Creative Writing

Janice Knight Featured on City-Wide "Lit 50" List

Janice Knight, Associate Professor in English Language and Literature, received the #11 spot on Newcity Lit's 2013 "Lit 50" list for her accomplishments as Chair of the Committee on Creative Writing as well as her work on Early American colonialism, religion, and gender. The annual list recognizes leaders in the Chicago literary scene, with a special focus this year on "celebrating not so much the writers who occupy the center stage, but those who operate behind the scenes to make sure the stage itself exists."

July 19, 2013

Jeff McMahon, AM'02, on the Writing of Roger Ebert, X'70

In an article for Forbes.com, Jeff McMahon, AM'02, examines the beloved, accessible, and often rule-breaking writing style of Roger Ebert, X'70. McMahon notes that many tributes to Ebert since his death have somewhat clumsily focused on his love of movies, and neglected the nuance and humility he brought to his reviews. Along with his obvious passion for the films he reviewed, McMahon's article illustrates that Ebert should be remembered both for his honesty and his respect for the audience. "Why was Roger Ebert the greatest movie reviewer?" McMahon asks. "Not because he cared about movies, not because he told us what to think about movies, but because he told us just enough to care and to think for ourselves."

McMahon is an alumnus of the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH) and currently serves as the program's writing advisor. He also teaches journalism courses for the Committee on Creative Writing.

April 24, 2013

Chicago Literature List Features English and Creative Writing Faculty Members

Hillary Chute, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor in English Language and Literature, as well as Rachel DeWoskin and Jeffrey Brown, both faculty members in Creative Writing, were featured on the Newcity Lit 2012 "Lit 50" list, which celebrates "on-the-page creators" active in the Chicago literary scene. Chute was called an "alt-comics impresario" who "may be the one to take Chicago from being a comic-book city to a full-blown metropolis of graphic storytelling," while Brown was hailed as an "ascendant talent" for his comic memoirs such as Darth Vader and Son. DeWoskin's memoir Foreign Babes in Beijing is currently in development at HBO, while her most recent novel Big Girl Small won an Alex Award, which honors books with special appeal to young adults.

Read the full list here.

March 21, 2013