Sharla Yates

  • Part-Time Instructor

Sharla Yates is the author of the poetry chapbook, What I Would Say if We Were to Drown Tonight, published by Stranded Oak Press (2017). She hosts a webinar and workshop series, CRAFT TALKS for writers on writing, and cohosts the Writers’ Bridge (about the business of writing) with Allison K Williams. Her nonfiction essay, “Address” was a finalist for the 2015 Columbia Journal writing contest and the 2016 Penelope Niven Creative Nonfiction Award. She's currently writing a young adult fantasy.

Courses Taught

  • ENG542 The Editor
  • ENG533 Genres: Fantasy and Sci-Fi
  • ENG530 Non-fiction Fundamentals
  • ENG529 Fiction Fundamentals
  • ENG528 Poetry Foundation
  • ENG510 Studying the Craft
  • ELI094 Writing for Success
  • ELP073 High Intermediate Writing
  • WR121 English Composition
  • WR122 Writing with Research
  • WR115 Introduction to College Writing
  • WR090 Writing Skills: Paragraph to Essay Creative Writing Workshop
  • ENG132 Introduction to Literature
  • ENG131 Introduction to Poetry
  • ENG126 Poetry Workshop
  • ENGL101 English Composition I
  • ENGL098 Writing Fundamentals
  • ENGL098 Writing Fundamentals with Service Learning

Education & Training

  • Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, 2016
  • Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana One year toward a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Poetry, 2007
  • Portland State University, Portland, Oregon Master of Arts in Writing, Poetry, 2006
  • George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Literature, 2003
  • Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, Oregon Associate of Arts in General Education, 2001

Representative Publications

2023 “Address,” Short Reads 2017 Poem: “When We Met,” Pittsburgh Post Gazette WHAT I WOULD SAY IF WE WERE TO DROWN TONIGHT, chapbook, Stranded Oak Press Nonfiction: “Address”, Fifth Wednesday Journal Fiction: “Heavy Does It,” Storychord 2016 Poetry: “Composed, “ The Boiler Journal Fiction: “Black and White and Red All Over,” Pretty Owl Poetry Nominated for the Pushcart Prize Poetry: “Letters to the Fifth Floor” Shadowgraph Quarterly Magazine, Issue 8 Nonfiction : “Address,” Penelope Niven Award finalist 2015 Manuscript: WHAT I WOULD SAY IF WE WERE TO DROWN TONIGHT IN THE OCEAN named a finalist for the 2015 Villa Paper Nautilus Nonfiction: “Address” Columbia Journal writing contest finalist