Welcome
Welcome to the library portal for ENCW courses. The portal provides quick links to resources you need to succeed in your course. Whether you are online or on-Grounds, UVA Library services and support are available to all students.
Your Librarian
Your Librarian is Sherri Brown.
Each school/department at UVA is assigned a research librarian. 
Connect with Sherri for help with your assignments. This service is available to all ENCW students. If you find that you need to conduct research for a creative writing course, or are looking for literary magazines or seeking resources about the literary market, meeting with a librarian early in your research process can help you save time and find the best resources.
Sherri can help with any part of your research process: brainstorming a research topic/question and creating a search strategy; finding, evaluating and organizing your sources; and more. No question is too basic! Sherri can meet with you in-person or online via Zoom.
Ask a Librarian
Sign Up for Library events
Sign up for Library orientations, workshops, and events with our online calendar. UVA Library programming is offered in-person and online.
Literary magazines
We subscribe to many literary magazines - some online and others in print. If you're looking for inspiration (or somewhere to potentially publish at some point), check Virgo, the library's catalog, for known titles. You can also run a subject search to find literary magazines, though they can appear under many subjects, including:
- Literature -- Collections -- Periodicals;
- Arts -- Periodicals;
- Creative Writing -- Periodicals;
- Poetry -- Periodicals;
- Fiction -- Periodicals; and more.
Browse current print periodicals in the Shannon Library Reference room current periodicals section on the 4th floor.
Below are a few of the many titles to which we subscribe.
- The Kenyon ReviewOne of the most vibrant and innovative literary journals in the world, the Kenyon Review maintains an international reach and significance.
- The Paris ReviewPresents contemporary writer's discussions of their own work and the craft of writing. Fiction, poetry, literary essays and art portfolios are included.
- PloughsharesPloughshares, a journal of new writing, is guest-edited serially by prominent writers who explore different and personal visions, aesthetics, and literary circles.
- The Southern ReviewThe Southern Review is one of the nation’s premiere literary journals.
- Virginia Quarterly ReviewEstablished in 1925, the Virginia Quarterly Review is an award-winning journal committed to publishing excellence in contemporary literature, long-form journalism, and photojournalism for societal benefit.
Writing & Publishing Guides & Resources
Below are a few resources you may wish to consult if you're interested in learning more about the process of creative writing and getting published.
- Literary Market Place: LMPLiterary Market Place is the ultimate insider's guide to the U.S. book publishing industry, covering every conceivable aspect of the business. The latest print guide (2 volumes) can be found in the Reference Room in Shannon Library.
- Poet's MarketThe Poet's Market is an annual guide from Writer's Digest Books with articles and market information for writers. The 2021 print guide is available in the Shannon Reference Room.
The Business of Being a Writer by ISBN: 9780226393025Publication Date: 2018Offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early-career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about making money from their work or for working writers who want a better understanding of the industry.
Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction by ISBN: 9781400069750Publication Date: 2013Explores three major nonfiction forms: narratives, essays, and memoirs. Kidder and Todd draw candidly, sometimes comically, on their own experience--their mistakes as well as accomplishments--to demonstrate the pragmatic ways in which creative problems get solved.
Marbles on the Floor: How to Assemble a Book of Poems by ISBN: 9781629222547Publication Date: 2023This anthology of interconnected essays (craft, lyric, and critical) explores the art and technique of poetry manuscript assembly as articulated by poets in all stages of their careers.
Contemporary Fiction & Poetry
Find contemporary fiction and poetry (and creative non-fiction too!) in the Library's book stacks. American Literature is located in the call numbers starting with PS, English Literature in PR, and French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese Literature in PQ. If you want to see a list of the most newly-acquired books in these areas, check out the New Books guide and navigate to the call number areas of interest. Below are a few anthologies of note.
- The Best American EssaysBeginning in 1986, this yearly publication includes magazine articles published in the U.S.
- The Best American PoetryEach volume presents a selection of the year’s most brilliant, striking, and innovative poems, with comments from the poets themselves lending insight into their work.
- The Best American Short StoriesA collection of the year’s best short stories, selected by renowned authors.
- The Best Short Stories: The O. Henry Prize WinnersThe O. Henry Prize is the oldest major prize for short fiction in America. Awarded annually since 1919 (with a break in 2020), the prize seeks to provide a prominent platform for short story writers from all around the world and at all points in their careers. The winners’ stories are collected and published annually by Anchor Books.