College student speaking...need some advice - Writers Forum

Tunkpirate · 08-16-2005, 11:29 AM

Ok so I hope this is the best place to post this question. Anyway, I am a college freshmen who is about to begin seeking an English with emphasis on creative writing degree. My main question is how much of a difference does having this type of training make...do many authors have college degrees in writing or do they "fall" into it. Should I consider pursuing a MFA? I am very passionate about writing and would like very much to make it a career, but was just hoping that anyone with any insight could answer some of my questions.

thanks in advance

Kikster · 08-16-2005, 12:18 PM

if you are passionate about writing you should go for it, so for the next 4 years you'll be studying something that you actually like... it makes a huge difference, trust me. I was force to pick a major I didn't like and my freshman year SUCKED because of it. as soon as I changed it life was so much easier I almost enjoyed going to school...

as for your questions about authors and what they have studied... it depends on the author. some of them were english majors, some of them never even went to college.
what I'm saying is, go for the major you like, the one you are interested in.

Nickie · 08-16-2005, 04:19 PM

I don't have a college degree in writing (I have a Master's in English Literature, though + one in Dutch grammar & linguistics) but I just LOVE TO write. I guess you don't really need a special degree to be able to work out a novel and make your words stick!

Nickie

fretfulporpentine · 08-16-2005, 08:01 PM

It seems like a lot of famous writers have been accountants or bank clerks. Maybe its just some strange idea I have, I dunno. But follow it, follow it, follow it! I know a kid who loves writing. But he joined the navy. And instead of using his free time in the navy to take english classes, or acting (another thing he likes) he took some sort of engineering, which he insists he will never use and says he hates. But he says, "I'm almost done now anyway, with this degree, I might as well finish it."

My point is that you can't go wrong so long as your doing what you like. And no matter how much this kid I know insists that the navy's "not so bad," I know he doesn't like it.

Hodge · 08-16-2005, 09:01 PM

At my university, the only difference between an English degree with an emphasis in literature and one with an emphasis in creative writing is two classes. Two classes which are electives and many take to fill out their upper level English credits anyways.

Regardless of what your emphasis is, you're going to do a lot of writing if you pursue an English degree.

lisajane · 08-16-2005, 11:56 PM

Quote:

you're going to do a lot of writing if you pursue an English degree.

As my screen teacher says, 'The Duh Factor'...

mammamaia · 08-17-2005, 08:06 AM

the only time having such degrees helps is if you want to get a job with major publishing venues... publishers and magazines hire degreed folks over the self-taught... so do major newspapers and other news media-related employers...

if all you want to do is write books, articles, stories, etc. that sell, you won't need a degree to do it... all you need is the innate talent it takes, and skills you can hone on your own... but writing related courses don't hurt...

Tunkpirate · 08-17-2005, 03:52 PM

Thanks, thats exactly what I was wondering about. Does anyone know how you get a job with a publisher aka. how do you get the job that picks the books that get published

mammamaia · 08-17-2005, 04:10 PM

Thanks, thats exactly what I was wondering about. Does anyone know how you get a job with a publisher aka. how do you get the job that picks the books that get published

...a person who does that is called an 'editor'... and you have to have a good, solid background in writing and/or publishing, to land such a coveted spot... to even get in on the ground floor as a reader or an assistant editor, having a degree from a good school known for having a respected lit. department, is pretty well mandatory... most of those in such jobs are women, btw...

suzakugaiden · 08-17-2005, 06:16 PM

Yeah, the degree is very, very needed for being an editor. Take every language course you can if you want THAT.

As for just being a writer, not int he least. Publishers don't really care if you have a degree or not. They care whether or not your book sucks. It could be a nice foot in the door, but if your book is bad, you're just going to wind up with a broken foot irregardless.

mammamaia · 08-18-2005, 08:58 AM

"It could be a nice foot in the door, but if your book is bad, you're just going to wind up with a broken foot irregardless"

...actually, it's not even a toe in the door!... no agent or publisher's reader/editor is going to give a fleep if you have one or a whole wall of degrees... it will not make the slightest bit of difference in whether or not they will read your query or be interested in your work...

...in fact, mentioning same in a query is more likely to put them off you, as it's such an amateurish bragging thing to do...

...the only time it might be of any interest/relevance at all, is if your degree relates to what you've written... such as if you're submitting a historical novel set in ancient greece and you've a phd in graeco-roman literature... or, if you've a master's in astrophysics and wrote a novel taking place in hyper space, dealing with black holes and time warps... and such...

silverwriter · 08-20-2005, 04:52 PM

I just wanted to say hi! I'm a college sophmore going for the same thing. Thanks for starting this thread.

Tunkpirate · 08-20-2005, 05:13 PM

Hi silver,

As someone who is merely starting the adventure they call college, let me say I am anxious as hell and equally as excited.

ooghost1oo · 08-20-2005, 11:46 PM

The English degree itself won't be worth a thing as far as publishing fiction goes. It could help, however, if you wanted to get a job as a reporter, journalist, teacher, etc. I've read that a degree of some sort might hold a little clout for a new writer trying to break into nonfiction, since those publishers are more concerned with your credentials.

All in all, college will improve your writing. What you'll learn in various English classes is key, as well as the grueling experience of writing essays and other papers ... not to mention the knowledge gained from science, psychology, anthropology, etc., that will supplement your writing.

Bad Craziness · 08-25-2005, 05:05 AM

Hi,

Don't know the exact parallels between Australian and American (I take it that's where you're from) but I am in my final year of my degree, Communications, and finished up my major in writing last year. All I can say is that from people I've talked to, having a major of writing on my resume won't win me any jobs.

However, what I have learned is that the classes I took were invaluable. you will learn to write a whole mess better. You will learn to critically read and approach texts from angles you could never have possibly thought about before. Personally, I developed a whole new approach to writing and what makes good writing and what makes bad writing. The experience of going through all the classes was amazing, I can't speak highly enough of it.

Whether you want to be a pulp fiction writer, genre fiction, popular fiction, subversive writer, journalist, literateuer...

You'll benefit from it and it will allow you to be in more control of how you write, so you can be more deliberate and controlled in your writing.

And that is always a good thing.

Peace