MFAs are for Teaching - You Don't Need No MFA

Worthy Quote
Mac Wellman, who shared with me his frank opinion of the purpose of graduate playwriting programs: "to replace the Bohemian communities we had in the 1960s." (Wellman heads his own graduate program at Brooklyn College). From an article by playwright Clarence Coo for the Playwright's Forum.

Worthy Quote

Mac Wellman, who shared with me his frank opinion of the purpose of graduate playwriting programs: "to replace the Bohemian communities we had in the 1960s." (Wellman heads his own graduate program at Brooklyn College).

From an article by playwright Clarence Coo for the Playwright's Forum.

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MFAs are for Teaching

You Don't Need No MFA

We are a small, but growing collective of individuals who feel it is important to spread the word that it is not necessary to have a Masters of Fine Art (or other advanced degree) in Creative Writing in order to have a successful writing career. While it is true that some people benefit from such degrees, they are expensive, time-consuming, and not necessarily the most nurturing enviroment for writers. We want to show you that there are alternatives.

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MFAs are for Teaching

Dec 09, 2006 at 11:40 PM

A terminal degree is supposed to qualify you to teach, not to write. They are two very different things...
P&W article on making the decision (pro-MFA bias warning)

User Comments

Comment by GUEST on 2008-03-18 17:15:47
The MFA programs I've been admitted to will pay me to attend. Getting paid in fellowship money to write and study sounds good to me.

Credo
If the best thing about MFAs is that they help build a community of writers, what does it say about the community that they have to spend $20,000-$50,000 and take a few years out of their lives to build it? We support alternative communities without entrance fees and want to ensure that people without MFAs are not excluded from publishing. We also enjoy food, drink and good company. Feel free to join us.

Credo

If the best thing about MFAs is that they help build a community of writers, what does it say about the community that they have to spend $20,000-$50,000 and take a few years out of their lives to build it? We support alternative communities without entrance fees and want to ensure that people without MFAs are not excluded from publishing. We also enjoy food, drink and good company. Feel free to join us.

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