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Scott Blackwood

Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing

single-paper-background Scott Blackwood

Scott Blackwood is the author of two novels, a story collection, and two narrative nonfiction books. His most recent novel, See How Small, won the 2016 PEN USA Award for Fiction, was named a best book of 2015 by NPR, an “Editor’s Choice” pick by The New York Times, and was named a Texas Book of the Decade by the Texas Observer. His previous novel We Agreed To Meet Just Here earned him a 2011 Whiting Writers’ Award, the AWP Prize for the Novel, and the Texas Institute of Letters Award. The New York Times called his first book In the Shadow Of Our House “acute, nimble stories…an impressive, accomplished debut.” Scott’s two narrative nonfiction books, The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records, Volumes I & II — was nominated for the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Album Notes.

Areas of Expertise

  • Fiction and creative nonfiction

Courses Taught

  • Blackwood was recently named Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Hollins University. He’s taught fiction writing as a visiting associate professor at the University of North Texas and has taught creative nonfiction writing summer 2021 at Northwestern University. Blackwood has also taught nonfiction writing at the University of New Orleans summer program in Cork, Ireland. Previously, he spent six years as an associate professor in Southern Illinois University’s M.F.A. program and four years as an associate professor at Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he directed the M.F.A. Creative Writing program. He’s taught fiction writing at Northwestern University, been named a distinguished fiction writer-in-residence at Wichita State University, and taught undergraduate fiction at UT-Austin.

Accomplishments

  • See How Small named a Texas Book of the Decade (2010-2019) Dec 2019 by the Texas Observer
  • OMI Writer’s Residency, Creative Nonfiction/Fiction, competitive residency, Catskills, NY (Hudson) October 2018
  • See How Small wins 2016 PEN USA Award for best work of fiction
  • “Here We Are” creative nonfiction essay finalist for 2016 National Magazine Award (Ellie) for Best Creative Nonfiction Feature Writing (Chicago magazine)
  • The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records, Volume One, a creative nonfiction book, nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best Writing on Music.
  • See How Small chosen as a National Public Radio “Great Reads” Best Book of 2015
  • See How Small named a New York Times Book Review “Editor’s Choice” pick
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here, featured as an Entertainment Weekly “Criminally Neglected Book,” 2014
  • Whiting Award in Fiction, 2011
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here, Texas Institute of Letters Jesse Jones Award, Best Work of Fiction, 2010
  • Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, Wichita State University M.F.A. program, 2010
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here, PEN U.S.A. Literary Award Finalist for best work of fiction, 2009
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here named a Best 2009 Book by San Antonio Express-News
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here, winner of AWP Award for Best Novel, 2007
  • Dobie Paisano Literature Fellowship recipient, 2004-2005 (University of Texas and Texas Institute of Letters, $26,000 and residency)
  • Featured review in The New York Times and “First Chapters” inclusion of story “In The Shadow of Our House” in NY Times, November, 18, 2001
  • Literary Fellowship in Fiction, Texas Commission on the Arts, 2003-2004
  • Literary Fellowship in Fiction, Texas Commission on the Arts, 2000-2001
  • Best 2001 Texas Fiction, San Antonio Express-News, In the Shadow of Our House
  • Best Short Story Collections 2001, Bronze Medal, In the Shadow of Our House, Forward Magazine, 2001

Education

  • M.F.A., Texas State University (fiction)
  • B.A., University of Texas at Austin (psychology)

Publications & Articles

Fiction
  • See How Small: A Novel, Little, Brown and Company, January 24, 2015
  • Back Bay Books, paperback, September 2015
  • Fourth Estate, HarperCollins U.K., January 15, 2015
  • Ponte Alle Grazie, (Milan, Italy), in Italian, June 2015
  • We Agreed to Meet Just Here: A Novel, Western Michigan University Press (New Issues), 2009
  • In the Shadow of Our House: Stories, SMU Press, 2001
Short Fiction / Novel Excerpts
  • “There Is Only You,” (excerpt from One of Us Is Hidden Away) New England Review, Fall 2021
  • “See How Small” excerpt, Medium, Nov 26, 2014
  • “One of Us Is Hidden Away,” anthologized, Imaginative Writing, (Pearson) Ed. Janet Burroway, 2014
  • “You Came Into the Fire,” Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row Journal, Jan 2013
  • “See How Small” excerpt, American Short Fiction, Spring 2012
  • “We Wanted Embers” Callaloo, Spring (Texas Writers Issue) 2009
  • “It Will Pass Through Us” American Short Fiction (Summer) 2008
  • “Film Footage of the Smallest Gestures” Bat City Review (Spring) 2008
  • “We Agreed to Meet Just Here” Gettysburg Review (Spring 20:1) 2007
  • “Orson Welles’ Blue Brocade Vest” Western Humanities Review (Spring) 2007
  • “Nostalgia,” Anthology: Literary Austin, edited by Don Graham (April) 2007
  • “See How Small” Southwest Review (May) 2003
  • “Indians” Boston Review (Oct/ Nov) 2002
  • “In the Shadow of Our House” Boston Review (Oct/Nov) 1999
  • “Prodigal Fathers” Gulf Coast 10:2 (Sum) 1998
  • “Worry” Other Voices 27 (Fall/Winter) 1997
  • “Nostalgia” Other Voices 25 (Fall/Winter) 1996
  • “Riverfest” Whetstone 13 (Winter) 1996
Creative Nonfiction