Grow Your Writing with Saúl
Saúl Hernández is a queer writer, who was raised by former undocumented parents. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Texas at El Paso. Saúl is a 2025 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow. His debut poetry collection, How to Kill a Goat & Other Monsters, is a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in Gay Poetry, a Writers’ League of Texas Discovery Award Winner, was longlisted for a PEN Open Book Award, and received the Institute of Letters’ honor-winner for First Book of Poetry. He’s the winner of both the 2022 Pleiades Prufer Poetry Prize judged by Joy Priest & the 2021 Two Sylvias Press Chapbook Prize judged by Victoria Chang. His poems have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize & Best of The Net. Saúl’s work is featured in American Poetry Review, Poetry Daily, The Slowdown, Literary Hub, Columbia Journal, Pleiades, Split This Rock & elsewhere. He’s a Macondista, a 2021 Tin House Alum, & a 2024 Lambda Literary Fellow.
Website: www.saulhernandez.net / Instagram: @el_saulhernandez
Work with PocketMFA
Apply to join a mentor’s small group of writers that they will lead through our unique 12 week mentoring and workshopping program.
Decide if Saúl is Right for You with Our Mentor Interview
What excites you most about writing?
“Many things excite me about writing. It is hard to narrow it down but as I’m working on my second manuscript, what excites me at this very moment are all the possibilities of form. I’m constantly surprised at how form and white space continue to be a language on the page. This has affected my life by being a closer observer of the world. Yes, as a writer we are always looking at the world but through form and white space I’m more aware of how the tree branches touch, of the direction the San Antonio River Runs, of how there are always signs in the world to the answers we intend to seek,” Saúl said.
What mindset does a writer need to grow?
“To continue growing as a writer, for me, I have to be present in the community. This means reading as many books as I can, taking classes, being open to critical feedback, attending events/readings, building my community circle of writers where I live, uplifting writers, and expanding my knowledge and ideas of craft through podcasts, interviews, etc.“
What three words would describe you as a mentor?
“Encouraging. Constructive. Supportive. “
What makes a good writing mentor?
“A good writing mentor to me is someone who listens and pays attention to the work their mentees are doing. As a mentor, I like to get to know my mentee’s style of writing, voice, and their goals.From there, as the mentor, I can guide my students in a much clearer path of where it is that they’re trying to go to.”
What is your style of feedback?
“My feedback style is adaptable. I always listen to what my students’ need for their preferred method of feedback and I go from there.”
What was the most recent "standout" book you read?
“I can’t solemnly name just one book! Lately, a lot of the books I’ve been reading are books in conversation with my current working manuscript. I’d say the top five poetry collections this year for me have been What the Living Do by Marie Howe, With My Back to the World by Victoria Chang, Forest Primeval by Vievee Frances, Black Pastoral by Ariana Benson, and Slow Lightning by Eduardo C. Corral.“