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vronsky

Jan 19, 2007, 2:16 PM

Post #51 of 462 (13358 views)
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Re: [wiswriter] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I got a job as an editor. My thesis: thirty-nine pages of poetry.

muttonfish

Jan 19, 2007, 3:19 PM

Post #52 of 462 (13329 views)
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Re: [wiswriter] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

The majority of schools that I applied to require a combination of literature courses along with the creativie writing workshops. In addition, they offer electives which I plan on filling with more literature courses. If I was applying to MA/PhD programs, I am certain of the area I would have studied. So the way I see it, I will supplement those 18 hours or so with the english coursework, which equates to that of an unofficial MA degree, and at the end of my MFA, I shall evaluate my status and determine whether or not more school is needed to asist me in acquiring a teaching position. If not, Great, but if more is required, then hopefully my literature background will be enough to get me into a PhD program. Yes, I would prefer to teach creative writing over the writers of the Victorian period, but the gap is negligible, and either way, I will be doing what I love.

augustmaria

Jan 20, 2007, 1:25 PM

Post #53 of 462 (13267 views)
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Re: [wiswriter] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

http://creativewriting.umf.maine.edu/whatnext.php

ellen362

Jan 22, 2007, 6:51 AM

Post #54 of 462 (13181 views)
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Re: [jaywalke] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I like that poem!

wiswriter
Bob S.

Jan 22, 2007, 7:17 AM

Post #55 of 462 (13178 views)
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Re: [augustmaria] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

http://creativewriting.umf.maine.edu/whatnext.php

I'm not sure if that list allays my fears or confirms them.

I'll say here what I tell my students: do what you love. But you've gotta support that if it can't support itself. And your major is a marketing tool - it means more to others than it does to you. I would rather see students take workshops on the side - major in creative writing in their own minds but something more marketable on paper, provided the creative writing courses aren't limited to majors. I just think too many prospective employers are going to view a creative writing major as someone who's going to be dreaming up poems or stories on their clock instead of working. Which of course is true. But you don't have to let on.

augustmaria

Jan 22, 2007, 9:22 AM

Post #56 of 462 (13152 views)
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Re: [wiswriter] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Wow, I guess I'm just surprised to find that attitude in here.

I actually eared a double major, in both Creative Writing and English lit, which required, I think, three extra lit courses and a linguisitics course. CWR majors don't *just* take workshops, just like in many MFA programs you don't *just* take workshops. I've always thought of it more as a well-rounded English major. You're learning how do to something (write) at the same you're learning about something (literature).

Of course, this is all stemming from my overly-sensitive hurt feelings. No one wants to belive that she's utterly unmarketable. But...if being marketable means getting, what a major in computer science while hating myself? Forget it! I'll take being the poem-writing loser. (Even though I'm a fiction writer, thanksverymuch.)

Glinda Bamboo

Jan 22, 2007, 9:24 AM

Post #57 of 462 (13151 views)
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Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Funny, I majored in English instead of creative writing (which I minored in) because I thought English made me more "marketable" than creative writing. I never had any problems landing professional jobs after college, but I wonder if it really made much of a difference. Neither degree really prepares you for a specific career, beyond having good analytical and writing skills, of course.

Informal poll just for my own curiosity's sake: Say you only get into one MFA program -- Iowa -- but you receive no funding. Assuming that everyone gets the in-state tuition (which is, what, $3K a year?) would you do it?

wiswriter
Bob S.

Jan 22, 2007, 11:09 AM

Post #58 of 462 (13131 views)
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Re: [augustmaria] U. Iowa Creative Writing BA?? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Majoring or double-majoring in English proper is a different story. English is a more marketable degree now than it was when I was in college 20 years ago; I think students have been focused for so long now on technical and practical skills and "new media" that content has been neglected. A lot of employers see an English major as a communicator who can help buff their image. People have become desperate for good writers. Just not "creative" ones.

Along with advising I have a freelance strategic communication business and I keep my creative credits and MFA sotto voce nowadays when I'm marketing to prospective clients. I suspect I lost at least one in part because the whole fiction thing was perceived as unserious and a distraction.

hamholio

Jan 22, 2007, 11:32 AM

Post #59 of 462 (13119 views)
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Re: [Glinda Bamboo] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

"Say you only get into one MFA program -- Iowa -- but you receive no funding. Assuming that everyone gets the in-state tuition (which is, what, $3K a year?) would you do it?"

I'd be all in. $6000 for an Iowa MFA?? That's an easy choice.

I've been poking around this web page lately: The Writing University http://at-lamp.its.uiowa.edu/...alwu/index.php/main/ which brings together information on all the various writing programs and activities provided by the University of Iowa.

It has these links to isis showing registration for the workshops this spring:

Fiction: http://isis5.uiowa.edu/...?ddd=08C&ccc=251

Poetry: http://isis5.uiowa.edu/...?ddd=08C&ccc=252

Could be us next year! :-)

hamholio

Jan 26, 2007, 9:12 AM

Post #60 of 462 (13008 views)
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Re: [hamholio] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/...collegepublisher.com

The paper this morning gives indication that a creative writing undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa could be ready as soon as this fall. This is going to cut their undergrad English by 25%, at least!

This quote's relevant for anyone reading this thread:

"The structure of the course offerings will follow a tiered format, with workshop students teaching the entry-level classes and advanced courses taught by English faculty."

This means more teaching positions, the possibility of better writing students in the CW classrooms (although, much more heartbreak for those that are terrible!) and a slight plus for the resume. For Workshop students, this is a great move on the part of the University.

atrivedi

Feb 13, 2007, 8:41 PM

Post #61 of 462 (12843 views)
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Re: [hamholio] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

I wonder if it's something to do with funding students in the MFA program! :)

I'm U Iowa staff (I work at the U, but not as faculty) and it seems like a) people bend over backwards for Workshop folks and b) Iowa won't offer tuition like other schools do, so they probably want to offer more funding to grad students.

My cent and a half...

scheherazade

Feb 13, 2007, 11:27 PM

Post #62 of 462 (12769 views)
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Re: [atrivedi] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hugely wishful thinking here, but the powers of the Internet and the random knowledge of strangers never cease to amaze:

I'm trying to remember the name of a book I read about a year ago - perhaps about writing workshops or the writing process - that contained a chapter or introduction in which the author described his/her experiences as an Iowa Workshop student. I remember details about a cold winter and questions about whether the degree was worthwhile, and in retrospect it seems like it might be interesting to re-read now that I'm thinking about doing an MFA. But I can't remember what the book was called or who the author was, where I got it from (the library, most likely), or even if it was a book as opposed to a magazine (I know it definitely wasn't online).

Can anyone think of what book this might be?

minna pratt

Feb 13, 2007, 11:38 PM

Post #63 of 462 (12761 views)
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Re: [scheherazade] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

I doubt this is what you are thinking of, but Ann Patchett's book Truth and Beauty starts off with her experiences as an Iowa MFA student. It's a book about writing and her friendship with Lucy Grealey.

GDClark
George David Clark

Feb 14, 2007, 1:17 AM

Post #64 of 462 (12718 views)
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Re: [minna pratt] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Phillip Levine's _Bread of Time_ (from Michigan's "Poets on Poetry" series) has a good bit of the Iowa expirience in that "My Own John Berryman" chapter.

(This post was edited by GDClark on Feb 14, 2007, 1:19 AM)

renapoo

Feb 14, 2007, 7:54 AM

Post #65 of 462 (12666 views)
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Re: [scheherazade] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Nicholas Delbanco mentioned Iowa in "The Writer's Trade." Can't remember which story(ies) though.

scheherazade

Feb 14, 2007, 11:21 PM

Post #66 of 462 (12500 views)
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Re: [minna pratt] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Minna, I remember looking into that Ann Patchett book in the past -- that could be the one. I'll have to find it at the library and see. Thanks!

blueragtop

Mar 1, 2007, 2:53 PM

Post #67 of 462 (12257 views)
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Re: [scheherazade] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

I was just wondering if anyone who has been accepted to Iowa this go round has already committed. Are you guys still going to wait on other schools and see what happens? How long are you going to give it?

jsnow

Mar 1, 2007, 4:54 PM

Post #68 of 462 (12175 views)
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Re: [melos] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Melos-

I haven't formally accepted yet. I'm still waiting on the rest of my schools, but I don't know if they'll be able to match Iowa's offer. Iowa is my top choice, I'm familiar with the program, I like IC, and my wife has family nearby. So, I guess I really don't know why I haven't accepted yet. How about you?

scutteur

Mar 1, 2007, 8:12 PM

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scheherazade

Mar 1, 2007, 9:56 PM

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Re: [scutteur] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

Congratulations to those of you accepted to Iowa! Any chance any of you have posted your writing (your application writing sample or even just a blog) online? I'm sure I'm not the only person who would love to get an idea of what Iowa-calibre writing looks like. Thanks in advance!

tedmond3

Mar 4, 2007, 3:16 PM

Post #71 of 462 (11886 views)
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Re: [scutteur] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

I too am waiting to accept formally, though I'm not sure what would beat Iowa's offer. My girlfriend and I are actually going to visit Iowa City in two weeks and I'll probably make a final decision then. She too has family nearby so that's a plus.

adg4s

Mar 4, 2007, 3:54 PM

Post #72 of 462 (11858 views)
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Re: [tedmond3] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm waiting for Iowa to make their decision about funding. Let me know when any of you hears from Connie about financial aid.

blueragtop

Mar 4, 2007, 5:34 PM

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ellen362

Mar 5, 2007, 4:16 AM

Post #74 of 462 (11718 views)
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Re: [melos] Re: [In reply to]	Can't Post

According to the UIOWA website, graduate resident tuition and fees are $7,158 and nonresident tuition and fees are $19,144. Total (books, fees, living expenses) estmated costs for instate are $21,508 resident and $33,494 non-resident.

http://www.uiowa.edu/...ts/liberal-arts.html

__________

Mar 6, 2007, 2:53 AM

Post #75 of 462 (11592 views)
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The jig is somewhat up? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Here's something interesting I found, for those 'networking' debates that pop up in every thread:

Six of the last seven years, Iowa's short fiction book award has gone to a recent Iowa grad. Judging is handled 'through the writers workshop', according to their site. Now, I don't want to come down too hard on either side of the debate, but as far as getting a first book and a teaching job is concerned (sometimes at a top school like Michigan, Ryan Harty!), a school willing to break federal contest laws can be a real boon:

Iowa Short Fiction Award Winners!

While they always pay an outside judge (another great networking gig, if you can get it), this has little impact. Judges are merely handed a stack of about five finalist manuscripts, chosen by Iowa, chock full of Iowa. Then they pick one, and the new winner of this 'prestigious' prize is announced!

So clearly, here's another way attending Iowa unfunded may pay great dividends.

six five four three two one 0 ->

(This post was edited by Junior Maas on Mar 6, 2007, 3:00 AM)

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