Winter 2026
Creative Writing Workshop Application Instructions–Winter 2026
Admission to all English Creative Writing workshops is by application ONLY. Please read and follow the posted application instructions carefully.
Students do not need to complete an “A” workshop before completing a “B” workshop, and may apply for the level they feel best suits their writing abilities. Not certain which level is most appropriate? Students may apply to both the “A” and “B” workshops in the genres of their choice, and our creative writing faculty will determine placement.
Please note: students may take only one course 136(A/B) OR one course 137(A/B) per quarter.
Introduction to Creative Writing
English 20W / TAs to be assigned
Enrollment by instructor consent and NOT by enrollment pass time: Interested students should apply by 8 pm on November 20. Enrollment preference for English 20W will be given to first and second-year students. Approved applicants will receive a PTE directly from the instructor.
To apply, please prepare a brief (no more than 250 words) note explaining why you wish to take this course, and what previous experience you have with creative writing courses (if any—none required!).
Applications may be submitted through our approved web form, which you can access HERE beginning November 13. Students applying to English 20W should enroll in an alternate course during their enrollment passes, and should not assume that they will be admitted.
Questions should be directed to the English Undergraduate Advising Offices via MyUCLA MessageCenter.
Students who are interested in taking English 20W in lieu of English 4W while working on their preparatory requirements should contact a Dept. of English advisor
Creative Writing: Advanced Poetry
English 136B.1 / Prof. D’Aguiar
To be a writer you have to be a reader. That is so obvious a foundation for teaching poetry that it almost goes without saying. The big difference in a creative writing course is the focus on reading as a writer in order to write as a reader. I include the scribal, auditory and visual arts in this formation of a writing persona. Students write one poem each week and read and discuss set texts. Students complete a final portfolio of their poems, revised as a result of the workshop process of discussion and feedback.
How to Apply
Students submit four of their original poems (Word Doc) along with two paragraphs about their recent reading of published poetry.
The subject line of your message should be your last name followed by the course number (example: Oliver 136B.1) and it should be sent to freddaguiar@ucla.edu AND creativewriting@english.ucla.edu.
SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025
Acceptance Notifications
Accepted students will be notified by e-mail.
Due to the volume of submissions, the professor is unable to provide feedback or suggestions regarding the students’ submitted work.
Creative Writing: Advanced Poetry
English 136B.2 / Prof. Wilson
In this advanced poetry workshop, you’ll write a new poem each week, and can expect many of the same experiences you’d have in any other writing course: discussion of exemplary published work, group work, and peer critique. You’ll also be expected to write a review of a recent single-author book of poems, and submit a collection of your revised poems at the end of the quarter.
How to Apply:
Enrollment is by instructor consent. If admitted, you must attend the first class.
To apply for the course, submit by e-mail attachment (in one document) three to five of your best poems. In the body of the e-mail, provide your name, UID number, major, class level, and a brief note (no more than 250 words) about your experiences with poetry, literary poets who interest and/or influence you, any other creative writing courses you may have taken (none required!), and any other creative writing courses to which you are applying this quarter.
The subject line of your message should be your last name followed by the course number (example: Smith 136A) and it should be sent to rwilson@english.ucla.edu AND creativewriting@english.ucla.edu.
SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025
Acceptance Notifications
Accepted students will be notified by e-mail.
Due to the volume of submissions, the professor is unable to provide feedback or suggestions regarding the students’ submitted work.
Creative Writing: Intermediate Prose (Short Fiction)
English 137A / Prof. Simpson
Not open for credit to students who have previously completed ENGL 137A, 137B, or 137.
This class is an intensive workshop on the reading and writing of short literary fiction.
We will consider the short story form, studying one or more great short stories weekly, which the students will be expected to read three times and annotate in an effort to grasp its mechanics and magic.
Students will write one very short story every week, based on a prompt the teacher will offer, connected to the story they’ve read all week and studied. Most weeks, we’ll write in class. Some weeks you’ll write at home and bring the story to class.
The goals of the class are:
1) to turn every student in the class into a lifelong reader FOR PLEASURE
2) to help the students develop a regular practice reading and writing
3) to foster and recognize each student’s specific talent and train her/his/their technical skills. We’ll work the development of a sound critical faculty. Emphasis will be on developing the student writer’s voice.
SCHEDULING NOTE: Three times over the course of the quarter, we’ll have an opportunity to meet with a contemporary writer and hear their work. These three days, you’ll be required to come to class and then to a reading, which will end by 8:30 or 9:00. Attendance is mandatory. Please clear your calendars to accommodate these exciting events.
How to Apply:
Please submit no more than 5 (double-spaced) pages of your fiction and list any workshops you’ve taken in the past. Please list your three favorite short stories and their authors. Also, please tell me your class standing (sophomore, junior, etc.)
If you are applying to more than one workshops and have preferences, please indicate those preferences.
The subject line of your message should be your last name followed by the course number (example: Chiang 137A.1) and it should be sent to monasimpson@mac.com AND creativewriting@english.ucla.edu.
SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025.
Acceptance notifications:
A class list will be posted in the English Department Main Office (Kaplan 149.)
Due to the volume of submissions, the professor is unable to provide feedback or suggestions regarding the students’ submitted work.
Creative Writing: Advanced Prose (Short Fiction)
English 137B / Prof. Wang
The short story form allows you to write directly to the heart of what fascinates you—what you’re passionate about, what makes you think, what aches from you during this very real period in your life. This class is for students who want to read and write complete short stories right now.
We will be reading a piece of contemporary short fiction each week, focusing on the forms and techniques used by the author. The purpose is to expose you to a variety of authors, styles, tones, and subject matter—new possibilities! Short writing exercises will inspire creativity and encourage experimentation.
You are required to write two original stories and provide thoughtful feedback to your peers.
How to Apply:
Please email me one PDF attachment of your best short fiction (5-8 numbered pages, double-spaced, 12 pt serif font). In the body of the email, provide your name, major, class standing, and a brief note about yourself. Tell me about your favorite writers, your experience with short stories, and your current creative writing habits. If you’ve taken any other writing workshops, either at UCLA or elsewhere, please let me know.
The subject line of your message should be your last name followed by the course number (example: McDonald 137B) and it should be sent to xuanjuliana@gmail.com AND creativewriting@english.ucla.edu.
SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025.
Acceptance notifications:
Accepted students will be notified by e-mail.
Due to the volume of submissions, the professor is unable to provide feedback or suggestions regarding the students’ submitted work.
Topics in Creative Writing—Creative Nonfiction
English M138.1 / Prof. Torres
Creative Nonfiction is a rather cumbersome way to describe beautiful writing, from the lyric essay, to the prose poem, to narrative reportage and beyond. This class is an intensive workshop focussed on the reading and writing of creative nonfiction. We will consider the expansive form of the essay, with weekly readings from writers like Hilton Als, Joan Didion, Dorothy Allison, and many more. Students will write both shorter weekly exercises and two longer creative pieces. The teacher’s primary goal in the class is to help the students develop a daily practice of writing and to foster and train their ability to recognize what’s best in their work. We’ll also discuss revision and the development of a sound critical faculty.
How to Apply:
To be considered for the class, please submit five pages (double spaced) of your best creative prose writing. The sample may be either creative nonfiction or fiction. A Word document of PDF is preferable. In the body of the email, tell me what workshops you’ve taken in the past. Also, please list three pieces of creative writing you’ve recently read that have moved you.
The subject line of your message should be your last name followed by the course number (example: Rodriguez M138) and it should be sent to jtorres7@ucla.edu AND creativewriting@english.ucla.edu.
SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025.
Acceptance notifications:
Accepted students will be notified by e-mail.
Due to the volume of submissions, the professor is unable to provide feedback or suggestions regarding the students’ submitted work.