I recently completed my application to an online MFA program in Creative Writing. I’m a history professor with a PhD in my other life, so it’s meant explaining to others, as well as myself why I’d pursue another graduate degree in a different field. I also know that a person can become a successful writer without an MFA so again, I’ve had to think about what exactly makes me want to take on this new endeavor.
- I love learning and I love taking college classes. This might be the single most important reason for me. I’m one of those weird people who’d be in college classes all the time if they were free. So if I’m going to work on something it might as well be my love of writing.
- I want a structured way to develop my writing. Some kind of outside accountability and plan for how to progress is good for me.
- I want to teach creative writing. I love teaching history and I think being able to teach creative writing, my other love, would be a great opportunity. It’s probably even something I’d be able to do as an extension of my current job, so that’s a bonus as well.
- More tools in the toolkit. Other than one disastrous undergrad course, every time I’ve taken a writing class, I’ve come out with new ways to make my writing better.
- To have a writing community. Living in coastal Washington is great – but I haven’t found my writer community here, so being in a program would help me to have other people to talk with and work on writing with.
So that’s the quick version of my main reasons. There are others, but I look forward to seeing if I’m accepted to the program and to find a way forward with this new goal.
Jenel Alan 