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Creative Writing

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly. …”

(Langston Hughes, 1926, from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes © 1994)

Glendale Community College provides a rich creative writing community. Whether your goal is personal, professional, or degree-oriented, come write with us!  

Creative Writing Certificate Program

MCCCD is one of the first community college districts in the U.S. to provide a stand-alone certificate program in creative writing.  Founded at Phoenix College in 1995, the program provides unique learning opportunities. While working with established writers, you will develop a portfolio of original work prepared to submit for publication, to seek an agent, or to include in applications for university creative writing programs.

The Creative Writing Certificate is a shared educational opportunity available through all sister District colleges. Creative-writing courses taken at any District college are transferable to the GCC program, but six of the required 24 credits to be applied toward the Academic Certificate in Creative Writing must be earned from Glendale Community College, offering writers tremendous flexibility in course scheduling and convenience.

Creative Writing Courses Offerings

You'll find day, evening and online Creative Writing and special topics courses. Whether your focus is flash fiction, dialogue techniques, or nature writing, you have the opportunity to develop and expand your craft. The courses are available to any student who meets the course prerequisites.

Creative Writing Community

Glendale Community College has a vibrant creative writing community! Explore our free Saturday Workshop Series, the monthly Free Association Open Mic Poetry and Prose Series, the Poetry Slam, the award-winning student magazine The Traveler, the district writing competition and publication Passages, and the creative writing club Midnight Metaphors. In addition to the backbone events of our program, the GCC Creative Writing Program coordinates with artists in the community and keeps students abreast of contest and publication opportunities.