December 2024 Alumni Updates
The Drexel MFA Alumni Association promotes the writing arts while supporting graduates of our program and the broader literary community through social events, writing workshops, and retreats.
Happy New Year, Alumni!
We hope you enjoyed 2024, alumni! We’ve got some exciting events coming up this next year, including an in-person social media boot camp and information on the upcoming Highlights Retreat in April! Hope to see you there!
Here in the alumni newsletters, we aim to give you upcoming ways to connect and engage with the community. We will send a newsletter towards the end of each month so we can all stay on top of what’s happening in our community.
With the newsletter, we will also celebrate the successes of everyone in our alumni community, big and small. Either add a comment below or reply in the Substack chat to the writing successes thread. We’ll compile all the accomplishments each month and feature them in our next newsletter!
Upcoming Events
Thursday, January 9th @ 7 PM EST: Craft Chat on Children’s Publishing
Join us for an insightful session featuring Dhonielle Clayton, a New York Times bestselling author known for "The Belles" series and "The Marvellers." As the COO of We Need Diverse Books and founder of Cake Creative, Dhonielle brings a wealth of experience in children's publishing. We'll delve into her publishing journey, discuss the intricacies of the children's book industry, and explore writing craft techniques. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert. Passcode: 4ALSfb
We look forward to your participation!
Friday, January 17th @ 6 PM EST: Open Mic Night with the Drexel MFA Alumni Association at B&N Philadelphia
Save the date for an upcoming open mic night featuring Drexel MFA Alumni. The event will take place on Friday, January 17th at 6PM EST.
If you're interested in reading a piece, please email three (3) pages of the work you wish to present to alumnichairsdrexelmfa@gmail.com. Add "Open Mic Event Submission" as the subject and include your full name, phone number, and email address.
Please keep in mind that there are limited slots available for readers and that the work submitted must be appropriate for audience members of all ages.
Prior registration through Eventbrite is not required, but it is appreciated. We hope to see you there!
Saturday, January 25th @ 10am: In-Person Social Media Bootcamp with Drexel MFA First Year Student and novelist Madeline Martin
From starting off writing your first book to releasing your debut novel, and even into the release of your 100th book, marketing is integral, as is having a social media platform. With so many voices online, making your posts - and your books - stand out can be difficult, especially with algorithms constantly changing. Social Media Bootcamp will cover the importance of and the various social media platforms, not only what to do with them, but how to engage readers, what to post, and how to get your posts noticed organically.
This class will also cover a guide on how to prepare your social media for an upcoming book release to get everyone excited about your new book launch (or a sparkling debut).
Location: Drexel University
Time: 10-2pm EST
Price: $25
Bootcamp includes lunch!
2025 Highlights Retreat Information
Connect and write with your fellow dragons during one of the Highlights Retreats! See below for registration links for 2025:
April 3-6, 2025 (only one accommodation left—register ASAP!)
Looking forward to eating, writing, and exploring with you!
For any questions, contact Mo (‘23) at ms.clark70@comcast.net or Rylee (‘23) at ryleecella@gmail.com.
Book Club
No updates as of now. Be on the lookout for any announcements soon!
Critique Groups
Polish your manuscript, scripts, queries, blog posts, and pitches with the help of Drexel MFA Alumni’s critique group. Join and receive helpful feedback from fellow alumni who are ready to connect and collaborate with you in a supportive and inspiring environment. If you are interested in joining our asynchronous online critique group, please email andrew.snover@drexel.edu or keli.b.oconnor@gmail.com.
We have also recently added a new critique group for Fantasy! If interested, contact Skylar Fountain at skylarnfountain@gmail.com.
Writing Meet-ups
Come on over to Writing Meet-ups! Writing Meet-ups is a mostly virtual coffee/tea grind-sesh run by a few alumni friends. We Zoom, write, and crank out new narratives for the duration of the meet-up.
Craft Chats & Workshops on Crafting Compelling Fiction
With our Craft Chats and Workshops, you will sharpen your writing skills, continue learning, and gain insights into the craft of storytelling! What to expect:
Insider insights on publishing and writing
Author interviews for inspiration
Interactive workshops on crafting compelling fiction
Inspiration for your writing journey
Interactive Q&A Sessions
We have our next craft chat on the books for the fall:
Thursday, January 9th at 7 PM EST: Join us for an insightful Craft Chat featuring Dhonielle Clayton, a New York Times bestselling author known for "The Belles" series and "The Marvellers." As the COO of We Need Diverse Books and founder of Cake Creative, Dhonielle brings a wealth of experience in children's publishing. We'll delve into her publishing journey, discuss the intricacies of the children's book industry, and explore writing craft techniques. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert. Passcode: 4ALSfb
Craft Chat: Resources and Writing Advice from Drexel MFA Alumni
This site is a hub for writers to share advice, resources, and information. Submit resources or articles on publishing/craft directly to the publication on Medium.
Black Writers Circle
Black Writers Circle (BWC) is back! We’re back with a renewed dedication to celebrating Black creativity and storytelling while driving positive change in our society. Join us for exciting Zoom meetings and in-person meet-ups where we explore the rich world of Black literature and writing. Don’t miss out—contact Angel Hogan at angelhogan@gmail.com to join the BWC community!
Salt & Pepper Dragons
We have a fun, new group to introduce put together by recent alumni, Lee Ann Walling (‘24)! The Salt & Pepper Dragons group is for MFA alumni and students over 50.
The group will not be learning how to program their VCRs, but rather, will be a sounding board (and safe space) for older students/alumni. There are generational differences in approaches to learning and advantages to being an older student and writer. The group will try to address these issues positively and with humor.
Chat with older authors, agents, and editors about what it's like to be a person of a certain age in the publishing world, discuss new tools you might not be aware of, and share tools and resources you do know about.
Contact leeawalling@gmail.com for more info.
Reasons to Celebrate
Success in the Drexel MFA Alumni Community:
Liz Waldie (‘25) was published in Issue 26 of the Lunch Ticket with her YA story “Night Terrors”.
Dan DeNoon's (‘24) story Dance Partner appeared in the e-magazine Yellow Mama. Congrats!
Eleanor Keisman (‘24) published two of her poems and was featured in a short Q&A with The Wild Umbrella. Congrats Eleanor!
Want your win featured in the next newsletter? Comment below or reply to the Writing Successes thread in the Substack chat.
Calling all Creatives!
Your alumni association is seeking photographers, videographers, editors, and writers to bring their artistry to our events and online platforms. Join our team and make a lasting impression in our community.
Are you ready to showcase your talents and create something amazing? Get in touch! Contact J.D. Myall at jdmyall@gmail.com. Let's collaborate and make magic happen!
Resources
Drexel MFA Resources
Ink Dragon Discord: A community hosted on Discord for fantasy writers at all stages of their writing.
Drexel MFA Alumni GroupMe: A community for all Drexel MFA alumni.
Graduate Career Counseling: As a Drexel alum, you can set up a meeting with one of our career counselors. They can go over your CV with you and give you suggestions about conducting a job search.
Professional Resources
The Author's Guild: Offers services for writers such as legal services, web services, educational events, and other resources.
Publisher Marketplace: Service offered to paid members to research agents and follow deal trends.
QueryTracker: FREE resource for writers to find agents for their books.
Manuscript Wish List: A resource for writers to look at what agents are looking for
Contests/Submissions
LOVENOTES: Submit stories to be considered for the next edition of LoveNotes! Real Stories. Real People. Real Love. America’s Best Love Stories & More. This project - inspired by the Off-Broadway Storytelling Production of Heather Christie Books and published by NY-based 71st Street Books compiles tales of love in all of its romantic incarnations with thoughtful Journal Prompts, Inspiring Quotes, and Fun Puzzles.
Deadlines for Writers hosts free competitions (including 12 short stories in 12 months with prompts and word count requirements) and free classes.
I'm getting a lot of mileage from my "Zombie in the Bathroom" story. Found out it's going to be included in the Best of 2024 Anthology from After Dinner Conversation, available March 1st on Amazon!