The variety and depth of the writing classes are intended to allow both broad and deep experience with writing. These portfolios are often used as application material for graduate school or as writing samples for employers. Along with your experience in class and your portfolio, it is very important that you seek out other writing opportunities on campus early in your college career. In addition, students are often part of the editorial boards of other campus publications such as New Voices. There is a variety of work-study jobs on campus that relate to writing, and each year the English Department sponsors a creative writing contest as well.
Writing is an act of communication.
What writers need most, of course, is readers. To this end, you should consider joining groups such as the English Club or the creative writing group. These groups will give you the chance to meet other writers to share work, plan readings, join in excursions to events outside Fargo-Moorhead, and generally participate in the life of the local literary community. Finally, there is no such thing as a writer who is not also a reader. The literature courses in the department are an integral part of the writing major.