tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post4214739404782396249..comments2024-03-28T02:14:08.783-07:00Comments on THE MFA BLOG: Magical Realism, Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy in an MFA ProgramTom Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11913868167191023096noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-31483668544079362432017-11-02T09:46:37.711-07:002017-11-02T09:46:37.711-07:00Throughout the real world, the employer/editor/cre...Throughout the real world, the employer/editor/creative producing teacher/elevator involving MFA purposes are not consequently variety. The truth is, My spouse and i might not be capable of get a person really whom would not effectively tap out your brand in the institution <a href="http://www.writingliteraturereview.com/the-process/" rel="nofollow">help with writing a literature review</a> can be applying to. A few could possibly be typos... nevertheless that will listing recommends a person that's uncaring with regards to facts, rarely somebody I'd personally desire inside my inventive producing software.Christopher Blevinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11613880753267363557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-15166656708949877262017-10-31T20:42:12.350-07:002017-10-31T20:42:12.350-07:00Typically, when creating we are perplexed about wh...Typically, when creating we are perplexed about whether to summarize or to paraphrase. Both summing up as well as rewording are 2 various kinds of composing. You require to comprehend whether you require to summarize a message or to paraphrase it. <a href="http://www.articlesummarizer.net/" rel="nofollow">visit the site</a> if want to know more about the writing of your academic papers, research papers and thesis editing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15146148127146749890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-56862553019734377802017-10-31T20:41:46.312-07:002017-10-31T20:41:46.312-07:00Glad to know this information.
Glad to know this information. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15146148127146749890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-4341142311047920672017-10-28T12:07:17.781-07:002017-10-28T12:07:17.781-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Alberta Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12496200147660877219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-16001334374572828812017-10-28T06:17:07.435-07:002017-10-28T06:17:07.435-07:00After conducting research, a researcher collates m...After conducting research, a researcher collates most their findings and introduces them at the shape of a manuscript. Manuscripts which can be well-written and error-free have improved odds to be accepted for novel compared to the ones which are badly written. <a href="http://www.casestudydissertation.com/full-service-case-study-writing-help/" rel="nofollow">read here</a> if you want to know more about the quality writing services.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258403403329675528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-86639174022258122792017-10-28T06:14:15.346-07:002017-10-28T06:14:15.346-07:00Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258403403329675528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-52985047503980863492017-10-22T02:18:07.536-07:002017-10-22T02:18:07.536-07:00Awesome writing.
Awesome writing. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16973475713450008646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-66204838198694912072017-09-23T03:57:14.540-07:002017-09-23T03:57:14.540-07:00This is a very interesting thing to be studied in ...This is a very interesting thing to be studied in MFA program. Literature should also add horror and some adventurous plays. I also agree with you. You are very honest with your writing.<br /><a href="https://bestbritishessays.com/1clickdissertation-co-uk-review/">1 click dissertation review</a>https://www.blogger.com/profile/12438421056832648964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-75049577133196733792017-09-18T00:09:06.318-07:002017-09-18T00:09:06.318-07:00Education is all about the betterment and if today...Education is all about the betterment and if today we don’t get any benefit from it so that it cannot be said and considered that today’s educational system is not good but the thing is today the behaviors and the mentality of the people is not good.<a href="http://www.summarizetool.com/" rel="nofollow">visit the website</a> anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15435916772720199093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-28019154557850364662017-01-16T08:11:56.091-08:002017-01-16T08:11:56.091-08:00We must focus on summarizing a newspaper article b...We must focus on <a href="http://www.articlesummarizer.net/we-know-what-to-do-if-you-have-articles-to-summarize/efficient-summarizing-a-newspaper-article/" rel="nofollow">summarizing a newspaper article</a> because what people read is most appreciating thing so always try to write perfectly. <br />aliyaahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06184256288293330921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-31945546357518761512015-01-05T10:18:45.834-08:002015-01-05T10:18:45.834-08:00The University of Kansas has a Center for the stud...The University of Kansas has a Center for the study of Science Fiction and supports the English Department's MFA studentsErin Wildermuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17872416687899157415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-79912992377421370502010-04-04T08:26:35.408-07:002010-04-04T08:26:35.408-07:00I'm joining in late.
Skip the MFA if you want...I'm joining in late.<br /><br />Skip the MFA if you want to write genre. Most schools have this attitude (that is shown in the initial response to the question) that genre is "lower" and "lesser," that it's full of hack writers who have "ruined" the genre.<br /><br />I'm just astounded at the narrow-mindedness in that response, but I'm not surprised. As someone who is currently in an MFA program, we get weekly lectures on why genre is bad and why people who write genre are "terrible writers."<br /><br />Most of the students join the collective to find acceptance among faculty. Case in point: in a workshop (recently), one of the students turned in a science fiction story. It was beautifully written--something I would find in Sci-Fi/Fantasy magazine (which is extremely difficult to get into). While in their written/personal comments, they did not "hate it" as much as expected, they were absolute wolves in the class itself, jumping onto the teacher's every little quibble.<br /><br />The teacher said (at some point), I found this story very hard and I was reluctant to read it because it was science fiction. She didn't even "understand" what happened in the end of the story--whereas the rest of the class "got it." <br /><br />Yet, because these fellow students decided to "put up a good front" to the instructor, they were absolutely terrible to this writer. Furthermore, they carried this attitude over outside of class and this writer has pretty much become a pariah within her group. It doesn't matter that she spent the last 2 years writing with these people, they've turned on her because of genre.<br /><br />My theory is that they're simply too small-minded and obtuse to workshop a genre story. Here's something of a hint:<br /><br />1. Are the characters well-rounded?<br />2. Is the narrative cohesive?<br />3. How's the voice?<br />4. How's the line-by-line syntax, grammar, etc?<br /><br />The list goes in. Oddly (gasp) it's exactly like the list one might use to workshop a "literary" story.<br /><br />So, while most of us in workshop are forced to suffer through the latest "girlfriend/boyfriend breaking up" story that a 25 year old writes (due to having little to no life experience outside the suburban home), God forbid we actually exercise our imaginations a bit.<br /><br />There's a lot of bad genre out there.<br /><br />There is also a lot of bad "literary fiction" out there.<br /><br />The mentality that genre is somehow a lower form of writing is an ignorant notion.<br /><br />I certainly hope that some of these people can make up for their lack of imagination and creativity with excellent spelling and grammar because they're seriously lacking the yin-chip in their "balanced education."<br /><br />I guess they could always write non-fiction . . . or teach rhet-comp.<br /><br />Either way: final response to the question. Don't bother. You'll continue to meet idiots who can't think their way out of a paper bag.<br /><br />Get into a good writing group that writes genre. <br /><br />Attend conventions.<br /><br />The only thing the MFA program wants from you is for you to starve for your art--to write material that sells for pennies and, when you're done, to continue to starve for them so they can claim your pushcart was all a result of their fine teaching.<br /><br />Skip it.<br /><br />Or, if you must . . . find a good low-residency program that is open to building up YOUR work (you're the customer here, why give your money to people who are going to treat you and your work like caca?) <br /><br />Do your research beforehand. Email faculty to ask specific/pointed questions about what they will accept. Or, you'll be stuck in a program where you have to write the next "dead dog" or "edgy drug-addict" piece for 2 years straight.<br /><br />For some of us, we'd rather be buried alive in Nicholas Sparks novels then endure such a thing.S.A. Trainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09204443772024607338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-83294597480644393092010-01-29T00:33:05.849-08:002010-01-29T00:33:05.849-08:00Affiliate Marketing is a performance based sales t...Affiliate Marketing is a performance based sales technique used by companies to expand their reach into the internet at low costs. This commission based program allows affiliate marketers to place ads on their websites or other advertising efforts such as email distribution in exchange for payment of a small commission when a sale results. <br />www.onlineuniversalwork.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-24312649192630832512009-04-05T13:24:00.000-07:002009-04-05T13:24:00.000-07:00I'll likely be attending Florida International's M...I'll likely be attending Florida International's MFA program in the fall, and they are known for being a more 'genre-friendly' program with a strong emphasis on story that also touches more on the business aspects of writing and publishing. They have an entire 4-credit course on Plot. They are certainly focused on language and style, but they also seem more open to different types of writing and they don't look down on genre work. <BR/><BR/>Very successful mystery and crime fiction writers like Dennis Lehane and Barbara Parker came out of the program, and their 'genre' debut works were actually their MFA theses, so their work was encouraged by the faculty, who are pretty much all still there. It's a good mix.<BR/><BR/>So if you're interesting in a ranked, quality program that is less 'snobby' toward genre work, definitely consider FIU's program.Jimmy Elenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02982045932453695122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-56531166239994537482009-02-17T17:07:00.000-08:002009-02-17T17:07:00.000-08:00I say look around, but MFAs are not known for bein...I say look around, but MFAs are not known for being genre-friendly! <BR/><BR/>I have been neck-deep in this problem for years. I write both "literary" and speculative fiction. I did an MFA at Columbia - getting in as a "literary" writer and then, once I was in, occasionally submitting more genre-type stuff to workshops. It was unhelpful and sometimes extremely discouraging. I often encountered the bias of "literary" writers against genre fiction. <BR/><BR/>The truth is, I've learned SO MUCH MORE about genre writing from the film industry. It just seems that they're more interested - by and large - in talking about STORY. My MFA program focused so intensely on language, style, voice, and what's trendy in modern fiction. I really wanted one class - just one class! - to sit people down and explain the basics of plotting and structure. But it never happened. These days I'm reading Robert McKee and Howard Suber and various other books about screenwriting, and it has helped my genre writing develop enormously - NOT by making it more formulaic, but by giving me the tools to avoid the formulas and really take it to a new level. Maybe consider a screenwriting class instead?Presidio Brathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06809038680836728303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-78674854217929809902008-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:002008-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:00It isn't a full on MFA program, but if you want to...It isn't a full on MFA program, but if you want to study sci-fi or fantasy the place to go is the Clarion Summer Workshop. <BR/><BR/>Here's the link for anyone interested: http://theclarionfoundation.org/Keely H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15623559076577587725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-73070099424622908002008-03-31T21:01:00.000-07:002008-03-31T21:01:00.000-07:00Just to offer another comment. I too write Fiction...Just to offer another comment. I too write Fiction Fantasy (ie: genre fiction). I know what I write isn't going to make me the next Proust and I don't want to be. That being said, I applied to thirteen programs, and have been rejected from twelve and am still waiting to hear from number thirteen. I could, honestly, just not be MFA material, but I suspect that a lot of it has to do with what my genre is. I went with the idea that I don't want to go to school somewhere that doesn't want me for what I love to write. The problem with that idea is that -no one- seems to want me as is. It's up to you what you value more. Unfortunately, genre writing is the mime of the writing world.K.T. Acehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14302155676809461282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-2510796167305856072007-09-10T10:35:00.000-07:002007-09-10T10:35:00.000-07:00Very interesting - I had no idea there was any MFA...Very interesting - I had no idea there was any MFA support at all for "genre" writing. Thanks for the tip. <BR/><BR/>One item of caution though - my experience is that incorporating science into one's writing tends to be a bit of a no-no if you are thinking of publishing fiction. See my essay at <A HREF="http://www.LabLit.com/article/83" REL="nofollow">www.Lablit.com/article/83</A> and other commentary at the LabLit site as well.James Aachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08762006792617588325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-20812986719357217822007-09-10T09:55:00.000-07:002007-09-10T09:55:00.000-07:00Noting the typos is a good lesson for us all, Anna...Noting the typos is a good lesson for us all, Anna: in the real world, an employer/editor/creative writing teacher/evaluator of MFA applications will not be so kind. In fact, I wouldn't be able to take someone seriously who couldn't properly spell the name of the school he/she is applying to. One or two might be typos...but that list suggests someone who is uncaring about details, hardly a person I would want in my creative writing program.Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00619211671334466665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-30651932410292172302007-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:002007-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.jaywalkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16674338232465086024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-8525897669960456572007-09-09T22:16:00.000-07:002007-09-09T22:16:00.000-07:00NJ and Q,I wasn't going to say anything either abo...NJ and Q,<BR/><BR/>I wasn't going to say anything either about the spelling comments, but thank God someone said it. Anna, please use a little common sense in the future. I was mortified for the poster of the comment. I can't imagine responses like that will help prospective applicants feel welcome asking questions. I like reading this blog (even though I will soon graduate from an MFA program), but if I cringe like that one more time, I may have to stop visiting for a while.Anahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808191124715588508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-29262826416643959512007-09-09T18:42:00.000-07:002007-09-09T18:42:00.000-07:00Stonecoast Writers Workshop, a low residency MFA p...Stonecoast Writers Workshop, a low residency MFA program offers genre fiction program. It's held in Maine through the University of Southern Maine.<BR/><BR/>http://www.usm.maine.edu/stonecoastmfa/index.htmlWilliam T Vandemarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08649202749624829685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-86706073605605385122007-09-09T15:45:00.000-07:002007-09-09T15:45:00.000-07:00Let me try to turn that into a live link (I hope):...Let me try to turn that into a live link (I hope): <A HREF="http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/mpw/admissions/overview.php" REL="nofollow">USC MPW Program</A><BR/><BR/>--Nan CohenUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02001731378479346258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-71528721086088632122007-09-09T15:40:00.000-07:002007-09-09T15:40:00.000-07:00A quick recommendation to shivaloka to investigate...A quick recommendation to shivaloka to investigate USC's MPW program, which embraces multiple genres. I am to begin teaching poetry there in 2008, so don't feel qualified to speak authoritatively about the program yet, but my understanding is that the program is certainly "art-oriented," to use Anna's phrase (with poetry, playwriting and literary fiction represented along with screenwriting, magazine writing, biography, etc.). Have a look: http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/mpw/admissions/overview.phpUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02001731378479346258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-69994181359188115392007-09-08T11:11:00.000-07:002007-09-08T11:11:00.000-07:00Well...Seton Hill in P.A. has a masters program fo...Well...Seton Hill in P.A. has a masters program for writers interested in writing for popular fiction. The site lists science fiction as one of its areas of interest.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11939556181617016148noreply@blogger.com