creative writing programs portland oregon

Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Contact information by campus | Faculty

Writing opportunities

Want to see what PCC students are writing? Check out PCC’s student literary magazines .

Why choose Writing at PCC?

Portland Community College prepares you to write clearly and effectively. Competency in writing is essential to college success as you author class reports and term papers.

Degrees and certificates

PCC offers many options to meet your goals: short-term certificates, two-year degrees, and university transfer options.

What will you learn?

Class information.

• Current class schedule
• Class descriptions (catalog)

Portland Community College offers you three areas of writing study: Creative Writing, English Composition, and Technical Writing.

Creative Writing

Are you looking to stimulate and improve your imaginative writing? The PCC creative writing program offers you the opportunity to study with instructors who provide unique approaches to creative writing. Expect to write a great deal, learn critical terminology, and spend class time discussing your own and others’ writing.

PCC offers one of the largest selections of creative writing courses in the state. There are no prerequisites for most of the introductory courses, although you should be able to write at the WR 121 level. All the courses are good for three units of transferable credit.

English Composition

The goal of the Composition Program is to provide students with the opportunity to practice those writing skills which will enable them to write successfully in all their college courses. By the end of the program, students should be skillful at reading analytically and critically; their writing should demonstrate an understanding of organization, audience, voice, and the conventions of college-level written English.

In any of the courses in the Composition Program, students will be expected to write several papers; they may be asked to keep a reading journal and practice peer editing in small groups or engage in some form of collaborative learning in which essays will be read by other students in the class. Some in-class writing is required in all writing courses.

Technical Writing

Technical writing is common in the contemporary workplace. Students from disciplines as diverse as business, engineering, information technology, law, and science benefit from taking technical writing courses.  You will learn how to analyze and communicate special information and to adapt your visuals, formats, and writing styles to the specific audiences and needs of the fields. These courses emphasize the precise use of language and graphics to communicate complex technical and procedural information safely, legally, and ethically.  We also focus on career-specific writing such as proposals, letters, memoranda, lab reports, and/or work reports. (See the Writing catalog and class schedule for technical writing classes.)

Want to deepen your knowledge? Consider the Creative Writing focus award .

Resources for writing students

Writing tutoring is available at all campus tutoring centers and provides valuable resources to help you write papers. They’re open 5 days a week, and staffed by instructors in the Writing program and by peer tutors (students who have completed WR 121, 122, 123, and are enrolled in a tutor-training class.) Writing centers can provide help from the very beginning (brainstorming ideas) to the very end (editing).

Other useful resources are computer labs , libraries , and student printing so you can print documents on campus.

What will you do?

You will find that strong writing skills will aid your professional career as you author well-worded emails and reports that your supervisors and colleagues will welcome reading.

Not quite ready for credit courses in writing?

Developmental Education Writing can help you prepare for PCC’s college credit programs. Many students already enrolled in credit courses take developmental classes as needed to meet the requirements of their degree program.

Applying to PCC is free and only takes a few minutes. Apply now

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Related programs

PCC offers more than 90 programs .

Creative Writing

Program description.

Embedding the development of an evolved practice of creative writing in a school of art and design.

Embedding the development of an evolved practice of creative writing in a school of art and design , the Creative Writing program offers a unique opportunity to explore writing's relationship with contemporary art through interdisciplinary and hybridized forms.

The major is centered around creative writing studio classes in a variety of genres to build experience with the art of writing. We explore the use of language as a visual medium and incorporate writing into our visual work. We support both experimental writing practices and those focused on contemporary forms of fiction, poetry, and script writing. Innovation, crossing—and at times erasing—creative boundaries, experimentation with forms and media, and a self-determined path sit at the heart of creative writing at PNCA.

Student Work

I work with fragmentation, the tension between immediacy and accessibility in the experience of poetic and visual works, and the state of the word in contemporary visual culture.

See All Program News

Kristin Bradshaw featured on Textsound

Creative Writing Program Director, Kristin Bradshaw, has four works featured on the current issue of Textsound.org.

Maggie Nelson Lecture and Visit

Nelson, author of Bluets and The Argonauts, comes to PNCA to give a talk.

Jerry McGill Interviewed on Think Out Loud

The MA in Critical Studies program recently hosted a talk by author Jerry McGill who was interviewed this week on OPB's Think Out Loud.

Hear Sarah Schulman: Conflict is not Abuse

Video of Sarah Schulman's December talk is now on YouTube

Writing in and as Art

Panel of nationally-recognized curators, publishers, artists and poets

Visit PNCA today!

Come explore and experience how PNCA is dedicated to empowering students to reimagine what art and design can do in the world.

Photo by Adam Simmons, PNCA Class of 2017

NEW VIDEO COURSE

Learn How to Write a Novel, Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class.

Learn How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months.

5 Best Creative Writing Classes in Portland

Showing 5 courses that match your search.

From Idea to Manuscript: Crafting Your Picture Book

Literary Arts

Have you ever wondered how to turn your brilliant idea into a captivating picture book? In this 8-week course, you’ll learn the art of crafting picture books that leave a lasting impression. We’ll explore the world of children’s literature, studying beloved classics and contemporary favorites, to inspire your creativity.

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/from-idea-to-manuscript-c...

Categories: Fiction and Book

Start date:

April, 2024

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

The Performance of Writing

Learn and practice techniques for performing your writing. Think of it as a more fun version of a speech class: we’ll look at performance techniques from some incredible storytellers and have the chance to workshop your works-in-progress or completed pieces. While this class focuses on prose writing, poets are welcome!

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/the-performance-of-writing/

Categories: Book, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

March, 2024

The Secret Life of Scenes Workshop with David Biespiel

Attic Institute

Do you find yourself explaining too much in your stories or creative nonfiction? Do you feel your writing gets bogged down in announcing, recounting, and summarizing? Work with Attic Institute founder and two-time Oregon Book Award winner David Biespiel to learn three keys to explain less and dramatize more.

Website: https://atticinstitute.com/node/2830

Categories: Fiction and Nonfiction

How to Write a Novel

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

How to Write Riveting Scenes

The key to any unforgettable work of prose resides in the quality of its scenes. In this class, we’ll look at some of the best scenes ever written and investigate what it takes to write a scene that keeps readers on the edges of their seats.

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/how-to-write-riveting-sce...

Categories: Book, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story

So, You Wanna Be A Writer

Scheduled from February 20 to March 19, this online workshop focuses on overcoming the self-doubt many emerging writers face. It provides a supportive environment to explore writing interests, share work, and receive constructive feedback. The course, led by Wayne Gregory, is designed for up to 15 participants and includes 10 hours of instruction over Zoom. Early registration discounts are available.

Website: http://atticinstitute.com/node/2792

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Short Story

February, 2024

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Portland

What do Cheryl Strayed and Chuck Palahniuk have in common? Both of their wildly different—and wildly popular books—couldn’t have been written without Portland. Born a few hours out of Portland, Palahniuk derived much inspiration from the Northwest while writing Fight Club , while Strayed’s Wild is set along the Pacific Crest Trail itself. So if you, too, are searching for a creative writing class in Portland, you’d be joining a storied literary club.

This directory of the best writing courses in Portland is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Portland? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Portland for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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Forest Grove, Hillsboro & Eugene Campuses Closed

Update: Pacific University’s Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Eugene campuses, and all Pacific healthcare clinics, remain closed all day Friday, Jan. 19. More Details

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Master of Fine Arts in Writing Admissions

The Master of Fine Arts in Writing program welcomes students who have demonstrated talent, commitment to the writing process, an openness to critique, and a dedication to individual voice and vision.

Qualified applicants should hold an undergraduate degree or be close to completing one at the time of application. Admission is based primarily on the quality and promise exhibited in the application manuscript and personal essay. Applicants should address their ability to participate productively and supportively in a writing community and to sustain commitment through extended independent work periods during the guided study.

March 1, 2024, is the priority due date for the Fall 2024 semester that will begin with an in-person  residency from June 20-30, 2024 on the Pacific University campus in Forest Grove, Oregon. We will accept applications until May 15, as space allows.

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Program 503-352-1531 | [email protected]

530 NW 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

Apply now for the Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing program.

We are pleased to welcome international students to the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program where we value diverse ideas, cultures and aesthetics.

Explore MFA in Writing tuition and financial aid.

Honoring Everyone’s Story

Write around portland facilitates storytelling in underheard communities., we bring people together to write, heal, and transform..

Fostering well-being through respectful, shared creative writing experiences. Since 1999.

Write Around YOU

We partner with nonprofits to bring creative writing to underheard communities where people already live and receive services.

better Together

We write together over 6-10 sessions. With fun and thoughtful activities, we write freely without judging ourselves. No preparation or experience required!

Creativity + Care

We share our work aloud (if we want to!) and offer positive, specific feedback. Over time, we learn our strengths as writers and listeners.

Get Involved!

That thing you’re writing it’s awesome, and we want to help check out our offerings – we have something for everybody., more ways you can help, join inkwell.

Sustaining Inkwell donors help us reduce fundraising costs and plan for the future.

Become a facilitator or help us operate our creative programming.

Your gift will help people access a lifelong tool for healing and transformation.

For us, writing isn’t about the finished product.*

Through guided creative exploration and the sharing of stories, we help people listen across difference . We honor, uplift, and celebrate all voices, especially those that aren’t typically heard in our society. We cultivate empathy and compassion. And we publish new narratives that resist polarization and stereotyping.

*Although we do publish collections of our writers’ work!

Serving the Nonprofit Community since 1999.

Our twist on expressive writing has a profound impact on physical and mental health..

Through programs offered in-person at homeless shelters, prisons, hospitals, treatment centers, senior centers, schools, and other healthcare and social service settings, we reach hundreds of underheard people each year. What could creative writing do for your clients?

“Before this workshop, I believed that I had absolutely no creativity when it came to writing. After only the first night, I realized I had it in me all along. “ Write Around Portland Participant

More About Write Around Portland

CRWR Creative Writing Program

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Undergraduates

For COVID-related student resources, visit: https://coronavirus.uoregon.edu .

Undergraduate Listserv

For undergraduate students interested in receiving information about Creative Writing Program offerings: minor in creative writing, Kidd Workshops, writing competition, upcoming courses, and annual Reading Series. Don’t miss out — join today!

Undergraduate Advising

The program’s undergraduate curriculum offers introductory, intermediate, and advanced writing courses in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Highlights of undergraduate offerings include:

Creative Writing Minor

Study the craft of writing with the program’s award-winning faculty writers.  You’ll read exemplary authors, hone your skills with brief writing exercises, and create your own stories and poems. In courses ranging from introductory to advanced level fiction and poetry, you’ll also develop imaginative and critical thinking and interpretive skills, as well as create a portfolio of original work.

Join like-minded peers in a learning community with the shared mission of deepening your intellectual lives and developing yourselves as literary artists over an entire year. Nowhere else on campus do undergraduate students receive the sustained and close attention to their creative writing that the Kidd Workshops offer.

Students should consult their major advisors about integrating creative writing courses into their programs.

Tykeson College and Career Advising

The Tykeson College and Career Advising in Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall is UO’s new advising center, located on 13th Avenue, between Johnson and Chapman Halls. At Tykeson Hall, students can work with professional College and Career Advisors who can help them explore interests, schedule classes, plan for graduation, discuss career interests, and more.

Students can schedule appointments with our Tykeson College and Career Advising team via the EAB Navigate app available in the App Store or Google Play. Visit the Office of Academic Advising’s website for information about appointments and hours of operation.

Undergraduate Awards

Undergraduate grade policies for crwr (pdf).

Check out our Creative Writing workshops and seminars.

Course Offerings for 2023 – 2024

Creative Writing

Thanks for your interest in Creative Writing at Reed College! Here you'll find some general information about what we do and what we hope for our students.

The first thing you should know is that we are not an official department. Rather, we exist within the English Department, which we think of as a good thing. The more you know about the larger world, literary history, Shakespeare or Faulkner, for example, the better your writing will be. That's a fact.

We offer ten Creative Writing courses  a year, all of which fulfill Group 1 Requirements; we hope these courses will help you hone your craft and experiment with new ways of writing while also providing opportunities to participate in a larger writing community.

The path to writing a creative thesis in the English Department depends on when you were first enrolled at Reed. Please see the Creative Writing requirements for details.

Courses are taught as workshops by practicing writers. Students write works of poetry and fictional and non-fictional prose, which are then distributed to other participants in the workshop for review and critique. In addition to discussions of your own work, many of our courses entail some degree of reading the work of published authors. Additionally, when possible, we try to offer students the opportunity to participate in workshops, discussions and meetings with visiting writers . And, students are encouraged to participate in literary events both on and off campus and to create such events of their own.

We encourage students from all disciplines to take creative writing  courses. Admission requires consent of the instructor based on a writing  sample . Each of  our classes is capped at fifteen students to insure that the creative  work environment remains a space wherein student work is the primary focus.

Creative theses are only available for students who are English majors.  Details are here .

If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact one of us. We'll be most happy to talk with you.

Sincerely, The Creative Writing Faculty

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Finalists reading: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction and Poetry

One page wednesday: april, everybody reads 2024: gabrielle zevin, 2024 oregon book awards ceremony.

ON THE TENTH SEASON OF THE ARCHIVE PROJECT , ENJOY DISCUSSIONS FROM PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES, PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL, AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS FROM OUR HOME IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND BEYOND.

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Inspiring local high school students through transformative experiences in the classroom and the concert hall.

The Youth Programs of Literary Arts inspire our city’s youth to find their stories and play an active role in the broader community. We provide opportunities for high school students to use their voice through creative writing, Q&As with authors, student readings, and spoken word performance. Much of our work prioritizes underserved communities, and we strive to make our programs as equitable as possible.

Literary Arts hires professional writers to teach creative writing residencies in public high school classrooms. Residencies culminate in student readings, an annual anthology, and a celebration at the Portland Book Festival.

Students to the Schnitz

By partnering with local schools and community groups Literary Arts provides students with books, tickets, and transportation to concert hall events and bring visiting authors to engage with students at local high schools.

Verselandia!

This city-wide youth poetry slam offers a public platform for local high school students to showcase their talents on stage. Each year, more than 20 students compete at the championship event, hosted at the historic Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Volunteers help mentor high school juniors and seniors to brainstorm, edit, and craft personal statements for college applications. Learn more about how to get involved and volunteer.

Upcoming Youth Events

Verselandia youth poetry slam championship (2024), youth programs news, feb 16, 2024.

Spring Events 2024

Jan 25, 2024

David Grann’s Author Visit To Adrienne C. Nelson High School

Oct 19, 2023

YA Events at Portland Book Festival 2023

Aug 22, 2023

Youth Workshop Access Rate Tuition Application

Jul 7, 2023

Teaching: An Act of Creativity

Apr 28, 2023

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship

Apr 24, 2023

VERSELANDIA!, PORTLAND’S ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL POETRY SLAM CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO THE ARLENE SCHNITZER HALL ON APRIL 27

Apr 20, 2023

Meet this year’s judges for Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship

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Undergraduate Program Writing Minor

Degree details.

• Minor Total Credits 28 Start Term Any Delivery Method On campus Minor Requirements

Learn more about our academic program delivery methods

Writing Minor Overview

• Hands-on experience through an internship advising course
• Online, flexible, and evening classes
• Courses that work with our in-house literary magazine, Portland Review, and our publishing imprint, Ooligan Press

A minor in writing prepares you to tackle critical and complex issues, deepen your understanding of diverse cultural issues, and improve your ability to analyze and produce complicated texts. We prepare our students for careers in writing and teaching, as well as professions requiring high levels of literacy and critical thought, including law and business. The writing minor is highly flexible with an elective structure that allows you to pursue your interests in literary studies, film and digital media analysis, publishing, creative writing, and technical writing. The department also offers undergraduate degrees in English and creative writing , minors in English and film studies , and a certificate in comics studies .

Writing Minor: Why PSU?

• Pathos Literary Magazine :  A creative publication, staffed entirely by students, that exclusively publishes student work in three issues per year.
• Vanguard : A weekly print and digital newspaper distributed for free throughout the Portland State campus area. Entirely student-run, employing about 60 paid student reporters, multimedia contributors, photographers, graphic designers, and editors, its publishing body is the Portland State Media Board, consisting of four students, four faculty members, and one community member. The newspaper and its staff have earned several collegiate journalism awards, including the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association General Excellence Award and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award.
• Ooligan Press : An award-winning nonprofit general trade press that publishes books honoring the cultural and natural diversity of the Pacific Northwest. Ooligan Press is a teaching press staffed by students pursuing master’s degrees in the Department of English.
• The Writing Center : A service to help students improve their writing and understand strategies to gain critical thinking skills they can adapt to all their writing projects. Writing center staff support students by acting as consultants rather than copyeditors, guiding students through their work by asking questions rather than editing specific text, with the goal of ensuring that the student-writer maintains agency over their writing.

Portland State offers many opportunities for students to engage in the broader creative community in the city through internships and jobs. Our students are able to work and carry out internships while they’re in school, allowing them to build relationships and add experience to their resumes.

What can I do with a minor in Writing?

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Kidd Workshops

Formerly called the Kidd Tutorial Program, The Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Workshops are a unique studio experience in which students pursue their passion for creative writing. Students enter one of two tracks: fiction or poetry. They then workshop their creative work in small classes with the support of peers and a graduate mentor. 

Students also learn to read like writers, analyzing literature as part of a rigorous critical discourse. They attend lectures by visiting writers and Creative Writing faculty, with the opportunity to engage with critically acclaimed working writers. The Kidd Workshops provide a supportive community for writers to grow and thrive.

Admission to the Kidd Workshops is by application only. Generously funded by the Walter and Nancy Kidd endowment, the Kidd Workshops award scholarships each year of up to $3,000* each to all admitted students who receive financial assistance from the University of Oregon. All disbursements are made through Student Accounts (balances due may be subtracted from the award amount) and are distributed in equal installments at the beginning of fall, winter, and spring terms. 

Recipients must remain in good standing and continue in the Kidd Workshops through subsequent terms to retain their scholarships. Departure from the Kidd Workshops during the year, for any reason, terminates funding. Scholarship recipients are notified by email.

There are no prerequisites for the Kidd Workshops. All eligible students who are interested in Creative Writing at the UO, regardless of major or academic background, are encouraged to apply.

*Financial awards are subject to available funding. Eligibility is determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarship pursuant to university guidelines, not those of the Creative Writing program. Post-bac undergraduates are not eligible for program scholarships.

Applying to the Kidd Workshops

Successful applicants are motivated to develop their writing and their literary craft through serious intellectual engagement. In addition, they have a deep commitment to helping their peers grow as artists.

Many students also pursue a minor in creative writing. The Kidd Workshops fulfill half of the requirements for the minor.

If you have questions after reading through our website, please contact the Kidd director, Brian Trapp .

Application Season

Undergraduate application materials must be submitted online. Applications are accepted during winter term for fall entry only.

Season Status : Applications are currently closed.

Deadline : TBD

Applicants are notified of committee decisions mid-May by email.

Application Packet

Undergraduates must submit an online application and upload the following submission materials:

Personal statement . We would like to know your favorite single sentence or two lines of poetry in all of literature. Fiction writers need not limit their selections to prose, nor should poets feel the need to limit themselves to poetry. In a brief statement, use the chosen passage to give us an idea of your relationship to the literature you love, and what you hope to achieve in the Kidd Workshops.

Writing sample . Upload your creative writing sample:

• For poetry—four poems or up to four pages of poetry (single-spaced).
• For fiction—up to a maximum of 10 pages in length of fiction or creative nonfiction (double-spaced). Unfinished stories are acceptable; however, please provide the beginning pages (rather than the middle or end) of any given sample.

Applicants wishing to apply to both genres may do so in a single application by submitting a shorter submission for the second-choice genre:

• For poetry—three pages of poetry (single-spaced).
• For fiction—five pages in length of fiction or creative nonfiction (double-spaced).

Transcript . Submit unofficial current transcripts with your overall GPA. A copy of your DuckWeb degree audit is acceptable.

Apply to the Kidd Workshops

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Course Credits and Components

Students accepted into the Kidd Workshops register for CRWR 225 in the fall and, as admitted, CRWR 235 (Poetry) or CRWR 245 (Fiction) in winter, and CRWR 335 (Poetry) or CRWR 345 (Fiction) in the spring. Each course is four credits for a total of 12 credits.

The Kidd Workshops fulfill half of the requirements for the minor in creative writing. Students pursuing a minor in creative writing may use CRWR 225 and either CRWR 235 or 245 to fulfill the lower-division (introductory) requirements. Successful completion of CRWR 335 or 345 fulfills one of the 300-level (intermediate) course requirements for the minor.

For English majors, CRWR 335 or 345 also helps fulfill English major upper-division elective credits. With the approval of the English department’s director of undergraduate studies, CRWR 335 or 345 may be accepted to fulfill one of the other requirements for the English major.

Sections meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-3:50 p.m. (all three terms).

Students are encouraged and challenged in their writing all year long, workshopping stories, poems, or essays with the support of their peers and graduate tutors. Although the classes are not solely workshop courses, workshops are the main component throughout the program. Students generate new work in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction—both assigned and self-directed—and respond constructively to their peers’ writing. In this way, we build a creative community to help students grow as writers.

Learning to read closely and critically is an essential life-long skill for all writers. Just as a musician studies other musicians and a visual artist studies other visual artists, writers examine how authors have put together a story, poem, or essay; what craft choices they have made; and why they made those choices and to what effect. Students read widely and deeply throughout the year from core texts (as well as from texts their tutors assign) and respond, both through reading logs and class discussion, with a rigorous and analytical mind.

Inquiry and Research

The process of inquiry—a close examination of a question in search for truth—is a cornerstone of the Kidd Workshops. Asking questions—analyzing, probing, digging deeper into texts—is how writers identify and clarify issues at stake in their own work. Students submit a proposal in the fall that describes their creative preoccupations and the readings they will study to extend and investigate those concerns. Winter term focuses on reading and research for an annotated bibliography. In the spring, students present their findings to their peers and write a Line of Inquiry (LOI) essay that is both scholarly and craft driven.

Student Anthology

In spring term, all students contribute a selection of their work to be included in The Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Workshops Student Anthology, which they also help edit. At the end of the year, they read from this selection as part of a literary reading to celebrate their work.

Final Creative Project

Completion of the Kidd Workshops culminates in a significant body of work, the equivalent of an undergraduate thesis, consisting of 15-20 poems, 3-4 short stories, a novella, or, on occasion, essays in creative nonfiction. Many students go on to take advanced courses in their genre with Creative Writing faculty, often in preparation to apply for graduate study.

Craft Talks and Visiting Writers

Students attend all of the evening readings by visiting writers who come to campus as part of the Creative Writing Program’s annual Reading Series. In addition, visiting writers and faculty give 50-minute talks to the students in an intimate setting. These talks vary from lectures about craft elements to discussions about the visiting writers’ work. Students then have an opportunity to personally engage with the visiting writers and faculty during a Q&A session. Former students have frequently named these craft talks as one of the highlights of our program.

History of the Kidd Workshops

In 1991, with an endowment of over $1 million from Walter and Nancy Kidd, Garrett Hongo (then director of the Creative Writing Program) founded the Kidd Program. The Kidd Program was modeled after the Watson Foundation of Rhode Island, the Hopwood Lecture and Contests at the University of Michigan, and the Harvard Tutorials.

However, the program we seek to emulate most is the Watts Writers Workshop, which was created through federal funding and by community leaders in Watts following the riots of 1965. Community leaders proposed the workshops as a way for the community to rebuild itself, and as an avenue to enhance and promote cultural life, raise morale, and provide education. In addition to helping the community, the Watts Writers Workshop did a great deal for an emerging Black literary consciousness and helped build a literary tradition for young Black artists. This kind of community continues to inspire the Kidd Workshops at the UO.

Walter Evans Kidd (1901 – 1990)

Walter Evans Kidd was a noted poet and short-story writer and held numerous academic positions during his career. He was born in Long Creek, Oregon, in 1901 and was raised in the Portland area. Kidd attended the UO, earning a BA in 1926 and an MA in 1935, both in English. As a university student, Kidd wrote for the Oregon Daily Emerald and was a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He also earned an MFA from the University of Iowa. During the 1930s, he taught at Washington High School in Portland. Kidd earned his PhD from the University of Denver in 1943.

During his career, Kidd held teaching posts at the University of Nebraska, Stephen F. Austin State College, Fresno State College, and the University of Michigan. He published four books of poetry, two scholarly books, and numerous articles. Many of his works were published under the pseudonym Conrad Pendleton. Kidd was also director of the Pineywood Writers conference.

In 1926, Kidd married Nancy Olivia Pendleton, who had also attended the UO. In their later years, the two established the Walter and Nancy Kidd Fund to award prizes and awards to undergraduate writing students at the UO. After his retirement, they resided mainly in Portland. Walter Kidd passed away in 1990, leaving an endowment of over $1 million to support undergraduate creative writers at UO. Walter and Nancy Kidd’s passion for writing and literature lives on in the Kidd Program, as their gift allows generations of emerging writers to pursue art.

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CRWR 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable up to six times.

CRWR 225. Kidd Workshop I. 4 Credits.

Introduction to an intensive, yearlong sequence devoted to the study and practice of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.

CRWR 230. Introduction to Poetry Writing. 4 Credits.

Introduction to forms and techniques of writing poetry.

CRWR 235. Kidd Workshop II Poetry. 4 Credits.

Second in a yearlong sequence devoted to the studying and practicing poetry and fiction, with an emphasis on poetry. Projects include beginning to develop an individual line of inquiry as well as workshopping original poetry. Prereq: CRWR 225 with a grade of B- or better.

CRWR 240. Introduction to Fiction Writing. 4 Credits.

Introduction to forms and techniques of writing fiction.

CRWR 244. Introduction to Literary Nonfiction. 4 Credits.

Introduction to techniques of writing creative nonfiction (the literary essay). Development of a critical appreciation of the art of writing.

CRWR 245. Kidd Workshop II: Fiction. 4 Credits.

Second class in a yearlong sequence devoted to studying and practicing poetry and fiction, with an emphasis on fiction. Projects include beginning to develop an individual line of inquiry as well as workshopping original fiction. Prereq: CRWR 225 with a grade of B- or better.

CRWR 330. Intermediate Poetry Writing. 4 Credits.

Intermediate-level study of poetry writing. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: one from CRWR 230 , CRWR 235 with a grade of B– or better.

CRWR 335. Kidd Workshop III: Poetry. 4 Credits.

Third class in a yearlong sequence devoted to studying and practicing poetry and fiction, with a special emphasis on poetry. Projects include completing the individual line of inquiry, an original portfolio, and the Kidd Workshops student anthology. Prereq: CRWR 235 with a Grade of B- or better.

CRWR 336. Intermediate Creative Writing: Literary Nonfiction. 4 Credits.

Intermediate-level study of literary nonfiction writing. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: one from CRWR 240 , CRWR 244 , CRWR 245 with a grade of B– or better.

CRWR 340. Intermediate Fiction Writing. 4 Credits.

Intermediate-level study of fiction writing. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: one from CRWR 240 , CRWR 244 , CRWR 245 with a grade of B– or better.

CRWR 345. Kidd Workshop III: Fiction. 4 Credits.

Third class in a yearlong sequence devoted to studying and practicing poetry and fiction, with a special emphasis on fiction. Projects include completing the individual line of inquiry, an original portfolio, and the Kidd Workshops student anthology. Prereq: CRWR 245 with a Grade of B- or better.

CRWR 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

CRWR 405. Writing and Conference: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable.

CRWR 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

CRWR 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

CRWR 413. Literature for Poets. 4 Credits.

Advanced discourse on issues and principles related to the craft of poetry. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: one from CRWR 330 , CRWR 335 with a grade of B– or better. Students majoring in English, journalism, or comparative literature may also enroll with instructor approval.

CRWR 414. Literature for Fiction Writers. 4 Credits.

Advanced discourse on issues and principles related to the craft of fiction. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: One from CRWR 336 , CRWR 340 , CRWR 345 with a grade of B– or better. Students majoring in English, journalism, or comparative literature may also enroll with instructor approval.

CRWR 435. Advanced Poetry Writing. 4 Credits.

Advanced workshop in the writing of poetry. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: One from CRWR 330 , CRWR 335 with a grade of B– or better.

CRWR 445. Advanced Fiction Writing. 4 Credits.

Advanced workshop in the writing of fiction. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Prereq: One from CRWR 336 , CRWR 340 , CRWR 345 with a grade of B– or better.

CRWR 503. Thesis. 1-16 Credits.

CRWR 507. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

CRWR 601. Research: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

CRWR 605. Writing and Conference: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

CRWR 607. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Selected seminars offered each year. Repeatable when topic changes.

CRWR 608. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

CRWR 609. Terminal Project. 1-16 Credits.

CRWR 610. Experimental Course [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable when topic changes.

CRWR 635. MFA Poetry Workshop. 6 Credits.

Concentration on student writing in a workshop setting. Open only to students admitted to creative writing master of fine arts program in poetry. Repeatable five times for a maximum of 36 credits.

CRWR 645. MFA Fiction Workshop. 6 Credits.

Concentration on student writing in a workshop setting. Open only to students admitted to creative writing master of fine arts program in fiction. Repeatable five times for a maximum of 36 credits.

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