Success Stories
Success: Willa Zhang’s Short Story Publication
Former student Willa Zhang had a short story, “Taking the Night Air,” published in the fall of 2021. Willa says, “The seed for this story came from a memory, and I reworked it many times before I felt like I'd cracked it open. It was exciting to have it chosen as a...
Success: Instructor Jean Ho’s Debut Short Story Collection
Creative Writing instructor Jean Chen Ho recently released her debut short story collection. It’s been featured in The New York Times and NPR, among other high profile publications for review. She's also the season four finale guest on our podcast, The Write Process....
Success: Maggie Morris Awarded Residency
Current Creative Nonfiction Certificate student and Allegra Johnson Prize winner Maggie Morris was recently awarded a writing residency for this spring. Maggie says, "I had no idea a residency was within my reach until taking Ploi Pirapokin’s “Applying to Residencies...
Success: Mingzhao Xu’s Essay in Elevator Stories
Former Student Mingzhao Xu recently had her essay 'Flat Was Good,' developed in one of our courses, published with Elevator Stories, including an audio version. Of the essay's publication, Mingzhao says, "All the Glory belongs to God." Of her experience in the...
Success: Kait Leonard’s Recent Publications
Recent Creative Writing Certificate Alum Kait Leonard has had several recent publication successes. Kait details, "I have had recent fiction published in Six Sentences, Every Day Fiction, and Flash Fiction Magazine. My story “Just a Girl” placed 3rd in the Flash...
Success: Tracy Moore’s Debut Novel
Former student Tracy Moore published her debut novel recently. She says of the experience, "I believed my big success in life was to be a firefighter and then I wrote a novel. Writing a book where women, not only firefighters, but women are celebrated despite being...
Success: Elba Iris Perez Finalist for Books Like Us
Former student Elba Iris Perez's novel was a finalist (top 3) in the Simon & Schuster Books Like Us First Novel Contest. Elba says, "My novel, Woronoco, represents the journey of culturally displaced characters who are invisible in most books of traditional...
Success: Laurel Gans Makes Second Round at AFF
Current TV Writing Certificate student Laurel Gans had a spec script make the second round for AFF. Laurel says of the experience, "My spec script for Brooklyn Nine Nine was selected as a Second Rounder at the Austin Film Fest! Second Rounder means that it scored in...
Feature Articles
Welcome New WP Staffer, Gilberto Flores!
The Writers’ Program is thrilled to add a new Program Representative to our team. Gilberto started at the beginning of the term, and will be working as a Program Representative in the Writers’ Program, after previously working as a Program Assistant in Entertainment...
Announcing the 2021 James Kirkwood Award Winners
For the first time in almost two years, a handful of students, instructors, and guests were able to celebrate the awardees of the 2021 James Kirkwood Prize at a luncheon on the UCLA campus in December. The James Kirkwood Literary Prize is named for the late Pulitzer...
Instructor Interview: Ella Martinsen Gorham
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Ella Martinsen Gorham! Ella is teaching Fiction: Essential Beginnings (reg# 383914) in our deadline-driven online format, starting February 9 this Winter. She sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life and her...
Instructor Interview: Janna King
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Janna King! Janna is teaching a section of Feature Film I (reg# 384193) in our deadline-driven online format, starting January 12 this Winter. She sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life and her upcoming...
Instructor Interview: Adam Armus
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Adam Armus! Adam is teaching a section of Half-Hour TV I (reg# 384228) in our Remote Instruction format, with live Zoom class meetings on Wednesdays at 7pm PT this Winter. He sat down with us to offer some insight into creative...
Writers’ Program 2021 in Review
While the challenges of 2021 are somewhat different from 2020, it’s still an unexpectedly difficult year for us, and for many. However, as we worked through our first fully virtual year of instruction and events, the Writers’ Program continues to see record...
Instructor Interview: Aaron Clark
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Aaron Clark! Aaron is teaching a section of Novel I (reg# 383928) in our Remote Instruction format, with live Zoom class meetings on Thursdays at 7pm PT this Winter. He sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life...
Instructor Interview: Ross Showalter
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Ross Showalter! Ross is teaching Character and Conflict (Reg# 383933) in our deadline-driven online format, starting January 12 this Winter. He sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life and his upcoming course....