AWP Resources & Documents

We offer the following free resources for AWP members & the public

A directory of over 500 AWP member schools

A directory of over 100 writers' conferences and centers

Links to literary websites across the globe

AWP Articles of Recent Interest

"Executive Summary" of the AWP Strategic Plan 2000 - 2010
An introduction to the plan that sets the goals, strategies, and objectives for AWP's coninued development in the service of writers, readers, and teachers.

"Creative Writing & Its Discontents" (2000)
An apology for the teaching of creative writing. Written by the Executive Director of AWP, the essay includes an overview of the history of creative writing as an academic discipline.

"The Growth of Creative Writing Programs"
A brief history of AWP by David Fenza, Executive Director

AWP Hallmarks & Guidelines

These documents establish professional standards for degree conferring programs in creative writing. Download the complete AWP Director's Handbook. (rev. 2008)

The Director's Handbook- 2009 (749KB)

• Handbook Table of Contents
• A Letter from AWP's Executive Director
• AWP Guidelines for Creative Writing Programs & Teachers of Creative Writing
• Hallmarks of a Successful MFA Program in Creative Writing
• AWP Recommendations on the Teaching of Creative Writing to Undergraduates
• Hallmarks of an Effective BFA Program or BA Major in Creative Writing
• AWP Hallmarks of an Effective Minor in the Undergraduate Study of Creative Writing
• AWP Hallmarks of an Effective Program in Creative Writing at a Two-Year College
• AWP's Recommendations Regarding Non-Tenure Stream Faculty
• AWP Policy on Electronic Theses and Dissertations
• AWP Assessments
• Sample Exit Survey
• Numbers of Degree-Conferring Programs

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Friends of AWP

Why Should I Support AWP?

A Brief History of AWP

Undergraduate Hallmarks

Graduate Hallmarks

Members of AWP are invited to read the Associatiation of Writers & Writing Programs Strategic Plan 2000 - 2010. This document details the goals, objectives, and strategies that the association will pursue throughout this decade. The complete Strategic Plan is available as a downloadable file in Portable Document Format (PDF).

2000-2010 Strategic Plan

Annual Report 2007

Annual Report 2003

If you are a member of AWP, the AWP Board of Directors encourages you to send your comments on the Strategic Plan. Write to services@awpwriter.org or to any board or staff member of AWP.