{
  "id": 7751762,
  "title": "Who Are MFA Workshops *Really* For?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/who-are-mfa-workshops-really-for",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-16T09:09:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Literary Hub",
    "slug": "literary-hub",
    "url": "https://lithub.com/who-are-mfa-workshops-really-for/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "MFA workshops aim to help writers improve their short stories, develop their skills as readers and editors, and leave feeling inspired and motivated to continue writing. However, conflicts can arise when these goals clash. For instance, a student brought a second-person story to an MFA-level workshop and asked not to receive any criticism about the point of view. Some argue that discussing the unconventional narration is crucial for improving the story. Others believe the focus should be on other aspects of the story, treating the workshop as a supportive and encouraging environment. Writing instructor Nate Dern found his workshop time unsatisfying, as he didn't feel the feedback propelled his collection of polished short stories toward publication. Dern's experience mirrors Rebecca Makkai's perspective, who advocates for allowing students to choose how they are workshopped. Makkai presents students with various workshop options, such as discussing the story's strengths and weaknesses, or focusing on what's working well. While most students follow her \"default model\" of workshop, some students opt for more restrictive guidelines. Makkai acknowledges that this approach respects the writer's preferences, but cautions that some students may only seek limited feedback to avoid hearing constructive criticism. Many writing professors have abandoned the traditional \"cone of silence\" model, where the writer remains silent until the end of the discussion. Instead, they invite writers to share their story's context, the number of drafts it has undergone, and which areas need attention. This shift towards active participation aims to provide writers with the education they desire while avoiding the destructive nature of some workshops.",
  "summary": "How many writers does it take to fix a short story? The premise of the creative writing workshop is that it takes a room full of writers, reading and offering feedback and working through the kinks of the story together.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}