I love school. Always have, always will. I’d hazard a guess that most writers do; after all, what is school if not an excuse to spend hours reading and writing? We may not always appreciate the deadlines and assessments, but let’s be honest, most of us could use a little external pressure when it comes to finishing projects in a timely manner. I know I could. With three kids in school themselves and tasked with juggling more hours of extracurriculars than a part-time job, this mom has been struggling to prioritize her own work. That’s why I decided it was time to go back to school myself (again), this time for an MFA in Creative Writing. I needed a signpost to the world: “THIS IS NOT A HOBBY.”
Perhaps you are struggling with a similar desire or need to professionalize your writing endeavors. If so, I invite you to consider the following when deciding whether an MFA program might be the right next step:
- Sadly, the first consideration is almost always financial. Can you afford to go back to school right now? If not, are there sufficient financial aid options available and do you have the time to pursue them? If this is a major stumbling block, there exist other types of one-on-one mentoring programs, like the Book Project at Lighthouse Writers Workshop, or AWP’s (Association of Writers & Writing Programs) Writer to Writer, that cost less.
- Consider your schedule. Most applications will ask you to do the same and answer a question like: Do you foresee any circumstances that might impede your studies or prevent you from devoting 25 hours per week to your degree work and corresponding regularly with your supervisor?
- If you think you’re too old to go back to school, stop. There’s no such thing. (Though, confession, it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out the technology to request official transcripts from my previous schools. They use apps now?!)
- What kind of program would best serve your goals? Though the high-achiever in me longed to apply to the most prestigious programs, my options are limited by geography, as my family is firmly rooted in Denver right now. So, I only looked at low-residency programs (those that require minimal in-person participation), with a priority on close proximity.
- Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, talk to staff, faculty, alumni and current students. What do they see as the strengths of their program? Do they lean literary or welcome genre writers equally?
- Here is the moment of soul-searching: why am I doing this? Really flesh out your short and long-term goals as a writer. I faced the hard truth that without a supportive team around me, finishing the best novel I could possibly write was going to be unnecessarily difficult. (Not that I believe merely getting an MFA will make it a breeze!) As a bonus, if you do this self-examination work ahead of time, you’ve got your admissions essay already written!
For me, the decision to return to school was about staking a claim on my own time and energy in the name of my writing pursuits. I’m also very sensitive to the limited time of others and chose to participate in a program where my mentors and fellow students are invested financially and professionally. Now, when I ask questions (and I have many), I don’t have to worry that I’m pestering or taking advantage of someone else. We’re all there for similar reasons, and we’re all receiving tangible benefits. Like Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, my MFA program promises to become a community that supports my growth and pushes me beyond my own expectations. Networking and learning the business of writing will be as significant a piece of this journey as honing my craft. One of the top reasons I chose the program I did is because I’ve worked with several of the alumni and faculty through other local organizations, like Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and I respect their opinions and expertise. I’m looking forward to strengthening those relationships.
And of course, I can’t wait to spend all those hours reading and writing!