Dragon Journal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dragonjournal) wrote2025-03-28 09:09 am
dragonjournal) wrote2025-03-28 09:09 am
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Before you tell me to do it....
Hear me out.
I want to apply to the EWU MFA in Creative Writing program. It's two years long, and then, I can set my sights on something else. But I've wanted to do this for a while.
Now!
Applications are closed for the fall. They closed on March 1st. That's fine. I can wait until Next Fall to go back. The thing that's really giving me pause is the 15-25 pages of "publishable" writing that is needed.
Can I come up with it? Yes.
Is it publishable? Eeeeeeh. I can edit between now and then, though.
Is it genre fiction? Yes.
See, I don't write "literary fiction" much. I really don't. And I have to come up with 15-25 pages of it now. Not only that, but it needs to be "publishable". I put that in quotes because EWU does the same.
It's giving me pause, because being judged on my writing is hard for me. I am planning on putting "Step" in the group of writing, because it was published. That's a step in the right direction, right?
I also have pause because they don't want genre fiction. I write genre fiction. That's pretty much my bread and butter. I write it and then I edit it and then.... well, usually it sits, but lately I've sent out a few pieces?
I just... don't know. Nothing else is giving me pause. It's a good program, and hopefully, I can work while going to school. Plus, there's getting letters of recommendation. Who do I even ask? The 800 word letter stating why I want the MFA is easy. I could do that practically in my sleep. But the rest of it?
And I need to edit all my "literary fiction" so that it's publishable quality. Well, except "Step". I'm working on edits, writing new things, and rewriting things every day.
It's not going well.
Ugh. This is complicated with things from Sam's side too. I know he wants to go back to school to become a nurse, and both of us going at once is a Bad Idea, but I don't know when he's going to go. Which is why I might just "do it".
... Anyone want to edit my stuff for me?
I want to apply to the EWU MFA in Creative Writing program. It's two years long, and then, I can set my sights on something else. But I've wanted to do this for a while.
Now!
Applications are closed for the fall. They closed on March 1st. That's fine. I can wait until Next Fall to go back. The thing that's really giving me pause is the 15-25 pages of "publishable" writing that is needed.
Can I come up with it? Yes.
Is it publishable? Eeeeeeh. I can edit between now and then, though.
Is it genre fiction? Yes.
See, I don't write "literary fiction" much. I really don't. And I have to come up with 15-25 pages of it now. Not only that, but it needs to be "publishable". I put that in quotes because EWU does the same.
It's giving me pause, because being judged on my writing is hard for me. I am planning on putting "Step" in the group of writing, because it was published. That's a step in the right direction, right?
I also have pause because they don't want genre fiction. I write genre fiction. That's pretty much my bread and butter. I write it and then I edit it and then.... well, usually it sits, but lately I've sent out a few pieces?
I just... don't know. Nothing else is giving me pause. It's a good program, and hopefully, I can work while going to school. Plus, there's getting letters of recommendation. Who do I even ask? The 800 word letter stating why I want the MFA is easy. I could do that practically in my sleep. But the rest of it?
And I need to edit all my "literary fiction" so that it's publishable quality. Well, except "Step". I'm working on edits, writing new things, and rewriting things every day.
It's not going well.
Ugh. This is complicated with things from Sam's side too. I know he wants to go back to school to become a nurse, and both of us going at once is a Bad Idea, but I don't know when he's going to go. Which is why I might just "do it".
... Anyone want to edit my stuff for me?
no subject
Are there any literary writing groups in your area? Maybe they could help edit your work?
no subject
As for the writing groups, I belong to one! But they don't edit each other's stuff. Which sucks.
So; I'm kinda stuck. But we'll see what the summer brings.
no subject
Any chance there are members of your writing group that would be willing to edit your work on the side?
no subject
As for the writing group, it's actually policy of the group that they don't edit each other's work? It's odd. I have another group I'm looking into though.
Thoughts
If you write genre fiction, and that's what you want to write; and they want people to submit literary fiction, because they don't consider genre fiction to be publishable; then what earthly good is that program going to do you? Education can be great, but only if it teaches things you want to use. It sounds like you need a writing program that either offers a genre track or accommodates whatever students are writing.
Also, consider the risks. They could pick on you for not being what they want. They could teach you habits that are good for literary fiction but bad for genre fiction. And you'd be stuck writing a lot of stuff in a genre you don't like, which can really kill the love of writing.