yale creative writing portfolio

Yale Daily News

Didn’t get into a creative writing course? You’re not alone

The English department received 1,029 applications for its spring creative writing courses, with the expectation that just over a third would be admitted.

Contributing Reporter

Tenzin Jorden, Photography Editor

Admission for Yale creative writing courses remains exceptionally competitive, even as the English department says it will take steps to make its offering more accessible.

The department has seen record interest in recent semesters, leading to widespread student dismay. According to registrar Erica Sayers, the department received 1,029 applications this fall for the 13 spring creative writing courses that require them. 

The department expects that roughly a third will be ultimately admitted.

Professor Richard Deming, the director of the creative writing program, told the News that the department has increased its class offerings and is currently working on hiring more faculty. In particular, he said, they are conducting a national search for a fiction writer who can “be on campus” throughout the academic year.

“We are actively trying to address the need,” Deming said. “We want to be able to give people that chance to learn the art. If they really want to, our job is to help facilitate that.”

In the meantime, students are fighting for limited seats in legacy courses that have long ranked on “must-take” class lists. Creative writing courses, with the exception of “Daily Themes,” are held in a seminar format and are typically capped at 12 students. The introductory courses, “Introduction to Creative Writing” and “Reading Fiction for Craft,” are open to all undergraduates and require no prerequisites or application. 

To register for intermediate and advanced courses, however, students have to complete application forms and often submit writing samples.

This year, the department added two new courses, neither of which required an application. Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, a Pulitzer prize-winning essayist, and Tyehimba Jess, a Pulitzer prize-winning poet, will be joining Yale this spring to teach “Writing Outsiderness and Interiority” and “Diggin’ in the Historical Crates: Breathing Poetry into the Archives” respectively. These courses, along with the introductory courses, admit students on a first-come-first-served basis.

Because this year’s registration process is staggered by class year, enrollment for “Writing Outsiderness and Interiority” was filled on Nov. 14, the first day of registration for seniors.

Two out of the five professors that teach courses that require an application told the News that they received more than 100 applications and all of them received over 70.

Professor Anne Fadiman, who teaches “Writing about Oneself” in the spring, wrote to the News that she received 109 applications — an increase from 97 last fall. According to Fadiman, the preregistration deadline is “way too early” which can be “a burden for many students.”

Professor Derek Green, whose course, “Writing the Television Drama,” expects between 80 and 100 applications each year, agreed that although early registration has not affected the quality of the applications, the process itself is a “distraction” given that it occurs mid-November when students have to study for midterm exams or write papers for their current classes.

All seven professors, including Green, said that they read the applications thoroughly and sought to create a group of students with a variety of backgrounds and interests.

Professor Amity Gaige, who is teaching two spring courses, “Introduction to Writing Fiction” and “Advanced Fiction Writing,” compared the review of applications to a “Venn diagram of all sorts of considerations.”

While Gaige gives priority to students majoring in English who are pursuing the writing concentration, her goal is to create a class that is both culturally and intellectually diverse. Gaige added that she also appreciates when a student takes “an extra step” when they apply, whether it be a well-researched writing sample or a note from a professor that has previously taught them.

Unlike Gaige, professor Jake Halpern ’97, who will teach “Young Adult Writing” in the spring, told the News that he does not give preference to any group of students and does not require writing samples in his application in an attempt to even the playing field.

“I found early on and what happens for me, at least when I took writing samples, is that students who took other writing classes just submitted a very polished piece of work they created in the previous writing class and used that to then gain access to the next rate class,” Halpern said. “And so what happens is you’re just creating a system where the students who take one writing class end up taking all of them and it makes it harder for students that have never taken a class.”

Instead, an application for Halpern’s course only asks for a student’s name, email, major and a few lines about who they are and what they might want him to know. He added that this allows him to create a class that has a “range of eclectic interests,” rather than just pre-professional writers.

Chidima Anekwe ’24 told the News that requiring writing samples in applications can be a “frustrating barrier” for students who are “looking for instructional spaces to begin assembling a writing portfolio in the first place.”

“As a result, students without considerable creative writing experience become essentially barred from or at least highly discouraged from applying to these courses, creating a strange and souring paradox: you need to get into the creative writing classes to learn how to produce work good enough to get you into the creative writing classes,” Anekwe wrote to the News.

Both Deming and Fadiman, however, acknowledged that moving the registration deadline to a later point in time is not an easy task since the decisions made by faculty influence how students schedule their other classes and determine staffing for lecture classes.

Deming, Green and Halpern all said that the University has added many course offerings over the years.

Halpern said that when he was a student at Yale, there were only a couple of fiction classes. Likewise, Green emphasized that until recently, the University did not have courses ranging from humor writing to young adult writing and screenwriting.

Deming also noted that, due to an increase in demand, his course “Introduction to Creative Writing” is offered for the first time both in the fall and the spring.

All seven professors, however, agreed that more classes should be added and more faculty should be hired to meet future demand.

According to Yale Course Search, the number of creative writing classes per year has increased from 35 to 44 since the 2016-2017 academic year. During the same period, the undergraduate population has increased by almost 1,200 students.

According to Fadiman, increasing class size would not solve the problem, since writing requires “intimacy.”

Due to the notorious selectivity of the courses, students tend to apply for multiple creative writing courses, at times even more than five. According to professor Ryan Wepler, who is teaching “Writing Humor,” this is not necessarily a negative, since it means that application numbers are “inflated.” 

Wepler added that a number of students always end up dropping out of his course, sometimes even before the semester begins, whether it be as a result of scheduling conflicts or change of preferences. Professor Adam Sexton, who is teaching “Reading Fiction for Craft” both in the fall and the spring, echoed Wepler’s ideas, stating that such a practice is not uncommon, and so those who are waitlisted have higher chances of being accepted if they decide to keep their spot.

Despite the competitive nature of these courses, Gaige encouraged students to continue applying for classes and writing in their own time.

“The same system was in place when I was an undergraduate at Brown,” Gaige said. “I was rejected from a fiction writing workshop in my sophomore year, and I remember the abject disappointment of that. That was a long time ago … and I guess things haven’t changed that much.”

Gaige told the News that students should not get discouraged if they were not accepted to the creative writing course they wanted to take. Instead she recommended looking into courses from other departments that allow one to exercise their creative writing skills. She also suggested that students could join creative writing groups or run one themselves.

Ultimately, Deming praised the English faculty, stating that its dedication to teaching and bringing students into the “conversation” contributes to the popularity of these classes.

“People want to create the possibilities for their voice and be part of the conversation,” Deming said.

Applications for creative writing courses were due Nov. 4.

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Yale’s creative writing program: ‘a center for literature as a living art’.

Susan Choi ’90 may be the author of four critically-acclaimed novels, the recipient of a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship, and a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, but that didn’t lessen the thrill that she felt when she was invited to return to her alma mater to teach in its Creative Writing Program.

Choi, who will be teaching four fiction writing courses in the Creative Writing Program during the academic year, is among numerous distinguished professional writers who are invited to teach in the program each year. Some of them, like Choi, are alumni who return to the university to act as contemporary role models for the students in the program.

The Creative Writing Program was established due to a growing student demand. “It was the best way to provide a structure for the faculty to be as successful and productive as possible and also to service the students in the ways that they really want and need,” says Richard Deming, director of the Creative Writing Program.

YaleNews recently spoke with Deming to discuss the “energy and insights” that these alumni bring to campus, and to Choi about why she believes that creative writing is “the most wonderful occupation” to pursue.

The following is an edited version of that conversation.

Tell us about the recent changes to the Creative Writing Program.

Richard Deming: In the English department, we feel that creative writing is the living element of literature. By establishing the Creative Writing Program, we were able to give a sense of the energy and enthusiasm across the institution that is and has been flowing into creative writing. It was something that we had really been moving towards for years as more and more students want to take creative writing classes — not only English majors but students from across campus. Establishing this program provides both the faculty and students with a kind of infrastructure. It is also a way of acknowledging our faculty who are beyond compare and are pillars in the field. We wanted to create a conversation across campus while still maintaining our identity within the English department.

What drew you to return to your alma mater and teach in its Creative Writing Program?

Susan Choi: I have taught creative writing for years at many other fantastic places, including Princeton, Columbia, and Beloit College in Wisconsin, and every time I’ve had a class of really engaged and passionate undergraduates it has made me think about Yale and how nice it would be to teach here, too. When Yale approached me about the possibility I was thrilled.

Why is important to have alumni come back to Yale to teach in the program?

RD: Having these distinguished writers here as part of the community helps enliven the conversations on campus and continually brings new energy and insights to our evolving program. As alumni, they already know the campus and already feel at home. They have the ability to identify with the students because they can remember and imagine themselves in the same position as the students. For students, it is a wonderful opportunity to work with these contemporary role models. They can see someone who went through the process of being a Yale undergraduate and went out into the world and became a writer — someone who didn’t just dream it, but actually achieved it.

What other campus departments or initiatives are affiliated with this program?

RD: You name it! Many students choose to balance their interests in science, say, or economics with English classes and many marry  two disciplines together. One of the most gratifying things about Yale students is that they have this sort of catholic sensibility, and they want to do lots of different things. We have had computer science majors who were fantastic writers and I can’t wait for their first book! It is one of the most exciting things about Yale, that people have this breadth of opportunity to explore.

What guidance would you give to a Yale undergraduate who is considering a career in writing?

SC: Write for the sheer pleasure of writing, write as regularly as possible — ideally, every day — and do not expect to make money. Writing is the most wonderful occupation, in my opinion, because every aspect of your experience is relevant, everything is grist for the mill. But if you come into it expecting fame and fortune — or even financial stability — you are probably in the wrong field.

How do you choose who will teach classes each year?

RD: We have a creative writing committee, and we rely on conversations with our colleagues to determine who would make a terrific teacher. While celebrity is enticing, it is really the commitment to teaching and that dynamic in the classroom that matters most.

What makes this program distinctive from similar programs at peer institutions?

RD: There are many institutions where students have to wait until they are juniors or seniors to be able to work with these professional writers. Here, students can take classes as early as freshman year and build a portfolio throughout their four years on campus. By senior year, they become English majors and undertake a writing concentration project  or, alternately, they can just take one or two classes and pursue a major in geography. You can be a freshman and take a class with some of America’s most celebrated novelists. There are not many institutions where that is the case. Students have a range of possibilities that they can draw from and not feel like they are limited to a certain aesthetic.

We designed a class called Introduction to Creative Writing (English 123), which has three sections of 15 students each, all of which meet at the same time. The class covers drama, fiction, and poetry. We wanted to give students experience with different genres. They produce a portfolio of writing samples that they can use to get into more advanced classes. To me, one of the most interesting elements of this class is that at the beginning and end of a genre all three sections come together for a visit by a practitioner. The last two years it has coincided with the Windham Campbell festival, and so two of the authors came to the class to talk about writing fiction. We also feature faculty members who come to talk to discuss their work as practitioners in the field. We want to impart to the students that to write is to be part of a community. Writing is a very solitary endeavor but one that is nurtured by community. We set up opportunities in which students can interact with one another.

What are the plans for the future for the program?

RD: We want the program to become a center for literature as a living art. We want students to feel supported in undertaking their own endeavors — such as creating a magazine or reading series — with support from the faculty. We are also exploring the possibilities of widening the spectrum of creative writing classes we offer.

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13 Creative Writing Portfolio Examples & How to Create Yours

Just as you need inspiration for writing, it also helps with putting together your writing portfolio . We’re here to provide you with exactly that, in the form of 13 creative writing portfolio examples.

They’re portfolio websites from different kinds of creative writers: some do poetry, some scriptwriting, some copywriting… One thing is for sure though: you’ll leave with ideas, excitement, and a clear vision of how to make your ideas come to life in your own portfolio.

Read until the end because we'll also show you how you can build yours easily, in 5 simple steps.

13 creative writing portfolio examples & why they’re excellent

1. macy fidel.

Macy used Copyfolio's Premier template and "Cardboard Clip" color palette to create her portfolio

This portfolio is great because...

• It has a crystal-clear tagline: you'll know at first glance what Macy does
• The projects are upfront: you don't need to search and click around to check out Macy's writing skills and style
• The homepage has a great about section with a CTA: you can find out a little more about her and know exactly what to do if you'd like to know more
• The bold background color makes it memorable amongst simple white portfolio websites

2. Esa Haddad

Esa's portfolio was made with Copyfolio's "Wallscape" template

• It beautifully shows how a creative writer can do more than just that. He's also a communications professional, doing technical and academic writing next to his creative and poetic endeavors.
• With a black background and white text , this site stands out. Having such a canvas makes it easy for bolder headlines and images to pop, leading the eyes nicely along the page.
• It has an easy way for you to get in touch. All you need to do is click the LinkedIn icon to visit his profile or navigate to the contact page to find out more.

3. Julia Tula

Julia created her portfolio with Copyfolio's "Artboard" template

• It has an aesthetic and consistent design. Using simple squares for thumbnails, in colors matching the color palette pulls the whole site's design together.
• Julia shows a great variety of creative writing pieces in her projects, including discussions about the theory of creative writing, creative non-fiction short stories, and fiction writing as well.
• It showcases Julia's brilliant writing skills with every word she's written on the site. From the tagline, to her about me section, it's all written beautifully.

4. Larissa Vasquez

Larissa created her site with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Billboard" template .

• It sets the mood for her writing portfolio with a white, beige, and brown color scheme.
• The homepage features a photo of scraps of paper on the top —very fitting for a writer.
• Choosing a photo of herself with similar colors , then creating custom beige and brown project thumbnails really pulled it all together.
• It has a simple layout. On the homepage, Larissa added a short introduction, then dove right into her writing samples . This makes it easy for everyone to read her pieces and see her writing skills shine.

5. Andrea Arcia

Andrea created her portfolio with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Letterpress" template

• Andrea used a constantly changing, but cohesive layout to keep you interested and engaged, even with a lot of text on the page.
• She started out with three projects in a portfolio grid but then went on to use columns to display text, adding images every second block. This is a great way if you want to introduce projects or showcase longer stories or poems without overwhelming your visitors.

6. Hannah Rogers

Hannah created her writer website using Copyfolio, and the “Typewriter” template .

• You'll know who Hannah is and what she does right away. She's a versatile creative writer and editor, currently sailing with Firmenich.
• It's easy to learn about her background too : after finishing her degree in English and Creative Writing, she perfected her skills, now offering copywriting, concept content creation, editing, and more.
• Her fields of expertise are also clear : creative writing, brand storytelling, and editing. Displayed with short descriptions for each, it's the perfect way to introduce them.
• It has great creative writing project displays . In the title, you can see her role (e.g. writer, creative lead, producer) —then you can check each piece published online if you click through.

Overall, the portfolio flows well, it’s clear at every step where you need to look, and she showcases her expertise wonderfully.

7. Shweta Shreyarthi

A brilliant structure and clear layout, if we do say so ourselves. She created it with Copyfolio .

• Shweta decided to use a crips white canvas, simple black text, and black and white photos as the base of her site. But to shake it up a little, she’s using an orange accent color, and a pastel but colorful background photo for a few of her sections.
• She has an amazing creative writing portfolio page , where she outlines what she does: she’s a creative communicator, using her copywriting and content creation skills in her work.
• Her expertise is illustrated with work samples , and supplemented with short explanations. You can explore her work in different categories: social media, executive communications, proposal writing, website copywriting, and more.
• The portfolio has a great variety of projects. In each category, she included 2-4 samples for visitors to check: illustrating them with a picture, writing a very brief description (with the client + category), and adding a clear CTA with a link.

8. Magd Elzahed

Magd made her creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio, using the “Typewriter” template .

• It has a distinctive and consistent branding , with the black-and-white top section and typewriter-like serif fonts.
• Shows Magd's mission upfront. She makes it clear that her aim is “to bring your ideas to life through the power of language.”
• an on-brand picture to illustrate it,
• a clear title with the name of the client,
• a short description of what the project was about,
• and a call-to-action button.
• Makes it easy to find out even more about each project if you're interested. Clicking on the buttons takes you to a page going into more detail on what exactly the project entailed, what her task was, and how the final results turned out.
• It has a lot more information available on additional pages: you can read about her journey, services, references, and more.

9. Charlie Labbett

Charlie's portfolio website was made with Copyfolio's "Typewriter" template

• The dark background makes it different from most creative writing portfolios. It also helps the lighter text and silver graphics to pop and draw your attention to them.
• Has a clear tagline , from which you'll know that Charlie's focus is writing horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories within the realm of creative writing.
• It showcases multiple types of writing projects: extracts from longer-form pieces alongside some poetry work. This shows how versatile his writing skills are.

10. Melissa Wade

This lovely portfolio website was built with Copyfolio, using one of the legacy templates, “Agenda” .

• It showcases the many talents Melissa has. She’s an Amazon best-selling author, content creator, brand ambassador, and more.
• Right at the start, she grabs readers’ attention with a strong headline. How? By talking not about herself per se —but about what she can provide them .
• She also added a nicely designed banner. On it are the things you’d typically write in that tagline: what it is exactly that you do, illustrated with more pictures of her and her book.
• The portfolio site uses pictures with harmonizing colors. The pink in her blouse matches the background of the banner and the colorful wall. It helped her create a professional look and stylish design.

11. Lara Ramirez

Lara built a fun and creative writing portfolio using Copyfolio’s “Journal” template .

• It sticks to one, cohesive color palette. See how she chose just a handful of colors, all matching her site’s palette, and only used them throughout the site? Follow her lead to ensure a great look for your own creative writing portfolio too!
• It features fun and unique design elements. Using simple blobs and flower shapes as the background of photos and mockups gives the portfolio a youthful and fun personality.
• Lara used mockups in her project thumbnails , which is an amazing way to elevate a portfolio and make it look even more professional.

12. Deeya Sonalkar

This creative writing portfolio website was made with Copyfolio’s “Journal’ template , combined with the “Charcoal” color palette.

• It sets the tone for a true creative writer portfolio with a Hemingway quote: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
• Deeya builds rapport with a portrait and a short introduction talking about her life-long passion for writing.
• It showcases her various projects , with the thumbnails mostly leading to websites and social media profiles she’s worked on. So visitors can see her words live, in action.
• The website has a consistent design , only using black-and-white images, and simple black text on a white background.

13. Genie Smith

Genie created her portfolio with one of Copyfolio's legacy templates, "Agenda"

• Genie uses images intentionally , to set the mood: hands in black and white, a typewriter, windows, etc.
• It has a deeper purpose other than just showcasing creative writing work . Formerly dealing with mental health issues, Genie turned to writing to help her heal herself —and to help others.
• The layout leads you along the page, keeping you interested . First, you can learn about the big picture of her life and work, then learn more about her, and in the end, check her writing pieces.

How to build your creative writing portfolio based on these examples

Checking out examples and getting ideas is an important first step… But then you’ll have to actually get started. Don’t worry, we’ll help you with the building process: we’ll outline how to create a stunning creative writing portfolio in just 5 easy steps.

1. Choose a platform & create an account

The first and maybe most important choice you’ll have to make is choosing a platform to build your portfolio website. Our recommendation is Copyfolio, a portfolio website builder that was designed for writers. It’s incredibly fast and easy to use, giving you all the help you need to create something powerful.

When you sign up, you can pick your profession (e.g. creative writer) and the goal of your site. Based on these, Copyfolio will generate a starter site for you.

The page and types of sections on them will be determined by your goal, while all the content inside the sections will be based on your profession. And yes, the latter applies to newly added sections too!

This will give you lots of ideas about what to write and where. All you'll have to do is personalize the text here and there and upload your own pictures. This leads us to the second step, to...

2. Personalize the content of your pages

You'll have an almost-complete site on your hands, but you still have to make it yours. So go over your pages and personalize their contents.

The most important part will be the top of your homepage. That's what everyone sees at first —and whether they'll keep checking your portfolio will depend on it too.

If you chose a writing portfolio template with a photo at the top, then try to find a nice picture of yourself to upload there. That'll help build rapport with your visitors.

If you're not comfortable putting yourself out there like that, you can choose a template with no picture, or upload a decorative one like Macy or Julia did above.

3. Add your creative writing samples

Once the basics are done, it’s time to add your projects. Creative writing samples give viewers a chance to see your writing skills in action and as such, they’re an essential part of your portfolio.

(Need a little help with writing yours? Check out our writing sample templates !)

Make sure you choose thumbnail images for them that all go together color- and design-wise, and add 4-6 of them for a good variety.

In Copyfolio , you can add 3 types of projects: case study pages, PDF files, or external links. Whichever you choose, we'll add a thumbnail image for you. When someone clicks on it, the project will open, in the case of PDFs and external links, in a new tab.

4. Set a custom portfolio URL

To put the cherry on top of a professional creative writing portfolio website, you should set a custom URL for it.

If you're not a freelancer, you can simply customize the ending of your URL. In that case, it's going to look something like this: https://copyfol.io/v/dorka —that's the link to our writer's own site, actually.

If you have bigger plans for personal branding, expanding your career, or going freelance, it's best you get a proper domain. You can buy one right in Copyfolio that'll be automatically connected to your site. Or if you've bought one already somewhere else, you can easily connect that too.

+1: Customize your extra settings : SEO, favicon, and more

This 5th step is not essential —that's why we named it a +1. But these little things can add a lot to the overall feel and performance of your portfolio. So if you have the time, we recommend you to go through them and customize each to your brand.

Extra things you could do are:

• Optimizing your SEO settings. You can write custom meta titles and descriptions for each page + upload a preview image that appears when the page is shared online.
• Set a custom favicon. It's the browser icon that appears next to the name of your page and it helps people to recognize your site amongst all the tabs they have open.
• Write a blog. All it takes is adding a blog section and clicking the "Add new blog post button" and your blog is ready to go. It's amazing to showcase your writing skills and share your musings with the world.
• Finetune your design. In Copyfolio, you can switch up the look of your site in one click, using global palettes and presets. Play around with the colors and fonts to see which one matches your brand the most.

Create your creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio!

Sounds pretty easy, right? And even if you have questions along the way, the blog and the in-app prompts and guiding questions will be there to give a helping hand. The Copyfolio Team is also always just an email away.

Give it a try, create your creative writing portfolio for free with Copyfolio today!

Dorka Kardos-Latif

Digital marketer & portfolio expert, the face behind all content on Copyfolio 👋

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Benhard ’26 MSN, Daskalakis ’26 MSN, and Lee ’26 MSN Win Creative Writing Awards

In a sweep for both poetry and the Class of 2026, Yale School of Nursing (YSN) students Angie Benhard ’26 MSN, Liz Daskalakis ’26 MSN, and Austin Lee ’26 MSN each took home $1,000 as the winners of the 21 st annual Creative Writing Awards at a ceremony on April 24 at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven.

Dean Azita Emami PhD, MSN, BSN, RNT, RN, FAAN reflected on why this signature annual event has entered its third decade.

“I think one reason why this event has continued for more than 20 years is that writing is such an intimate activity, and we share so much of ourselves when we submit our work to a third party and ask them to judge it,” Emami said. “We ask them to assess it and tell us what they think, and whether the work is worthy. Taking part in this creative effort reveals that every person in this room has a story worth telling and a story worth hearing.”

Pulitzer Prize winner Pam Belluck, a health and science reporter at the New York Times, served as the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony. During her remarks, she repeatedly drew strong connections between nursing and reporting, pointing out that both require the ability to listen carefully and compassionately, convey facts to others, and earn the trust of the other person in the room.

“You will save many lives with your skills and technical knowledge,” Belluck said, while also encouraging the students to bring passionate persistence to their roles and follow the journalistic practice of treating everyone fairly and respectfully.

“Good nursing, like good writing, is inspiring,” Belluck said.

And the Winners Are…

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (NP) student Angie Benhard ’26 MSN took one of three top prizes for her poem “I Think I Have a Bad Cold.”

“I chose to write about my time as a CNA at an adolescent psychiatric hospital,” Benhard writes in the introduction to her piece. “I wanted this poem to shine a light on all the barriers and stigmas that surround mental health, especially for people of color. This poem is a compilation of my clients, their truths, and their bravery.”

Read “I Think I Have a Bad Cold” in its entirety.

In her poem “My First Code,” psychiatric mental health NP student Liz Daskalakis ’26 MSN described an experience that has stayed front-of-mind for her.

The first stanza reads:

I was overly naïve and earnestly optimistic to think

That my first code would be exciting.

Not because I was overconfident

Or a pompous nursing student

As if there is such a thing

But within me lingered one of the most sinister and misleading of emotions:

Read “My First Code” in its entirety.

In the introduction to his prize-winning poem, family nurse practitioner student Austin Lee ’26 MSN explored grief as a clinician.

“I felt that grief is often an untouched subject in the field of medicine,” Lee writes. “We are trained to diagnose, intervene, and save lives… but what happens when you come face-to-face with death? It’s distressing, it’s like a cold slap to the face with ice water. Hey, you can’t save everyone. So, you hold this grief inside of you, sometimes you don’t know where to put it. So, what happens to it? What happens to grief that you can’t place anywhere?”

Read “Grief as a Circular Staircase” in its entirety.

Honorable Mentions

Three nursing students were recognized with honorable mentions for their work. As Dean Emami shared at the ceremony, judges don’t always designate honorable mention awards, but when they do it is because they want to acknowledge the quality and power of contributions beyond those of the three winners.

• Family Nurse Practitioner student and previous CWA winner Michelle D. for the poem “Float On”
• Nurse Midwifery and Women’s Health student Brielle Quarles ’25 MSN for her poem “Thoughts on Pushing Through”
• Doctoral student Yosra Raziani ’29 PhD for the poem “Whispers of Change: A Solitary Voice in the Tech Tide”

The panel of four judges brought a depth and breadth of experience of writing and nursing to their assessments.

• Anna Quindlen won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992 for her New York Times column “Public and Private.” She has judged the Creative Writing Awards multiple times.
• Nicole Langan Maciejak ’06 MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC joined the YSN faculty in 2020 and is currently a lecturer in the pediatric specialty for her poem  “Right-Sided Smile. ”
• Sana Goldberg ’20 MSN published her first book , “How to Be a Patient: The Essential Guide to Navigating the World of Modern Medicine,” while a student at YSN.
• Ophelia Empleo-Frazier ’99 MSN, GNP-BC, CDP is a lecturer in the adult/gerontology primary care NP specialty and is also a preceptor for students in their specialty rotations.

More Creative Writing Coverage

To see a complete list of Creative Writing Award winners over the past two decades, visit Past Creative Writing Awards .