Skip the MFA , Part 1: The DIY Guide to Growing As a Writer
I studied creative writing at Brown University, then earned a Masters in Creative Writing from Oxford, and I’m going to let you in on a little secret.
While both were great programs, neither one was necessary for my development as a writer.
The quality of academic writing programs can vary greatly. My courses, professors, and fellow students have all been exceptional, but the more I’ve talked with other MFA and Creative Writing students, the more I’ve come to suspect that my experience was the exception rather than the rule.
The really great news is that while it might be more convenient to simply apply for a writing program, with a little intentional creativity you can assemble the pieces for yourself at a tiny fraction of the cost in time and money.
You just need to know where to start and what to work on, and that’s what I’m going to share with you throughout this 10 part series.
Every good academic writing program will give you three things.
- Exposure:
The curriculum of any good writing program will include a broad base of reading and discussion that will expose you to many different authors, styles, and genres. It will also introduce you to the core concepts and vocabulary of the writing craft. That reading and training will begin to inform your own sense of style and preference, which is the basis for developing a confident, unique voice in your writing.
Thankfully there is a vast wealth of resources available these days. You can find the same quality of instruction in the Kindle store that you used to only get in the classroom if you know where to look and how to avoid the crap.
2. Practice:
Assignments and deadlines will push you to write regularly. You’ll also be encouraged (i.e. required) to write broadly, experimenting across a range of genres and styles. You can be certain that by the time you complete the course you will have written many more words than when you started.
There are any number of ways to begin your own consistent writing practice. In an upcoming article I’ll share mine with you, but the critical thing is to develop the habit of regular writing, whatever it takes.
3. Input:
Expert feedback from instructors and critique from peers will help you identify areas in your style and voice that need work as you eliminate bad habits and refine what works best for you.
There are more opportunities for developing feedback and input mechanisms than ever before, but that doesn’t mean they are all created equal. I’ll walk you through my tips and advice for building a fantastic input system to help you grow and improve as a writer while avoiding the pitfalls that can cause more harm than good.
My old writing professors would probably hunt me down and kill me if they knew I was doing this, but I truly believe that the world will become a better place if more and more people hone the craft of writing so that they can share their stories with the world.
That’s why I’m going to walk you through everything I’ve learned about writing well and publishing successfully over the next few days.
f that sounds like your cup of tea, go ahead and follow me here on Medium so that you get alerts as each article is published.
Let’s do this.
