Local author Dorothea “Dottie” Benton Frank, who passed away last year, devoted much of her free time to the College of Charleston’s MFA Creative Writing program, often hosting dinners for students at her Sullivan’s Island home.
Now, Frank’s family has contributed a generous gift to the MFA program, launching the Dorothea Benton Frank Writing Series and Fellowship.
Frank’s husband, Peter Frank, described the importance of this series and fellowship: “Dottie always felt that it wasn’t right that commercially successful writing didn’t have the same status as literary writing. It was something she was very passionate about and she believed that students needed to learn the disciplines and mechanics of selling their work.”
The writing series will have two components, offering a balance of artistic and professional approaches to the life and work of a writer. The Master’s Class component of the series brings best-selling writers to campus, focusing on the craft of writing, providing manuscript feedback and offering expertise on the professional aspect of a writer’s career.
The second component, Industry Talks, brings agents, editors, publishers, literary managers and film producers to an open forum event to discuss the business side of writing.
The inaugural Dorothea Benton Frank fellowship will be awarded in the fall of 2020 to an incoming student based on their potential demonstrated in their creative writing sample.
“The fellowships are so very important for our still-young MFA program because they offer significant financial support for emerging writers as they spend two years in Charleston perfecting their craft and writing their first book,” said director of the MFA Creative Writing Program, Emily Rosko.
Learn more about the program online.
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