Will City University be the creative writing hub of Asia? That seems to be the intention. Its department of English just announced it is starting a new master of fine arts programme (MFA) in creative writing. What's unique is it will specialise in Asian writing in English.
The 45-credit, two-year programme begins this summer and will accept a limited number of students in creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry. The degree is benchmarked to international standards, so second-rate Chinglish won't make the grade. Hong Kong author Xu Xi (pictured) helped design the programme and joins the department on March 1 as its first writer-in-residence.
'We anticipate the majority of applicants to be from Asia,' Xu said, 'but many writers in the West, both of Asian and non-Asian ethnicity, are increasingly drawn to Asia, especially China. They're not always best served by MFA programmes in the West, where there is little focus on either a contemporary or historical Asian perspective or Asian literature.' The faculty would comprise writers who 'know Asia, live Asia, read Asia, write Asia', she said.
If you're a budding chronicler of Asian life and culture, this might be a rare opportunity to bounce your ideas and stories around with visiting authors such as Timothy Mo, Tina Chang, Marilyn Chin, Luis Francia, Robin Hemley, Justin Hill, Sharmistha Mohanty, James Scudamore and Madeleine Thien. It's also a low-residency graduate degree suited for people who cannot afford to spend two years as full-time students. The top entry criterion is the quality of the creative work.