Paying For The MFA: An New Approach

25 year-old Denis wants to attend the MFA program at Hollins in the fall, but can't afford to go. Sound familiar? Denis's solution, though, is new. He decided to do some internet fundraising. He writes on his blog:

Instead of asking people to loan me money for school, I'm now asking them to simply give me money. To that extent, I've created a fundraising page on fundable, and if you can spare $10, please pledge towards my goal. Since I can't get a loan and there is no way my parents can pay my tuition, I'll have to rely on the kindness of strangers.

You can check out his fundraising site directly here. At time of writing, Denis only had $10 in contributions. Is this because his campaign is brand new (launched 7/13/09) or because there's a recession on, or because this idea simply isn't going to work?

There's also this article, over at Publisher's Weekly, about writer and blogger Deanna Zandt, who, after signing a deal for her first book that provided no advance, decided to "crowdfund" the money she needed to write over the summer. It helps that her topic is "...writing about the power of social media to shift perceptions and cultural values." She's been pretty successful so far, it seems - you can read her thoughts and feedback on the process (plus tips for others who are considering going the the same route) here.

What do you think? Are Denis and Deanna smart to try this approach? Is their initiative laudable? Do their requests for funds seem justified to you? And is this a sign of things to come?

Cross posted from Boolah.

Warren Adler Short Story Contest -- Deadline July 13th

The Warren Adler Short Story Contest   

Spring/Summer 2009 Contest Theme: Short Fiction in Varied Genres              

Submit Your Stories Now!

The Warren Adler Short Story Contest is fast becoming the most prestigious online short story contest thanks to the extraordinary literary quality of our submissions. We are pleased to announce our next contest. The theme is simply short fiction in all of its varied genres. We are looking for original, imaginative pieces featuring compelling characters and creative plots. Whether you specialize in mainstream fiction, romance, horror, fantasy, science-fiction, satire, mystery, or any of their subcategories, we want to read your work.

Entries must not exceed 2,500 words. Stories from all the points of the globe will be considered provided that they are written in English. Mr. Adler will select which story will be awarded the Grand Prize of $1,000.

Although Mr. Adler will have already chosen the winner, the five finalists' stories will be posted on the Warren Adler website in July. The People's Choice winner will be determined by public voting.

Submissions will be accepted from April 13, 2009 to July 13, 2009. The entry fee is $15. Five cash prizes will be awarded.

• 1st Prize: $1000
• People's Choice Prize $500
• Remaining finalists receive $150 each

Authors retain worldwide publishing rights.

Contest Rules:

• Contest is open for worldwide entries from April 13, 2009 until July 13, 2009
• A $15 fee in advance is required for each story submission.
• When you are ready to submit your story, make your payment below to proceed to the story submission form.
• Each story can be no longer than 2,500 words and must be written in English and previously unpublished

 

To submit your story please visit www.warrenadler.com

 

The Suburban Ecstasies is Now Available!

[NB: I can only beg everyone's temporary indulgence on this; I promise I'll do the same for you when the time comes, as undoubtedly it will! I'm posting this because many folks from this site have e-mailed me privately about my forthcoming book, and now that it's out I thought a brief post might be all right].

I'm thrilled to announce that my first book, The Suburban Ecstasies (Ghost Road Press, hardcover, 124 pp.) is now available for purchase on Amazon! You can find it here (or by clicking on the picture and icon at the end of this post). It's also available online at Barnes & Noble, and will be sold through SPD and Ingram as well.

I'm excited beyond belief, so I won't try to describe or explain that excitement here! Suffice to say this is one kid's dream come true. I've included some blurbs below, as a way of prying myself away from the temptation to discuss the collection in greater detail here:

"Working in the vivid and revivifying borderlands of such American adventures as Paul Metcalf's Genoa and Ed Dorn's Gunslinger, The Suburban Ecstasies propounds a syllabic heroism, one in which even the gentlest, most lyric proposals set forth towards ecstasy. These pages glow with immediate mastery."

— Donald Revell, author of A Thief of Strings


"Seth Abramson's first book is enough to make Stephen Dedalus dizzy, being somehow lyric, epic, and dramatic all at the same time. He has a fine ear and a keen eye. He has mastered a prosody that both drives his narrative — I read the book at a single sitting because I couldn't stop reading once I had started — and that also rings the changes on repeating themes or motifs. It is very difficult to write a book-length poem, but Abramson makes it seem easy. He has a compelling story to tell, both down to earth and fantastical. I would guess it's equal parts autobiography and invention. He calls it a monomyth, and it's that too. First books aren't meant to have this kind of authority."

— John Matthias, Poetry Editor, Notre Dame Review


I've been contacted by some magazines and individuals regarding review copies; if you're interested in receiving one, e-mail me and I'll see what I can do to expedite the process. Thanks so much to all those who've been supportive over the months and years I've been working on this collection! And needless to say, if you're able to help get the word out about the collection (via blog, e-mail, review, whatever), I'd be deeply in your debt! So, without any more preamble, here's the official Amazon.com link for The Suburban Ecstasies:

Mailbag, June 18, 2009

It's about time we opened up another general mailbag. Leave your questions, comments and concerns here.

A Complete List of All Ph.D. in CW Programs

For anyone interested, it's here.

New Yorker Article on Teaching Creative Writing

This article came our way through a blog reader. Thank you Catherine. Passing it along.

Keeping in Touch

Writing the words "keeping in touch" makes me think of my high schools days, printing that phrase (or its abbreviation K.I.T.) and some random anecdote, to my friends in the back of their yearbook.

In any case, I'd love for us all - current MFAers, past MFAers, those starting their research or reapplying to keep in touch via the world wide web.

So...post your Twitter names, Facebook names/profiles, here, if you want to keep up with all the creative folks online.

You can follow me: twitter.com/RainaL or friend me on Facebook: Raina Fields.

MFA Funding is Not Dead

Hello everyone. This is my first post as a contributor to the MFA blog. Thank you for having me.

Yesterday I sat down to have a coffee discussion with a number of curious college seniors, mostly English majors or members of the liberal arts college at Oregon State University. The topic of discussion was the future of MFA programs in the United States with the current funding crisis in higher education. I noticed that many of these MFA hopefuls were asking some of the same questions that I see on this blog. Where is the funding? Does it still exist? Who in their right mind would provide financial support for a workshop degree? etc, etc.

My response then was the same as it is now: financial support exists for those who are willing to spend the time and make the effort to find it. This is not to say that I advocate seeing funding as the highest priority to consider when selecting programs, but it certainly should be toward the top. The truth is (and the numbers are out there...see the NEA's figures for higher education budget crises) many students are finding themselves as candidates in an MFA program at an institution not renowned for its dedication to the arts, but rather to sciences, mathematics, engineering etc (OSU, for example).

Yet, the funding still exists! What applicants should recognize is that certain MFA programs can ride the popularity of their institution's other programs to be able to afford tuition assistance and other forms of funding for incoming MFA students.

Things to consider could include the following: Is a program located at an institution that is well-known, but not necessarily for arts? Does the program website provide examples of tuition assistance? What is required to apply for things such as assistantships, fellowships, etc?

You may find that certain universities with enrollment figures that are increasing are more willing to provide teaching fellowships to arts programs such as an MFA program simply because more new freshman means the institution needs more graduate teaching assistants to be composition instructors.

There is STILL hope for being funded, after all. Just keep up the search.

John

Stanford's Online Writing Courses

Stanford Online Writing Courses - The Summer Lineup

Stanford Continuing Studies just opened up registration for its summer lineup of online writing courses. Offered in partnership with the Stanford Creative Writing Program, these online courses give beginning and advanced writers, no matter where they live, the chance to refine their craft with gifted writing instructors. The courses sell out quickly. For more information, click here, or separately check out the FAQ and the testimonials.

    Writing Creative Nonfiction with The New York Times -- CLOSED

    Writing Fiction with The New York Times -- CLOSED

    Writing the Creative Nonfiction Book: The Powerful Beginning, Sections one and two – CLOSED

STILL ENROLLING:

    Short Story Writing

    Novel Writing: Structure for Success

    Bloodlines: Writing from Family History

    Introduction to Creative Writing

    Writing Short Fiction for Publications

    Finding Your Voice in Poetry and Prose

    The Art of Plot

Mailbag, June 1, 2009

Leave questions, concerns, and problems regarding the Creative Writing MFA here.

Reminder About Best New Poets 2009 Deadline

Just a reminder that poets have until midnight tomorrow to upload self-nominated poems for Best New Poets 2009, guest-edited by Kim Addonizio. The cost is a pittance, considering that this is one of the best ways for young poets who feel their work is ready for a wider audience to get that sort of national exposure. I strongly, strongly recommend writers (of all ages) to self-nominate for this excellent competition. Once judging is completed, winners will be announced in July, and the anthology will be distributed by University of Virginia Press later on this year (likely in November). Last year's edition sold so well--at points rivaling Best American Poetry 2008 for Amazon.com sales--that this year the initial press run is going to be 3,000. If the sales trends for the series continue, I expect that number could end up even higher over the next 24 to 36 months. I've said before and I'll say again, whereas the Best American Poetry series almost exclusively publishes poets with books--and who are, therefore, better read via their full-length collections--the Best New Poets series often exposes readers to poets whose work can't easily be found, making the annual edition a good primer of the sort of poets and poetry we'll be seeing in the coming years. I think, too, that as experimental writers lose their reticence to put their work out there for opportunities like this (having been told too often, in the past, that their worked can't or won't be enjoyed by a broader audience), Best New Poets will, over time, increasingly reflect the vast aesthetic swath now in evidence in the poetry of the younger generation.

UPDATE: See the recent mini-feature by The Globe and Mail. The best quote: "Dozens of contests exist out there; but, in my opinion, this one delivers on its implied promise of fairness for all." I agree!

First year reflections.

I thought about this after the first month, the first semester, over winter break, and several other times...but now that the school year is over it feels right. And I have time, which is kind of what this is about. I just finished up my first year in an MFA program and I'm wondering how the other first-years out there are thinking about their experiences.

A couple thoughts to get us started:

1) Where did the time go? I feel like I was just looking for an apartment and registering for fall courses. Now I'm halfway done (I'm in a two-year program). I tried to remember along the way that this was going to feel quick, to take it all in, to take advantage of every opportunity...but did I? The first 4-6 weeks was a blur. Between moving, orientation, workshops, classes, writing center duties, reading series events, events outside the program, home life drama, and whatever else I'm forgetting, well, it's going to take some time to sort it all out. I'm happy with my productivity but my main resolution at the end of the year was to spend the summer building a time machine. Or a time-slowing machine.

2) What am I doing? I'm interested in what your course loads (or maybe it's a matter of "course balance"?) looked like. I spent a lot of time on graduate seminar work -- theory, term papers, presentations, etc. -- and every minute spent away from my stories felt wrong. I understand the value of taking such classes, and I benefited from my time in the seminars (a great Southern Lit. class, in particular), but am I using this time to write stories or to write term papers? The second semester was easier than the first because I made sure to put my stories at the top of the list. It was way too easy in the fall to feel like I needed to be everything for everyone -- the best writing center tutor, the best pseudo-PhD candidate, whatever... Sure, my seminar work probably suffered in the spring, but I saw a much better progression in my stories, and that feels like where I need to be. I'm sure that would change a bit if I was interested in the post-MFA PhD route, but I don't think that's in the cards.

So it's all about time, time, time. Where did it go, and how did I spend it? I'd sure like to hear how other writers feel about their first years, and I bet the conversation would be helpful for those starting this fall, too.

MFA Prep Class and Consults

Though it's early in the new application season, New York-based writers can get a jump on the process by signing up for an MFA Prep class through Sackett Street Writers' Workshop. There's a new class starting in June, with just a couple of spots still open. The class is open to fiction and nonfiction writers, and the primary focus is on making sure that your writing sample is as strong as it can possibly be. We also spend time workshopping personal statements, and talking about other elements of the application process: funding issues, how to build the best list of schools, where to find information, the pros and cons of being a TA, the importance (or not) of working with teachers whose writing you love, and so on. Graduates of last year's classes have been accepted at some amazing programs: Alabama (full funding), Brooklyn, Columbia, New School, Oregon, SIU in Carbondale (full funding), Indiana, and on and on...

For writers outside of New York, or for those who can't take a workshop for some reason, I offer individual MFA portfolio review services too - see my website, www.nancyrawlinson.com, for more info and shoot me an email if you have any questions.

MFA Lit Mags on the Chopping Block

Anyone about thinking about applying for an MFA in the next season (or, for that matter, those about to start a program) would do well to check out a couple of posts over at the Virginia Quarterly Blog about how the current publishing and financial shake-up is affecting university presses and university sponsored literary magazines. VQR editor-in-chief Ted Genoways reports that times are hard. LSU's Southern Review is under threat of closure, as is Middlebury College's New England Review, and other venerable titles — The Kenyon Review, Shenandoah, Oxford American — might have folded if not for emergency fundraising.

Genoways argues that these literary outlets are essential for academic depth and breadth, as training grounds for future writers and editors, as homes for innovative writing, and, not least, as valuable PR for the institutions that create them. "If not for Kenyon Review, Shenandoah, and The Oxford American," he writes, "I would never think of Kenyon College or Washington & Lee University or the University of Central Arkansas. The excellence of these publications gives their universities a national profile."

University sponsored lit mags are also MFA recruitment tools. LSU's MFA website states: "LSU has an extraordinary English Department, and LSU Press has made important contributions to American poetry and fiction. The MFA program offers opportunities to gain editorial experience by working for our many magazines and publications. The New Delta Review, The Southern Review, and The Corpse . (If you are interested in editorial experience and would like to be considered for an assistantship at a particular review you are advised to make your interest clear in your application letter.)"

And if The Southern Review folds, LSU? Then what?

You can read the original VQR blog posts here and here. This MFA blog entry is cross-posted from Boolah.

TSE Counseling Center for Applicants (CCA)

Hey all: just wanted to formally announce the creation of the CCA, for those interested. Please do read the Introduction first, though.

The Ones Without a Clue

Love them or leave them. These schools are handing their undergraduate alumni over to CW MFA programs. Perhaps it's a wish list of sorts. What if they had a CW MFA program? Northwestern's new program should give us hope. These are just off the top of my head.

1) Harvard U, Princeton U, Yale U

2) UPenn, Georgetown U, Howard U

3) Auburn U, Clemson U, Tulane U

4) Temple U, Pepperdine U, and University of Hawaii

Do you miss anyone? Let us know.

A New Day! (Take 2)

A non-argumentative post for happy and non-argumentative questions and discussions. Enjoy!

Q: Can We Talk For a Moment About the Program at _______ University/University of _______?

Post here to discuss specific programs you're interested in applying to, or to talk about a program you've been admitted to.