Agonies of a Young Author

I've been writing a series of loosely connected posts about MFA programs, popular fiction, genre reception, and job prospects. Today I want to expand that a little further.

I think that the expectation to be good at one genre (to the exclusion of others) is slowly creeping over to smother the literary community. MFA programs force a single concentration. If you're lucky, you get the option to take electives in other types of writing, but simultaneous programs? The exception, not the rule.  Which is saddening. Why NOT try to develop general writing skills? I do understand the need for a defined area of study during the development of a thesis. Very reasonable on the academic administration side. On the artist's side...


If I'm paying the tuition, I want my investment returned. And I want to be fully trained to meet my professional goals when I graduated. However, my professional goals don't include a one-trick pony. I wanna be a writer. Not a poet, not an essayist, not a columnist, not a food writer, not a fashion writer, not a novelist. A WRITER. I don't have to be an expert to write all of those genres. I might not be as credible, but ultimately what I'm selling is my personal perspective, not an encyclopedia.


I'm selling my writing, and I never want to limit my writing.


Write Now:
What I'm listening to: "What Becomes of Us?" by Cinephile
What I want most: Venom by Jennifer Estep! Only a few days! =)

I spent last night (this morning? lol) researching MFA programs. Even though I have a few years, the frenzy that my friends have just finished has inspired me (or terrified me) into getting a head start. Of course, that has stirred up a whole list of issues on its own.

As I said in yesterday's post, I have this thing about admitting up to my popular fiction habits. I write it all the time, but putting it on a resume or talking about it in a job interview sends me into embarrassed shivers.

And the thought of applying to Seton Hill's popular fiction program--

-- very enticing.

But also, not enticing.

Because in two years after graduation, I need to be searching for a job. And a job requires some training. And writing ability is differently measured when your background is in (Emile) Zola than zombies.

And while the program would be great if I planned to go full-time, I don't have the confidence to take that (very real, very big) financial risk.

However, at the Pennwriter's Conference I went to earlier this year, I sat in on Maria V. Snyder's workshop. She mentioned that she went back to school (at Seton Hill) after she was both full time and published several times. And that she benefited just as much from that order of doing things because she was approaching it with a different perspective and purpose. Which, I think, is pretty sage advice.

And something to keep in mind.

Write Now:
What I'm listening to: Cat Power's cover of "Space Oddity" by David Bowie
What I want most: to find a downloadable version of THIS song. What IS it with iTunes lately?