Creative Writing
Crafting compelling narratives.
Cover Photo by
Dion MBD
Tell your story in this genre-crossing writing program.
Pursuing the Creative Writing degree at Ringling College means joining a group of writers passionate about stories. Students benefit from craft instruction from practicing writers/teachers and close interactions with visiting authors, scholars, and publishing professionals. Creative Writing classes cover historical, contemporary, and digital literary forms, with a global perspective. Most important, Ringling College students learn by doing. Opportunities to try out a wide range of writing are here from day one.
Choose Your Path
Creative Writing Concentrations
All Creative Writing majors have the option to choose a concentration to focus and further develop their writing pursuits. To earn the distinction, students take three or more classes in one of the following areas and then complete their year-long Senior Capstone project in the same area.
• Scriptwriting • Game Writing • Word and Image
Creative Writing at Ringling College
Ringling College Press
Founded in 2018, the Ringling College Press gives students firsthand experience with editing and producing real-world products, such as our international literary journal, Shift: A Journal of Literary Oddities, and books such as Anyone’s Game: Opening Moves. This teaching press prepares students for potential careers in the publishing industry. It also promotes research and encourages cultural expression while enhancing and extending the reputation of the Creative Writing major.
Visiting Writers Forum
Every Creative Writing major at Ringling College participates in the Visiting Writers Forum by reading samples of an author’s work before attending an on-campus reading and talk.
Students discover the various career blueprints directly from successful, working wordsmiths. Visiting professionals include graphic novelists, newspaper editors, literary agents, screenwriters, game designers, and novelists.
Here are some recent visitors:
Banana Chan
Founder of the board-game publishing company “Game and Curry”
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Author of the bestselling essay collection World of Wonders
Kwame Alexander
Author of multiple bestsellers, including the Newbery-Award-winning novel The Crossover
Stephen Graham Jones
Author of award-winning experimental fiction, including The Only Good Indians
Rob Sanders
Author of award-winning children’s books, including Two Grooms on a Cake: The Story of America’s First Gay Wedding
Rachel Harrison
Author of the contemporary horror novels, The Return and Cackle
Banana Chan
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Kwame Alexander
Stephen Graham Jones
Rob Sanders
Rachel Harrison
Our Faculty Write the Books on Writing
Opportunities for students
INDEX
INDEX – Industry Experience at Ringling College – is our promise to provide every student the opportunity to have hands-on industry experience before graduation by offering real-world projects with real-world clients. This experiential education initiative allows students to learn how to turn passion into profession. INDEX opportunities are abundant and available through experiential learning in the classroom, the Design Center, Studio Labs, ART Network, the Makerspace, as client competitions and immersive experiences, volunteerism, internships, and elective courses.
Design Center
Put your skills to work in our in-house design firm, where things get real. Working with our dedicated faculty and in-house designers, you will have the opportunity to solve real communications problems for external clients, as well as for Ringling College events, exhibitions, and recruitment efforts.
Internships
Work with our Career Services Center to prepare and guide you to finding an internship focused on your area of interest – we are here to help! With networks around the region and the country, we help you gain exposure to professional best practices and practical application of your technical skills. We are constantly connecting with industry professionals to find new, exciting opportunities to put your skills to work and get a taste of real-world work demands.
Studio Labs
The Ringling College Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab program connects aspiring film and production students to the best known filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors from around the world. Collaborate with, listen to, and engage with the leading filmmakers in the industry who are coming to Ringling College.
Where our students have worked
Where our students have been published
Creative Writing News
The 1st Annual "Anyone's Game" High School Game Writing Contest
Accepting entries January 15 through April 15, 2022
The Ringling College of Art and Design Creative Writing Program was created to support, empower, and honor young writers.
To that end, we’re inviting all high school students to enter the 1st Annual “Anyone’s Game” High School Game Writing Contest by submitting an original 600-word micro-roleplaying game (micro-rpg). The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative games have the best chance of winning over the judge.
Game Specifications
2022 Theme: Tomorrow. These micro-games are about what comes next, be it literally tomorrow or sometime in the distant future.
What to send: Micro-roleplaying games based upon the current contest year’s theme
Word Count: 600 words maximum (for game samples of this length, check the bottom of this page)
Contest Submission Period: Jan 15, 2022 – April 15, 2022
Submission Quantity: One entry per person, per contest year
Have Other Questions? Check the FAQ answers below!