Higher Education...In Creative Writing?

It’s the beginning of a new school year. The scent of sharpened pencils wafts through the air, and kids are (regretfully) putting the days of summer behind them to return to the grind of school.

This scholastic atmosphere leads me to consider whether higher education helps—or harms—your writing. Is higher education in creative writing (whether undergrad or graduate study) useful? Of course, the answer varies from person to person—some have always dreamed of scribbling away in their dorm rooms; while others have long since graduated and are now considering an MFA (master of fine arts) in creative writing. Either way, it’s useful to weigh your options.

So, in this post, I’ll be considering the pros and cons of higher education in creative writing. Whether you’re considering undergrad of graduate study, I hope this list will be helpful, and maybe even spark some thoughts of your own. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Pros

• Mentorship from published authors: this is probably the greatest benefit of schooling—you get to receive feedback and to learn from an experienced writing and teacher. Of course, the quality of mentorship varies from institution to institution, so do your research and find teachers you would want to learn from (try searching for examples of their lectures on YouTube, or look up their writing in your library).
• Peer critique: as in a writing worship, peer critique is a vital part of any creative writing program. You get to refine your own editing skills by finding the flaws in others’ works. Plus, you get a lot of “test readers” who will provide feedback on your story.
• Due dates and deadlines to get you churning out work: this, for me, is key. It’s my number two favorite part of creative writing classes. Let’s face it—it’s hard to stay motivated to write and edit on our own. While meeting deadlines is tough, we get more results for less time as compared with writing on our own.
• Rudimentary business skills: almost any self-respecting creative writing program these days will include a small business component to help you know how to translate your writing knowledge into a marketable resource.
• Help in compiling a portfolio for applying to various creative writing programs (say, an MFA program): your instructor can help you select and polish your best writing, whether for a portfolio or publication. He/she may even be able to provide you with some contacts, as well.

Cons

• Expense: College is not getting any cheaper these days. For all the money you put into college, you might never earn it all back by writing and selling books. Unless you have other sources of income, formal schooling may be an impossibility in today’s economy. (Do note that there are distance learning options for creative writing, which may be more affordable because they eliminate room and board costs.)
• Time commitment: most undergraduate programs require four years of study, and at least half of that may not even be creative writing classes. An MFA program varies from two to three years, depending on how much time you devote to it and the specific courses you take. In contrast, a workshop only requires a commitment of a week or so, at a much lower cost.
• Unrealistic environment: We can’t stay in college our whole lives, even if we wanted to. The concentrated academic and creative environment of college, while inspiring when you’re there, may even harm you once you’re away. If all you did in college was write (unlikely), then you’d be lost in the “real world” without the support system of teachers and peers from college.
• Literary v. popular fiction: Many creative writing programs teach you to write in a “literary” way, a style of writing that may be beautiful, but might not sell. In other words, you can write books that will sell without going to school for writing. You need to ask yourself, “Is it worth it to learn to write better when I might sell just as many books—or more—the way I write now?”
• Finally, most people can’t earn a living as a writer. Let’s face it: royalties aren’t looking so great. Even ebook sales, while lovely, don’t usually have the mass to support you. Thus, you’ll probably end up working another job. But to work another job, you’ll need a degree other than creative writing. Is it worth it to go to college and get a writing degree when you may not be able to support yourself on it? (Do note that you could also double-major or get a vocational certificate. It’s not black-and-white.)

I hope my points above have been thought-provoking. Now tell me: what benefits and costs do you see of getting a degree in creative writing? Do you have any experience you’d like to share? 

Note: If you’re interested in MFA programs, Stanford and University of Iowa are two of the most renowned places to begin your research. Many undergrad schools offer degrees (or minors) in creative writing--use Collegeboard to begin your search.


Image by David Niblack from Imagebase Free Stock Photography

Point of View Demystified

Point of view: it's a way of looking at the world, or, in the case of writing, it's the lens through which your readers will see the world of your story. There are an enormous number of points of view in writing. Trying to distinguish between them (much less use them) gets extremely complicated extremely quickly. That's why--for my peace of mind as much as anyone's--today's post will be about what each point of view (POV) is, as well as the costs and benefits of using that POV.

Note: some of the thoughts below come from Randy Ingermanson's excellent book, Writing Fiction for Dummies. If you're interested in reading more about POV, be sure to check it out!

1. First Person

-- What it is: write from inside the head of one character, using the pronoun "I". For example, "I walked into the street and looked around for Karla. 'What's taking her so long?' I wondered. Just then, someone clapped a hand over my mouth." You stay inside that character's head, seeing their thoughts and reactions, for the entire scene.

-- Benefits: It's extremely close and personal, allowing readers to connect easily with the character.

-- Drawbacks: You can only use first person for one person per scene, and when you're looking from that character's view, you can't write anything that the character wouldn't know. Plus, if you change around the point of view characters in different chapters or sections, the characters can start to sound alike unless you're careful to make their thoughts sound different. Lastly, the first person voice can be too close and personal for some readers, who would prefer distance.

2. Second Person

-- What it is: write from inside the head of one character, using the pronoun "you." For example, "You walked into the street and looked around for Karla. 'What's taking her so long?' you wondered. Just then, someone clapped a hand over your mouth." In 2nd person, you can choose whether or not to show the character's thoughts (as I did in the example above).

-- Benefits: it's unusual, so it will catch a reader's attention right away.

-- Drawbacks: It's even more personal than first person because, in a way, it feels as though you are a character in the story. So if the narrator in the story (the 'you' character) does something the reader wouldn't do, than the reader will almost certainly balk and stop reading. Also, because it's so rare, readers aren't used to reading it, so readers may give up after trying to read a little.

3. Third Person (Limited)

-- What it is: write from inside the head of one character, using the pronoun "he/she." For example, "He walked into the street and looked around for Karla. 'What's taking her so long?' he wondered. Just then, someone clapped a hand over his mouth." Again, as with first and second person point of view, you can only show/tell what the character is thinking, seeing, or experiencing.

-- Benefits: it's still fairly close and personal, allowing readers to connect with the character.

-- Drawbacks: again, you must stay within that one character's head during the entire scene. Plus, it can seem slightly more distant than first person, depending on how often you introduce the character's thoughts into the story.

4. Omniscient

-- What it is: write from inside or outside the heads of multiple characters, or write from the perspective of a god-like persona who knows what's going on in and out of everyone's heads. For example, "Jimmy was a paranoid man. As he stepped into the street, he glanced nervously around, wondering where Karla went. Across the street in a parked car, Karla fiddled with her nails. Although normally a calm woman, she could not help but wonder what was taking Jimmy so long. Then, a man dressed in black clapped his hand over Jimmy's mouth."

-- Benefits: your readers know what's going on in and out of most characters in the story, including the villain. This can be helpful in some scenes (although often it's simply confusing).

-- Drawbacks: Omniscient point of view tempts authors to add in little bits of explanation and inner thoughts that aren't strictly necessary. One note of warning: few modern authors write in omniscient point of view, especially as it's very close to the very confusing head-hopping view (see point 6). For an example of effective usage, see The Godfather by Mario Puzo, or portions of Dune by Frank Herbert.

5. Objective

-- What it is: write from outside the head of a focal character or characters, using the pronoun "he/she." In this point of view, the reader never gets to see anyone's thoughts. It's very scientific and, as the name signifies, objective. For example, "Jimmy stepped into the street. Karla waited in a car across the street. Suddenly, a man in black clapped his hand over Jimmy's mouth."

-- Benefits: if you're going for a scientific feeling, then this view can be helpful. It makes the story very visual, almost as though there's a movie camera filming the scene.

-- Drawbacks: you can't use inter emotions or show the inner thoughts of any of the characters, so the characters can feel extremely remote from your reader. And when writing in this point of view, don't cheat by having the characters voice their thoughts in a phony way.

6. Head-Hopping

-- What it is: write from inside the heads of multiple characters in the same scene, using the pronoun "he/she." For example, "As Jimmy stepped into the street, he thought, 'Karla isn't waiting for me. But where could she be?' Karla, sitting in the car, bit her fingernail and wondered, 'Jimmy's sure takin' a long time. Wonder what got into him?'"

-- Benefits: the readers know what everyone in a scene is thinking.

-- Drawbacks: Humans find it easiest to identify with one character at a time. Head-hopping can become confusing and distracting, and makes the story less vivid and precise for your reader. This method of narration is highly discouraged by most writing teachers. However, there are still plenty of novels that head-hop a good deal (Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell, for one).

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Hope you enjoyed that (not-so-short) summary of points of view! Now, what about you? What point of view is your current story written in? Have you ever tried writing it in a different point of view?

Sweet Halloween Dreams, by begemot on Deviantart

Books on Writing

I'll be the first to admit that my writing could use improvement--and a lot of it. And, while there's plenty to be said for gluing yourself to a chair and typing until your writing improves, there's a lot more to be said for using the writing resources that others have already created. So in today's post I've listed some of the major books on writing that have helped me in my writing journey.

Yes, I know what you're thinking -- more books to read? Well, think about it this way: it's an investment into your writing and yourself. And, what's more, you don't need to buy these books (that's what libraries are for!). Once you get them, just read them a little at a time (a chapter every evening, for example) or skim them for the most helpful parts. Don't be overwhelmed; check out the links and bookmark them/write them on your library list for future reference!

Now, without further ado, my writing resource list:

Techniques of the Selling Writer, by Dwight Swain (I also have a blog post on it here.)

Writing Fiction for Dummies, by Randall Ingermannson

Live Writing, How Writers Work, and A Writer's Notebook, by Ralph Fletcher (They're written for young writers, but still have plenty of wisdom for the rest of us.)

The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White

Plot & Structure, by James Scott Bell

Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Brown and Dave King

Outlining Your Novel, by K. M. Weiland (Even if you don't enjoy outlining, read this book, and you may be surprised.)

Getting into Character, by Brandylin Collins

The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner

Story, by Robert McKee (Essential for all writers of screenplay, and good for the rest of us too.)

Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass

Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly, by Gail Carson Levine

Seize the Story, by Victoria Hanley

For fantasy writers in particular, I highly recommend reading J.R.R. Tolkien's essay "On Faerie Stories" (from Tolkien's Tales from the Perilous Realm). I also recommend Orson Scott Card's How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.

For poetry writers (yes! at last!), I absolutely love Mary Oliver's A Poetry Handbook and Ted Kooser's The Poetry Home Repair Manual. Both are invaluable to any aspiring poet.


Now it's your turn: what books on writing and/or writing resources have you found to be most helpful?

3 Major Writing Lessons

What follows are three lessons I've learned over my years of writing. I've also included specific advice (books to read, etc.). Hope you find it helpful, and enjoy!

1. To Write Well, Read Well

 

~ Read How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler. This volume provides excellent keys in grasping the flow of arguments in nonfiction and plot in fiction. For those limited on time, devote half an hour or fifteen minutes every evening to skimming a chapter or so. Be sure to read the table of contents to see which portions would be most helpful to you.

~ Research your desired writing field for bestselling or highly rated books in that genre. As you read these books, take note of techniques the author uses, themes the book espouses, the book’s structure, and other points that come to your attention. Keep a reading journal that sums up your thoughts and impressions on the book and—especially—how it relates to your writing. (You may wish to polish these impressions and post them as book reviews on a blog.)

~ Read good books on writing. This will enable you to learn from others’ mistakes rather than reinventing the wheel. The books On Writing Well (William Zinsser) and The Elements of Style (Strunk & White) may be a good place to begin. Additionally, there are many genre-specific writing books that may help you as you progress further into the realm of serious writing. Portioning out these tomes and reading a little consistently each day, along with recording your observations, will help you to fit this practice into your life. (Again, your observations may be excellent material for blogging.)

2. Write Every Day

 

~ The “write” that I am referring to is writing works that are roughly in line with your goals of what you want to publish. While it’s very well to keep a journal, simply cataloging the day’s events does nothing to challenge your writing. Further, if you do not write, then you will never finish any writing, and you will certainly never get published.

~ It can be quite helpful to utilize a competition like the annual National Novel Writing Month in November to kick-start your writing routine. However, in the end, it is up to you to find the time in your life to write. Begin the day with writing, and reward yourself with relaxation only after you have written your goal for the day. Most importantly, be consistent. If you promise yourself to write every day, than do it. Your writing will thank you.

3. Get Outside Feedback

 

~ Those of us who have participated in critique groups or worked under a mentor know that this rule goes without saying. No matter how many times you edit your work, the simple fact that the work is yours precludes you from looking at the piece with purely impartial eyes. For that, you will need partners or mentors who give you strong—even hurtful—critiques.

~ In the end, the final decision of what and how to edit should still remain yours, no matter what critiques you receive. Often, you may find that your readers have contradictory responses and suggestions for the work. In any case, it is up to you to decide what you want to change. Thus, read their suggestions and critiques with an open mind and heart, remembering that the final decision lies with you.

These “rules” aside, there are a thousand and one ways to become a good writer. Read and write yourself and see which areas are most helpful along your journey to excellent writing.

A Recipe for a Dark Lord

In the last post, we talked about how to kill off our villains. However, that doesn't help anything if we don't have a villain to kill off in the first place!  Before we begin, though, why do you need a villain at all? 

Here's why: every story is only as good as its villain. The villain is the one who opposes the hero, who prevents him/her from meeting his/her goals. Without the villain, your story has no conflict—no purpose. Without the villain, your hero could do and have whatever he wanted, instantly, without any obstacles. Without a villain, your story would be--prepare yourself!--boring.

Okay, so you need a villain. That still leaves an important question: how does one go about creating a Dark Lord of the Universe? After all, sometimes it can get a little tough to think of a really evil villain on your own. That’s where this post comes in. I decided to mix and stir and bake an arch-evil-villain, so that all of you can read my recipe, be impressed by all the hours I spent slaving over a hot computer, and bake your own villains.

So, without further ado: a recipe for creating your very own Dark Lord.

4 cups goal

3 cups motivation

6 tablespoons backstory, sifted

2 handfuls minor villains

1.5 teaspoons weakness

½  cup accessories

1 pinch gold or lapis lazuli

Preheat the oven to 873 degrees Celsius (1,603.4 Fahrenheit).

In a large black bowl, combine goal, motivation, and backstory. Blend at light speed for ten minutes, until dough forms blackish lump. Should have the same consistency throughout

(Note: the villain should want something—his goal—that is directly opposite what the hero wants. Your villain must have a good reason for wanting this goal—a motivation. Usually, the motivation is not isolated in space and time, but is the result of the villain’s history and upbringing—his backstory. You need all three of these elements to make the villain believable.)

In a separate, smaller bowl, stir minor villains until thawed. Then quickly fold into the main batter until completely engulfed.

(Note: minor villains are important because your hero always, always, always needs opposition. Without opposition, there’s no suspense or tension or conflict in your story. In other words, it’s boring. But, hey, your arch-villain can’t be everywhere at once, can he? So that’s where the minor villains come in. Minor villains provide conflict against the hero in minor situations. Usually, they’re tied to the main villain and the main conflict of the story as well.)

Add the weakness and knead carefully, spreading weakness throughout the whole lump. This is a most delicate phase—too many weaknesses will make the dough fall apart, but too few will make it dry and fossilized.

(Note: in other words, your villain can’t be all-powerful. He needs to be relatable, and the way to do this is to bring in weaknesses. Often, you can find his/her weaknesses if you dig around enough in the villain’s past.)

Once weaknesses have been kneaded in, sprinkle accessories on top. This is the point in the recipe where you can add your own distinct flair: the curling walrus moustache, the pocketwatch that doubles as a sword, the bright red hair standing on end, or the evil villain cape of awesomeness, for example.

Bake for 1,095 days in the back burner of your mind. Remove from oven and let sit. Should be burned black around the edges.

If desired, add a pinch of gold or lapis lazuli for effect. Serve frozen or boiled in the lava of revenge.

Feeds 1 story.

Review: Techniques of the Selling Writer

Techniques of the Selling Writer was recommended to me as “the best guide to writing fiction ever written” by the prominent author and writing coach Randy Ingermannson. I’ve found Randy’s (free) e-zine at Advanced Fiction Writing to be invaluable in my writing journey.

Anyway, he recommended the book Techniques of the SellingWriter—which, coincidentally, has been sitting on my shelf unread for about a year. So I dusted it off, dutifully poised my pencil to take notes, and began to read.

From the back cover:

This book provides solid instruction for persons who want to write and sell fiction, not just to talk and study about it. It gives the background, insights, and specific procedures needed by all beginning writers.

The lessons taught here are plain, practical good sense. The book gives you concrete tools for how to construct your book, but encourages you to follow your own feelings—the perfect balance of freedom and instruction.

Swaine is not didactic, but his approach to writing is strongly motivated by years of teaching and publishing his own writing. In the book, he covers the following lessons:

~ a basic understanding of words and how (not) to phrase them

~ how to group individual words into “motivation-reaction units,” where some cause inspires some effect on the one or two-sentence level

            ~ how to group motivation-reaction units into scenes and sequels

            ~ how to group scenes and sequels into story pattern

            ~ how to create the kind of characters that give a story life

            ~ and assorted tips for writing and publishing excellently

Each chapter is full of entirely practical steps, and I cannot emphasize enough how they have transformed my writing. In particular, his recommendations for building conflict have been absolutely invaluable to revitalizing my limp, dragging, actionless stories.

This book is not specifically for fantasy writers—because it is so inclusive that it spans genres. If you’re at all interested in seriously writing a story that others would want to read, then learn from this book! Read it and apply what you learn to your writing. If you’re anything like me, you won’t regret it.

Be sure to get it here! (P.S. I am not endorsed to write any of this. If I start doing Google Ads or Amazon affiliates, I'll be sure to duly warn you and loudly protest/proclaim my reasons.) God bless!