Is a Journalism/English Degree necessary? - Writers Forum

JonECat · 05-20-2003, 10:24 PM

I am considering getting started on my writing, which I have been wanting to do for quite sometime now. I am debating whether or not to go to college to get a degree, but I am questioning how a piece of paper would improve my chances of success.

cdm · 05-21-2003, 08:42 AM

No, it can get in the way. You start to concentrate on form, grammar, and such, and the story inevitably suffers. I think that, had my degrees been in related fields, I would have failed totally in writing.
You can edit grammar and such later. If you begin to concentrate on that while writing, your work becomes stilted.
If you want to write historical or factual works, then a degree might help. It will NOT help with fiction.

Kimberly Bird · 05-22-2003, 07:40 AM

I completely agree with cdm, fiction comes from the heart, it's a passion.

Kimberly

Anonymous · 05-22-2003, 10:20 PM

While a writing degree can't give you creativity, it certainly helps you write. As an English major, I can tell you that at my school at least there are a lot of very intelligent professors who know their subjects inside and out. Much of what we do is study the work of the great writers. This work is often so sophisticated and riddled with symbolism that you'd never catch it without a class or a guide book. For what it's worth, that's my take.

lunastar · 06-09-2003, 05:23 PM

I've thought about this a lot as well but as long as your writing is quality your education shouldnt matter.

Lunesse · 06-09-2003, 05:30 PM

I think that's a good statement. It's not the piece of paper that would make a difference in your efforts, a good piece of writing is a good piece of writing. The skills you receive FROM that education, however, might make a difference, and help you create that good piece of writing.

Bartleby · 06-27-2003, 11:46 PM

I'm not so sure that it matters either way. I have a English background although not a degree but very near to one and it certainly ins't something they ask about when I submit things for publication.

Mendicant98 · 06-28-2003, 09:29 PM

I've submitted my novel to several publishers, and at least one of those wanted to know by writing background, not necessarily degrees or what not. Basically, enter some short story contests and hope to win. That will give you some nice background, which publishers like to see. Sometimes background can make the difference, but not necessarily a solid college background.

- Mark S.

modified7 · 06-30-2003, 12:46 AM

My take is that to be a successful fiction writer, one will benefit more from experiencing anything and everything in this world. Experience in a college classroom is just that.......an experience to draw from but I think a person who has travelled extensively might have a wealth of background from which to initiate an idea for a work of fiction. They always say "Write what you know" and I think that is referring to life experiences............ Keith

Mendicant98 · 06-30-2003, 10:20 PM

I disagree with you, Keith. Classrooms are not a good way to get experience writing fiction. Fiction comes from the heart, not the mind. You can be as grammatically correct as you like, but if you can't come up with a decent story, who's going to read it?

College teachers expect students to write the way they want them to write -- be it a certain style, certain format, or whatever. Rarely do they throw in the creativity factor (unless it's a creative writing course). It can be extremely disheartening for an upstart fiction writer when the teacher hates your unique way of writing because it's not the way HE would write it.

I'm speaking somewhat from experience. Some teachers are better than others, but fiction writing is not what you would learn from an english degree or journalism degree. Take something else, make money, and write in your spare time and strike it rich writing a bestseller. It's what happens to most of the novelists out there now. Very few have English degrees.

- Mark S.

modified7 · 07-01-2003, 01:29 AM

Medicant,
Maybe my post mislead you, but read it again and I think you'll find you agree with me....... I'm not promoting a classroom environment for learning fiction writing. I think you take what you learn from it and go on, but I think experiencing life.......traveling, meeting people, etc. , is going to be a bigger help.

amie · 07-01-2003, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mendicant98

College teachers expect students to write the way they want them to write...

What is so terrible about this? As writers, we do need to find our own voice, but what kind of writers are we if we can ONLY write in that one voice? I found it very rewarding to be forced to integrate someone else's tastes into my own accepted form of writing. I also found it very rewarding to write as a journalist. It's the most basic form of story-telling, and it's a medium that forces you to practice your trade.

I agree that it is not necessary to have a journalism/english degree to be a great writer (many of the greats didn't) but I don't think it would hurt a person (many of the greats started as journalists...Hemmingway, anyone?). I have a degree in English and I worked for my campus newspaper for four years, and the various forms of literature I was exposed to has been a great influence on my writing. We need teachers to help us along our way...we just may find them in different places.

Spudley · 07-01-2003, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amie

We need teachers to help us along our way...we just may find them in different places.

I second everything you said.

There is a reason, after all, for their being called teachers.... it might have something to do with learning from them?

Bartleby · 07-01-2003, 01:54 PM

Lets not forget that quite a few of the big names in fiction have English degrees and were indeed teachers. Pat Conroy and Stephen King for example. So while I don't think it's necessary it certainly isn't hurtful.

Chrispian · 07-01-2003, 02:03 PM

Writing requires you to master the language. Can you do that without a degree? Certainly! But it might take you longer. It's very important that you know the rules of writing, the weight of each word you use and how it impacts the words around it. It's as much technical is it is art.

About teachers teaching us to write what they want - that's a writers job! Writing what other people want!! Only unpublished and unsuccessful writers have the joy of writing for pure pleasure. Do you think King, Rice or Jordan can just fly off and write anything they want now? No, their employers wouldn't stand for it - and by employers I mean you and I, as readers. And most of us will never be a King or Jordan or Rice. If we are lucky, we will quietly publish a few books and hopefully some people will read them.

The bread and butter of writing is taking an assignment in the freelance world. Sure, you pick your assignments and find markets that fit your style.

Writing is an art, sure. But it's also a skill and a business.

If you have the chance to learn in school, do it!