Useful Links and Resources, Part Two

A few more links to some spiffy articles, all published in 2007 by The Atlantic Monthly. The first is a ranking of the "Best of the Best" Creative Writing programs in the United States, found here. It's not as comprehensive as some of the rankings you'd find elsewhere, like on The Suburban Ecstasies, but it's a nice place to start, and is a list based on informal research and interviews conducted by one man, Edward Delaney. The following two links provide the real "meat" of the MFA-related content, found here and here. The first is a sister article that is meant to accompany the "Best of the Best" rankings; it's Mr. Delaney's appraisal of what makes a great Creative Writing program, taking a look at selectivity, funding, faculty, and alumni. The second link is an in-depth interview by The Atlantic of Mr. Delaney's experiences researching Creative Writing programs.

What I found most valuable was reading about Mr. Delaney's experiences as both an insider and an outsider to the process, working as a journalist, a professor, and a writer. He provides a lot of great insights. Enjoy!