Rejections, Plan Bs

[HeyIowa]

I think Franzen said it best with "write in the third person unless a really distinctive first-person voice offers itself irresistibly."

[anemoneceremony]

Follow what excites you, more than anything else. Trying to adapt to some prescribed idea of what a writer is or should be usually only leads to trouble in the long run.

Agreed. Just do you.

[xolo]

I got some denials, some of which stung a bit, but I can't imagine what it would be like to get shut out. Ouch! That would be devastating! No way can anyone on a web board make that better! Sorry to hear that has happened. One of my grad cafe "buddies" looks like a shut out too (for Spanish). I am a much older student and I worked a lot on my apps. I feel like I could be a grad school coach of sorts, but I'm probably just deluding myself. 

 

EDIT: forgot to mention. I lived in Iowa for a few years. When you say Iowa, are you talking about the U of Iowa? Doesn't really matter, my only advice, "snow pants" 

Edited April 18, 2015 by ***

[TonyB]

Yeah, U. Iowa's creative writing grad program is the most prestigious in the country, though Iowa State has a pretty impressive one as well.

[HeyIowa]

 

EDIT: forgot to mention. I lived in Iowa for a few years. When you say Iowa, are you talking about the U of Iowa? Doesn't really matter, my only advice, "snow pants" 

Yup, U Iowa. I'm already in the market for thermal wear / a Canada Goose jacket :'(

Edited April 21, 2015 by HeyIowa

[TonyB]

Just get one of those little portable fireplaces to cart around with ya.

[hargenshnargen]

Hi All,

 

Been reading these forums for the past month or so, thought I'd chime in. This was my first attempt at MFA applications, I applied to 7 schools and didn't get into any of them. Well, technically I'm still waiting on CSU Long Beach. Does anyone know about that one? Ha. The others were the usual top list: Syracuse, Cornell, Irvine, U of Iowa, BU, and Oregon. I went for gold because I'd never tried before, and I'm on the other end of it, wondering exactly what happened. 

 

My manuscript submission consisted of the first three chapters of my novel and a short story, all of which I've workshopped over the last year. My novel falls in the literary magical realism category, though, and the short story was pretty sci-fi. I forgot/found out too late that they really don't want that sort of work, so I feel a bit dumb for submitting at least the sci-fi short story. Not sure if magical realism, if it's really in the literary sense, was a mistake or not.

 

Anyway, I was wondering how some of you approached the schools. Did you talk to them beforehand? Did you email teachers? One user here said to try and get a feel for each institution...I did that a little bit, and read novels/short story collections for one author of each school I applied to, and matched my statement to that teacher. But I didn't email anyone specifically or visit any schools. If you did do this, did it help? 

 

I am trying to decide if I'll apply again next year. Writing is my thing, I certainly won't stop, but the main reasons I wanted to get an MFA were the built in writers community, and the possibility of teaching at University level. I'm already working on new short story material that seems more MFA-application-esque, but I dunno. It was a daunting process, and really sent me into a bit of a spiral.

 

My plan B (while still waiting to hear back from CSU LB) is totally up in the air. I really was ready to move this fall and start school, so who knows. Also, this is off topic, but I was wondering if people have applied and/or looked at programs that are more interested in magical realism as a category. I can't imagine programs not digging a Gabriel Garcia Marquez-like submission, but it seems to be a no-no.

 

Also, I found this forum after the application process. Would have used it a lot more, so maybe I will next time around! Thanks, all of your insight has been incredibly helpful to me!

[jforms]

Hi All,

 

Been reading these forums for the past month or so, thought I'd chime in. This was my first attempt at MFA applications, I applied to 7 schools and didn't get into any of them. Well, technically I'm still waiting on CSU Long Beach. Does anyone know about that one? Ha. The others were the usual top list: Syracuse, Cornell, Irvine, U of Iowa, BU, and Oregon. I went for gold because I'd never tried before, and I'm on the other end of it, wondering exactly what happened. 

 

My manuscript submission consisted of the first three chapters of my novel and a short story, all of which I've workshopped over the last year. My novel falls in the literary magical realism category, though, and the short story was pretty sci-fi. I forgot/found out too late that they really don't want that sort of work, so I feel a bit dumb for submitting at least the sci-fi short story. Not sure if magical realism, if it's really in the literary sense, was a mistake or not.

 

Anyway, I was wondering how some of you approached the schools. Did you talk to them beforehand? Did you email teachers? One user here said to try and get a feel for each institution...I did that a little bit, and read novels/short story collections for one author of each school I applied to, and matched my statement to that teacher. But I didn't email anyone specifically or visit any schools. If you did do this, did it help? 

 

I am trying to decide if I'll apply again next year. Writing is my thing, I certainly won't stop, but the main reasons I wanted to get an MFA were the built in writers community, and the possibility of teaching at University level. I'm already working on new short story material that seems more MFA-application-esque, but I dunno. It was a daunting process, and really sent me into a bit of a spiral.

 

My plan B (while still waiting to hear back from CSU LB) is totally up in the air. I really was ready to move this fall and start school, so who knows. Also, this is off topic, but I was wondering if people have applied and/or looked at programs that are more interested in magical realism as a category. I can't imagine programs not digging a Gabriel Garcia Marquez-like submission, but it seems to be a no-no.

 

Also, I found this forum after the application process. Would have used it a lot more, so maybe I will next time around! Thanks, all of your insight has been incredibly helpful to me!

I don't know anything about CSU Long Beach. I haven't heard a thing. :/

 

In terms of the manuscript, it's really tough if not impossible to figure out what would go over well with an admissions committee. You can look into what kind of work each program has put out, but even then, it's possible that someone on the committee will really like your work if it's different than their current work. Or they'd like it because IT IS like their current work. As far as I'm concerned, it's a lot of luck. Not that it doesn't require talent or anything, but there are any number of reasons why these people would like or wouldn't like your work. And there's no real way of knowing. Of course, if the school tells you they don't like genre fiction or sci fi in particular, that's a pretty clear sign that they aren't interested in those kinds of submissions. But most of the schools I applied to didn't tell me anything that specific.

 

I was in touch with many of my school's professors and admissions people. Whether it was just asking general questions or having some minor issues with my application or anything else, it didn't make a difference. No school accepted my application. I don't think speaking with them mattered. But the thing is that, it's still a tough thing because it's possible that even though they WERE receptive to me, they'd be unreceptive to you, had you done the same thing and YOU may have gotten in and I didn't. You see what I mean?

 

What I'm saying is that it's all a crapshoot. That might be a rationale for my rejections, but I do feel that way.

 

I will also say that I feel you. I was excited about going to school and starting fresh this Fall. Eh, maybe the rejections will make way for something else.

 

Best of luck with everything!

 

If I sound confused, it's because I'm emotionally exhausted. Since my last rejection, all I've done is apply to jobs and look into other grad programs and think that it's all going to fall apart very very soon.

[mirandajulysdebutnovel]

Rejoice in your rejection. Pray to the gods each night that you aren't having to sit through insufferable 'workshops' under fluorescent lights with the likes of HeyIowa - honestly, darling, you hand out life lessons like a pederast with effing poprocks. 

 

Go out and find interesting work. Emancipate yourself from the factories of mediocrity that are the MFA's. Go find the real Iowa, work as a farmhand nearby. Fight for working folks. Fuck it! 

 

Embrace the rejection and keep writing. Read like hell. And read what you want and who you want and when you want. Do not read for trends. Read for strength, comrade. 

[HeyIowa]

 Pray to the gods each night that you aren't having to sit through insufferable 'workshops' under fluorescent lights with the likes of HeyIowa - honestly, darling, you hand out life lessons like a pederast with effing poprocks. 

Yes... yes! Let the hate flow through you! 

Seriously, much better writers than you or I have gone through the MFA system. And there are just as many who haven't.

But your comment reeks of insecurity, and I'm sure you do as well.