2020 Applicants Forum

[litty]

3 hours ago, MFALongshot said:

I had no idea Saunders was leaving! That's literally the only reason I applied. Where/how did you find out he was leaving?

Check out his most recent Paris Review interview. He’s settled in Santa Cruz, California and rarely goes to Syracuse. Some current ‘Cuse MFA students were talking about him not being available and on his way out. 

 

https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/7506/george-saunders-the-art-of-fiction-no-245-george-saunders

Edited January 16, 2020 by litty

[MFALongshot]

8 minutes ago, litty said:

Check out his most recent Paris Review interview. He’s settled in Southern California and rarely goes to Syracuse. Some current ‘Cuse MFA students were talking about him not being available and on his way out. 

Sheesh that's a little depressing. I just looked up the interview now, will read. Also is there any place I can read/hear these students comments on Saunders' non-availability? I'd like to read/hear about their experiences with Saunders non-existent. (That's not a jab to the other professors there, I know they are talented having read some of their stuff.)

Finally, I'd like to know who they will replace Saunders with...very interesting.

Edited January 16, 2020 by MFALongshot

[MFALongshot]

18 minutes ago, litty said:

Check out his most recent Paris Review interview. He’s settled in Santa Cruz, California and rarely goes to Syracuse. Some current ‘Cuse MFA students were talking about him not being available and on his way out. 

 

https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/7506/george-saunders-the-art-of-fiction-no-245-george-saunders

I take that back, I won't read it. I'd have to subscribe. But I did catch in the intro it said he had moved to cali and was barely ever in syracuse now. Sad.

[Ydrl]

@MFALongshot yikes I’m sorry that Saunders is leaving. If Chris Kennedy did that I would be very very upset.

[litty]

9 minutes ago, MFALongshot said:

I take that back, I won't read it. I'd have to subscribe. But I did catch in the intro it said he had moved to cali and was barely ever in syracuse now. Sad.

I hear you, but that's why folks are encouraged not to attend a school for a particular faculty member. Oftentimes they have a reduced teaching load or are on sabbatical, so your likelihood of really interacting with them can be limited. 

[MFALongshot]

I can't get too mad for a few reasons:

1. I'm not even accepted yet.

2. He deserves to be happy elsewhere if he chooses.

3. There are plenty of other great writers at Syracuse.

Now, with a couple minutes to think, I feel like my initial knee-jerk reaction was a little rude. But yeah I understand your sentiment @Ydrl

[Ydrl]

3 minutes ago, litty said:

I hear you, but that's why folks are encouraged not to attend a school for a particular faculty member. Oftentimes they have a reduced teaching load or are on sabbatical, so your likelihood of really interacting with them can be limited. 

Yeah, I get that. Especially if that faculty member is very well known or has been there forever. That’s exactly why I’m worried about UNLV and Iowa. I can’t confirm it’s that way with the assistant professors though. Hopefully it’s not that way with Professor Mort at Cornell, I really like her work TT_TT

[MFALongshot]

12 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

@MFALongshot yikes I’m sorry that Saunders is leaving. If Chris Kennedy did that I would be very very upset.

 

5 minutes ago, litty said:

I hear you, but that's why folks are encouraged not to attend a school for a particular faculty member. Oftentimes they have a reduced teaching load or are on sabbatical, so your likelihood of really interacting with them can be limited. 

I can't get too mad for a few reasons:

1. I'm not even accepted yet.

2. He deserves to be happy elsewhere if he chooses.

3. There are plenty of other great writers at Syracuse.

Now, with a couple minutes to think, I feel like my initial knee-jerk reaction was a little rude. But yeah I understand your sentiment @Ydrl

And yeah @litty makes sense. He's a great writer but I applied to other schools because I'm willing to work with other writers as well. It was just a knee jerk shock is all.

[Ydrl]

3 minutes ago, MFALongshot said:

I can't get too mad for a few reasons:

1. I'm not even accepted yet.

2. He deserves to be happy elsewhere if he chooses.

3. There are plenty of other great writers at Syracuse.

Now, with a couple minutes to think, I feel like my initial knee-jerk reaction was a little rude. But yeah I understand your sentiment @Ydrl

I didn’t think you were being rude, it’s understandable that you’d get frustrated. If any one of the professors just left while still being featured heavily on the website, I would be angry too, especially since my work is kind of surreal and it’s hard to find many professors that match my weirdness.

[MFALongshot]

Side note, how do I delete a post? I posted essentially the same thing twice.

And yeah it is weird that he's still all over the Syracuse website if he won't be there.

[litty]

Didn't realize there were paywall issues with the Paris Review, but the companion article to the interview is also worth a read. The author talks about imitating and admiring Saunders. He got into 'Cuse, even got his call from Saunders, and turned them down because he was afraid he'd have too much Saunders in his head and never an opportunity to fully realize his own voice. Now later on he says that maybe he might have benefited from more Saunders in his head, but we will never know, lol.

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/01/06/how-to-imitate-george-saunders/ 

[MFALongshot]

2 minutes ago, litty said:

Didn't realize there were paywall issues with the Paris Review, but the companion article to the interview is also worth a read. The author talks about imitating and admiring Saunders. He got into 'Cuse, even got his call from Saunders, and turned them down because he was afraid he'd have too much Saunders in his head and never an opportunity to fully realize his own voice. Now later on he says that maybe he might have benefited from more Saunders in his head, but we will never know, lol.

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/01/06/how-to-imitate-george-saunders/ 

Thanks for all of these links

[litty]

1 minute ago, MFALongshot said:

Side note, how do I delete a post? I posted essentially the same thing twice.

And yeah it is weird that he's still all over the Syracuse website if he won't be there.

He may technically be at 'Cuse for years to come. He may take on an emeritus role. Nothing is truly official, but the practical writing on the wall is he's winding down. And it sounds like he's only been teaching short intensives for several years and spending most of his time away. So this isn't some shock to that community. 

[MFALongshot]

7 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

I didn’t think you were being rude, it’s understandable that you’d get frustrated. If any one of the professors just left while still being featured heavily on the website, I would be angry too, especially since my work is kind of surreal and it’s hard to find many professors that match my weirdness.

Also it's a good point that certain authors foster writers better than others.

[Ydrl]

Question for @litty, I don’t think I’ve asked where you’re applying, so where have you applied?

@MFALongshot that’s true too. I have no idea what any of these teachers are like, except for UNLV, apparently one of my teachers who wrote my recommendation knows the person I want to work with.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Ydrl

[MFALongshot]

2 minutes ago, litty said:

He may technically be at 'Cuse for years to come. He may take on an emeritus role. Nothing is truly official, but the practical writing on the wall is he's winding down. And it sounds like he's only been teaching short intensives for several years and spending most of his time away. So this isn't some shock to that community. 

It's a shock to me though. Thanks for that (no sarcasm). I remember hearing Paul Harding say he went to Iowa just to work with Marilynne Robinson only to find out when he got there that she was on sabbatical. It worked out in the end for him though, so everything will be fine I believe for the incoming 'Cuse class.

[litty]

Just now, MFALongshot said:

It's a shock to me though. Thanks for that (no sarcasm). I remember hearing Paul Harding say he went to Iowa just to work with Marilynne Robinson only to find out when he got there that she was on sabbatical. It worked out in the end for him though, so everything will be fine I believe for the incoming 'Cuse class.

What's funny is Marilynne Robinson is STILL on their website (as emeritus), lol.

[Ydrl]

Also, question for everyone, why are we still awake? I’m guessing most of us are in America, it’s literally 3:30 where I am. I can’t sleep, send help.

[MFALongshot]

5 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Question for @litty, I don’t think I’ve asked where you’re applying, so where have you applied?

@MFALongshot that’s true too. I have no idea what any of these teachers are like, except for UNLV, apparently one of my teachers who wrote my recommendation knows the person I want to work with.

Hopefully no matter where you end up going, your cohort will push you in a positive way.

[litty]

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

Also, question for everyone, why are we still awake? I’m guessing most of us are in America, it’s literally 3:30 where I am. I can’t sleep, send help.

Just got in from a speakeasy and finding it very easy to speak

[MFALongshot]

3 minutes ago, litty said:

What's funny is Marilynne Robinson is STILL on their website (as emeritus), lol.

Wow lol. I didn't know this was a thing

[Ydrl]

1 minute ago, litty said:

Just got in from a speakeasy and finding it very easy to speak

I legit started busting out laughing. I wish I had something to drink, would enjoy going out too.

[MFALongshot]

3 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Also, question for everyone, why are we still awake? I’m guessing most of us are in America, it’s literally 3:30 where I am. I can’t sleep, send help.

It's 3:30 am where I'm at as well. Hadn't noticed before.

With regards to sleep, just read something super boring. You'll be out in no time.

[Ydrl]

4 minutes ago, MFALongshot said:

It's 3:30 am where I'm at as well. Hadn't noticed before.

With regards to sleep, just read something super boring. You'll be out in no time.

Not entirely sure that’d work. The anxiety is keeping me awake, also I’ve been having nightmares everyday for the past month so I guess I’ll just stay awake for now.

[MFALongshot]

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

Not entirely sure that’d work. The anxiety is keeping me awake, also I’ve been having nightmares everyday for the past month so I guess I’ll just stay awake for now.

I tend to black out and forget I even applied. Though this forum has helped me remember.