The Broken Tribe Press MFA Award

Many MFA programs put writers in a canyon of lifelong debt only to graduate to a world of rejection. They quickly realize their literary dreams of publishing the big book are up in smoke. They quickly retreat to the safety of employment. I've personally seen MFA grads disappear into the employment of coffee shops, insurance offices, and other jobs quite far away from the world of writing. Others went to six month trade training programs or law school or MBA programs. All those jobs and fields are good honest work, and let's be honest, anyone working in any field can be a writer. They can write an hour before work, an hour after work, or all day Saturday, and they might be just as productive! I'd even go as far to say those working experiences make better writers.

I happened to be very excited about teaching upon finishing my MFA. That was perhaps just as important to me, and I knew teaching college would give me the space to write. But even the few that have the fortune of teaching have to work their way up in the higher education system. Many quit within the first few years because they don't see a way up. Many get stuck in poverty-inducing adjunct positions. For me, it was a great sacrifice of stability and income for a long time, piecing together classes at multiple colleges to earn a living, even after scoring the full-time job. All of this takes away from writing time too.

But no matter what we do for a living, shouldn't MFA graduates have something to show for all that time and debt, other than a paper degree?

The MFA Award is my way of giving back by giving selected MFA graduates an opportunity to share their polished thesis. No, we can't publish everyone, and not everyone will be ready, but a good number will. Let’s see what you have!

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