The Creative Writing Program’s unique undergraduate tutorial program is looking for talented young writers who are self motivated and willing to work hard.
And in hopes of gathering more interest in the Kidd Tutorial Program, a year-long class designed to articulate young writers’ skills, the application deadline has been extended to 5 p.m. Friday.
The tutorial program, made possible by an endowment from Walter and Nancy Kidd, was established in 1991 to provide undergraduate students with a similar type of training that graduate students receive.
Creative writing administrator and instructor Debra Gwartney said the Kidd program is extremely valuable and gives undergraduate students a boost when they enroll in higher level courses.
“They have an edge that I notice right away,” she said. “It’s just a neat program. It’s very rare to take care of undergraduates that way.”
Kidd head tutor Josh Morse said the tutorial is a great stepping stone for those interested in getting into the Master of Fine Arts graduate program, which is known nationally in the field.
“It’s an awesome program,” said Morse, an MFA graduate student who is a former Kidd participant. “It helps you develop your own vision.”
Participation in the Kidd program also enhances students’ chances of furthering their education on a higher level, Kidd director Pimone Triplett said.
“A lot of students do writing that gets them into the top writing schools,” Triplett said.
The small class sizes — ranging from four to six students — allows tutors to cater to the individual needs of the young writers. The Kidd classes serve as forums where students can feel comfortable about discussing their work and are able to provide helpful feedback, Morse said.
“Creative writers thrive to establish trust with colleagues,” Morse said. “And Kidd is perfect for that.”
Triplett said student camaraderie is essential to the program.
“The students really get to know each other well,” Triplett said. “They are good at criticizing each other’s work … that kind of community is rare.”
While the tutorial program is a great opportunity for ambitious writers, Morse said it is not for everyone. Only those who are truly self-motivated and able to make a full commitment are going to succeed in the program, he said.
“We’re looking for students who aren’t afraid to work,” Morse said.
The Creative Writing Program offers six four-credit classes for Kidd participants, who are tutored by graduate students. One of the main focuses of the classes is the development of individual projects, where students study literary works and produce a collection of writings based on their studying.
Triplett said the most important aspect of Kidd is that it is a combination of reading a wide range of books and writing fiction and poetry.
“Students are taught to read as writers, which is very important for undergraduate studies,” Triplett said.
The Kidd program enables students to “gain a kind of confidence that is so apparent in the classroom,” Gwartney said. “They are so obviously attuned to the critical process and very instructed readers. Sometimes they point out things and I think, ‘Oh my gosh, why didn’t I think of that?’”