Comments on: MFA vs NYC vs the Rest of Us

By: Rebecca Snow

Rebecca Snow — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:56:05 +0000

Nice point, Aray. Now I don’t feel like such a shmuck for getting my MFA. And I really appreciate those grants for kids, mentioned above. My son has gotten a lot out of those workshops! I can’t wait for a grant for poor adults like me I hope to take a poetry class or two while finishing my novel draft. No more novel workshopping, I’ve decided, until I finish an entire first draft. Everyone’s process is different . . .

By: Aray

Aray — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:28:09 +0000

Totally agree, Nick (and all). I’ve always been puzzled by those who bemoan the MFA machine. MFA students are buying books and reading them, and they’re likely to continue doing so for the rest of their lives. What’s wrong with that? We can’t complain that there aren’t enough readers and at the same time shake our fists at programs that allow writers to devote a year or more to the appreciation of literature. So hurray for writing centers like Lighthouse, MFA programs, and literary New Yorkers! The tent is big enough for all of us.

By: mjhenry

mjhenry — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:25:37 +0000

In many ways, writing has become a basic way of communicating with one another (as opposed to, say, writing letters), as well as a powerful way to make sense of this often fractured world. And the simple mechanical process of publishing is so much simpler and accessible to all (as opposed to say, the Gutenberg Bible printed on the very first printing press).

Why not? Why not all be writers? We are not all going to be famous writers, but we do each have our audience–our people (as in, like, Lighthouse, perhaps).

By: andreadupree

andreadupree — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:35:06 +0000

Wow–thanks for the great note! Maybe we should start a LH support group for those of us “without novels.” We’re not so small, right? Especially if we measure ourselves as a collective. And thanks, too, for your words about classes. We’re working right now to establish a fund for writers who’d like to take workshops but can’t afford them. More on that to come!

By: Kathy Doherty

Kathy Doherty — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:14:53 +0000

I think of Lighthouse as a true beacon – yes, even in Denver. It is not the writing alone that makes me proud to be associated with Lighthouse. The fact that Lighthouse spreads the story and programs of writing to young people and offers grants for those unable to pay the fees for classes should not be dismissed as a small thing. Lighthouse is working with and for the writers of the future. Lighthouse has NEVER made me feel ‘less than’ or ‘small’ because I have no novel. It is the love of writing and reading that comes from everyone there, students and instructors. I don’t believe that would be available in many other places.

By: andreadupree

andreadupree — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:54:39 +0000

Love the idea that “we should all be writers.” It makes nothing but sense to me, and all of the rest of the in-fighting and generalizing, to me, is a symptom of scarce resources–the feeling some people have that if you get yours, I won’t get mine. Thousands of dedicated, talented folks are vying for a miniscule (and ever-shrinking) bit of validation and remuneration by way of publishing, and even the best of the best can fall into bitterness and despair. But we need each other and we shouldn’t forget it!