Creative Writing

Story telling is an effective way to communicate. It is a way to unite and divide. Language forces us to focus on our differences and similarities. Language is comprised of words, of diverse words, of stunning words, of words that will, if given enough time, enough respect, make us think not only of our separateness, not only of the places we are from or the varying languages we speak around the dinner table, but of its ability to draw us in, to inspire us, to make connections, to make us equal and understood and whole. Everyone has a story to tell and Mesa Community College’s Creative Writing Program is designed to help every writer develop her/his craft.

MCC offers hands-on, workshop-style classes in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Screenwriting. The classes focus on the technical elements of each genre through lectures, readings, writing exercises, and the opportunity to share and critique student work. The Maricopa Creative Writing Certificate program is one of the only Creative Writing Certificate programs offered at a community college in the country.

Each year MCC offers the following courses in multiple modalities (day/night/online/hybrid) to fit the needs of each student:

  • CRW 120: Introduction to Writing Children’s Literature
  • CRW 150: Introduction to Creative Writing
  • CRW 160: Introduction to Writing Poetry
  • CRW 170: Introduction to Writing Fiction
  • CRW 180: Introduction to Writing Nonfiction
  • CRW 190: Introduction to Screenwriting
  • CRW 200: Readings for Writers
  • CRW 201: Portfolio
  • CRW 260: Intermediate Poetry Writing
  • CRW 261: Topics in Writing: Poetry
  • CRW 270: Intermediate Fiction Writing
  • CRW 271: Topics in Writing: Fiction
  • CRW 272: Planning and Structuring the Novel
  • CRW 273: Writing the Novel

If you have questions about Creative Writing at MCC or the Creative Writing Certificate program, please contact Jeremy Broyles, Director of MCC's Creative Writing program, at jeremy.broyles@mesacc.edu.