Join our writing community!
Amherst College is rich in resources for writers. There are many ways to get involved in creative writing even if you’re not enrolled in a class. Whether you are looking for a local literary event, a place to publish your work or a way to meet other writers on campus, you’ve come to the right place.
Connect with the Amherst College Creative Writing Center
To sign up and hear about Creative Writing events and opportunities, email Catherine at crnewman@amherst.edu. We’ll send you the latest creative writing news from Amherst and the Five College Area, including upcoming events, the Writing Studio, and MFA information sessions.
The Writing Studio is a communal writing event that happens 1-2 times a month, co-sponsored by The Creative Writing Program, Intensive Writing, The Common, and The Writing Center. No programming–just time and space to write in community with others. Bring your laptop and join us! Snacks provided.
In fall of 2023, the writing studio will happen in the Frost Library 211, from 7-8:00 pm on:
Thursday, October 5
Thursday, October 26
Thursday, November 9
Thursday December 7
The Writing Studio
Interested in an internship or job opportunity with a literary organization? Contact Professor Kapur and sign up for the Loeb Center’s Art’s newsletter.
Connect with Amherst College Student Publications and Writing Organizations
Amherst Student
Established in 1868, The Amherst Student is the official student-run newspaper of Amherst College. Issues are published in print and online every Wednesday of the academic year, with the exception of breaks and exam periods. Print copies are available on campus to members of the Amherst College community free of charge, with 1,000 copies circulated per issue. The Student welcomes any and all Amherst students who wish to contribute to the newspaper. We are always looking for staff to fill a variety of roles, ranging from writers and photographers to podcasters and web designers. No prior experience is required to join.” More information at https://amherststudent.com/join-our-staff/ Email: astudent@amherst.edu
Asian American Writers’ Group
The Asian American Writers' Group is a student organization interested in exploring the intersections between creative writing and Asian American identity. Our styles of meetings include reading workshops, writing workshops, and editing workshops. We read a diverse range of literature including prose, poetry, and zines from authors such as Ocean Vuong, Michelle Zauner, and Cathy Park Hong.
Bolt Magazine
“The purpose of Bolt Magazine will be to give students an outlet to create and read about local, national, international goings on in the worlds of fashion, theater, art, and travel. The secondary purpose of the magazine will be to give students an opportunity to learn how to create a magazine in the contemporary world from the ground up.
Bullet Journal Club
Bullet Journal Club is for anyone who is interested in journaling. If you like stationery, paper crafts, or writing, this club is for you! Come by to decorate your journal pages, try new materials, and share your favorite ways to use your notebook.
The Indicator
The Indicator is Amherst College’s student-run literary and arts magazine. Originally founded in 1848, with the mission “to indicate the literary taste, spirit, and acquirements of the undergraduates of Amherst College,” The Indicator was resurrected in 1996 after a 145-year hiatus. While its form and style have shifted over the decades, The Indicator currently publishes one themed edition per semester and accepts a range of creative works including art, short stories, poetry, and more. Unlike most literary magazines, The Indicator does not operate on an external submissions-based model, instead emphasizing a close working relationship between club members in their roles as writers, editors, and artists. For this reason, we encourage interested students to join early in the semester. Please send any questions to theindicator@amherst.edu.
The Poetry Club
The Poetry Club aims to provide a safe and encouraging place for Amherst College students to explore and practice the art of poetry, learn from established poets, and experiment with spoken word. Additionally, TPC publishes The Lilac, a literary magazine dedicated to poetry and photography. Email: thepoetryclub@amherst.edu Instagram: @tpc_amherst
Amherst College Writing Resources
Archives and Special Collections
The Archives & Special Collections at Amherst College holds over 80,000 books and 11,000 linear feet of archival materials. The department houses major collections of Emily Dickinson and Richard Wilbur books and manuscripts, along with one of the largest collections of Native American literature in the United States. Students can visit, research and explore by appointment.
The Common
The Common is a professional literary magazine based at Amherst College. It publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with a strong sense of place, and offers internships for current students interested in publishing.
The Emily Dickinson Museum
The College maintains the Emily Dickinson Museum, comprising the poet’s home, where she wrote most of her poetry, and her brother’s house next door. The Museum hosts guided tours and special events, including the annual Tell it Slant Poetry Festival, in which all 1,789 of Emily Dickinson’s poems are read. Students can attend readings, workshops and volunteer in a variety of ways.
Folger Shakespeare Library
Amherst College administers the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., founded in 1930 by Amherst alumnus Henry Clay Folger, class of 1879. The Amherst–Folger Fellowship program began in 1996 and now awards as many as six student fellowships each year through funds provided by the Friends of the Amherst College Library. In addition to conducting independent research, the fellows attend sessions led by Folger scholars that cover a broad range of topics related to the library's collections
LitFest
Amherst’s annual literary festival celebrates the College’s literary life by inviting distinguished authors and editors to discuss the pleasures and challenges of verbal expression — from fiction and nonfiction to poetry and spoken-word performance. Students can sign up for workshops with visiting writers, attend readings and volunteer.
Writing Center
Writing is a cornerstone of a liberal arts education. By developing the skills and habits of mind that enable effective communication, students prepare to engage meaningfully with the world. The Writing Center empowers students to develop their own processes and voices as writers, speakers, readers, and learners. Our commitment to inclusion, creativity, and rigorous intellectual engagement informs our approaches to individual consultations, group instruction, programming, and pedagogical support.
Five College Resources
Five College Creative Writing
Links to all the happenings at the Five Colleges and the Care Center.
Hampshire College
Creative Writing at Hampshire College
Mount Holyoke
Creative Writing courses at MHC
Glascock Intercollegiate Poetry Competition at Mount Holyoke
Smith College
Creative Writing courses at Smith College
The Boutelle-Day Poetry Center at Smith
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Creative Writing courses at UMass
Juniper Summer Writing Institute at UMASS
Visiting Writer Series at UMASS