The DIY MFA in Writing
You are here because the work itself is the point. You understand that a writing career is not a passive endeavor but an active craft—one that must be built. This program is designed for the self-motivated writer who seeks the rigor and structure of a Master of Fine Arts program without the demanding, expensive, and often inaccessible institutional framework.
Our Guiding Principles
Craft Before Commerce
The habits of a professional writer—querying, platform-building, and audience engagement—are vital, but they are secondary. This program helps you write with power, precision, and originality.
Active, Not Passive
This program is designed for immense self-direction. The program provides the guardrails; you provide the engine. The work is about the writing itself. The lessons, deadlines, and assessments are the scaffolding that allows you to build your own unique body of work.
Program Structure: A Two‑Year Journey
Semester 1: Craft Fundamentals & Portfolio Building
We begin with the essentials. You will establish a durable writing practice and begin a deep dive into the foundational elements of narrative craft. This semester is about building a strong foundation for your future work.
Semester 2: Genre Focus & Experimentation
With the fundamentals in place, you will begin to explore genre and reader expectations. Through a series of focused deep dives and lessons, you will experiment with advanced craft techniques and begin developing the extended work that will become your thesis.
Semester 3: Advanced Topics & Thesis Development
This semester is dedicated to your thesis—the novel‑length manuscript at the core of this program. You will gain a clear understanding of the publishing landscape while formally outlining and beginning to draft your thesis manuscript.
Semester 4: Thesis Completion & Professional Preparation
The final semester is focused on a single outcome: a completed, deeply revised thesis. Alongside this intensive work, you will prepare for a professional writing life by mastering the query letter, synopsis, and other essential submission materials.