What can you do with an mfa in creative writing

Here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to are good careers for creative writing majors? Originally appeared on quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique by brad porter, on quora:What are good careers for creative writing majors? When you're talking about being able to make a career out of doing your own creative writing, that's a hard thing to manage, and very few do, if what you're talking about is essentially being a paid novelist or screenwriter or poet or whatever. 10% in fact seems high to me, in terms of the percent who make a living at it -- i'd have guessed closer to r, if what you're asking is just "what are good careers for creative writing majors," there are many where you can earn very good livings from writing all day long and where your degree will have at least some value/pedigree. Myself earned my degree in creative writing, and make an upper middle class living writing professionally. I write all day long, in addition to doing a lot of what you might more broadly call communications work (strategic messaging, institutional marketing, speech writing, etc. And i think it sometimes surprises creative writing majors to know that their skills and degrees can be put to good and lucrative use in ways that don't involve either: 1. There is no need to box yourself into that paradigm if you don't want to and are open minded about ways to support yourself with your talents and experience as a 'll notice i'm going well beyond just "creative writing" here because that's a fairly reductionist label that isn't really used outside of the college major paradigm. Really what i'm talking about are people who are skilled writers and just a few big buckets worth mentioning:Journalism / freelance article writing: i am using the slash because i think most people, when they hear "journalism," think "newspaper reporter" or some variation of that.

Should i get an mfa in creative writing

But in truth, think of all the many many platforms you encounter on a daily basis - from websites to newsletters to institutional publications to content aggregators to whatever - and for every one of them there is a huge need for content to feed the beast. Of course, in some cases it is actual journalism, writing for newspapers or magazines for the sole purpose of public information, and in other cases it is much the same kind of work but towards a different end (i. Sometimes it's bylined sometimes it's not, sometimes it's freelance or sometimes it's agency-related or sometimes it's an actual staff position somewhere, but if all you wanted to do in life was to be handed subjects and go off and write compelling articles about them, you certainly can do that in thousands of ways in basically every field and subject ing / advertising: the prior category was a lot more about long-form narrative pieces, but the world is also awash in marketing and advertising, and behind all of it there are incredibly creative people doing the conceiving, the writing, the design, the production, etc. They come from the professional world but they also come from art schools from random passion backgrounds from writing programs from all kinds of places. And, while it's institutional in nature and marketing in form, it can still be fun, creative, and rewarding stuff. Sometimes this is an in-house capability for a particular product or company, sometimes it's in an agency that does that work on contract basis, sometimes it's freelance or for-hire work, but there's a lot of it, and many people who make great careers doing gic / institutional communications: typically, just straight writing - as in being a writer, that's what you do all day - maxes out at some point as a career path. Name any company, nonprofit, associations, whatever, and chances are if they have more than 20 people, they have a staff member devoted to helping managing the communications needs. It involves some writing, or it involves managing writing projects, and it also entails thinking strategically about how to position an organization or what kind of stories to tell about it or how to articulate its vision. I might be writing a speech for a public figure one day and directing a video shoot the next, or i might be creating a fundraising appeal one day or overhauling a website the next.

It's all over the place, but every organization needs a good, creative, nimble person who oversees or assists their communications. You might not think of this as "creative writing", but sitting with a student and helping them learn the rules of writing and then learn how to start putting themselves into it is something that is very rewarding, and very marketable. It could be private tutoring, test prep, writing center sort of stuff, continuing education, whatever, but people who can help others gain a fluency and mastery of written communication are always in demand t specialists: a sort of a grab-bag bucket, but in essence if there's a topic or subject area you are particularly taken with, you can often earn money by being a sort of roving expert, a sort of professional explainer. I work with a lot of people who just specialize in writing about medicine, for instance - they might freelance for a medical school one day, pitch an article on the subject to a local newspaper the next, or offer their services to a trade publication or whatever another day. Often times, of course, the people that fill these roles are actual working experts in the field, but you'd be surprised how often those guys kind of suck at explaining in a compelling way what it is they do or why it matters. If you have a strong voice and something of value in your creative writing to add, you can just start shouting into the wind and, with any luck and a lot of hard work, might start catching some ears. Note, the odds here aren't any better than being a bestselling author, at least in terms of "hitting it big", but there are tens of thousands of people who find ways of making money just by, in essence, being themselves and sharing their passions or insights in compelling ways to audiences who are interested in tely, it's less about what the degree immediately suggests, and more what you want to do and how you want to/have to make a living. Creative writing, like many artistic majors, isn't so much about directly training for a career; rather it's about giving you the protected time and the space to engage exclusively in the work you're passionate about and develop and hone your skills as a writer. And, ultimately, like many artistic majors, coming out of it you should not only have the degree itself but also the beginnings of some kind of portfolio or a string of impressive ve writing is both bad and good in that it in no way operates on an apprenticeship sort of model, or where you get such and such degree that leads to such and such graduate degree that leads to the standard "ground floor" position that you work your way up from (in the way that law, or business, or medicine might).

After you graduate with a creative writing degree, there is no standard career template - which is why working writers have to learn not only to be good writers, but also to be good entrepreneurs. You have to make your own way, and you have to find ways to both save some creative space for yourself but also get along in a world where things like income and health insurance are important. I'd encourage any creative writing major though to be open minded and not box yourself into the "i'm either a successful writer or a writing professor and if i'm not one of those two things my degree was worthless" e make no mistake - creative writing is everywhere, and wherever you find it, there's a writer behind it somewhere, getting paid (mostly). Quora on twitter:The best answer to any can you do with a creative writing degree? Draft critique adult/e fiction/ published/sell your a platform & start to improve writing to write an ming writer’s ss legal ’t written anything work on first ted multiple writing to literary ’s digest -published -published (printed/bound). Draft critique her market ’s market ’s digest weekly a gift now: the writer’s market writing prompt boot ibe to our free email newsletter and receive a free ebook of writing prompts! You’ve been writing long enough, you’ve probably considered getting a masters in fine arts degree. Community: writing is a solitary pursuit, and after spending hours alone with your thoughts, you might crave a tribe of writers. Mfa programs offer exactly that: total immersion in a culture of books and writing to the exclusion of all else.

Criticism: you might scoff, thinking you don’t need this, because you’ve lucked into a supportive, insightful writing group. The faculty isn’t comprised of amateurs who dabble at writing and coddle your ego, but of professionals who bring a cool eye and a scholarly approach to teaching. Do your homework, research the faculty, and make a beeline for individuals who seem most simpatico with your writing goals. No matter what your genre—mystery, sci-fi, y/a, and so on—you’ll find a sense of community and great resources. One can tell you what to do, but getting an mfa was the right decision for me. Ll get a subscription to the magazine, almost everything you buy, a download,And much more great writing/publishing articles & links for you:How to write a thriller: 5 er author jude hardin explains “how i got my agent. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and how to write a query to build your visibility and sell more books? Your writer platform shows you how e yourself and your books through , public speaking, article writing, branding,And more. Pick one that believes that good writing is good writing, regardless of how it’s labeled, and focus there.

Your g your work n genre free writing ng children’s favorite picture 84% in september on this premium collection of 7 resources which includes a critique of your picture g workshops starting november g personal g writing into your on the short ing your magazine all online writing sion tools: how to write queries, opening pages, & synopses boot how to put together the best query letter, opening pages, and synopsis to hook the attention of agents and published and paid for your ibe now | learn here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Note: i teach creative writing to undergraduates and am often approached by students who want to know whether they should get an mfa and how they should go about it if they decide to take the plunge. And abroad, ultimately writing a book, rethinking creative writing programs: programs and practices that work. I'm also a big fan of the work of mark mcgurl, whose book the program era: postwar fiction and the rise of creative writing revealed that the emergence of these programs had a significant effect on the growth of american literature in the last seventy-odd years. Finally, i have the degree myself, from george mason university, with a specialization in fiction proof that the master of fine arts in writing is a degree that has been hotly debated for decades, we need look no further than iowa writer's workshop alum flannery o'connor's famous remark "everywhere i go, i'm asked if i think the universities stifle writers. After over a decade studying what has been written about the degree, i've concluded that there will always be those who say that creative writing can't or shouldn't be taught, that the programs are rife with teachers who promote generic mcstories and mcpoems and who lack an understanding of the publishing world, and that the classes themselves are filled with mawkish students interested only in the therapeutic value of self-expression. It's simply too easy an accusation to make and the writers/teachers in the programs are often too busy teaching and writing to defend themselves. I do think there's room for improvement, that's what my book is about, but i also think that we're starting to see programs evolve beyond a curriculum that revolves completely around the workshop. Here's what i tell my students:Give you time and support to focus on your craft and thus accelerate your development as a e you with advice and teaching from published writers (and visiting writers) who, if you've selected your program well, are successful in the kind of writing you want to nd you with peers and teachers and visiting writers who care as passionately about the written word as you y, give you contacts in the publishing y, if you take the right courses and consciously pursue the right opportunities in a program that best fits your interests, help you break into an editorial career in literary publishing, new media or another writing-related career that hasn't been invented yet (publishing is changing that quickly).

Mfa program cannot:Lead directly to a cushy job teaching creative writing or to a wildly successful publishing career a la stephen king or chuck palahniuk (neither of whom attended one, anyway). When you find a writer who feels like a kindred spirit, search the web and see if this person is teaching tom kealey's the creative writing mfa handbook. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough; in fact, i recommend it so much kealey ought to be giving me check out the awp official guide to writing programs and the poets and writers annual special fall issue on mfa programs as well as their helpful online guide. You do have to keep writing, read widely, and continue getting feedback on your writing via an online or face-to-face critique group. You should also consider attending writers' conferences both regionally and nationally, as well as writing seminars and readings. Program either, especially if you have another career you enjoy but want to continue your writing yes, did i mention reading? If you've begun to despair that you'll never be able to read everything that you need to read in order to nourish your writing and your soul but that it's worth a try, then congratulations. You're on the right stephanie vanderslice on twitter:Stephanie g geek, author, rethinking creative s of fine arts in residency mfa you want to get an mfa? These days, people tend to think that an mfa in creative writing leads to being a writer and/or professor.

I think many people with a creative writing degree go into teaching in some way shape or form--high school english teachers, composition and lit professors, writing instructors, etc. Many creative writing students end up doing a great deal of freelance work as well, whether it's in journalism or more creative/essayistic outlets. I hope this is a useful, broad start to thinking about the amazing opportunities a creative writing life can offer, if a bit rough around the edges, at least at the start! There are no jobs available of any sort of description that would even be a wisp of what i was "educated" to do. Not to mention the snail paced process of waiting to be rejected in terms of being writing jobs that i've seen posted are only for writing computer software, html coding, website coding, and technical writing for which you'll need a ba, bs, or an mba/ computer science degree to even get an interview for. Glad i wasted 6 years of my life for e professor, writer, editor, tutor & more and more content needed to fuel the machine of the internet, freelance writing is in high demand. A creative writer will have the ability to write for different audiences and in different genres, an asset in the freelance world. That being said, with a glut of phds on the market clamoring for work, mfa's have a harder time finding full time teaching jobs--to echo what was said above. A creative writing major will also be able to think creatively, so making the case for why you are a good fit for a job "outside the box" of your major is also a skill you will have.

Here are some links to help you see what others are doing with the r: they answer yes! I have an mfa friend who finished our program and got the professor job of his dreams only to realize that its demands consumed all of his creative energy. When students ask me if they should pursue an mfa or not, i ask them to think about if they want to give power and time to writing. When i decided to get my creative writing mfa, i didn't think much about jobs. For a long time i took a bunch of random jobs--waitress/bartender, researcher, paralegal--but after a couple years, i started figuring out how to use my writing skills for work. I was able to use my writing ability (which you should mention and demonstrate in any/every cover letter you write) to help me land jobs in editing, marketing, and consulting. There are freelance opportunities like this out there--craig's list and other writing-related job sites are particularly helpful with this--you just have to be creative in terms of knowing where to look, self-assured in terms of promoting yourself, and willing to take on assignments that you hadn't expected. This helps a writer build a portfolio that s/he can use to get more writing jobs down the line. This is a new fedorova for the new york was peak reading season, and lan samantha chang, director of the iowa writers’ workshop, was gamely juggling a call from a reporter, interruptions from her 7-year-old as well as a 10 percent surge in applications to the university of iowa’s master of fine arts program in creative writing.

Sample manifestoes from blogs and chat rooms: “why you should hate the creative writing establishment (…as if you needed any more reasons)” and “14 reasons (not) to get an m. In scholarly circles, the boom and its implications have been a subject of heated debate since at least 2009, with the publication of mark mcgurl’s “the program era: postwar fiction and the rise of creative writing. With so many highly tutored creative writers already out there, is success possible without the instruction and literary connections that are cultivated in m. And your writing will change, he says, and not necessarily for the tors like mr. Shivani say the degree is responsible for so-called program fiction — homogenized, over-worskshopped writing void of literary tradition and overly influenced by the mostly upper- and middle-class values and experiences of its students. They see a self-generating track to the literary establishment, on which the most fortunate jump to fellowships, writing colonies, agents, publishing deals and professorships, where they are indoctrinated into the status course, one doesn’t need an m. Most critiques i read of creative writing programs or writing in the academy are kicking entities that don’t actually (in my experience) exist. I’m not even sure what i’d be writing now if i hadn’t gone. Among them: the pervasiveness of digital media and celebrity culture, where anyone with a blog feels like a best-selling novelist-in-waiting; the rise of memoirs, a natural extension of the online selfie writing culture; the popularity of magical realism and noir fiction novels, which have turned many 20-somethings on to literature; and changes in generational attitudes, aspirations and ue reading the main story.

That, she says, goes hand in hand with a focus on reinvigorating urban communities through theater, art installations, food culture and centers for literature and russell, columbia mahaney for the new york mcgarry, a chairwoman of the writing seminars at johns hopkins, says that the teaching of creative writing has taken on even more significance because the way we learn has changed. Mcgarry says, are less developed writers; faculty “are doing more of the work of writing” for them. She sees that as a reflection of undergraduate education that emphasizes specialization and pre-professionalism, with little room for the arts, reading or writing. Our understanding of what it takes to be an artist is geared to an era’s myths,” ms. They allow students to test their stamina (and talent) for what timothy donnelly, chairman of the writing program at columbia, calls a “radical lifestyle choice. They typically offer fiction and poetry tracks, though “creative nonfiction” is gaining ground, as are screenwriting and playwriting. Antioch university, los angeles, has a social justice emphasis; chatham university in pittsburgh emphasizes environmental writing; pratt institute in new york has social justice and environmental a fifth of m. Programs are low-residency — they meet for about two weeks on campus or some other on-ground spot (new york university, for example, gathers low-residency students in paris); the rest of the semester is conducted ue reading the main programs mimic conservatories and focus exclusively on the writing craft. Academic programs require other coursework, sometimes literature, foreign language or translation the core of every program is the writing workshop, the so-called iowa model because it originated there.

The writer sits silently while classmates comment first on what is working, then go back around to comment on what is not. John mcnally, an iowa graduate who based a satirical novel, “after the workshop,” on a washed-up graduate of the iowa program, has described his own experience there as affected by “bitter jealousies, competition” and writing to please instructors and g can get “workshopped to death,” mr. He also points out that criticism is coming primarily from peers who “are people who don’t know anything about writing, which is why they are in the program. Tremper class entering boston university’s one-year creative writing program this fall will be the first in which all students receive a full tuition waiver and a $12,800 stipend. Last year, there were just 112 tenure-track creative writing kanakia, who graduated from hopkins’s m. Program last may, says that once out of the cocoon, degree holders face a tough adjustment to the unstructured writing life, and the grind of sending work to multiple journals and receiving multiple rejections, if they hear back at all. And is contemplating pursuing the degree, says: “what writers don’t understand is that there is little pragmatic about the m. Most, he says, are now doing “whatever they might have done before getting the degree,” including restaurant management, real estate and writing web content. Or jane monteagle, an antioch graduate, who pioneered creative writing programs in los angeles correctional graduates, ms.

If highly motivated, they will try to squeeze in writing in hopes of the big break, and they will struggle.