This was a great read, thank you so much for sharing! My creative journey has been totally non linear. I spent many years performing, then got a degree (media & philosophy) then established a freelance writing side-career and am now doing my Masters in Creative Writing. My Uni is great, we’re learning from published authors but there still isn’t a subject dedicated to a sustainable career as a writer.
I freelance write and content create for an actress who advocates for this in the performing arts space. It’s the same thing there, performers aren’t taught how to navigate the business!
Thanks again for this. Thought provoking and a great reminder that this is a job. Especially if you’re a parent (I’ve got a 4-year old son!).
I'm currently developing a course for this at the local college level where the focus is literally the business of writing. It should be mandatory at all post secondary institutions for ALL arts programs. I don't see how it isn't.
I agree, it should be mandatory for all arts subjects! You've inspired me to write to my Uni to suggest they look at doing the same. Keep us posted on how you go with it. It's such an important topic, thanks again for this piece!
Yes, we should not be at odds. In another time, I could have used my MA to solidify my history writing career by teaching it- but not now. I have attended and graduated from nearly all the major universities in my hometown; I was treated well as a student but they're not interested in my being one of their employees. If it were possible to bridge this gulf and I could show the people running them what I could do if given a chance, I would very much like that.
I feel like sometimes learning writing and about literature only in academia bludgeons emotions, individuality, and creativity. It all becomes just about following the rules of mentors and professors. Here in Croatia, lots of writers study comparative literature, and you can feel all that theory in their stories, but not much emotion. And that focus on theory rather than practice reflects on the way they promote or, rather, not promote themselves. Writing is too noble to be a craft you can earn money from.
Hmm, I don't think writing is above making money. We're living in capitalism and that requires us to earn dollars and entertainment / intellectual stimulation is something people pay for.
I guess I didn’t make myself clear (English is my second language). I was referring to those academically trained writers who still hold that outdated view that writing is above money.
I interviewed author Alan Davis, my former MFA prof & mentor, about this and other related ideas for Jane Friedman. Here’s what he said about MFAs including publishing courses or instruction:
“You see such programs and tools offered much more frequently now, especially in low-res programs. As competition for MFA students increases, more programs will do as you suggest. The truth, though, is that most disciplines teach students how to do a job or have a career, not how to find work, and send them to career centers if networking and logrolling and the like doesn’t get a particular graduate a sinecure (or, in this case, a book contract)….”
That's an interesting response. I'm glad some are including this but I don't think it's enough, in this current environment, to only teach how to get a job. Writers need to learn all the ways they can make money and practice those skills.
Agree. I think part of the creative writing MFA program should definitely include at least one class on The Business of Being a Writer (using Jane Friedman's book, of course!).
Really insightful article Kern! I equate this similarly to how students learn advance calculus in high school but are never shown real world applicable skills like filing your taxes. As a writer with my MFA I have also seen how difficult it can be to move into the teaching space, even after being educated and set up to do just that.
I’m excited to hear more about the class you are developing and how we can be a part of making these crucial changes for future students.
I did a low residency MFA, which is already a bit different than a traditional one in that everyone already understands that you have a job/work/something else going on in life. But one of the most helpful lectures I got there was when a professor took the afternoon to present to us how to submit to journals/residencies/grants. It was just one lecture, but I reference those notes with some regularity, which fully supports your point. I don't regret my MFA, but I don't look at the notes I got on my writing work since it has evolved so much since then. Having the foundation for understanding how to get work published is evergreen.
It is evergreen, and certainly no accident that you reference those notes the most. Submitting to journals is crucial and should absolutely be part of regular curriculum.
It really should. I do use the writing/craft skills I got from my program, as clearly I use them to analyze the books I read and the writing I teach my students. But to your point - that can't be it. If MFAs are going to last and be sustainable, there has to be a level of trade instruction. There's no shame in saying you want to make money from your art! Though I do wonder if that's where some of this comes from.
I loved reading this, Kern! Your story was genuinely inspiring to read, especially the challenges you navigated with also being a single parent. I attended a studio MFA program, and I was grateful for a class they offered called "Writing & Entrepreneurship," which challenged us to carve out our own path for supporting ourselves through writing. I've loved reading interviews with authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, who came to writing novels "late" in life after having a career in film production. She was able to leverage that experience for her writing career. I think a lot of folks feel a subtle pressure to establish themselves as a 'successful' writer before 30 given our culture's obsession with youth. However you get there, as long as you chase your dream eventually is the main objective, I think. But that journey isn't always celebrated in a lot of Academic programs because it's uncertain. If you're paying $$ or taking time out of the workforce to pursue an MFA, there may be a expectation that you "get your money's worth," in short succession. I had to take a 10-year break from fiction writing entirely to gain some life experience before I felt comfortable wading back in. But my career in PR and Marketing has certainly sharpened my pen and perspective, and I'm grateful for that :)
Kern, I loved your backstory, and appreciated the statistics you brought into it. As a self-taught writer (excluding the excellent writing instruction I got in Catholic school), I never had the kind of guidance one gets in a focused writing program. Instead, I began my career as a trained graphic designer, and only picked up writing to improve my design outcomes. I've been writing for money since I was 21, but only because I had clients who would pay for both skills.
I wonder if the MFA/non-MFA question isn't a bit of a red herring. My experience of attending a craft school (Art Center College of Design) was that some students did better the longer they stayed in school, while others, like me, did better by chafing against their education and getting into the profession ASAP to begin building a reputation. Either way, as you rightly lament, there's no intermediate step from the school experience to the professional experience. A designer friend of mine called this the "chasm of incompetence."
It sounds like you and I both cracked this problem through mentorship. Of course, lots of craft schools have internship programs, but internships are not the same as mentoring. Inspiring mentoring relationships aren't programmable. They're products of personal chemistry.
Now I'm a full-time writer embarking on a fiction career at 77. It's not as quixotic as it sounds. My learning curve started with copywriting, then moved through the disciplines of journalism, design writing, editing, publishing, and nonfiction authoring before attempting fiction. I made money from all these disciplines, and often won industry awards to boot.
Now, back to the red herring of MFA vs. non-MFA. No matter how or where you get your education, you have to develop your own art, by yourself. There's no substitute for doing the work. As a budding novelist, I face only one major obstacle that MFAs and professionally trained writers don't: I haven't read the number of novels I should have read. But I know from experience that you don't always have to be jump these sorts of hurdles—you can sometimes work around them. The workarounds, if successful, often become the basis of style.
Marty, three things you said that stood out, two of them you're right about. There is no substitute for mentorship and no matter what, the writer (artist) must do the work. The one I believe you may be incorrect about is the workaround for not reading novels. Other than mentorship, reading novels is the best way to improve your writing. You can be flexible on a lot of things when it comes to craft. This isn't one of them.
Of course, immersing yourself in the history of your craft is the surest route to mastery. I would never dispute that. What I’ve found, in my various learning journeys, is that you can sometimes substitute general creative principles for specific domain knowledge. The result may not be masterful, but it might well be surprising, or even innovative.
My graphic design journey led me deeper into the history of design than most professionals will ever go. I even published the definitive quarterly magazine on design and design thinking, the latter of which I pioneered.
But what I noticed was that the more mastery I acquired in any given discipline, the less able I was to delight ordinary audiences. Even my peers became baffled at a certain point. At least, by taking on the novel at age 77, there’s little chance of that happening. I may fail, as all beginners must, but I hope to do it surprisingly.
Oh okay, that makes sense, Marty. Not being able to delight the more masterful you became is so interesting. Guessing at some point it's just interesting for you.
This was a great read, thank you so much for sharing! My creative journey has been totally non linear. I spent many years performing, then got a degree (media & philosophy) then established a freelance writing side-career and am now doing my Masters in Creative Writing. My Uni is great, we’re learning from published authors but there still isn’t a subject dedicated to a sustainable career as a writer.
I freelance write and content create for an actress who advocates for this in the performing arts space. It’s the same thing there, performers aren’t taught how to navigate the business!
Thanks again for this. Thought provoking and a great reminder that this is a job. Especially if you’re a parent (I’ve got a 4-year old son!).
💜
I'm currently developing a course for this at the local college level where the focus is literally the business of writing. It should be mandatory at all post secondary institutions for ALL arts programs. I don't see how it isn't.
And yay to parents making it happen :)
I agree, it should be mandatory for all arts subjects! You've inspired me to write to my Uni to suggest they look at doing the same. Keep us posted on how you go with it. It's such an important topic, thanks again for this piece!
Yes, we should not be at odds. In another time, I could have used my MA to solidify my history writing career by teaching it- but not now. I have attended and graduated from nearly all the major universities in my hometown; I was treated well as a student but they're not interested in my being one of their employees. If it were possible to bridge this gulf and I could show the people running them what I could do if given a chance, I would very much like that.
Seems strange that's not the case, David. What's the issue?
A lot of the time you need to have a Ph.D to teach at the university level- and none of the schools where I got my degrees offers that in history.
Oh, got it.
I feel like sometimes learning writing and about literature only in academia bludgeons emotions, individuality, and creativity. It all becomes just about following the rules of mentors and professors. Here in Croatia, lots of writers study comparative literature, and you can feel all that theory in their stories, but not much emotion. And that focus on theory rather than practice reflects on the way they promote or, rather, not promote themselves. Writing is too noble to be a craft you can earn money from.
Hmm, I don't think writing is above making money. We're living in capitalism and that requires us to earn dollars and entertainment / intellectual stimulation is something people pay for.
I guess I didn’t make myself clear (English is my second language). I was referring to those academically trained writers who still hold that outdated view that writing is above money.
Ahhh okay, yes. That makes sense. Apologies, I didn't understand what you meant initially.
I interviewed author Alan Davis, my former MFA prof & mentor, about this and other related ideas for Jane Friedman. Here’s what he said about MFAs including publishing courses or instruction:
“You see such programs and tools offered much more frequently now, especially in low-res programs. As competition for MFA students increases, more programs will do as you suggest. The truth, though, is that most disciplines teach students how to do a job or have a career, not how to find work, and send them to career centers if networking and logrolling and the like doesn’t get a particular graduate a sinecure (or, in this case, a book contract)….”
That's an interesting response. I'm glad some are including this but I don't think it's enough, in this current environment, to only teach how to get a job. Writers need to learn all the ways they can make money and practice those skills.
Agree. I think part of the creative writing MFA program should definitely include at least one class on The Business of Being a Writer (using Jane Friedman's book, of course!).
Really insightful article Kern! I equate this similarly to how students learn advance calculus in high school but are never shown real world applicable skills like filing your taxes. As a writer with my MFA I have also seen how difficult it can be to move into the teaching space, even after being educated and set up to do just that.
I’m excited to hear more about the class you are developing and how we can be a part of making these crucial changes for future students.
I will keep you posted!
Looking forward to it!
I did a low residency MFA, which is already a bit different than a traditional one in that everyone already understands that you have a job/work/something else going on in life. But one of the most helpful lectures I got there was when a professor took the afternoon to present to us how to submit to journals/residencies/grants. It was just one lecture, but I reference those notes with some regularity, which fully supports your point. I don't regret my MFA, but I don't look at the notes I got on my writing work since it has evolved so much since then. Having the foundation for understanding how to get work published is evergreen.
It is evergreen, and certainly no accident that you reference those notes the most. Submitting to journals is crucial and should absolutely be part of regular curriculum.
It really should. I do use the writing/craft skills I got from my program, as clearly I use them to analyze the books I read and the writing I teach my students. But to your point - that can't be it. If MFAs are going to last and be sustainable, there has to be a level of trade instruction. There's no shame in saying you want to make money from your art! Though I do wonder if that's where some of this comes from.
Kern,
I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing.
Joel
You're very welcome, Joel.
Shout it from the rooftops! So well said.
Thanks Amanda, currently shouting!
I loved reading this, Kern! Your story was genuinely inspiring to read, especially the challenges you navigated with also being a single parent. I attended a studio MFA program, and I was grateful for a class they offered called "Writing & Entrepreneurship," which challenged us to carve out our own path for supporting ourselves through writing. I've loved reading interviews with authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, who came to writing novels "late" in life after having a career in film production. She was able to leverage that experience for her writing career. I think a lot of folks feel a subtle pressure to establish themselves as a 'successful' writer before 30 given our culture's obsession with youth. However you get there, as long as you chase your dream eventually is the main objective, I think. But that journey isn't always celebrated in a lot of Academic programs because it's uncertain. If you're paying $$ or taking time out of the workforce to pursue an MFA, there may be a expectation that you "get your money's worth," in short succession. I had to take a 10-year break from fiction writing entirely to gain some life experience before I felt comfortable wading back in. But my career in PR and Marketing has certainly sharpened my pen and perspective, and I'm grateful for that :)
Kern, I loved your backstory, and appreciated the statistics you brought into it. As a self-taught writer (excluding the excellent writing instruction I got in Catholic school), I never had the kind of guidance one gets in a focused writing program. Instead, I began my career as a trained graphic designer, and only picked up writing to improve my design outcomes. I've been writing for money since I was 21, but only because I had clients who would pay for both skills.
I wonder if the MFA/non-MFA question isn't a bit of a red herring. My experience of attending a craft school (Art Center College of Design) was that some students did better the longer they stayed in school, while others, like me, did better by chafing against their education and getting into the profession ASAP to begin building a reputation. Either way, as you rightly lament, there's no intermediate step from the school experience to the professional experience. A designer friend of mine called this the "chasm of incompetence."
It sounds like you and I both cracked this problem through mentorship. Of course, lots of craft schools have internship programs, but internships are not the same as mentoring. Inspiring mentoring relationships aren't programmable. They're products of personal chemistry.
Now I'm a full-time writer embarking on a fiction career at 77. It's not as quixotic as it sounds. My learning curve started with copywriting, then moved through the disciplines of journalism, design writing, editing, publishing, and nonfiction authoring before attempting fiction. I made money from all these disciplines, and often won industry awards to boot.
Now, back to the red herring of MFA vs. non-MFA. No matter how or where you get your education, you have to develop your own art, by yourself. There's no substitute for doing the work. As a budding novelist, I face only one major obstacle that MFAs and professionally trained writers don't: I haven't read the number of novels I should have read. But I know from experience that you don't always have to be jump these sorts of hurdles—you can sometimes work around them. The workarounds, if successful, often become the basis of style.
Have you found this to be true?
Marty, three things you said that stood out, two of them you're right about. There is no substitute for mentorship and no matter what, the writer (artist) must do the work. The one I believe you may be incorrect about is the workaround for not reading novels. Other than mentorship, reading novels is the best way to improve your writing. You can be flexible on a lot of things when it comes to craft. This isn't one of them.
Of course, immersing yourself in the history of your craft is the surest route to mastery. I would never dispute that. What I’ve found, in my various learning journeys, is that you can sometimes substitute general creative principles for specific domain knowledge. The result may not be masterful, but it might well be surprising, or even innovative.
My graphic design journey led me deeper into the history of design than most professionals will ever go. I even published the definitive quarterly magazine on design and design thinking, the latter of which I pioneered.
But what I noticed was that the more mastery I acquired in any given discipline, the less able I was to delight ordinary audiences. Even my peers became baffled at a certain point. At least, by taking on the novel at age 77, there’s little chance of that happening. I may fail, as all beginners must, but I hope to do it surprisingly.
Oh okay, that makes sense, Marty. Not being able to delight the more masterful you became is so interesting. Guessing at some point it's just interesting for you.