Creative writing/MFA programs for mid career
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Anonymous
| I’m not sure what forum this fits in best. It’s easy enough to find information about different places to get a masters degree in creative writing, but I am specifically interested in one that would be good for a person in their 50s. A more open one. |
Anonymous
| The University of Iowa MFA is extremely well thought of. But it has a 3% acceptance rate. Shot in the dark, but why not call them and see if they have any suggestions based on your location? |
Anonymous
| Emerson is very well regarded. |
Anonymous
| What are you hoping to get out of this MFA program? I think you need to figure out purpose first (bona fides to try to land a publisher or professorship vs networking vs just disciplined workshop). |
Anonymous
The last would be closest to my motivation. Want to use what’s left of our 529 to fulfill a lifelong wish to participate in writing workshops. |
Anonymous
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It’s not a good idea. Find local writing classes. Many are filled with older people and professionals. They will be accepting and will help you with your writing goals. Consider going to conferences if you can get time away in the summer — Breadloaf is famous but there are others that are shorter, less expensive, and less IMO stodgy. There are people of all ages and backgrounds there and a very cool community develops.
Why not an MFA? First, because you will be paying for a masters degree and will have to fulfill the university requirements. At my MFA that included passing a second language exam, taking some literary theory, taking weird courses only tangentially related to writing that we were required to take because the department wanted to fill the course, etc. second, because it will be hard to find a peer group. The oldest student in my MFA was in his late thirties and he was considered amusingly old. There was some pressure on my program to go on for a PhD in creative writing (esp for poets) and many did. |
Anonymous
I posted a long thing below, but there must be local colleges that offer writing workshops. The Writers Center in Bethesda is great but I kind of doubt you could use 529 funds. But that will be so much better than entering an MFA. The writing workshop is just one piece of the MFA. You might take one workshop, and two other non-writing courses each semester. |
Anonymous
| Where are you located? |
Anonymous
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I got an MFA at George Mason (in fiction) when I was about ten years younger than you are. I have also worked at AWP (so I've seen the sausage being made with regard to MFA programs). This is my advice -- don't bother with it. I can expound it you want, but you have probably already heard that advice?
At any rate, the most welcoming programs for writers of 50ish are going to be the low-res programs. You can easily Google and figure out which ones are the most respected. But I absolutely do not recommend them, they are cash cows for the schools so there is little to no funding. If you feel you just absolutely must get an MFA apply to only fully funded programs (you pay no tuition and you get a stipend for attending). This isn't just about wasting money on tuition (I see above you have money in a 529 to throw at this?) -- writers who are fully funded are a lot more respected than those who pay tuition. A lot more. And schools that fund some people but not others? That can be an ugly scene with resentment brewing all around (again, it's not just about money, it's about respect, it's about who is considered good). If you just want to workshop your writing there are other ways. The big writers' workshops for instance -- have you applied to Bread Loaf, Tin House and Sewanee? I've been to both Bread Loaf and Tin House and many of my workshop mates have gone on to have very, very successful books published. |
Anonymous
In your opinion? Stodgy? What is your opinion based on? Because I've been and it was magical and not remotely "stodgy." |
Anonymous
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I know a lot about this field so here's my two cents, but first, a question: do you want to go away to a live at a university to study, say, to relocate to Iowa or Texas for two years? That makes a huge difference in where you would apply.
There are a lot of programs around the country so you may be able to find one you could commute to. There are a lot of programs so I would start with whether you are staying where you are or applying outside the area. Then look at the programs and see who teaches at them. Read their work and see if you like it. There are often guest writers who teach for a semester or two as well, who can be just as good as the regular faculty. It's also good if they have a reading series where writers visit, give a reading and maybe a craft lecture to students. You can learn a lot and it's one of the best things about the programs. The most important thing for admission is your manuscript. That's how they pick students. You also need a BA and may need GRE scores. The manuscript is key and if you want financial aid, it's also given on the basis of the manuscript. The workshop setting means you will hear from the other students, a lot. Having good fellow students is a huge factor as to whether or not you will enjoy the program. I went to a large program and therefore met lots of people and got lots of different takes and points of view. I have friends who went to small programs (7-10 people) and they got sick of hearing fron the same people. If someone in a group of seven goes off the rails or something, it's all very noticeable. Remember too that the students in these programs will be mostly between 21-30. In my program, most people were about 28. Out of school a few years, worked, then went back. So these students may or may not be good critics for an older person's work because they don't have the same maturity level. Keep in mind that the other students are a huge part of the program. Anyway, a lot of programs sell the idea that a small group is preferable but I disagree with that, because students are so much part of the workshop style of class. However, if you like the location and the professors, I would still consider such a program. A lot of programs now offer a Ph.D. instead of an MFA. I think you have to do extra coursework for that but it's still a workshop style and the manuscript is still the key. There are now a lot of low-residency MFA programs. This means you write and correspond with a professor-writer who critiques your work and you only attend class (workshops) one or two times a year when the whole group of dispersed students comes together. The one I'm most familiar with is Warren Wilson. People I have met who went there seemed happy with it. They seem to have good networking opportunities too and they get very good writers as faculty in the program. There are now dozens of these programs. IMHO, I think they are ways for a school to make money (students come to the site visits during academic breaks). Other than that, I can't speak to their quality. Low-residency is a good option for working adults so I see the draw. Besides Warren Wilson, if Bennington still has a low-residency, I know people who liked that too, and the faculty was good. There are also writing centers and summer programs where you can take workshops. Be cautious about these. Read the NYT article from last year about the writing space in Boston. I believe it was called Who is the Real Art Friend? That exposed some of the drama and odd things you might find. It was so contentios that I hesitate mentioning it, but I think ot exposed some of what's wrong with the business of creative writing. There is a dark side, which involves everything ugly humans can do to each other. If you live near universities, start looking at their programs and who teaches there. Any metropolitan area with universities will have some with creative writing master's programs. Good luck and polish your manuscript. And if you do it, have fun and use it as a spur to write a lot and enjoy the opportunity to devote a chunk of your life to it. It gives you a reason to produce the work and it's wonderful to have the time to do so. |
Anonymous
Breadloaf is not stodgy! |
Anonymous
OP do not randomly call up the Writers' Workshop (that's what it is called, not "The University of Iowa MFA") and ask them for "suggestions based on your location." That is embarrassing. Would you call up Juilliard and ask if they know of anyone in your area who might give your kid voice lessons? No. |
Anonymous
OK, but I prefer Sewanee and Tin House. |
Anonymous
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UCLA Extension has a great online creative writing program. It is credit based, so you can probably use 529. It’s online, but you do get to know people through sharing your work. It’s people of all ages.
Unless you want to teach writing, I do t think an MFA is worth it |