The Michener Center for Writers is a Masters of Fine Arts program in fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting at the University of Texas at Austin. It is widely regarded as one of the top creative writing programs in the world. Bret Anthony Johnston is the current director of the program. Previously, James Magnuson ran the program for more than 20 years. UT Resident English Department faculty include Elizabeth McCracken, Edward Carey, Roger Reeves, and Michener Center faculty include Amy Hempel, Joanna Klink and rotating guest faculty.

History

The program was founded in the early 1990s through a generous endowment from James A. Michener and Mari Sabusawa Michener. It was originally called the Texas Center for Writers, but changed its name to honor Mr. Michener after his death in 1997.

Fellowships

The MFA in Writing is a three-year, full-time residency program, unique in its dual-discipline focus.^[1] While writers apply and are admitted in a primary field of concentration—chosen from fiction, poetry, playwriting or screenwriting—they have the opportunity to develop work in a second field during their program of study. The program operates through competitive entry and offers a generous fellowship that includes tuition, a stipend, and other fees. Classes are taught by nationally recognized writers as visiting and adjunct faculty and by faculty in the Departments of English, Radio Television and Film, and Theatre & Dance. Fellows are eligible to submit to the Keene Prize for Literature. Winners receive $50,000 and three runners-up receive $20,000.

Notable alumni

• Lauren Green, author of The World After Alice
• Megan Kakimoto, author of Every Drop is a Man's Nightmare
• Jesse Donaldson, author of The More They Disappear
• Rachel Heng, author of The Great Reclamation
• Kevin Powers, National Book Award Finalist for The Yellow Birds
• Lara Prescott, author of The Secrets We Kept
• Leah Hampton, author of F*ckface
• Nathan Harris, author of The Sweetness of Water
• Virginia Reeves, author of Work Like Any Other
• Maria Reva, author of Good Citizens Need Not Fear
• Fiona McFarlane, Dylan Thomas Prize winner for The High Places
• Sindya Bhanoo, author of Seeking Fortune Elsewhere
• Karan Mahajan, National Book Award Finalist for The Association of Small Bombs
• Kelly Luce, Radcliffe Institute fellow, author of the novel Pull Me Under and story collection Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail
• Philipp Meyer, Guggenheim Fellow, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, and author of American Rust and The Son
• Domenica Ruta, author of the memoir With or Without You
• James Hannaham, author of God Says No and Delicious Foods
• Brian Hart, author of Then Came the Evening and The Bully of Order
• Smith Henderson, author of Fourth of July Creek
• Brian McGreevy, novelist and co-creator of Hemlock Grove
• Sam Taylor, Poet, author The Book of Fools
• Mary Miller, author of Last Days of California
• Alix Ohlin, author of Inside and Signs & Wonders
• Roger Reeves, Poet, author of King Me
• Michael McGriff, Poet, author of Dismantling the Hills, Home Burial
• Carrie Fountain, Poet, author of Burn Lake and Instant Winner
• Bruce Snider, Poet, author of The Year We Studied Women and Paradise Indiana
• Matthew Dickman, Poet, author of Mayakovsky's Revolver and All American Poem
• Michael Dickman, Poet, author of The End of the West and Flies
• Sam Sax, poet
• Kirk Lynn, playwright and author of Rules for Werewolves
• Beau Thorne, Screenwriter, Max Payne
• Kieran Fitzgerald, Screenwriter, Snowden
• Ray Wright, Screenwriter, The Crazies
• Amanda Bestor-Siegal, author of The Caretakers
• Abhijat Joshi, Screenwriter
• Rivers Solomon, author of An Unkindness of Ghosts
• Donika Kelly, poet
• Ben Philippe, young adult author and screenwriter
• Ladan Osman, poet and filmmaker