Erin McGraw

Author

Erin McGraw is a writer of fiction and creative nonfiction who has been called "one of the strongest writers of her generation". Originally from Ohio, she received her BA and MFA from the University of Michigan. She has written books such as The Good Life, Better Food for a Better World, and The Dollmaker's Daughters. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, GQ, Harper's Magazine, The Paris Review, and many other publications. The New York Times Book Review called her a “master of the short story.” McGraw has received numerous awards and honors, including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Ohioana Book Award, the William Goyen Prize for Short Fiction, and the Barnard Women Writers’ Award. She was also selected for The Best American Short Stories and The O. Henry Prize Stories. McGraw was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2001 and a few years later a fellowship from the United States Artist Foundation. She also held the Knapp Chair in Creative Writing for six years at the University of Texas at Austin. Throughout her career, McGraw has drawn inspiration from her own experiences in life and the people and places she has encountered. From the Mid-west, to southern India, to Ireland, McGraw has explored far-flung destinations in her quests for characters and stories. She is a strong advocate of the craft of writing and is committed to nurturing the next generation of writers. For over a decade, McGraw has taught creative writing courses at the university level and believes in the potential of her students.