Leah Nielsen

Biography

Leah Nielsen's first book of poems, No Magic, was published by Word Press, a division of WordTech Communications, in 2005. No Magic is set in the Midwest, and through the use of of Norse mythological tales and scenes of daily farm life, explores the mythic status of the speaker’s deceased father. Her current project, Side Effects May Include, uses experimental forms to examine the medical and cultural treatment of pain.  Poems from this collection have been published or are forthcoming at thediagram.com, Sycamore Review, Red Mountain Review, Fourteen Hills, Indiana Review, and Hotel Amerkia. In December 2013, Side Effects May Include will be published as its own volume through The Chapbook, a literary journal dedicated to small collections of poetry. She serves as a faculty advisor for Persona, the campus literary magazine.  She is also the Faculty Center co-coordinator. Her teaching focuses on writing: Introduction to Creative Writing, Poetry Writing, and composition.  She helped design and piloted a course, Career Preparation for Writers, that helps students navigate the transition to a professional writing career.  

Education

  • M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Poetry, University of Alabama, 2001
  • B.S. in Newspaper Journalism, Syracuse University, 1990

Courses Taught

Literature:

  • English 217 American Literature Since 1865

  • English 397 Special Topics:  Harlem Renaissance

  • English 382 Contemporary Poetry

Writing:

  • English 346 Writing Poetry

  • English 335 Special Topics:  Career Prep. for Writers

  • English 246 Creative Writing

  • English 101 and 102:  First-year Composition

Professional Service

  • Associated Writers and Writing Programs
  • WSU Faculty Center Co-Coordinator