Finding Community and Confidence: CSU NEOMFA Student Reflects on AWP 2026

Students in the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA) program recently travelled to the 2026 Association of Writers & Writing Program (AWP) Conference and Bookfair in Baltimore.

AWP is an organization that elevates writers’ voices while supporting the academic programs and organizations that nurture them. Its annual conference provides students and professionals with a showcase in the nation’s largest marketplace for presses, journals and writing programs.

For Benvolio Nichols, a second-year fiction student in the NEOMFA program at Cleveland State University, attending the AWP Conference & Bookfair was more than a professional milestone — it was a defining moment in his journey as a writer. 

“I really wanted to know what the writing world looks like beyond grad school,” said Nichols. “I also wanted to get the chance to start meeting people in the industry. That combination of knowledge and networking was what made it feel urgent for me to go as soon as I had the opportunity.”

Held at the Baltimore Convention Center, the conference brought together thousands of writers, editors and educators from across the country, and for Nichols, who will graduate in spring 2027, it provided both clarity and connection, including a standout offsite opening-night event that blended drag, burlesque, poetry and prose.

“It was so cool to see all these kinds of queer art represented and to see performing arts and the written word in that same space,” said Nichols. “It made me feel like I could not only belong in those spaces, but maybe even create them someday.”

Stepping into the Literary World

Nichols attended AWP for the first time this year, traveling from Northeast Ohio with fellow NEOMFA students to explore publishing, build relationships and engage with the broader literary community, including a panel titled “Is My Book Too Much? Publishing and Marketing Queasy Literature,” which focused on writing that confronts trauma, discomfort and vulnerability—topics he explores in his thesis project. 

“The room was completely full,” said Nichols. “And one of the moderators said, ‘If you’re worried about your audience, look around.’ That really stayed with me. It reminded me there is a place for the kind of work I want to do.”

Like many first-time attendees, Nichols initially felt overwhelmed. Surrounded by established authors and editors — many identified by impressive credentials on their conference badges — he experienced a moment of doubt.

“There was definitely some imposter syndrome,” he said. “It was good to break out of that and talk to the professionals whom I respect and realize that they're just people. They're creative, artistic people. They have a sense of humor. They're interested in getting to know me because we’re all in this shared space.”

Those conversations proved invaluable at the conference’s expansive book fair, which spanned multiple exhibition halls and featured hundreds of presses, literary magazines and graduate programs, where Nichols took a strategic approach by scouting the floor before returning to connect with organizations aligned with his goals and speaking with editors who encouraged him to submit his work.

“That made a huge difference,” he said. “[Editors] would say ‘make sure you submit. I’m going to remember you. I’m going to look out for you.’ I came back from AWP energized.”

Within a couple of days of returning from the conference, he had sent out four submissions.

Representing and Recommending

In addition to attending panels and readings, Nichols represented the NEOMFA program—a consortium of Cleveland State University, Kent State University and the University of Akron where students take classes on all three campuses—at the conference’s book fair, speaking with prospective students and raising the program’s visibility. 

“It was exciting to highlight what makes our program unique—we’re the only consortium MFA in the country with access to three universities,” said Nichols. “It’s something we can take for granted, but when you’re talking to people from across the country who’ve never heard of it, it’s rewarding to see how impressed they are by the program and its resources.”

One conversation stood out in particular—with a prospective student interested in horror writing. Nichols recalled being excited to share that he also writes horror and that the NEOMFA program has faculty who support it.

“Making that connection with other writers who are trying to find the right MFA for them was a really fun part about working the table,” he said.

Nichols said that while the conference offered professional growth, it was the balance of learning and personal connection—bonding with students from other campuses and building camaraderie with colleagues—that made the experience particularly impactful.

A Lasting Impact

Ultimately, the NEOMFA program aims to expose students to emerging writers, trends and topics while providing networking opportunities in the industry, as well as experience in reading and conference presentations with community interaction.

For Nichols, AWP affirmed not only his ambitions but also his place within the literary world.

“I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to go. You're going to meet so many people. You're going to feel so secure and empowered in your identity as a writer,” said Nichols. “Being in that kind of space where writing matters so much to everyone is one of the best decisions that a writing student can make.”