I'd like to ask the MFA holders here where they would suggest I go for my trip into a higher degree. I ask because I am so far very unamused with my experience at Portland State, and I've found that most of the other programs within driving distance seem equally lackluster. So now I'm considering relocation, reluctantly, because I feel like I'd be writing to get my degree more than being pushed and/or doing anything that would offer me further insight than I have recieved from my education (and workshop experiences) so far.
Any program that you don't have to pay for. Otherwise, don't bother.
Care to explain, Sands? Since in most places you can't teach more than grade school with a BA. And frankly, if I didn't have a huge base knowledge because of this site and people like Tom Spanbauer, I'd have no right to be teaching anyone anything (or maybe picking up a pen) with the education recieved so far from college.
If you want to teach, get an MA in English or Rhetoric. Jobs teaching creative writing are very difficult to get. Get an MFA to write. Teaching should be secondary. If it's more important to you, get a different degree. I don't think getting an MFA is worth what they cost. And those programs that are worth it most likely provide funding anyway.
What's the fundamental difference in MA v MFA, in your opinion? Also, I'm picking the MFA at this point because writing is what I want to be doing, but I'm realistic, and I know I'm gonna have to teach (and have a teaching credential course either way) so, I'm thinking of myself, somewhat. Plus I know you get paind more if you're better certified. But let's be realistic, I'll write copy for a despot, if it'll help me pay all this debt back.
Hi Charles. Have you looked into a low-residency MFA? My program meets for ten days at the start of each semester and then the actual semester is one on one, self-directed with a mentor. We have people from all over the country, one of the recent grads was from England. It might be a good option if you don't want to relocate.
An MFA is a Master's degree in arts. An MFA in Creative Writing focuses on writing. An MA in English focuses on studying literature. An MA in Rhetoric studies the composition of writing, but not the creative side of it. An MFA is mostly useful for the experience itself while an MA will make it easier to get teaching jobs.
I thought about getting an MFA in writing myself, but it's not meant to be. Currently looking at an interdicplinry degree in communication and leadership. I also work in a library so I'm always surrounded by books, reading, and articles for research.
I wish I'd done that.
Okay, Charles, I know you're old enough to know what it's all about so I'll stick with your original question of MFA program suggestions. I am no expert on MFA programs, but through the years I've heard wonderful things about the Iowa Writer's Workshop, which is apparently low residency and has turned out a jaw-dropping list of famous authors. Might be worth googling anyway. :)
Not low residency.
The Iowa Writer's Workshop is definitely not low-residency. A lot of famous writers lived in Iowa City for a few years to take part in it.
What Bradley means by not paying for it is that for a lot of graduate programs, if you get in and can compete a bit, you can get your tuition waivered in exchange for teaching undergraduate classes or assisting with research. You are much more likely to get funding in an MA program than an MFA simply on the basis of the number of grad students needed to teach undergraduate English classes that are required for nearly all Liberal Arts and Science majors.
If you have the money to throw at an MFA, go for it. You just have to keep in mind that your chances of making that money back on your degree by teaching creative writing are slim. Creative writing teaching jobs are difficult to land, and are very competitive, usually going to experienced, published writers.
An MFA is definitely good for your writing. You network. You write a lot and really immerse yourself in your work. But if you can, definitely find a program that will pay you, rather than the other way around.
Sorry about that, I must have read it wrong.
Have you looked at Poets and Writers Top 50 MFAs? It's a pretty neat list, if an overview is what you're looking for. As someone mentioned above, most of the "best" programs provide full funding. Iowa has turned out quite a few big names, but I've heard they're quite snobbish, and not liking speculative fiction much. Wisconsin and Madison would be my first choice, but they accept something like 6 fiction students every other year.
http://www.pw.org/content/2012_mfa_rankings_the_top_fifty?cmnt_all=1
Cosmo: I got my EMT certification and worked as an EMT to see if I was a good fit for the medical field. I was a decent EMT but the work was not stimulating enough. The great thing about writing is that everything one does influences the work. I know when medical professionals read the parts of my work which include a medical scene, they'll know that I know what's up. The people that don't know the intricacies of the emergency room, will learn what's up and be happy they read my work. Win, win.
I really do like the economics of your suggestion though. If one has the temperament for the medical field, investing in an RN degree has a high rate of return, and will free up your time for writing.
I have an MFA and teach at a community college. In the four years I've been there, every search committee has come up with a couple PhDs who focused on Rhet/Comp. The course was a fantastic time and I learned a lot (and got to live in Europe for a while,) but sometimes (especially now when I'm broke as hell and still paying student loans) I wonder if I should've just saved up a bunch of money and taken two years off to do nothing but write.
If you can get someone to pay for it, do it. If it's something you want to do for yourself and don't mind being $25/30/40k in debt for the next ten years, do it. If you want it to teach creative writing, you might be better off taking two years off work to write your ass off and try to get published as much as possible in big places.
University of Florida over here in Gainesville is supposedly real cool. Small college. I heard Mary Robison teaches there now.
I'm too broke for that shit. Unles those powerball tickets finally pay off, fingers crossed. I just copy the syllabi from them there fancy college courses and sit at home and be miserable. Your guys's futures are probably salvageable though. Go. Learn. Love.
If you want it to teach creative writing, you might be better off taking two years off work to write your ass off and try to get published as much as possible in big places.
Which is always in the back of my mind, Nic. Publications don't seem that hard to come by for me, but actually getting pieces written is a pain in my ass. I'm a fucking perfectionist to an insane degree, and so I thrive on writing prompts, themed calls and deadlines because they limit me to subject matter and time. I'm kind of hoping the MFA will both ween me off of that kind of thinking/working and get me something that's novel'ish length out of it. Teaching writing is something I really want to do, and I'm far more confident in my ability to write fiction (short stories, novels, etc) than I am in my ability to write criticism and do close readings (which I've never done badly at, but always feel like I'm skating by on my writing ability more than the content of my papers)
I wrote significantly more fiction when I wasn't an MFA student. I wasn't expecting to have to do so many essays based on assigned reading, and that got in the way. It wasn't bad though as far as looking at books from a writer's perspective, so it was different from a typical essay for an English class.
I might do an MA after my degree. The uni I'm at now is really good in England, some big names have come out of hear and is somewhat reknown for the creative writing MA, costs about £5k. Just working on the undergraduate degree.
