A way with words
From poetry to prose, fiction to nonfiction, script to screenplay, creative writing can challenge your imagination and serve as a repository for your reflections on the human experience.


Why study creative writing at Clark?
- Professional writers will be your guides you as you as you explore literary works and apply what you learn to develop and refine your own writing.
- Work one-on-one with faculty in the Creative Writing Capstone course to analyze and contextualize your own creative work.
- Aspiring playwrights can submit their scripts to the Visual and Performing Arts Department’s biennial New Play Festival, which produces full-length plays written, directed, and performed by Clark undergrads.
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Featured Courses

Creating Character
This course is a deep dive into creating dynamic characters, building them layer by layer, considering motivation, backstory, conflict, point of view, and voice.

Publishing & Literary Journals
Students gain experience working at an online literary journal: calls for submission, reading and voting on submissions, editing accepted works, preparing the issue for launch, and working on special-editions.

Writing the Novel
Through careful study of published works, students will unpack the role and function of central elements of a novel and apply these techniques to their own over through weekly writing exercises.
Our program offers a range of courses, from foundational areas, such as Shakespeare, Romanticism, and global literature, to emergent fields, such as medical humanism, critical race theory, and sexuality studies. We advise English Department majors to take two historical surveys, one pre-1850 and one post-1850, early in their programs. A 100-level genre course is another good introductory class for students contemplating the major. The Creative Writing major and minor includes courses in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction taught by professional writers. These courses guide students to examine literary works as a writer to apply what they learn to their own writing. Interactive workshops, moreover, provide the feedback that helps students to develop and refine their work. Please contact Coordinator of Creative Writing, Phil Lemos, for more information.
At Clark you’ll get more than a great education; you’ll also be prepared for a long, productive career and life of consequence. And once you’ve completed your degree, you can join other Clark alumni who have gone on to work for great organizations and attend some of the best graduate schools in the world.
Graduate School Placement—English Department:
- Boston University
- University of London
- Columbia University School of Journalism
- Tufts University School of Medicine
- Washington College of Law, American University
Internships:
- Writing internship for the National Office, Phi Beta Kappa Society, Washington, D.C.
- Editorial Intern, Worcester Magazine
- Archive Assistant, New York City Ballet Archives
- Campaign Aide, Brown for Missouri, Clayton, MO
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal, D’Amico & Chenelle, Worcester
- Digital Science Writer, Smithsonian Science Education Center, Washington, D.C.
The Clark Experience
The Clark Experience brings together the exceptional education you’ll receive in the classroom and so much more. Through focus and flexibility, it ensures you’ll leave Clark with the creativity, confidence, and resilience to succeed and lead a life of meaning and consequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do with a major in creative writing?
At Clark you’ll get more than a great education; you’ll also be prepared for a long, productive career and life of consequence. And once you’ve completed your degree, you can join other Clark alumni who have gone on to work for great organizations and attend some of the best graduate schools in the world.
English majors are excellent communicators and highly adaptable, creative problem-solvers who apply their critical thinking skills to productive effect in a variety of professions. A foundation in creative writing is an asset to those seeking careers in education, digital and print media, marketing and public relations, and psychology.
Is there an honors program or other scholarly opportunity available for creative writing majors?
Our program provides a number of scholarly opportunities, such as participation in Sigma Tau Delta (our national Honors Society), our Capstone in Creative Writing, and our Honors program. We also have connections to a number of internships, such as the London Internship Program, which offers positions in the fields of theater and journalism, in addition to internships with local newspapers and journals, as well as national organizations.
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