Johnny Payne

Johnny Payne is a Professor and Director of the MFA in Creative Writing program, with additional involvement in co-directing the MFA in Screenwriting. He teaches courses in Novel Writing, Playwriting, and Poetics, while also engaging in theater direction and literary criticism.

• Author of novels: Confessions of a Gentleman Killer and The Hard Side of the River
• Recent plays: Los Feliz, Touchstone, and Cannibals
• Poetry books: Ostraca and Midnight Sutra

His teaching philosophy emphasizes "technique as discovery," balancing intellect and intuition to foster professional-level creative work through rigorous literary exploration.