Whew, Sammie. What you said in this piece really mirrored so many questions and admissions that I often don't let myself consider for very long (five minutes max before turning to some type of social media numbing). I hope that this substack helps you to share your work in less of a vacuum. I also hope that co-working/alternate communities for writers are being created, it seems necessary for artists to have community and places to refine and develop their work that aren't limited to deified institutions. What do you imagine when you consider forging your path sans MFA program? What is the most romantic or idealistic vision, and are there pockets of that which already exist? I think asking this question might underscore how clueless I am about the writing world, but I do like to daydream.
I think my problem with MFA's (outside of my fears of rejection) is how expensive they are--they feel really cost prohibitive. Some, of course, have stipends, but they're really hard to get into and then you barely make enough to survive. That being said, I don't ever want to stop learning or getting smarter, braver or more experimental--so I guess the question is, how do you do that in a more organic way?!?! I don't think I have the answer. I take a lot of classes at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver which has been great and I try to share work with friends as often as I can. I hope that by being more honest about my creative struggles I will find more people to share my work with. Also, a lot of people responded to this post saying that it's about the journey and not the destination--which was good feedback! And something I needed to hear. So maybe, that's the idealistic version I need to get to is: be present for every moment and quit worrying about where I am going. Also---- most importantly, hi!!!!! <3
Hi friend!! I'm excited for this substack :) I think you are right, the journey is always where the important stuff happens. I'm excited for ORACLES, and to get your brain nuggets delivered to my inbox. They are really good nuggets!
Whew, Sammie. What you said in this piece really mirrored so many questions and admissions that I often don't let myself consider for very long (five minutes max before turning to some type of social media numbing). I hope that this substack helps you to share your work in less of a vacuum. I also hope that co-working/alternate communities for writers are being created, it seems necessary for artists to have community and places to refine and develop their work that aren't limited to deified institutions. What do you imagine when you consider forging your path sans MFA program? What is the most romantic or idealistic vision, and are there pockets of that which already exist? I think asking this question might underscore how clueless I am about the writing world, but I do like to daydream.
I think my problem with MFA's (outside of my fears of rejection) is how expensive they are--they feel really cost prohibitive. Some, of course, have stipends, but they're really hard to get into and then you barely make enough to survive. That being said, I don't ever want to stop learning or getting smarter, braver or more experimental--so I guess the question is, how do you do that in a more organic way?!?! I don't think I have the answer. I take a lot of classes at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver which has been great and I try to share work with friends as often as I can. I hope that by being more honest about my creative struggles I will find more people to share my work with. Also, a lot of people responded to this post saying that it's about the journey and not the destination--which was good feedback! And something I needed to hear. So maybe, that's the idealistic version I need to get to is: be present for every moment and quit worrying about where I am going. Also---- most importantly, hi!!!!! <3
Hi friend!! I'm excited for this substack :) I think you are right, the journey is always where the important stuff happens. I'm excited for ORACLES, and to get your brain nuggets delivered to my inbox. They are really good nuggets!