Carthage encourages serious writers from all majors to develop a passion for creative writing, and allows them to hone their skills in writing fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. At Carthage, students can major in English with an emphasis in creative writing, or add a creative writing minor to their studies in another subject.
Creative writing students at Carthage are part of an active, welcoming community of English majors and minors. They work closely with writing faculty and visiting professional writers, and have many opportunities to practice and publish their work. Student writers can join Poetry Underground, a student poetry association that hosts weekly meetings, open mic nights and poetry slams. Students can also participate in book clubs and poetry festivals, and submit their work to Centrique, the College’s creative arts journal.
Carthage hosts acclaimed writers from across the country in its Visiting Writers Series. Curated by Writer in Residence Richard Meier, in recent semesters the series has welcomed more than a dozen great fiction writers and poets, including Anne Waldman, Danielle Evans, David Trinidad, Kate Greenstreet, Duriel Harris, Danielle Evans, Padma Viswanathan, Geoffrey Brock, Lisa Fishman, Julie Carr, Jared Stanley and Catherine Theis.
Off campus, students are encouraged to take advantage of many literary performances offered in the area. They can attend poetry readings, lectures and plays both on campus and in renowned theatres in nearby Milwaukee and Chicago. Every fall, English students and faculty travel to the acclaimed Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario.
Carthage recognizes students who have done outstanding creative writing work with scholarships and awards. Every year, the English Department awards the Chapin-Tague Creative Writing Awards for poetry and prose, among other honors.
Creative writing students graduate from Carthage with a solid portfolio of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Every English major on the creative writing track, and every creative writing minor, must create a chapbook of his or her original work and present a public reading on campus.
