFA, Author

This workshop is for students who want to stretch their abilities as writers. The goal of the course is to produce publishable short memoirs, essays, profiles, literary nonfiction, or any of the other subgenres often called creative nonfiction. We develop pitches for editors; gather material through interviews, research, and observation; and then organize and rewrite our pieces until readers won't put them down. Although we deal strictly in facts, we use literary devices such as scene, plot, character, and voice. We draw inspiration from masters of the craft such as Susan Orlean, Zadie Smith, David Foster Wallace, Virginia Woolf, and Ryszard Kapuscinski. Prerequisites: A beginning writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-118r Section 1 (26118)

Brian Pietras PhD, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University

This workshop is intended for serious writers of creative nonfiction who want to produce publishable work. In the first half of the course, we study work by major authors in this capacious genre, including Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Audre Lorde, and Jo Ann Beard. In the second half, we use what we have learned about scene, plot, character, and voice to produce new work. Students may write short memoirs, personal or lyric essays, profiles, literary nonfiction, and more. Toward the end of the course, we focus on strategies for getting published, including how to identify likely publication venues and how to effectively pitch editors. Prerequisites: A beginning writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-118r Section 2 (26417)

Ian Shank MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University

This is an intensive workshop in the craft of writing literary essays for students who have read widely among past and contemporary masters of the form and who are accomplished in the elements of prose composition (mechanics, syntax, and structure). Students are expected to produce two new essays (10 to 15 pages each) and to revise them during the term.

CREA E-120r Section 1 (16668)

Advanced Screenwriting

Wayne Wilson MFA, Screenwriter

In this advanced screenwriting workshop, students watch films and discuss the work of workshop members. During the course, each student presents two 20- to 30-page acts from his or her screenplay for class discussion. The final project is a revision of one of these two workshop submissions. Prerequisites: CREA E-45 or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Students should e-mail a sample of their own writing (ten pages or fewer) to Mr. Wilson before the first class.

CREA E-121 Section 1 (15776)

Advanced Fiction: Writing the Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel

Mary Sullivan Walsh BA, Author and Freelance Editor

This is an intensive workshop for writers interested in developing a middle grade or young adult novel. During each class meeting, we workshop chapters of students' novels-in-progress, focusing on elements of craft (character, point of view, dialogue, and plot). In addition, by reading and analyzing sections of work by such exemplary novelists as Angie Thomas, Lois Lowry, and Kwame Alexander, students learn to read like writers and to develop their own voices. Students are expected to have completed approximately 40 pages and a working synopsis of their novel by the end of the course. Prerequisites: A ten-page writing sample to be submitted to [email protected] before classes begin.

CREA E-121 Section 1 (25946)

Crea e-122 section 1 (25809).

Advanced Fiction: Writing Fairy Tales

Katie Beth Kohn MA, Doctoral Candidate, Visual and Environment Studies, Harvard University

Fairy tales have inspired authors for centuries and we are still very much under their spell. In the first part of this course, we study fairy tales both classic and contemporary, including works by Helen Oyeyemi, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, and Kelly Link. In the second part, students workshop their own original prose fiction fairy tale, which may be a piece of short-form fiction or an excerpt from a longer work in progress. Throughout, we explore how fairy tales have encouraged authors to develop their own style and voice even as they seem to speak in a language all their own. Prerequisites: A beginning creative writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-125r Section 1 (26260)

Advanced Playwriting

Bryan Delaney MA, Playwright and Screenwriter

This course is intended for students who have some experience with playwriting or dramatic writing in general so that they can refine the skills they have already acquired and take them to the next level. Topics covered include techniques for approaching the first draft, in-depth characterization, dramatic structure, conflict, shaping the action, language and dialogue (including subtext, rhythm, imagery, and exposition), how to analyze students' own work as playwrights, dealing with feedback, the drafting process, techniques for rewriting, collaboration (with directors and actors) and the business of the art working with theaters, agents, literary managers, and dramaturges. The focus of the course is more on what might be called the classical principles of dramatic writing rather than the more avant-garde approaches to the art. Prerequisites: Ideally, students come to the first class with an idea for a one-act play to write throughout the course, although this is not mandatory, as the first class explores techniques for generating ideas.

CREA E-126 Section 1 (16669)

Advanced Fiction: Writing Horror

How do authors achieve the spine-tingling, bone-chilling, nightmare-inducing effects of great horror fiction? In addition to studying works of classic and contemporary horror, students in this course complete two works of short fiction before workshopping and presenting a final work. Throughout, we consider the diversity of the genre, from the gothic romanticism of Bram Stoker and Nathaniel Hawthorne to the paranoiac parables of Shirley Jackson and Ira Levin as well as the blockbuster works of Stephen King. We also pay considerable attention to emerging voices in the genre, studying selected works from Tananarive Due, Paul Tremblay, Carmen Maria Machado, Otessa Moshfegh, Emily Carroll, and Iain Reed. For final works, students are invited to workshop standalone works of short form fiction or selections from larger projects (novels, anthologies, scripts) provided these works are developed and drafted during the course. Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-128 Section 1 (26042)

Advanced Memoir: Mythic Structures

Both myth and memoir share a structure: somebody goes into the woods and comes out wiser about the ways of the world, emerging with an elixir (real or symbolic) to bring healing and hope. In sharing a memoir with readers, we share our lessons, the morals of our stories, the keys to our versions of happily ever after. Yet memoir writers often get stuck choosing which stories (from all of the stories we have lived) to include. In this course, we study myths and fairy tales, and write memoirs. We read short memoirs by writers who use these imaginary stories as a framework to examine their own lives, including Linda Grey Sexton, Sabrina Mark, Alexander Chee, and Michael Mejia. Students borrow structure from the great pool of myth and fairy tale lore and then fill in their stories with the particulars of their human-sized lives. Using mythic structure to help shape ordinary life events helps writers to combine universal themes with their own true voice a way to write our lives and make it matter. Students must craft new material for this course or develop new material for an existing project, such as a chapter in a longer memoir. Prerequisites: A beginning-level creative writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-143 Section 1 (26475)

Advanced Fiction: Writing the Murder Mystery Novel

David Freed ALM, Novelist and Journalist

Murder mysteries have become the most popular realm of commercial fiction, with an insatiable demand for new titles each year among the millions of the genre's loyal devotees. This course guides students in conceiving their own murder mystery, from plot outline to the execution of a commercially viable first chapter. Prerequisites: At least one advanced writing course, or by prior permission from the instructor.

CREA E-148 Section 1 (16891)

Advanced Fiction: Writing Flash Fiction

How can you tell a story in a single paragraph? In a page? In three? This advanced writing course explores one of the hottest forms of fiction published today: flash fiction. Students read widely and experiment freely with the form, which offers a range of possibilities both in style and in length. In weekly writing workshops, students receive regular feedback on their work-in-progress and significantly revise 20-25 pages of prose with the aim of publication. As students draft their work, we study and dissect models of masterful very short fiction by writers both classic and contemporary, including Colette, Guy de Maupassant, Franz Kafka, Jorge Luis Borges, Clarice Lispector, Ernest Hemingway, Yasunari Kawabata, Dorothy Parker, Jamaica Kincaid, Lydia Davis, Charles Baxter, Anne Carson, Keith Taylor, Joyce Carol Oates, and Amy Hempel. We discuss these texts with the eye of a writer attentive to elements of craft, including dramatic structure, tone, point of view, suspense, prose style, rhythm, characterization, and plot. Working in this genre pushes students to write with economy and to polish their sentences as they aspire towards the hallmarks of excellent prose fiction: precision and economy, clarity and urgency. The course concludes with a conversation about how to break into publishing by working in a form that offers many opportunities for literary contests, awards, and first publications.

CREA E-153 Section 1 (26362)

Advanced Nonfiction: Writing Biography

Maggie Doherty PhD, Biographer and Critic

The biography is one of the most popular and enduring genres of nonfiction writing. This course teaches students the skills needed to bring people to life through biographical writing. Students read excerpts from different types of biography scholarly, popular, and experimental as well as read about the process of writing biography. Students practice interviewing, learn about accessing archival resources, and work on aspects of prose and style that bring characters to life. Students work to complete one chapter of a biography in progress. By the end of the course, students have the skills to enhance all their nonfiction writing projects, making them more marketable to editors and agents and more engaging to readers. Prerequisites: A beginning writing course or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-156 Section 2 (25774)

The Art of the Pitch

Catherine Eaton BA, MFA, Director and Writer

You have an idea or you have created a brilliant piece of work: a novel, a screenplay, a concept for a TV series, maybe even a scripted nonfiction podcast. Now what? How do you convince others to jump on board to buy or create or collaborate or publish or produce your story? How do you move it out of your desk drawer or hard drive or imagination and into the world? In this course, we break down the making of a pitch into its core elements generating the idea, developing the story, and stress-testing the material as we practice strategies for producing pitch materials and for pitching your project, in the room, to a live audience. Students write and revise two treatments: one for a work they have created and one for an idea they have yet to develop. Students build one look book and one pitch deck and do three live pitches. Students develop an insider's perspective on industry practices and etiquette, essential knowledge for anyone interested in the business of creation. Prerequisites: An advanced creative writing course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

CREA E-156 Section 1 (25949)

January 2023

CREA E-597 Section 1 (16821)

Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction

Leah De Forest MFA, Writer

In this course, students engage in a series of structured creative writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the imaginative world of their fiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel or the first story in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the plot and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their stories. Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CREA E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their final course with the same instructor. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.

CREA E-597 Section 2 (16656)

Precapstone: Building the World of the Book: Fiction or Nonfiction

In this course, students engage in a series of structured writing exercises that make it possible for them to delve deeply into their characters what they look like, what they want and need, and how they interact with the world in which they live as they structure the world of their fiction or nonfiction. Students draft the first chapter of their capstone novel, memoir, or nonfiction book, or the first story or essay in their capstone collection (15-20 pages). Students also write a plan for their projects (5-10 pages) in which they create a roadmap of their book, bringing the narrative arc and key characters into focus and defining the audience for their work. Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature, who are in their penultimate semester. Prospective candidates and students with pending admission applications are not eligible. Candidates must be in good academic standing and in the process of successfully completing all degree requirements except the capstone, CREA E-599, which they must enroll in the upcoming spring term as their final course with the same instructor. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these degree requirements are dropped from the course.

CREA E-599 Section 1 (26418)

Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction

This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters or stories, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters. Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.

CREA E-599 Section 2 (26250)

Capstone: Developing the Manuscript: Fiction or Nonfiction

This course is meant to follow CREA E-597, in which students built the imaginative world of their books and produced the first story, essay, or chapter of them. In this workshop, students write two additional chapters, stories, or essays, or approximately 30 pages of new work. The capstone project in total should be about 50-60 pages the equivalent of a thesis. Students submit the entire manuscript the plan and the three chapters, stories, or essays developed during both the precapstone and capstone courses at the end of the second semester, but instructors read and comment on only the two new chapters. Prerequisites: Registration is limited to officially admitted candidates in the Master of Liberal Arts, creative writing and literature. Candidates must be in good academic standing, with only the capstone and the on-campus summer residency left to complete (no other course registration is allowed simultaneously with the capstone), and have successfully completed the precapstone course, CREA E-597, with the same instructor in the previous fall term. Candidates are allowed to complete the summer residency after the capstone. Candidates who do not meet these requirements are dropped from the course.

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Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies  

Which writing sample should I send with my admissions application?

Candidates should submit only one  15–20 page paper, in 12-point type, double-spaced throughout, and with normal margins. The writing sample must be an example of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on a subject directly related to film, performance and/or visual studies. Applicants should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts, but should themselves edit the sample so that they submit only up to 20 pages.

Recent FAQs

• My native language is not English; do I have to take the an English language proficiency exam?
• When is the application deadline for admission to the Ph.D. program in Film and Visual Studies?
• Where can I obtain an admissions application?
• Should I send my supporting documents to the Department or to the Admissions Office?
• What exams do I have to take to apply?
• Is a GRE subject exam required?

Writing Guide

This guide was created for Harvard Library employees, but we hope it’s helpful to a wider community of content creators, editors, producers — anyone who’s trying to communicate a message online.

If you work at Harvard Library 

This is our website style guide. It helps us create clear and consistent digital content that’s welcoming and useful for our users. Please use it as a reference whenever you’re writing content for library.harvard.edu.

If you work at another organization

We invite you to use and adapt this style guide as you see fit. It — like our entire website — is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Speaking of credit: Several other writing guides inspired this one. Those include: MailChimp’s Content Style Guide , Harvard University Style Guidelines & Best Practices , 18F’s Content Guide , Federal Plain Language Guidelines , and City of Boston Writing Guide . These are great resources for additional reading on the topic.

We love to talk shop. If you have questions about this writing guide or the Harvard Library website contact the Harvard Library communications team at [email protected].

With every piece of content we publish, our goal is to empower our users so they can use our services and tools to get their work done and discover new ideas. 

We do this by writing in a clear, helpful and confident voice that guides our users and invites them to engage with us. Our voice is: 

• Straightforward 
• Conversational 
• Trustworthy 
• Proactive  
• Knowledgeable 

Our voice is also positive — instead of rules and permissions, think options and opportunities. It’s also welcoming and accessible to all audiences. 

The Harvard brand brings with it a lot of history. We want to highlight our association with the positive attributes — credible, trusted, secure, historic, bold. But we also want to do our best to break down barriers, which means overcoming other attributes some people may assign to Harvard, such as elite, academic, exclusive, traditional.

Part of being credible, trusted, and secure is ensuring every bit of content we have on our website is up to date, accurate, and relevant to our users. 

The tips that follow in this guide will help us fulfill these goals. 

"Damn those sticklers in favor of what sounds best to you, in the context of the writing and the audience it’s intended for." —Merrill Perlman, Columbia Journalism Review

Things To Do

Write for the user first.

Before you start writing, ask yourself: 

• Who is going to read this content? 
• What do they need to know? 
• What are they trying to accomplish? 
• How might they be feeling? 

Put yourself in their shoes and write in a way that suits the situation. Remember: You’re the expert, not your users. 

Put the most important information up top

Users tend to scan web pages until they find what they need. Most people will only read 20 percent of a page . Use the “inverted pyramid” technique by putting the most important information at the top of a page. That’s the section users are most likely to read.

Choose clarity over cleverness

Say what you mean and avoid using figurative language, which can make your content more difficult to understand.

Address users directly 

Use pronouns to speak directly to your users, addressing them as “you” when possible. If necessary, define “you” at the beginning of your page. And don’t be afraid to say “we” instead of “the library.” 

• Instead of:  The Harvard Library has staff members who can assist with research.  We’d write: Our expert librarians are here to help answer your research questions. 

Shorter sentences and paragraphs make your content easier to skim and less intimidating. Paragraphs should top out around 3 to 8 sentences. Ideal sentence length is around 15 to 20 words.

Use plain language 

Using words people easily understand makes our content more useful and welcoming. Don’t use formal or long words when easy or short ones will do. 

• Use write instead of compose , get instead of obtain , use instead of utilize , and so on. Plainlanguage.gov has a great list of word alternatives . 

Use the active voice 

The active voice supports brevity and makes our content more engaging. 

Using the passive voice deemphasizes who should take action, which can lead to confusion. It also tends to be more wordy than the active voice. 

• Instead of: Overdue fines must be paid by the borrower. We would write: The borrower must pay any overdue fines. 

How to recognize the passive voice: If you insert “by zombies” after the verb and the sentence still makes sense, you’re using the passive voice.

Write for the user with the least amount of knowledge on the topic

It’s not dumbing down your content. It can actually be harder to to make information simple and easy to understand. The truth is: even experts or people with more education prefer plain language.

Imagine your audience and write as if you were talking to them one-on-one, with the authority of someone who can actively help.  

Try reading your writing out loud and listen for awkward phrases or constructions that you wouldn’t normally say. Better yet, have someone else read your writing to you. 

Create helpful hyperlinks 

When links look different from regular text, they attract users’ attention. That’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. 

When creating hyperlinks, keep these tips in mind:  

• Meaningful links should stand alone and help users with scanning the page.
• Write descriptive and true link text — explain where users are going and why.
• Use keywords to describe the link’s destination — look at the destination page for context.
• The link destination should fulfill the promise of your link text .
• If linking to a PDF, indicate that. 

For example: 

• Instead of:  This collection is available online here . Try:  Browse this collection online.
• For PDFs:   Our pricing guide PDF  provides estimates for various reproduction formats. 

Break up your content 

Large paragraphs of text can lose readers. Using subheads and bullet points is a way to help provide clear narrative structure for readers, particularly those in a hurry.

Tips for breaking up your content: 

• Add useful headings to help people scan the page.
• Use bulleted lists to break up the text when appropriate.
• Write short sentences and short sections to break up information into manageable chunks.

"Look for the clutter in your writing and prune it ruthlessly. Be grateful for everything you can throw away ... Writing improves in direct ratio to the number of things we can keep out of it that shouldn't be there." —William Zinsser, On Writing Well

Things to Avoid

Jargon or acronyms.

Jargon and acronyms are often vague or unfamiliar to users, and can lead to misinterpretation. If you feel an acronym or a jargon term must be used, be sure to explain what it means the first time you use it on a page.

We strongly discourage writing FAQs , or Frequently Asked Questions. Why? Because FAQs:

• Are hard to read and search for
• Duplicate other content on your site
• Mean that content is not where people expect to find it — it needs to be in context

If you think you need FAQs, review the content on your site and look for ways to improve it. Take steps to give users a better experience.

Ask yourself:

• Is the content organized in a logical way?
• Can you group similar topics together?
• Is it easy to find the right answer?
• Is it clear and up to date?

If people are asking similar questions, the existing content isn’t meeting their needs. Perhaps you need to rewrite it or combine several pieces of content. Pay attention to what users are asking for and find the best way to guide them through the process.  

Linking users to PDFs can make your content harder to use, and lead users down a dead end. The Nielsen Norman Group has done multiple studies on PDFs and has consistently found that users don’t like them and avoid reading them.

Avoid using PDFs for important information you’re trying to convey to users. Some supplementary information may make sense as a PDF — or something a user would need to print. 

If you must link users to a PDF, be sure to let them know. For example: 

Our pricing guide (PDF)  provides estimates for various reproduction formats. 

Duplication

If something is written once and links to relevant information easily and well, people are more likely to trust the content. Duplicate content produces poor search results, confuses the user, and damages the credibility of our websites.

Before you publish something, check that the user need you’re trying to address has not already been covered.  

Style Guide

With some exceptions, we’re following Associated Press style guidelines on the Harvard Library website.

Here are some common tips: 

Abbreviations and acronyms

Spell out abbreviations or acronyms the first time they are referenced. Avoid abbreviations or acronyms that the reader would not quickly recognize. 

Capitalization

In general, capitalize proper nouns and beginnings of sentences. For nouns specific to Harvard University and other common academic uses, please refer to the Harvard-specific guidelines below.

As with all punctuation, clarity is the biggest rule. If a comma does not help make clear what is being said, it should not be there. If omitting a comma could lead to confusion or misinterpretation, then use the comma. We do use serial commas.

Compositions

Capitalize the principal words in the names of books, movies, plays, poems, operas, songs, radio and TV programs, works of art, events, etc. Use italics or quotes when writing about them online. 

One word, no hyphen. However, use the hyphen for  e-book and e-reader.

A plural noun, it normally takes plural verbs and pronouns. However, it becomes a collective noun and takes singular verbs when the group or quantity is regarded as a unit. 

Right: The data is sound. (A unit.) 

Also right: The data have been carefully collected. (Individual items.) 

Use figures for date, abbreviated month when used with a specific date. So: January 2018 but Jan. 2, 2018. Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries: the 1900s, the 1920s. 

Headlines/Headers/Subheads

Capitalize all words that aren’t articles.

In general, spell out one through nine. Use figures for 10 or above and whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages of people, animals, events, or things. 

Use figures for: Academic course numbers, addresses, ages, centuries, dates, years and decades, decimals, percentages and fractions with numbers larger than 1, dimensions, distances, highways, monetary units, school grades. 

Spell out: at the start of a sentence, in definite and casual uses, names, in fractions less than one. 

Phone numbers 

123-456-7890 

am, pm, Lowercase, no periods. Avoid the redundant 10 am this morning.

web, website, webcam, webcast, webpage, web address, web browser, internet

Harvard Style Guidelines 

Here are tips for Harvard-specific terms and other terms you may encounter more frequently based on the nature of our website. They're based on guidelines provided in the Harvard University Style Guidelines .

Harvard University Proper Nouns

Capitalize the full, formal names of:

• Departments
• Colleges and schools
• Institutions
• Residential houses
• Academic associations
• Scholarships

However, do not capitalize names used informally, in the second reference. For example, when calling it the center, or the department.

Example: The Science Center contains five lecture halls; you can reserve space at the center by submitting a room request.

The exception is to capitalize College, School, and University when referring to Harvard, as well as the Yard.

Always capitalize Harvard Library. Do not capitalize Harvard libraries. Be careful in referencing Harvard Library, so as not to give users the idea that the Harvard Library is a place. 

Capitalize formal titles when used immediately before a name.

Lowercase formal titles when used alone or in constructions that set them off from a name by commas.

Use lowercase at all times for terms that are job descriptions rather than formal titles.

Named professorships and fellowships are capitalized even following the person’s name.

Academic years and terms

Terms designating academic years and terms are lowercased, like senior, first-year student, fall semester

Class titles

Capitalize the name of classes. Course titles and lectures are capitalized and put in quotes.

Example: June teaches Literature 101. Professor John Doe is teaching “The Art of Guitar Playing” this semester.

Concentrations

Concentrations are not capitalized. 

Harvard academic titles

Unlike AP, use title case for named professors, like Jane Mansbridge, Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values.

Treat all other academic titles as formal titles: capitalized when used immediately before a name.

The preferred format is to spell out the degree. Capitalize an individual's specific degree, but do not capitalize when referring to a degree generically.

For example: John Smith holds a Master of Arts in English. She is working toward her bachelor’s degree.

If abbreviating degrees, use capitalized initials with periods: A.B., S.B.

When referring to someone’s year of graduation, capitalize “class.” Example: John Harvard, Class of 1977, was in town for a lecture.

"Writing is an instrument for conveying ideas from one mind to another; the writer’s job is to make the reader apprehend his meaning readily and precisely." —Sir Ernest Gowers, The Complete Plain Words

Tools & Resources

There are tons of tools available online to help you accomplish the goals outlined above and test your content for readability. Here are some to get you started: 

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• Guidelines for Admission

Application for admission to the Harvard English Graduate Program is completed through the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences .  The application deadline for 2023-2024 admission is January 5th, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  For a full list of application requirements and instructions for the application process, please see the  GSAS Application Instructions  and  GSAS Admissions Requirements .

The Harvard English Department does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

The following is a set of general guidelines for the English Department’s admissions process. It should be noted that while several areas are emphasized here, the Admissions Committee carefully examines the overall profile of each applicant, taking these and other aspects of the application into consideration:

Writing Samples

The writing samples (one primary and one secondary) are highly significant parts of the application. Candidates should submit two double-spaced, 15-page papers of no more than 5,000 words each, in 12-point type, and with 1-inch margins. The writing samples must be examples of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on subjects directly related to English. Applicants should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts, but should edit the samples themselves so that they submit only fifteen pages for each paper. Candidates who know the field in which they expect to specialize should, when possible, submit a primary writing sample related to that field.

While candidates’ overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in literature courses (and related courses). In addition, while we encourage applications from candidates in programs other than English, they must have both the requisite critical skills and a foundation in English literature for graduate work in English. Most of our successful candidates have some knowledge of all the major fields of English literary study and advanced knowledge of the field in which they intend to study.

Three Letters of Recommendation

It is important to have strong letters of recommendation from professors who are familiar with candidates’ academic work. Applicants who have been out of school for several years should try to reestablish contact with former professors. Additional letters from employers may also be included. Recommenders should comment not only on the applicant’s academic readiness for our PhD program but also on the applicant’s future potential as teachers and scholars. 

Unfortunately, Interfolio does not work well with Harvard’s online application system. We ask that your recommenders upload their letters directly to the online application, with upload tool provided.

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose is not a personal statement and should not be heavily weighted down with autobiographical anecdotes. It should be no longer than 1,000 words. It should focus on giving the admissions committee a clear sense of applicants’ individual interests and strengths. Applicants need not indicate a precise field of specialization, if they do not know, but it is helpful to know something about a candidate’s professional aspirations and sense of their own skills, as well as how the Harvard English department might help in attaining their goals. Those who already have a research topic in mind should outline it in detail, giving a sense of how they plan their progress through the program. Those who do not should at least attempt to define the questions and interests they foresee driving their work over the next few years.

While there are no specific prerequisites for admission, a strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to address these gaps during their first two years of graduate study. For more details, please see the “Language Requirements” section of the Program Description .

The GRE General and Subject Tests are not required as part of the English PhD application process. Students wishing to send in scores may do so, but they will not be factored into the admissions decision.

Areas of Study

Unspecified | Medieval | Renaissance/Early Modern | 18th Century/Enlightenment | 19th Century British/Romantics/Victorian | Early American (to 1900) | 20th Century British | 20th Century American | Criticism and Theory | The English Language | Transnational Anglophone/Postcolonial | African American Literature | Drama | Poetry

The Harvard English Department is committed to admitting and supporting a diverse community of graduate students. The Department encourages applications from students from all undergraduate institutions and backgrounds, including students of color and underrepresented minorities, queer and transgender students, first-generation students, foreign nationals, and veterans. The Department also encourages applications from students across a range of sub-fields, critical perspectives, and methodological orientations. You can browse current student research interests by going to “Graduate Students” under the “People” tab at the top of this page and sorting by field. For more information about issues of diversity at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, please review the resources and informations below:

Diversity at GSAS

Perspectives: Resources for Minority Applicants 

Smooth Transitions: Organizations and Resources

W.E.B. Du Bois Graduate Society

Graduate Admissions FAQ

How many people apply to the program, and how many are admitted.

The PhD program in English at Harvard is extremely competitive. We receive an average of 300-350 applications per year, and we admit approximately 10-15 students (acceptance rate of about 4-5%).

Does the Department of English offer an MA or MFA?

No; the Department of English only offers a PhD in English Literature. Students already in the doctoral program who have met certain curricular requirements are able to apply for a non-terminal AM degree, but no terminal Master's program exists. We do not offer a graduate program in creative writing.

Does the Department of English offer a degree in TEFL/TESOL/TESL

No, the Department of English does not offer these programs. Our graduate program leads to a PhD in English Literature.

Are international applicants encouraged?

The department welcomes international applicants, including non-native English speakers who have a strong command of the English language. Per GSAS:

"Adequate  command of spoken and written English  is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.*
• Earning a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the  Test of English as a Foreign Language  (TOEFL)**
• Earning a minimum score of 6.5 on the  International English Language Testing System  (IELTS) Academic test.**

A master’s degree or other graduate degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.

*Special note for applicants with an undergraduate degree from a US institution where English was not the primary language of instruction: if a portion of your program was conducted in English, you may petition for a waiver of the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. Contact  [email protected]  for details.

**Some degree programs may require a higher score on either the TOEFL or IELTS. Visit your  degree program  page of interest for more information."

Many international students inquire about non-degree granting program. Information for Special Student, Visiting Fellow, and other programs can be found here .

Can accepted students enroll on a part-time basis?

No, our graduate program is full-time, and requires residency at Harvard. The majority of our students take five or six years to obtain their PhD. If you are interested in taking graduate courses part-time, online, and/or at night, you may want to look into the offerings of the Harvard Extension School .

Can accepted students pursue a secondary field of study?

Yes. For a list of fields and more information, please visit the secondary field of study page on the GSAS website . Students who choose to pursue courses for a secondary field remain under GSAS time limits and must meet all milestones and deadlines in the English PhD program.

Does the department offer financial aid?

Admissions decisions are made without knowing the financial need of the applicants, so that financial status (including availability of supplemental funding) plays no role in the assessment of one's suitability for admission. All students (including international students) who are admitted to the PhD program receive full and equal funding, through tuition waivers and modest living stipends. Teaching fellowships are made available to graduate students starting in their third year. You may want to review the "Tuition and Fees" section of GSAS's website for details about other fees and the approximate cost of living in Cambridge.

Can you provide a list of required documents for application?

-  Two writing samples  (one primary and one secondary) 15-pages in length each, double-spaced (bibliographies do not count toward the page limit).

-  A Statement of Purpose  of 1000 words, which gives a clear sense of your strengths and interests and which details what you wish to pursue in a doctoral program.

-  Transcripts  from each college/university attended. The Graduate School requires that you upload your transcript(s) with your online application. Please do not send paper transcripts.

-  Three recommendations  from faculty members who can speak to your academic capabilities.  All recommendations should be uploaded via the GSAS online application system.  Please do not send paper recommendations. We do not recommend the use of Interfolio.

- A minimum score of 80 on the TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) is required for all non-native English speakers who have not received a degree from a university or college in which English is the language of instruction.

What if I am missing any of the required components?

An incomplete application will still be reviewed in its entirety, but it will not be seen as competitive as applications considered "complete."

What if I did not major in English as an undergraduate?

Students admitted to our program have not always been English majors as undergraduates; however, applicants must have both the requisite critical skills and a foundation in English literature for graduate work. This is generally demonstrated by substantial undergraduate coursework and recommendations from faculty in the field. Applicants from other disciplines will sometimes pursue a Master’s degree (or other graduate coursework) in English Literature first – before applying to the PhD program – to obtain a stronger background in the subject.

What if I already have a Master's Degree in English?

If you already have an MA, a maximum of four graduate-level courses may be transferred from the other institution, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. Transferred courses will count as 100-level courses toward your PhD requirements. Please note that an MA is not required for admission to the PhD Program – and indeed, the majority of our applicants do not have one.

Is proficiency in languages other than English required?

There are no specific language prerequisites for admission, but a solid background in languages other than English, particularly those that would be useful for scholarly research, will strengthen your application. Demonstrated reading knowledge of two languages (usually Latin, Greek, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) is required by the beginning of the third year in the program. You can view examples of past language exams on our  Resources for Grad Students page.

Can I meet with a professor?

Appointments to meet with faculty members must be made by contacting them directly. You can find their contact info on the faculty page .

Where should I mail supplemental application materials?

The entire application system is conducted online. Please do not send any paper materials to the English Department. GSAS admissions also no longer accepts paper materials. 

I'm having a technical problem with the GSAS online application.

The Department of English is not able to troubleshoot or provide help for technical issues with the online application tool. Please click the “Technical Support” link on the application login screen to notify tech support.

When will I hear back about application decisions?

GSAS Admissions sends out letters containing application decisions in early- to mid-March. Please note that the English Department is not able to answer questions about a candidate’s application status over the phone or via email.

Can I study as a visiting fellow at Harvard?

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers the option of enrolling as a Special Student or Visiting Fellow. See here for more details. Please note that the Department of English does not play a role in the administration of this program.

I have another question that hasn't been answered here.

Please email questions to [email protected] .

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Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

Gain critical communication skills in writing and public speaking with this introduction to American political rhetoric.

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English 185A: Literary Studies (Simpson-Younger)

• Find Examples of Creative Writing
• Find Scholarly Articles
• Stay Organized & Cite Your Sources
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From the Libraries

The Library offers free access to the  New York Times  and  Wall Street Journal . Follow the links to sign up.

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Find Popular Press Books

• Sign up for a Northfield Public Library card! All St. Olaf students are eligible for a free library card/account from the Northfield Public Library. Complete this online form to request your NPL account.
• NoveList (via the Northfield Public Library) With your Northfield Public Library card , you can access key reader's advisory databases like NoveList Plus. Search for books by reading level and interest area.

Find a Specific Magazine or Journal Title

If you already have a magazine or journal title in mind, use Catalyst's  Journal Search  to see if St. Olaf provides access.

Pay attention to the years of coverage. Some databases have historical coverage, some have recent issues and articles.

Browse Literary Magazines Online

Use BrowZine to peruse a wide selection of creative writing journals.

Search LION

• Literature Online (LION) This link opens in a new window Full-text primary and secondary sources in literary studies. Primary materials include British and American poetry from the eighth century to the contemporary period, drama from 1280 to 1915, and prose from 1500 to 1914, plus streaming video of poets reading poetry and dramatized audio recordings of Shakespeare's plays. Secondary materials include major dictionaries and encyclopedias in literary studies, author bibliographies, and scholarly journal articles.

In the Stacks

The latest issues of the following titles are located on the 3rd floor of Rolvaag; look for the shelf labeled Creative Writing Journals .

Past issues of the following, alongside all other literary magazines/journals, can be found on the 1st floor (shelved alphabetically by title).

• American Poetry Review
• Beloit Fiction Journal
• Black Warrior Review
• Creative Nonfiction
• Five Points
• Fourth Genre
• Georgia Review
• Gettysburg Review
• Glimmer Train Stories
• Iowa Review
• Kenyon Review
• McSweeney's
• Mississippi Review
• Missouri Review
• New Letters
• New Ohio Review
• Paris Review
• Ploughshares
• Poetry International
• Prairie Schooner
• Water Stone Review
• Word & Image

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5 Call to Action (CTA) Examples to Inspire Your Campaigns

Time to read: 6 minutes

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We’ve all had the experience of being part of something confusing. Maybe you were talking through an exhibit at the art museum and suddenly realized you didn’t know where to go next. Or you might have been trying to register your child for preschool and found that the school’s website was so poorly put together that you couldn't complete the task.

There’s always a desired outcome in situations like these, but a lack of direction slows the progress. If the confusion continues, you might even give up. Rather than seeing the rest of the museum exhibits, you backtrack to the entrance and never return. As for the preschool registration, you’ll probably decide that any school that has such a jumbled website is no place for your child.

You can help avoid these same types of unfortunate situations from occurring within your email marketing campaigns by using clear and compelling calls to action.

What are these call to action examples in writing?

Examples of a call to action include any button or link within an email that highlight a desired action. The wording of a call to action (often referred to simply as a CTA) should be short and sweet, so there’s no confusion about the next step. Good call to action phrases examples include succinct things like “Reserve your spot” or “Register for webinar” or “Update your profile.”

Of course, your call to action is more than just a signpost. It should offer value and be persuasive . If the rest of your email message has done its job, the reader will understand what you’re offering and then be compelled to click when the time comes.

Even if they’re not ready to click, at least they’ll see the point of your email. One of the cardinal sins of email marketing is sending messages that lead to dead ends. Not only does this show a lack of basic communication skills, but it may also leave your customers feeling like you don’t have much to offer.

Where to put your calls to action

A good call to action is positioned where the person reading the message would either be wondering where to go next or be motivated to take an action. Think back to the scenario of registering a child for preschool. The school could send out an email with a headline at the top announcing that registration for the upcoming year is now open.

For parents who already know they want to sign up, there should be a button above the fold proclaiming, “Register now.”

But what about the parents who still need some persuading? Below this initial call to action, the school could add a couple paragraphs promoting the quality of the teachers, the depth of the curriculum, and the unprecedented deliciousness of the snacks.

Excited about these details, additional parents would then be ready to proceed. So a second prominent call to action would be a great way to capitalize on their momentum. If there were another relevant action that the school deemed important, such as their allergy-friendly snack policies, then it could be hyperlinked within the body copy of the email so it wouldn’t compete with the primary call to action.

These examples of call to action placement demonstrate that less is more. If the school were to plaster various buttons throughout the email saying things like “Register now,” “Don’t forget to register,” “Get our snack policy here,” and “Go to registration page,” the reader would likely be overwhelmed and confused. You’ll find that two or three well-placed calls to action will always outperform an overcrowded collage.

5 call to action examples to upgrade your CTAs

Whether you’re talking about social media call to action examples, email call to action examples, or any other format, these best practices will likely apply. Let’s take a closer look at five ways to catch your readers’ eyes and steer them to your desired destination.

1. Make it actionable

It’s a call to action, after all.

Just as it takes money to make money, it usually takes action to spur action. Use verbs in your call to action that explain the process or highlight the benefit. For example, if you were launching a new windshield spray that prevents the glass from cracking when it’s struck by rocks, you might take a couple different routes with the call to action.

First, you could use a classic option like “Order now.” With the headline, photographs, and body copy providing context, that message would hopefully be enough to get conversions.

The other option could focus more on what the customer will get from the transaction. So your call to action might be “Protect my windshield.”

In the CTA example below, the coffee capsule brand Cometeer used this latter approach. And it’s highly effective, because who wouldn’t want to get 15 free cups of coffee?

2. Place it in an obvious spot

Good call to action statement examples are prominently placed so the reader can’t miss them. Give them breathing room so the reader can spot the call to action at first glance, because let’s be honest, that’s all that many readers are going to give your email.

Consider this excellent example from Sling. Following the headline and a quick line of copy, they put a button right where most readers would expect it to be.

3. Get creative with the design

Try using new colors to make your call to action really pop. A dynamic color that contrasts with a more muted background instantly signals importance to the reader. Likewise, you can use larger font sizes and unique button shapes to draw attention.

Your goal is to create something that’s visible even if the person is standing a few feet from a computer screen while reading it. Just remember that even though you’re taking a unique design approach, all your call to action marketing examples should still fall within your brand guidelines.

In the following example, Patagonia takes the unusual step of using a white button with black text. Sounds boring, right? But there’s so much action and detail going on everywhere else that this simple approach was actually the right choice. There’s no missing that button.

4. Make it brief

Writing a phrase that’s compelling and noticeable is a tall order, and your first draft will often contain lots of words. Upon review, look for ways to trim it down. Effective call to action button examples usually contain no more than five words. Beyond that, you’re basically writing a sentence and all punchiness is lost.

If you feel there’s essential (but wordy) information that needs to be included with the call to action, you can always add it above the button. For instance, you could use a subhead above the call to action that informs the reader that the deal you’re promoting ends in just four days. That way the button can be left uncluttered and showcase only the most impactful words.

This example from Wi-Fi technology company eero uses the classic “Shop now.” There’s no wasted space and all readers will understand exactly what it’s prompting.

5. Optimize through testing

Your audience is continually evolving, so your tactics should as well. Use A/B testing to reveal what’s working in your email campaigns and what needs to be improved.

Not only does a test-focused approach help you get better business results, but it keeps your brand vibrant. Customers don’t like when things go stale, whether it’s bread or marketing communications. By evolving your content through testing, you’ll keep people more engaged because they’ll notice its recency and relevance.

Let’s consider another Patagonia example. A one-word call to action of “Explore” might seem ambiguous to a lot of marketers. But Patagonia’s team has undoubtedly tested that button and found that it works, so they feel confident using it in their campaigns.

Maximize your email call to action examples with a trusted email platform

The process of designing emails, writing copy, developing calls to action, sending out the messages, tracking performance , and then testing new options used to take a team of skilled individuals. Thanks to the power of templates and automation, an email platform allows you to work solo and get exceptional results in a fraction of the time.

Twilio SendGrid has a full suite of tools that streamline the process from start to finish. You can choose from a wide selection of professional templates to master the design stage. After completing your emails, automate the sending schedule within our platform and let technology take care of the rest.

You’ll always have access to real-time data that reveals top-performing content and makes A/B testing a breeze. The result? Thriving campaigns that resonate with your audience and deliver stellar results .

Now that we’ve reached the end of this guide, let’s put everything we just learned into practice with a nice call to action:

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