Skip to content
Home ยป How to Increase the Visibility of Your Creative Writing Program

How to Increase the Visibility of Your Creative Writing Program

There is an abundance of creative writing programs around the world. Many of these programs exist solely as an online extension of a university or college, and provide tutors, classes, and collaborative platforms for emerging and established writers to share their work with an audience.

However, if you are an established writer with an avid social media following who is looking to increase the attention of potentially interested parties, then it is advisable to find traditional ways to do so. Launching a magazine or newspaper that focuses on your subject matter is a great way to gain a wider audience. If you have an MFA in Creative Writing, then consider how you can integrate the vast knowledge you have acquired into a lecture series or creative-writing workshop that you can take part in.

If you are looking for a way to engage with your audience and want to increase the visibility of your creative writing program, then consider some of the following tips.

Regular Publication

The simplest and probably the most effective way to gain attention is to publish a magazine or newspaper regularly. The newsstand sales of these are likely to be higher than those of niche-specific magazines, as readers are more likely to know what a magazine for creative writers is. You do not necessarily have to be a traditional magazine to do this, as digital publication is expanding the scope of what is possible. If you have a reasonably large readership, then a newsletter, in print or digital form, can also serve as a useful tool for both inbound marketing and brand visibility.

Creative Writing Degree

If you are fortunate enough to have the option of pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in your creative writing specialty, then you have the chance to further increase your brand’s awareness by integrating this more formal educational element into your professional persona. Many universities now offer a variety of MFA or MA-style creative-writing degrees, so you have the opportunity to further specialize and focus on a particular aspect of creative writing whilst increasing your platform.

Having an undergraduate degree in Creative Writing does not necessarily mean that you will become a famous author. However, it does give you the chance to network and build up a portfolio of published material before establishing yourself as an author. Many famous authors, including John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, and E.L. Wiegman obtained their degrees from reputable universities, and this undoubtedly contributed to their rising fame.

Lecture series

Speaking or teaching is another great way to raise your profile as an author. If you are fortunate enough to be able to do this, then consider how you can develop a lecture series or course that focuses on the craft of writing. If possible, work with a university or college to see if they will allow you to develop a lecture series that can be integrated into their education program.

The more you can do to develop a lecture series, the more you can do to promote your work. If you have a specific topic you want to focus on in your series, then consider developing a workshop to enable you to teach the craft to other students. The more you can do to make this a paid or credited course, the more you can build up your profile as an educator. Doing so can also open up more possibilities for you as an author.

Creative-writing Workshops

If you feel that delivering a lecture series does not serve your purposes fully, then consider how you can develop a more interactive and informal workshop or class that enables you to teach your students the craft of writing. Many universities now offer graduate degrees in creative writing, so you have the chance to train future generations of writers and give them the skills you believe will help them succeed in the field.

An MFA in Creative Writing does not necessarily mean that you will become an overnight success. It does, however, give you the chance to connect with some great minds and acquire indispensable knowledge that will serve you well in your career.

Online Communities

Finally, if you are looking for a more informal way to teach and get attention, then consider developing an online writing community where emerging and established writers can talk shop and get feedback on their work. Many universities now offer excellent virtual writing environments that can be accessed from any device, so if you have the technical know-how, then you can create a space where students and practitioners can come together to share ideas and get feedback on their work-in-progress.

If you want to increase the visibility of your creative writing program, then consider all the above options. Being a guest on a podcast, holding a reading group, or participating in an online salon, are just some of the ways you can develop a platform and gain some attention. Always make sure that your chosen method is legal and does not violate any ethical guidelines applicable to you as a marketing professional.