Maybe people have to be totally pragmatic in deciding whether to attend a MFA writing program; ie, if you're a teacher and know that having a master's will earn you $10,000 more a year, by all means go for it...Other than that, I'm at a loss to find any practical value in it at all. Impractical value? Well, you'll meet some wonderful people and there's something breathtakingly brave about anyone, in this age, willing to do something so totally quixotic...
Love this. Something I've thought about often. Thirty years ago, I was one of those English teachers who went for a master's for the sake of credentials, but I also wanted it to help me as a writer. Someone wisely advised me to pursue a degree in literature rather than an MFA. They said exposure to a wide range of great fiction and poetry will serve me far better than writing classes. I'm glad I followed that advice.
This comes at an interesting time for me, as I consider an MFA. Yes, I’m hungry for feedback, hungry for literary friends, but, as I read more, I grow increasingly unwilling to learn from anyone but the latest great author I’m reading, or from my own, incipient “voice.” The voice is fragile and probably rather needs a wholesome diet of fuck-all, I hazard. Hm. Thinking on this. And we know what Bukowski would say!
Maybe people have to be totally pragmatic in deciding whether to attend a MFA writing program; ie, if you're a teacher and know that having a master's will earn you $10,000 more a year, by all means go for it...Other than that, I'm at a loss to find any practical value in it at all. Impractical value? Well, you'll meet some wonderful people and there's something breathtakingly brave about anyone, in this age, willing to do something so totally quixotic...
Love this. Something I've thought about often. Thirty years ago, I was one of those English teachers who went for a master's for the sake of credentials, but I also wanted it to help me as a writer. Someone wisely advised me to pursue a degree in literature rather than an MFA. They said exposure to a wide range of great fiction and poetry will serve me far better than writing classes. I'm glad I followed that advice.
This comes at an interesting time for me, as I consider an MFA. Yes, I’m hungry for feedback, hungry for literary friends, but, as I read more, I grow increasingly unwilling to learn from anyone but the latest great author I’m reading, or from my own, incipient “voice.” The voice is fragile and probably rather needs a wholesome diet of fuck-all, I hazard. Hm. Thinking on this. And we know what Bukowski would say!
Yeah, but Bukowski was a terrible poet.
I mean Burkowski’s ballsiness and outsider status. I think Bukowski def hated MFA programs.
amen