In 2013, the MFA will offer four genres: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting. A fifth genre, playwriting, will be added in 2014.  A national book prize and concentrations in publishing, teaching and translation will also begin that year.

“An Augsburg MFA leverages our distinguished faculty and the strength of our undergraduate programs while delivering things no other program in Minnesota or the surrounding states offers, including a book prize, a screenwriting track, and low-residency programming for all four of our genres,” said Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow. “The program and its format show the ability of our school to meet marketplace demand and to use technology to increase accessibility and contain costs.”

The Augsburg MFA includes three 10-day summer residencies, complemented by online coursework as well as individualized mentorship semesters. During the residency, students will participate in daily workshops, readings, and mini-courses focused on literary craft, career skills in teaching, editing, publishing, book arts, advertising, translation, adaptation, and new media. Learn more on the website.

Clark is a writer of fiction, creative nonfiction, and screenplays. Stories from Vladimir’s Mustache were published in such literary journals as Witness, Ninth Letter, and Cincinnati Review. His creative nonfiction has been recognized as notable in Best of the Web 2009 and Best American Essays 2009 and 2010. Professionally represented as a screenwriter while living in Los Angeles, Clark has optioned two scripts and seen his screenwriting honored by the Monterey County Film Commission and Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope film studios. Clark worked as a print and radio journalist before returning to academia.

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Writers may enter the contest by submitting fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry, but may win in only one category. Fiction and creative non-fiction submissions must be no longer than 15 pages. To enter the poetry competition, writers must submit at least three poems. (Poetry entries with fewer than three poems will not be considered.)

Each entrant’s work must be accompanied with a cover sheet that includes the author’s name and the title of each piece submitted.  Any manuscript with the author’s name printed on it will not be considered.  Submissions, with five copies of the manuscripts, must arrive in the English Department office, 221A Memorial Hall, by 1 p.m on Monday, Dec. 17. Winning entries may be published in the Echo, Augsburg’s student newspaper.

For questions about the John Engman Writing Prize, contact Robert Cowgill at cowgill@augsburg.edu

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