Barb Johnson

Barb Johnson is an Associate Professor of Fiction in the Creative Writing department at the University of New Orleans, where she teaches courses including Fiction Workshop, The Craft of Fiction, and Revising Fiction. With over twenty-five years of prior experience as a carpenter in New Orleans, she transitioned to a distinguished writing career while maintaining strong ties to the city's cultural landscape.

Her educational foundation includes:

• MFA, University of New Orleans

Johnson's creative scholarship centers on literary fiction exploring marginalized identities and human connections within New Orleans settings. Her work balances haunting realism with dark humor, examining fragile desires for love and belonging through outsider perspectives. She contributes significantly to literary discourse through publications in premier journals and editorial leadership.

Her accolades reflect exceptional contributions to literature:

• Stonewall Book Award for More of This World or Maybe Another
• Barnes & Noble Discover Award
• Glimmer Train’s Short Story Award for New Writers
• Washington Square fiction competition winner
• Gift of Freedom Award from A Room of Her Own Foundation
• Astraea Foundation grant recipient
• Deming Fund grant recipient

Johnson actively mentors emerging writers through the MFA program while serving as fiction editor for Bayou Magazine. Her grant funding from major foundations has enabled sustained creative production, including her award-winning collection and contributions to anthologies like Don’t Quit Your Day Job and The Booklover’s Guide to New Orleans.