Even though I’ve been actively teaching in the university setting for more than 10 years, I’ve nearly always been in front of non-writing majors. (Right now, at the University of Virginia, I teach media studies majors.)
However, my undergraduate degree is a BFA in creative writing, and recently the AWP approached me to write an essay offering advice to undergraduate students pursuing that same degree. You can now read it over at AWP’s site.
Here’s a little bit of what I had to say.
“If it were up to me, every undergraduate writing program would help their students better understand the economics of the writing life and how authors or artists do manage to put together a full-time living from doing what they love. It is possible, but instruction and mentorship surrounding these issues remains rare in traditional programs. So it is up to you, dear student, to demand it from your program and its professors, or find it elsewhere.”
I do find it telling (and unfortunate) that my skills and abilities have so far been most highly valued by university degree programs not directly related to creative writing or English. Maybe that will change in time.
Dear Jane, Thank you so much for both your article and your post. As an education professional, a lifelong student, and a beginning writer, I can’t tell you how happy I was to read your words. Your advice serves, not only the writing major, but truly any student pursuing any type of degree. There are so many writing degree options today with classes that correspond to our social media world. The right degree with relevant courses and an internship is a successful combination that unlocks doors really in almost any field. So many students aren’t provided with this important information… Read more »
Much appreciate the comment, Laura. Thank you!
Your AWP essay is so sensible! Boston’s Berklee College of Music has had since its inception the desire to train people for music “as a career,” which means parallel education in the music business. That always seemed to me a fine idea. At a recent Princeton celebration of Joyce Carol Oates and her teaching (she’s retiring, semi) past illustrious students also talked about how she prepared them for being writers [vweisfeld.com/?p=3227]–not so much the business side but the mental place you need to be in to be successful, another underpinning of success.
Very interesting, I’ll check out that link.
Thank you, Jane, for this. My daughter is approaching the time where she is faced with choosing a college and a degree. I am fortunate enough to have changed careers from a CPA to a full-time Indie-published writer, and that accounting degree is a wonderful asset to have in the decisions I’ve made as a writer. She, however, wants to start her career as a writer with a degree in English/Creative Writing, which is great, but I’m strongly encouraging her (and anyone with this desire) to at least take some accounting/business classes. Know what it’s like to run your own… Read more »
Totally hear you! Even if you can’t sell her on business classes (which might include some marketing, too!), even a minor in computer science, a foreign language, politics, or some other field would open up a range of opportunities.
Your piece reminds me of a number of discussions my husband and I have had about his college experience in a different field. While it may be true that life will teach you far more than you can learn in a school, shouldn’t a school strive to prepare their students for every aspect of success in their chosen field?
I appreciate your practical solutions and especially your call to grow beyond our comfort zone. Much as we would all love to just do the thing we love, life demands us to be far more well rounded!
Thank you!