Creative Writing
The Blank Page Is a Field of Infinite PossibilityWhether you've never penned a poem or you're halfway through your third novel, our Creative Writing program will provide you with the supportive community, the knowledge of craft, and the inspiration to find and to refine your voice, tell your story, and learn to exercise
the untapped power of your imagination.
It’s Time to Tell Your Stories
Learn, develop, and practice the crafts of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction as part of a lively community of writers and with dedicated and experienced faculty. Whether you’re just getting serious as writer, have years of experienceas one, are an English major, write professionally, or simply love words and self-expression, the Creative Writing Program at College of SanMateo may be for you
Our passionate and experienced instructors, all writers themselves, will guide you as you embark on your own journey to parts as yet unknown. We offer a three-course sequence (ENGL 161, 162, 163), taught concurrently. First-time students, regardless of previous experience as writers, should enroll in 161. Our classes are offered day and evening and during the summer. Upon completion of the sequence and corequistes, students earn a Certificate of Achievement in Creative Writing.
Beginners will write poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, while advanced students may choose to focus their work on a particular genre or a particular project, such as a chapbook, a memoir, or a novella. All students will participate in a writer's workshop, perform regular exercises to get the ink flowing and practice elements of craft, and develop skills in reading published work as writers.
Get with the Program! Earn the Certificate of Achievement in Creative Writing.
You love to write and you want to grow as a writer; you might as well get credit for it. The Creative Writing Program is intended for anyone else with an interest in creating original written work in poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction, refining a creative process, and compiling a portfolio. The local program, which should appeal to English majors, other majors in the humanities, and community learners, consists of the core, three-course sequence of creative writing courses, several electives in literature and related disciplines, and the completion of a portfolio of creative work. Students produce original fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry,edit their own and others’ work in a collaborative setting, develop skills ascritics, learn to read literature as writers,and advance toward mastery of the craft of written expression.
The Creative Writing faculty and students are sponsoring ways for student writers to come together, to hear, and to be heard:
- Submit your work to be considered for The Writers' Ruckus, a curated celebration of student and faculty writers, once each semester in Building 10.
- Consider submitting your work for publication in Labyrinth, CSM's literary magazine.
- Come read at one of the Creative Writing Club's open mics, once or even twice, each semester.
- Join the Creative Writing Club to find your people!
- All 3 creative writing classes (161, 162 and 163) are CSU and UC transferable.
- Each 3 unit course meets CSU General Education Requirements in Area C1 or C2.
- Each 3 unit course meets AA and AS degree requirement Area E2.
- Each 3 unit course counts toward your AA/AST total units needed.
- CSM offers an English AA and AAT, and these classes count toward that degree and are part of Group B major requirements.
- With completion of the 3-course creative writing sequence and corequisites in courses in Literature, student may earn the Creative Writing Certificate of Achievement
- Our courses, typically three sections each semester, are offered during the day and evening.
