Word for Word Graduate Spotlight 2025

Word for Word honors five recent graduates of SNHU's online  BA, MA, and  MFA creative writing programs. Recommended by instructors and selected by Associate Deans Jacob Powers and Paul Witcover for their high literary achievement, these five  outstanding writers read from their work, representing all the graduates of their respective programs. 

Word for Word: Agents and Agenting Panel, featuring Joshua Bilmes and Lucienne Diver

Word for Word welcomes two of the top literary agents in the business, Joshua Bilmes and Lucienne Diver, for a discussion of the role agents play in the publishing world and what the career of a literary agent requires in an age of seismic changes to the literary landscape. 

Word for Word featuring Tananarive Due

Word for Word proudly welcomes award-winning author Tananarive Due! A leading voice in Black speculative fiction, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award and a British Fantasy Award. Join us as she reads from and discusses her latest novel, The Reformatory, a searing work of history, resilience, and the supernatural. 

Wireside Chat featuring Tracy Crow Weidemaier

Wireside Chat proudly welcomes instructor Tracy Crow Weidemaier! Author. Literary Agent. Editor. Publisher. Veteran. Tracy wears many hats! Listen in as we talk about career multitasking, her work with the MilSpeak Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting creative writing in the military community, and her fiction, nonfiction and work-for-hire projects!

Word for Word featuring Jeffrey Ford

Word for Word is proud to welcome award-winning author Jeffrey Ford! Ford’s fiction has garnered World Fantasy, Edgar Allan Poe, Shirley Jackson, and Nebula awards. Join us as Jeff reads a new story, "Plunged in the Years," discusses his writing apprenticeship with John Gardner, and shares his wisdom about workshopping, the writer's subconscious, and more!

Wireside Chat: MA or MFA - A Look at SNHU's Graduate Creative Writing Programs

In this special edition of Wireside Chat, Associate Deans Paul Witcover and Jacob Powers answer questions about SNHU's online MFA and MA creative writing programs. If you are a creative writer looking to take your passion for words to the graduate level, this is a great place to start!     

Word for Word Featuring the Penmen Review Fall Fiction Contest Winners

The five winners of the 10th Annual Penmen Review Fall Fiction Contest read their winning stories and discuss their writing journeys. Welcome N. Ryan Tucker, Jesse Teller, Amy Midgett, Jenel Alan, and Megan Okonsky!

Wireside Chat featuring Frank Sennett

In which Wireside Chat hosts Melissa Hart and Paul Witcover welcome instructor and author Frank Sennett, who talks about the pacing and structure of thrillers, his surprising favorite novel, how to develop your unique voice as a writer, and much more!

Wireside Chat featuring Jan Elizabeth Watson

In which Wireside Chat is joined by Online MFA instructor Jan Elizabeth Watson, author of the contemporary fiction novels "Asta in the Wings" and "What Has Become of You"! We discuss the appeal of pseudonyms, ambition as a creative goad, red flags writers should know before querying agents and editors, and more!

Word for Word featuring Special Guests Adrienne Kisner and Melissa Marr

Join us as Word for Word celebrates SNHU's creative writing instructors in a special event spotlighting Young Adult fiction! Award-winning writers and SNHU instructors Melissa Marr and Adrienne Kisner read from their works-in-progress, discuss their writing journeys, and share insights into today's YA fiction market!