Creative Writing Minor
The creative writing minor is perfect for students who want to hone their skills in writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. It begins with a general course that explores all of these genres and ends with an immersive experience with intense, dedicated time to work on a longer project or time in the field completing an internship.
Why should I study creative writing?
The creative writing minor gives students with a passion for writing the tools to more uniquely and creatively express themselves. It is an opportunity for students to hone their creative talents while strengthening critical communication skills. By diversifying and expanding your writing talents, you'll open yourself up to a greater variety of career opportunities.
What can I do with this degree?
Often our creative writing minors pursue majors in other art forms or in teaching. Many of these students go on to pursue publication in print and online. The creative writing minor also strengthens students' qualifications to enter careers in fields such as communications and marketing, and pairs well with graphic design training.
What skills will I develop?
- Understand writing as a process
- Learn how to invent, revise, critique, and publish
- Recognize techniques of craft in literary texts
- Develop and edit longer writing projects and prepare them for publication
What unique experiences or opportunities will I have?
Take your writing out of the classroom
- Textura is a photojournalistic magazine created by students in conjunction with a J-Term study abroad trip
Share your writing both on and off campus
- Write for, edit, and publish in peer-reviewed or on-campus publications such as the Coeval, the student literary magazine, and The Clarion, Bethel’s student newspaper
- Compete for our annual Jerry Healy Poetry Prize
- Receive information about opportunities to be published in literary websites and journals
- Meet with visiting writers to get comments on your work in progress
Gain insights about the publishing industry
Courses, like Principles of Editing, Publishing and Being Published, and Writer's Workshop, walk you through the publishing process—from ideation to execution to editing and production—giving you an insight into the industry and the process it takes to become an author. All the while, you'll learn from experienced professors who are themselves published writers and who are active in their fields and in the community.
99
students majoring in the department
20+
students attend professional conferences annually
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For me, journalism meant becoming a reporter, but God brought me into ministry. I quickly learned that good writing transcends vocation. Creative storytelling is key anywhere. Studying journalism helped me find my voice and bring good writing to any calling.
Monique Kleinhuizen '08 GS'16Current job: Communications Strategist at Bethel University
We had numerous opportunities to practice journalism in classroom and professional settings, and we didn't just learn it as a craft. We studied the role of journalism as an institution, which I find very beneficial in today's media environment.
Jared Nelson '16Current job: Communications Manager, PrepHoops.com
Literature changed who I was, allowed me to look at the world in a new way, to become a more curious person. Faith-learning integration at Bethel helped prepare me to link my faith with my work.
Amy Williams '07Current job: Major Gifts Officer at Ecumen
