Lessons Learned from a Creative Writing Degree
Okay, I know. Who does creative writing in college? Why would anyone expect to earn a living from writing creatively when there’s so much competition?
When I started college I was a naive baby, believing all it took was a good idea and passion to become a successful writer. Four years of gently beating that idea out of me ensued.
Writers aren’t special
Creating something completely from your mind, whether that be a poem or a novel is magical. But the difference between writing and being a writer is in the process. The amount of work someone puts into their writing makes them a writer.
Over my years in college, this ultimately banished notions of a mythical creative being. It turned writers into actual people with actual jobs. Even if you love writing, there are days you don’t want to write. But if your only income is writing, then you’ll have to sit down and work. If you’re making this a career it’s not always going to be fun.
Being a “New York Times Bestselling Author” doesn’t make you rich
Imagine, your book has been out in the world for a week, you have put your blood sweat and tears into this inanimate object for the last three years and at last, you get the message. Your book is a New York Times bestseller. Finally, some recognition for all your hard work. Something to show your parents to justify all the years of struggle.
Then… reality.
One of my lecturers had multiple published books, including one that made its way onto the New York Times bestseller list, but every day she would walk into class and ask how serious we were about writing. If we were sure we wanted to work three jobs to survive.
The truth is, not everyone sees the blockbuster success and movie deals which translate into a reliance on published novels as your only source of income. Writers often need multiple streams of income. Especially in this economy. They need to offer lessons, write blogs, work on their future publications, submit to articles and magazines, and edit and proofread material. It’s all a mind-boggling balancing act that can lead to writers shifting their priorities and watching their dreams of publishing a novel drift away.
If you want to be a writer, expect to be poor. Any solid form of income is a bonus.
“You’ll be a teacher so…”
The immediate response to a discussion of my college degree with anyone over the age of forty. Maybe some people already got the memo about writers not earning a lot of money….
As soon as you introduce yourself as a creative writing student, or even a writer (at least in Ireland), you’ll get a curiously long “oooooh”. Maybe you’ll even receive an “Oh that’s cool, I’m just doing [insert college course with significantly more job opportunities].”
The expectations other people build for you based on the notions surrounding being a writer change how they view you. You’ll either become the interesting creative friend or the airy-fairy arts student that couldn’t do science and can’t do maths.
Once you decide to be a writer, people are going to make certain assumptions about you.
Your Voice Matters (but money matters more)
Ah, capitalism.
As much as any creative person wishes to live in and through their art, you still have to eat. And, unless you have a fully functioning food production system in your garden (if you do please send me pictures of your pretty plants), you need money to buy food.
To make money from writing (selling books in particular), you need to write something that publishers can sell. Risks are scary for publishers, they might have hundreds of people relying on their ability to make a profit, so taking a risk on an unknown author or on an experimental novel can be difficult. It can drain away all sense of creativity and originality from your work.
But that’s how this system works, and even if some groundbreaking work might have been passed up, it’s how the publishing industry works and unless you’re planning on breaking the wheel (Daenerys Targaryen style) you may need to work within the system.
None of the above actually matters…
…as long as you love writing.
Oh look, the last four years actually didn’t beat me down and you just read a pointless article.
Let’s not get mushy, loving writing means you can enjoy the process and art form without being fazed by all the negative aspects of building a writing career.
Love isn’t always constant, and it can often depend on your mood. Just because writing seems like a chore or a herculean effort doesn’t mean you’ve fallen out of love, you might just need a nap. Maybe some distance, a chance to see other people, a chance to fall in love again.
During my four years in college, I was immersed in many different forms of writing and techniques. But what had the biggest impact was seeing the various careers, paths, and attitudes of all the writers I met along the way.
Are you a writer? How do you make money as a writer? Did you go to college? Did it cost you your firstborn child? If so, let me know.
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