Is an MFA for you?
Is it a truth universally acknowledged that a writer, intending to get their work published, must be in need of an MFA?
Uh….not necessarily! There are plenty of successful authors — even well-known and ‘able-to-live-on-what-they-earn-as-writers’ authors — who do not have an MFA. Shakespeare didn’t have one. Neither did Jane Austen. Stephen King doesn’t have one, and Jim Butcher started in an MFA program that he didn’t finish…I think. I decided I wanted one, and did what was necessary to earn it, a choice I do not regret for a second. My reasons for getting the MFA were:
1. It helped me understand the world of publishing and writing better.
2. It provided me with opportunities to network within the writing community.
3. It allows me to teach in schools I’d not be able to teach in with just my B.A..
4. I learned what the work of a writer is, both in getting words on the page and in submitting my work for publication.
These skills can be mastered without shelling out the $ for an MFA, but I do better in a school environment. As a result of my work getting the degree, I am better at drafting story ideas; hitting word targets/story targets; solving problems with my stories, and talking to people about what I write and why. My choice of MFA program had a lot to do with that. I want to write speculative fiction, not the next great literary novel, so the program I chose accommodated what I wanted to learn to do.
Should you get an MFA? If you want to, I suppose…yes? But keep the following in mind:
Know what you want to write. MFAs for literary writing are very different from those that focus on popular fiction.
Investigate the school. Who are their teachers and alumnae/alumni? What sort of stuff do they write?
Check out the program itself. What do you have to do to get the degree?
How are you at giving and receiving feedback on what others and you have written? This is a biggie. Mean, useless feedback doesn’t help you become a better writer. Constructive, helpful feedback does.
Determine what you’re able to do in a master’s program while working, and take a good look at how much getting the degree will cost you. I worked more than full-time and finished my degree in 2.5 years, as the program expected. Your mileage and experience may be different because of life, the universe, and everything.
If you aren’t sure about getting an MFA, seek out writing groups in your area. They can help you get used to giving/receiving feedback, and help you figure out if you can become a writer without the ‘fancy degree.’ They’re also less expensive than an MFA. You can also look at online classes, like the ‘Master Classes’ they advertise on YouTube. Those are also cheaper than the degree programs. I tried one out and it helped me decide to get the degree.
Regardless of what you choose, be patient and keep writing. That’s the best way to make it as a writer.