Short Version
Jennifer M. Ward is a writer, editor, and teacher from Brooklyn, New York. She is working on her debut novel and her MFA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. While in the MFA program, she worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant supporting college students in English Composition II. She writes contemporary fiction and nonfiction stories. In 2022, her essay, “The Courage to Rekindle a Dream,” was published in The Penmen Review. Jennifer graduated from SUNY, Empire State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies and a Master of Arts in Teaching. She has taught English classes at a Brooklyn public school for nearly a decade.
Long Version
Jennifer M. Ward was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She spent a lot of her childhood in the local library and has fond memories of reading Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. During her senior year of high school, a beloved English teacher gave her a hardcover copy of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood (which she still has to this day).
In the early to mid-2000s, Jennifer worked as a waitress while attending college in New York City. She developed a strong interest in becoming an author after taking a creative writing class. In 2004, Jennifer worked as a unit clerk and a medical credentialing coordinator in Staten Island. In 2007, she accepted a position as an assistant in Midtown, where she spent most of her career in healthcare administration. While working in Manhattan, she graduated from SUNY, Empire State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies.
In the mid-2010s, Jennifer began a career in education and found a position teaching English a mile from her childhood home. In 2017, she earned a Master of Arts in English Education. Her experience as an educator has since grown and includes curriculum writing and in-person, blended, and distance learning instruction. In 2022, she became an AVID educator working to help students develop college and life skills.
Jennifer currently teaches English and Dramatic Arts. Some of her favorite stories to teach are “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, “The Scholarship Jacket” by Martha Salinas and A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Some of her favorite plays to teach are Romeo & Juliet, The Miracle Worker, and Twelve Angry Men. She is passionate about instilling an interest and appreciation for literature and writing through her work as an educator.
Jennifer is writing her debut novel. She is expecting to complete her MFA in Creative Writing in 2023. In 2022, her essay, “The Courage to Rekindle a Dream,” was published in The Penmen Review. It tells about her experience finding the direction, courage, and confidence to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer and educator. In 2023, her blog post, “Five Books Every Writer Should Own,” was published as well. She writes contemporary fiction that tends to be more character-driven and focused on the intricacies of relationships. You can read some of her writing here.
More About Me
Here’s an interview written about me by an author and fellow MFA student. It discusses who I am and why I love contemporary fiction.
Stay Connected
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and my writing. If something I’ve written resonates with you, send me an email. I would love to hear from you!