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Fiction & Poetry

Fiction and poetry are the lifeblood of Under the Volcano. Seekers of story and argonauts of the imagination, our participants may be published or unpublished, “emerging” or seasoned, speculative or realistic, but all are deeply committed to honing their work in a community of accomplished peers. We invite applications from writers across the Americas and beyond—in both English and Spanish—who are ready to take their voice to the next level.

Thanks to a major grant from the Poetry Foundation, poetry will be center-stage in January 2024, with more guest readers, public readings, new core faculty, new full fellowships and financial aid specifically for poets who write in English,  Spanish.or an indigenous language of the Americas.

Who's Who
in Creative Writing @ UTV

Our masterclasses are led by master writers from across the English- and Spanish-speaking worlds.  Current and past faculty include:

Founding faculty: Maureen Howard & Grace Paley

Russell Banks
David  Barstow
Tyrone Beason
Breyten  Breytenbach
Francisco Cantú
Cyrus Cassells
Alberto Chimal
Sandra Cisneros
Jennifer Clement
Gabriela Damián
Mark Doty
Álvaro Enrigue
Carolyn Forché
Adam Foulds
Betty Fussell
Reyna   Grande
Jessica Hagedorn
Maureen Howard
David  Huerta
Joyce Johnson
Mónica Lavín
Jonathan Levi
Sandra Lorenzano
Valeria Luiselli
Tim MacGabhann
Paul Muldoon
Verónica Murguía
Sabina Murray
Grace Paley
Alicia Quiñones
Emily  Raboteau
Nelly Rosario
Elizabeth Rosner
Aysegül Savas
Francisco Segovia
Owen  Sheers
Sheree Renée Thomas
Ginger Thompson
Luisa Valenzuela
Chuck Wachtel
Alison Wearing
Alejandra Xanic

What makes our program unique

Our writers
at a glance..

Diverse, bilingual community
Creative writers and journalists share meals, ideas and work-in-progress
Thrice weekly masterclasses offer clear guidance throughout the residency
Agent talks and weekly open mics
Ample time to write and revise
Full or partial financial support for qualified applicants (talent + need)

Fellowships
for Poets and Fiction Writers

We currently offer five full fellowships to writers of fiction or poetry—three in English and two in Spanish. Our Black Writers Matter Fund offers sliding scale support to qualified Black applicants (talent + need).

Selected Alumni Books

Our alumni are publishing non-stop and we couldn’t be more proud.  Hardly a week goes by without word of another novel, short story collection, memoir or poetry chapbook by one of our alumni.  Many of the titles on this page began at Under the Volcano and grew by leaps and bounds before our eyes.

in their own words

Testimonials

“I have never felt so supported to achieve what I want. I “leave” this experience with my heart filled with joy, with my brain like a Christmas tree, full of new ideas, and with a sense that I have finally met my tribe.”

María Mínguez

San Francisco/Spain

“I walked away feeling enriched, and like I can actually make a career out of writing, instead of a dream.”

Melissa Watkins

Boston

“Sin Under the Volcano y la beca no hubiera logrado este premio.”

Montserrat Rodríguez Ruelas

Tijuana

“Receiving the Imagination Unbound fellowship proved that the years I spent working my fingers to the bone and sharpening my writing to the finest point possible changed my life for the better.”

Alex Jennings

New Orleans

“UTV ha cambiado mi manera de entender qué escribo y desde dónde escribo. Me voy feliz y con toda la inspiración para seguir mi sueño.”

Diego Arellano

Mexico City

“Three weeks of inspired and enthusiastic teaching, rigorous editing and encouragement to continue writing. I wish each session could have been longer. “

Janet Dawson

Toronto & Tepoztlán

“Under The Volcano es una experiencia de imaginación: nos llama a imaginar nuevas formas de escribir y nuevas formas posibles de hacer comunidad. “

Daniel Escoto

Mexico City

“The residency is a poetic vaccine. Thankful each day for the poetic protection! “

Nz Tyhemba