Things I Wish I’d Known When I Graduated from My MFA Program

Isla McKetta reflects on life as a writer in the post-MFA world

Writer In The World and Isla McKetta

Jan 07, 2026

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photo of gray concrete pavement — Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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A guest post by

Isla McKetta

Isla McKetta is the author of Polska, 1994 and co-author of Clear Out the Static in Your Attic. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing at Goddard College and served on the boards of Seattle City of Literature and Hugo House.