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August 8, 2019October 5, 2023

The Poetry Circus: An annual literary party in Griffith Park

The poets arrived in style, wearing trench coats and velvet gloves, combat boots and platform Mary Janes. They slunk around looking dark and dangerous — though the day was preternaturally bright, a perfect July Saturday in Los Angeles.

The event: The sixth annual Poetry Circus. The brainchild of local poet Nicelle Davis, this annual extravaganza is described as a community event that “blurs the line between performer and audience to allow everyone the chance to run away and join the circus.” In more practical terms, The Poetry Circus combines zippy poetry readings with circusy joie de vivre at the merry-go-round in Griffith Park. When I arrived around six, the crowd was lazily milling about, getting their faces painted and leafing through chapbooks of poetry at the tables literary presses and organizations that had set up around the area.

The theme for 2019 was Circus Noir, which is why fashions ranged from film noir to circus punk. I was one of the poets invited to read, but if there was a memo about coming in costume, I missed it — and showed up in a sundress.

Luckily no bouncers enforced a dress code, though there were a couple men in three-piece suits and fedoras who swashbuckled around like they might soon enforce — something.

We soon found out what that something was: poe-hibition! No poetry allowed! Nicelle announced in a faux-tremulous voice that readings could continue — so long as the words didn’t make anyone feel anything.

And so with cheeky aplomb, round one of the circus acts began. “I think you better get ready! I’m about to go to jail doing this,” Douglas Manuel declared before launching energetically into his first poem.

The performances were as moody as the costumes. “Red is so needy, so eager to spill on the floor,” read Armine Iknadossian in a slow, sensual drawl. She wore long velvet gloves. She applauded the other poets by tinking a long cigarette holder against a martini glass. Jennifer Bradpiece also had her accessories: lace fingerless gloves, striped stockings, and a tiny hat with feathers pinned to hear head. Sample line: “You slip a peach pill between pink lips.”

Between readings, the fedora men kept up the poe-hibition ruse. “There’s no way these are poets,” one declared about half way through. “They’ve been incredibly timely!” It was true. Each of the twelve poets in the round had been given just four minutes to read, and for once everyone stuck to the limit — likely because Nicelle had sent out a simple yet effective warning a few days before: “YOU WILL BE KICKED OFF STAGE BY THE NOIR TEAM, if you go over your time.”

As the first act ended, I thought: Maybe all poetry readings should be limited to four minutes. They’re so much more enjoyable that way…. I was about to go looking for the snack table when Nicelle declared: free merry go round rides!

Then there was a puppet show from the Bob Barker Marionettes.

The first Poetry Circus happened six years ago. Since then, the annual event has brought hundreds to the park. This year’s event, of course, was the noirest.

The sun set. Things got ravier as Nicelle and other organizers handed out glow lights and neon party hats and snake bracelets. The second round of poets went up, then the third — my group.

Awards for most noir-circus outfits go to Ivey Merrill who came in a black goth-ish cheerleader type skirt and black platform Mary Janes (sample line: “Temporarily, razors can help”) and Melanie Jeffery with her purple hair and Doc Martens (sample line: “Cinderella’s doing time for prostitution”).

Here’s one of the poems I read:

Then suddenly, it was over. The fedora men gave their final poe-hibition threats. Nicelle thanked the audience for coming and asked us to help clean up by folding up our chairs and taking them to a designated corner. I did that, then I found the snack table and ate cookies.

Then we all walked across a grassy hill to the parking lot and drove into the starless night.

The Poetry Circus will return in 2020, though the exact date hasn’t yet been set; keep it on your radar by following the Poetry Circus Facebook page, and support it by making a donation through GoFundMe.

All photos by Andrea V, except for the selfie taken by Liz Rizzo on the merry go round

July 9, 2019October 5, 2023

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: A quarterly reading series in the Culver City arts district

I’m used to driving to the Mandrake from the west, so making the trip from Burbank for the first time last weekend, I got completely turned around. I parked in the general vicinity, walked up a confused half block to the stoplight, and was repeatedly pushing the cross button when I looked behind me to see an open door, and over it, the familiar little neon sign: BAR.

The Mandrake is a low-key bar in the industrial-looking area that’s the Culver City arts district. It’s also home to It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, a quarterly reading series organized by Julia Ingalls (above), essayist and literary provocateur who sometimes writes about her love life. When I walked in, she was up front in a loose tank and white jeans, greeting people with hugs.

“Siel! I haven’t seen you in so long!”

We hugged stickily. It was a warm day, high seventies, and warmer in the bar.

Julia’s readings begin, not coincidentally, at 5 pm. Or more accurately, 5 pm is the listed start time — when people arrive, order drinks, and mingle in the sunnier front room. About a half hour later we’re corralled into the darker, danker back room, with its upholstered booths and ghoulish lighting.

Julia went up front, welcomed everyone, and the crowd of about 40 or so settled in as she introduced the first reader, Mike Sonksen, by reading a bio off her phone.

Mike Sonksen’s better known as Mike the Poet. He wore a jaunty hat and Dodgers T-shirt. He performed his poems — all about L.A. — from memory, bouncing on his heels (sample line: “The 562 is a good time because the people are down to earth”). His energy was catching; the audience smiled and bopped along. He finished with a happy yell — “I’m still alive in Los Angeles. L.A.!” — then bounced back to his seat in the applause.

Lisa Locascio went up next, pink hair glowing under the overhead light. She read from her debut novel Open Me — about a teenager’s affair with a 28-year-old man who starts keeping her locked her up in his apartment (sample line: “How fine to be a body against a smooth plane”).

Then Susan Banyas read her nonfiction work (sample line: “Is there a sense of justice, even in young children?”) with emphatic nods of the head, in the manner of an enthusiastic children’s librarian during story time. Next was Roar Shack organizer David Rocklin, reading a moody excerpt from a new novel he’s working on (sample line: “But there was the sea, blazing cobalt….”). Lynne Thompson closed the reading with more poems (sample line: “Forget this irrelevant history. Can anyone know what’s true?”).

Suddenly, it was over. The crowd applauded and started moving out, stopping at the Skylight Books table to buy the authors’ books.

Back in the sunnier front room, people looked less ghoulish, prettier. We chatted, we mingled. Julia was back in the middle of things, working the crowd. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere was now about three years old, she told me. She said she tried to get “a medley of different mediums” for each reading — poetry, fiction, nonfiction.

Outside the evening sun was still bright. I started walking toward my car, then realized I was going the wrong way again, and turned around.

The next Five O’Clock Somewhere happens September 15, 2019 — put it on your calendar! To hear about future events, email Julia at subtextdesign@gmail.com and ask to be put on the mailing list.

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere. Quarterly, 5 pm (email Julia or check Facebook for dates), Mandrake, 2692 S La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles.

February 18, 2019October 5, 2023

6 ways to give back to literary nonprofits in Los Angeles

They say true happiness comes from giving — so ask not what your literary community can do for you, ask what you can do for your literary community. Here are six ways to give back to the Los Angeles literary community:
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For a more vibrant literary community: Pen America

This literary and human rights organization, committed to championing the freedom to write, does everything from provide fellowships to emerging writers to defend writers and journalists’ freedom of speech to give out literary awards to organize local readings to host a local book club.

Become a member for $25 or more to enjoy a whole host of benefits — including invitations to members-only receptions.

For the future writers in your neighborhood: 826 LA and WriteGirl

Both these organization basically let you volunteer to mentor young girls and boys — so that they become better writers. 826LA focuses on students ages 6 to 18 while WriteGirl focuses on girls ages 13 to 18.

Those might be the best known organizations in town, but there are many other nonprofits that encourage young people to read and write. Some others to check out are InsideOUT Writers, Young Storytellers, Reading to Kids, Get Lit, and Street Poets.

For your online book review supplement: Los Angeles Review of Books

If you don’t read The Los Angeles Review of Books yet, start now. LARB publishes thoughtful, in-depth essays about books and culture every day. It’s one of my favorite places for discovering new books to read.

Become a member for $5 monthly or more and get a Reckless Reader Card that gives you discounts at local bookstores. Higher membership levels will get you the quarterly journal, handpicked books, or even invites to dinner with featured authors.

For your libraries: Library Foundation of Los Angeles and Young Literati

The Library Foundation of Los Angeles supports the Los Angeles Public Libraries, with reading and literacy programs for children adults and events — like the free ALOUD literary series that brings great authors to the downtown Los Angeles library for readings and conversations. Become a member for $50 and get first dibs on tickets to those events.

If you like both books and parties, you might consider joining the Young Literati — a LFLA membership program for people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s featuring exclusive literary events with wine and nibbles.

More: Young Literati: Party with book lovers, support libraries

For your local literary arts center: Beyond Baroque

Beyond Baroque isn’t just a bookstore with odd hours; it’s a literary arts center that hosts dozens of readings and open mics every month — as well as free weekly community writing workshops — at its historic Venice location.

Become a member for $30 or more for free admission to events. If you live out in Riverside, check out Inlandia Institute, another great literary center with similar goals.

For your local nonprofit press: Red Hen Press, Kaya Press, and Les Figues Press

My own book was published by a nonprofit literary press, Red Hen — so of course I recommend supporting this organization’s work. In addition to continuing to publish great books, Red Hen’s cool initiatives include Quill, a new queer publication series, and Writing in the Schools, writing workshops led by authors in local schools.

Other local nonprofit presses include Kaya Press, which publishes “literature being produced throughout the Asian and Pacific Island diasporas,” and Les Figues Press, which publishes more experimental, boundary-pushing work and “embraces a feminist criticality and editorial vision.”

Originally published 12/27/16; updated 2/18/19

February 17, 2019October 5, 2023

12 literary reading series in Los Angeles

One great way to find a writing community: Becoming a regular at a local reading series.

To help you do that, I’ve put together a list of my favorite reading series. Just to be clear, many more readings happen in town. Indie bookstores, writing programs, and literary journals often host their own series. Plus, lots of one-off events happen everywhere from tiny coffee shops to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. And there are other reading series I haven’t included on this list, sometimes because they’re more private, salon-type events, other times because I simply don’t know about them yet.

Thus: Here’s my far-from-exhaustive list, going from the cozier, more local community based series on to the bigger venues with bigger names.
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Hot Dish Reading Series
This one’s a favorite of foodies. Organized by local writers Summer Block and J Ryan Stradal, Hot Dish brings together yummy eats with literary readings — to raise money for the educational nonprofit 826 LA.

Hot Dish happens roughly quarterly, although the last Hot Dish of 2018 happened back in August — and I was part of the lineup! It had a cheese-and-crackers theme, with most of the food brought to the party by volunteer-attendees who wanted to contribute to the cause. There was also wine and a half dozen great readings broken up with an intermission so people could eat and drink more. Cost: Usually $6, all of which goes to support 826LA.

Vermin on the Mount
Organized and hosted by Jim Ruland, Vermin on the Mount readings happen once every couple months at Book Show in Highland Park. Each event features short readings by a handful of eclectic writers — some on book tour, some local. Plus, there’s a raffle with free prizes for attendees, ranging from books by featured authors to Vermin T-shirts. Contact Jim to submit your own work to be considered for a reading spot. More: Vermin on the Mount: An irreverent reading series in LA and San Diego.

Library Girl
Created by Susan Hayden, Library Girl events feature a handful of mostly-local readers plus a musical act. The first event of 2019 will be themed “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” — and feature a taco cart, dessert, and commemorative souvenirs. Go for the literature and music — and complimentary snacks and dessert. Cost: $10, all of which is donated to Ruskin Group Theatre. More: Library Girl: A Santa Monica reading series with sugar and soul.

Poetic Research Bureau

PRB describes itself as a “valise fiction and portable literary service in Northeast Los Angeles” — which basically means PRB is an artsy, Duchampian, surrealist-influenced L.A. poetry collective with a love of the avant garde. Its long-running event series mostly writers and artists, many experimentally exploring new forms. Cost: Free, donations welcomed.

Why There Are Words LA

Founded by Peg Alford Pursell in Sausalito back in 2010, the series came to Los Angeles in February 2017, thanks to a couple of my favorite local literary people, Ashley Perez and Patrick O’Neil. Events have moved around — when I got to read in the series back in April last year, it happened in a sunny Koreatown living room — though the last few have happened at Kaffebaren downtown. Skylight Books always shows up to sell the authors’ books. Free.

New Short Fiction Series
Actors and writers unite at this long-running spoken word series. Every second Sunday of the month, actors read stories by west coast authors, giving the tales a performative flair. Most events happen at The Federal Bar in North Hollywood, but occasionally the readings roam around. My favorite was when my grad school friend Bryan Hurt’s story was read by Ryan Klamen at the Annenberg Beach House; Helen Hunt was in the audience, and came up afterwards to compliment them. The series is hosted by Sally Shore. Cost: $10-$20.

Roar Shack
Organized and hosted by local writer David Rocklin, these monthly readings in Echo Park each feature short readings by a handful of mostly-local authors, punched up with a musical performance and a little healthy writing competition called Livewrite. Contact David to get on the events email list — or to submit your own work to be considered for a reading spot. More: Roar Shack: A Monthly Echo Park reading series with music and a Livewrite.

WCCW Reading Series

Held at the Women’s Center for Creative Work, this quarterly event is put together by Nina Rota and Sara Finnerty. Each event boasts the same theme as the current WCCW programming.

Hitched
This quarterly reading series is unique in that it features pairs of writers — “as a way of celebrating the relationships we build as writers that are integral to our success and the successes of those around us.” Local poet Xochitl Julisa-Bermejo organizes these events, which always aim to give voice to marginalized voices. Her website isn’t always updated; check Facebook for the latest events. Free. More: Getting Hitched before the New Year.

Sumarr Reading Series
Organized by Diana Arterian, Sumarr readings happen once every few months, featuring a handful of mostly local readers plus a musical guest. It all happens at a cute little book store called The Pop-Hop in Highland Park. I read for this series earlier this year. Free.

Hammer Museum readings
UCLA’s contemporary museum brings to campus a great lineup of writers . Held in the spacious annex, the readings often draw a hundred or so people and usually also feature a conversation with a UCLA professor and a Q&A with the audience, followed by a book signing.

The crowd will include a mix of book lovers and UCLA students — many, I suspect, strongly encouraged by their professors to attend. Some of my favorite readings here include one by Mary Gaitskill, who talked about everything and everyone from Monica Lewinsky and Gloria Steinem, and another by Dana Spiotta, who talked about her early days working with Gordon Lish with great humor. Extra bonus: There’s always complimentary coffee, tea, and cookies. Free.

Aloud Lecture Series
The Los Angeles Public Library holds this fantastic series at the pretty downtown library, in an amphitheater that seats several hundred. Events range from a featured reading with a big name novelist to multi-author discussions of major socio-political issues (e.g. The Pursuit of War Criminals from Nuremberg to the War on Terror).

Because of the events’ popularity, free reservations are required (paying library members get first dibs) — and often “sell” out, though you’ll likely get in if you just show up because a lot of these free ticket holders end up not showing up. Don’t totally count on that though: I got in the standby line for a George Saunders reading once but was turned away; my friend and I ended up eating our sorrows at Mas Malo then returning to queue up for the book signing. Free, with reservations.
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Reading series do tend to come and go. Since I wrote the original version of this post back in 2016, Dirty Laundry Lit, Tongue and Groove, The Table, and The Window @ A.G. Geiger are no longer, while the Griffith Park Storytelling Series and Angels Flight Literary West Salons have become so occasional I’ve had to take them off the list. However, new ones also pop up all the time —

Are there other public reading series I should have included in this list? Let me know in the comments —

Originally posted 12/21/16; Last updated 2/17/19

Hot Dish photo by Lauren Eggert-Crowe

February 17, 2019October 5, 2023

12 best bookstores in Los Angeles for writers

Dana Johnson at The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles

What makes a bookstore great for writers? There’s the usual stuff all readers want, like nicely organized shelves, a pleasant browsing atmosphere, and if possible, a coffee shop.

But as a writer, I also want the bookstore to be the hub of a literary community. That means I favor bookstores with a knowledgeable staff that reads and recommends books, that carries books and chapbooks and zines put together by locals, that hosts regular readings that introduce me to new writers — from the very famous to the locally beloved to the unknown indie.

So — Here’s a list of my 11 favorite local bookstores. Pick one to visit next week:
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Skylight Books, Los Feliz.

Wondering if the latest celebrated novelist is coming to town on book tour? If she is, chances are, she’ll read at Skylight. Most of Skylight’s events are free — and many feature local authors. My own book launch happened there a couple Aprils ago —

This welcoming spot hosts a book club I love and has a super-friendly staff whose recommended books are highlighted with little personal notes right on the shelves. Become a regular and sign up for the Friends with Benefits program to save money all year.

Skylight Books. 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles.

The Last Bookstore, Downtown LA.

California’s largest used and new book and record store sells new and used books — as well as vinyl records and graphic novels — on two gigantic floors with arches and tunnels constructed from old books. This spot too hosts a lot of readings, as well as storytelling acts, zany book clubs, and other unique events. Earlier: The Last Bookstore: A Literary labyrinth in downtown LA.

The Last Bookstore. 453 S Spring St., Los Angeles.

Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena.

If this bookstore were closer to me, I’d hang out there all the time. Alas, it’s all the way in Pasadena — so I only make it out a few times a year. But Vroman’s is a grand center of the local literary community. The spacious bookstore spans three floors, hosts readings many days of the week, and is home to a bunch of different book clubs.

Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena.

Book Soup, West Hollywood.

This bookstore’s a popular place for local literary types, with a big magazine rack out front, floor-to-ceiling bookcases with handwritten staff recommendations, and readings scheduled most days of the week. Sign up for Book Soup’s email list to hear about future events. If you’ve got a KCRW fringe benefits card, you can get 10% off your book purchases. Earlier: Book Soup: A Literary spot on Sunset Strip.

Book Soup. 8818 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood.

Chevalier’s Books, Larchmont.

This cozy bookstore on Larchmont is a local gem, sometimes collaborating with nearby businesses for fun events — like a reading plus whiskey tasting from Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese. But the best known events here are part of the bookstore’s All Lit Up series hosted by local writer Rich Ferguson, when writers read, musicians play, and open mic participants perform on the fly.

Chevalier’s Books, 126 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles.

DIESEL, A Bookstore, Brentwood.

Located in the Brentwood Country Mart, this pretty bookstore hosts lots of publications parties for local authors, usually drawing a well-heeled Brentwood-y crowd. A monthly Diane Leslie’s Book Group event lets you discuss a popular new book — for $20 plus a book purchase. There’s also used to be a Diesel in Malibu, but alas, that store has closed.

DIESEL, A Bookstore, 225 26th St. Santa Monica.

Book Show, Highland Park.

If you long for an indie bookstore with that fiercely unique vibe, pop in to Book Show. The collection of new and used books are an eclectic, community-oriented mix. Many are written by local authors. Even my own chapbooks are on the shelves! The place hosts a regular lineup of events. There are readings, of course, but also open mics and other performances. Workshops range from screenplay writing and ghost hunting! Earlier: Book Show: A Carnivalesque bookstore in Highland Park.

Book Show. 5503 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.

Other Books, Boyle Heights

This brightly-lit and eclectically curated book, comics, and record store in Boyle Heights is a gem of a place. There’s a strong focus on here by works by marginalized voices and international and independent works. It’s a great place to discover literature in translation. The bookstore has a partnership with Seite Books and Kaya Press, and often hosts readings affiliated with those presses.

Other Books. 2006 E Cesar E Chavez Ave., Los Angeles.

Beyond Baroque, Venice.

Honestly, Beyond Baroque’s bookstore’s kind of hard to shop at, since it’s basically only open at odd hours on the weekends. However, this literary arts center is the place to go for poetry readings. There are also monthly open mics, free writing workshops (these draw a usually small and very eclectic crowd) and other community events at its little dark theater.

Beyond Baroque. 681 N. Venice Blvd., Venice.

Stories Books & Cafe, Echo Park.

Some bookstores readings feature wine, but if you like to browse through books with a beer in hand, Stories is the place to go. This nice neighborhood bookstore has an equally nice cafe with green juice from Juice Served Here, avocado toast, mattes, and beer and wine. There’s a lovely sunny patio out back where you can write and read — or take in a reading or concert or comedy show, depending on what’s on the calendar (The photo above is from a Kaya Press reading at Stories that I participated in). Plus, Stories is right next to 826 LA, so you can stop by for a drink after a Roar Shack reading.

Stories Books & Cafe, 1716 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

The Pop-Hop, Highland Park.

I discovered this boutique bookstore via the Sumarr Reading Series, which holds occasional events in this sunny little space. The shelves here are highly curated. You’ll find small press books, lit zines, gently read novels looking for new homes, and other knickknacks.

The Pop-Hop, 5002 York Blvd, Los Angeles

Flintridge Bookstore & Coffee House, La Cañada Flintridge.

This big, multi-story bookstore has much the same feel as Vroman’s — except it is even farther away and thus not a frequent destination for me. In fact, I’ve only been there once, when I read for a Los Angeles Review event. But the place holds a good number of community events — including monthly readings for the poetry journal Rattle — and features a great reading space for authors.

Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse. 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge.
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Left out of this list are bookstores I’ve heard are great like Gatsby Books in Long Beach and Pages in Manhattan Beach — simply because they’re pretty far away.

I’ve also excluded bookstores with a narrow focus (e.g. children, travel) — as well as used bookstores, for the most part, though Los Angeles is home to many I love. Just in walking distance from me are Alias Books and SideShow Books, a handful of thrift shops that always seem to have hardcover copies of Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom on sale for three bucks, and a nice woman with a table piled with used books at the West LA Farmers Market on Sundays.

Are there other LA bookstores writers should know about? Let me know in the comments —

Originally published 11/21/16; last updated 8/27/19

January 22, 2019October 5, 2023

10 creative writing graduate degree programs in Los Angeles (PhD, MFA, MA)

The issue of whether or not writers should get an MFA is one fraught with controversy — and I won’t tackle that here. But if you’re interested in getting a graduate degree in creative writing — without leaving the beach, the palm trees, the great weather, and diverse population of this city — here are 10 local programs to consider.

For this list, I defined Los Angeles widely — and included programs that you could conceivably drive to while living in the city of LA proper. That said, I left out San Diego — despite the fact I actually commuted there from the westside to teach a graduate fiction class at San Diego State University one semester.

I tried to give some idea of the funding available (fully funded means the school will cover your tuition and give you a stipend — either in the form of fellowships or teaching assistantships — for the duration of your time in the program) — but I didn’t list actual tuition costs, which vary very widely. I also tried to distinguish core faculty (full time and dedicated to the program) from adjunct or visiting faculty that teach one-off courses — but in the case of the low-residency programs, pretty much all instructors are just teaching a course or two — something you may want to keep in mind as you make your choices.
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University of California, Irvine, MFA in Writing. With alums like Michael Chabon and Aimee Bender and faculty members like Ron Carlson and Amy Gerstler, UCI’s MFA program is one of the best known and most respected writing programs in the country — and is fully funded, offering “three full years of financial support to all domestic students.”

Length: 2-3 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry

University of Southern California, PhD in Creative Writing and Literature. USC, my alma mater, offers the only PhD writing program in the area — which is actually a dual-emphasis degree in both literature and creative writing, arguably helpful in landing an academic job, if that’s the path you plan to pursue. Recent Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen teaches here, as does Aimee Bender and other literary luminaries — and a recent student, Robin Coste Lewis, won the National Book Award for her first book of poems last year. This program too is fully funded.

Length: I took 7 years (I went in without a masters), but I hear students are now pushed to finish in 5.
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry

CalArts, MFA in Creative Writing. This program especially attracts students interested in experimentation and cross-genre work. Janet Sarbanes and Matias Viegener teach here. This partially-funded program lists Margaret Wappler and Douglas Kearney among its alums.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: A “liberated, non-tracking curriculum” encourages cross-genre / hybrid work — but most students seem to define themselves as poets, fiction writers, or both.

University of California, Riverside. MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts. UCR’s program is a big one, with more than 20 full-time faculty members and programs in nonfiction and screen/playwriting as well as the usual fiction and poetry — though as I write this I fear I’m opening a can of worms, since a bunch of local film schools also offer screenwriting degree programs but will not be covered here. Faculty for this partially-funded program include Laila Lalami and Susan Straight.

Length: 2-3 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Screenwriting, Playwriting

Cal State University Long Beach, MFA in Creative Writing. Full-time faculty here include Charles Harper Webb and Suzanne Greenberg. Financial help comes only in the form of smaller scholarships and awards, but Golden state residents can take advantage of the in-state tuition rates.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry

Otis College of Art and Design, MFA in writing. This program takes both full and part time students — but only full timers can get partial academic fellowships. Faculty include Marisa Silver (adjunct) and Guy Bennett.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: Students don’t need to declare a genre, but the degree culminates in “a creative thesis in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or literary translation.”

Antioch University Los Angeles, MFA in Creative Writing. Each semester of this low-residency program is designed as “an intensive 10-day on-campus residency, followed by a five-month online project period.” Faculty include Victoria Patterson and Francesca Lea Block.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Writing for Young People

UCR Palm Desert, MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts. This low-residency program is structured as “seven quarters of online study and five 10-day residencies over a period of two years.” Faculty include David L. Ulin and Gina Frangello.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Screenwriting

Mount St. Mary’s University Los Angeles, MFA in Creative Writing. This program’s like a semi low-residency program, “meeting every other weekend, six times per semester” — and is designed to be “ideal for working adults.” Another unique feature is the inclusion of bilingual Spanish/English courses! Some small scholarships are available to students; core faculty include Lisa Fetchko and JoAnna Novak.

Length: 2 years
Concentrations: The program is described as developing “writers in multiple genres,” but the thesis must be Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Play, Screenplay or Teleplay

Cal State Northridge, MA in English — Creative Writing option. Dorothy Barresi and Kate Haake are among the faculty in this partially-funded program. California residents can take advantage of the in-state tuition rates.

Length: 2-3 years
Concentrations: Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Playwriting

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For those wondering why Cal State Los Angeles‘ MA in English is no longer on the list: You can still get an MA at CSULA, but the creative writing concentration is no longer offered — even if the un-updated website still says it is — due to lack of faculty to teach the courses.

Did you go through any of the above programs? Let me know in the comments if there are details I should add — or opinions you’d like to share.

Also read: 5 best writing workshops and classes in Los Angeles

Originally posted 11/23/16; last updated 6/8/19