This site started as a handout and talk that I did for UVA MFA students in 2001, about “life after your MFA." It was specifically geared toward post-MFA fellowships. At that time, the Internet was in its infancy, and the only avenues we had to find out about post-MFA fellowships were our fellow MFA-ers, which was awkward, as we were competing against each other for the same fellowships. I decided to compile post-MFA fellowship information and make it available to everyone so that more students would apply for these great opportunities. This site is geared specifically toward the MFA students at Virginia Tech, where I’ve taught since 2007, though anyone is free to use it. The advice on this site comes from my personal and professional experience, and isn’t any kind of official statement from the VT MFA program.

What should I do after my MFA if I need a job to support myself, but would like to continue writing? The answer to this question is incredibly individual, because each student comes to their MFA program with different backgrounds, experiences, and needs. Many writers work as academics, but for others, work outside of the academy is the best way to earn a living and find the time to continue to write. I have poet-friends who work for university presses or small presses, who run non-profit organizations like book festivals or writers-in-the-schools programs. I have writer-friends who teach high school, who are freelance writers and editors for trade or commercial publications, who work in construction, who are social workers or librarians, who sell antiques on E-bay to support themselves. I have one fiction-writer friend who’s an Episcopal priest and another who’s a Sommelier. This site is not meant to address the existential question of what you should do, but rather, give you links and resources about opportunities that you might pursue. It includes sections on fellowships, residencies, international opportunities, diversity resources, academic jobs, employment outside of academia, and additional degree programs. There’s also some advice on requesting letters of recommendation.

Good luck!

Erika Meitner