In Defense of the M.F.A.

I read an interesting article titled Why Writers Love to Hate the M.F.A. The article details the rise in MFA programs and discusses the backlash to it. Overall, it’s a pretty balanced article that says, “There are more MFA programs now, and some people don’t like that.” (Don’t be threatened by my mad summarizing skills – I’m in an MFA program, after all.)

The most valid criticism of the MFA outlined in the article is that an MFA is an expensive degree that doesn’t lead to a job. I think that’s true. It is expensive.  Publishing anything is difficult, and according to the article there were only 112 tenure-track teaching positions in creative writing last year. One hundred and twelve in the whole country! Those are terrible odds.

And yet, enrolling in Hamline’s MFAC program is easily one of the best things that I’ve ever done.  Here’s why:

• It rekindled my love for reading and writing. I’ve read more books in the last year-and-a-half than in the previous five years combined.
• It has helped me bond with my daughters. I’m telling them stories at bedtime, and they are reading my work. We talk about kids’ books we like.
• It has forced me to start writing again. I started a novel and then let it sit in a drawer for six years. Now I’m writing all the time, both creatively and critically. And because of the practice (and guidance,) I am getting better.
• The faculty at Hamline is incredible. They are all published authors, but more importantly, they are excellent teachers. The lectures I’ve attended have been eye-opening and instructive. The advisors I have worked with have been exactly what I’ve needed. I was very unsure of myself when I started (and thought maybe there was an error that led to Hamline accepting me into the program.) My advisors have pointed out areas of weakness and offered paths to improvement but more importantly they have done so in a friendly and supportive way. I trust that they like me and want me to get better at writing. Getting a feedback letter is like opening a Christmas present.
• It has helped me stave off professional burnout. I’ve been teaching for sixteen years and while I still love being around the students, much has occurred in the profession to demean it. I wasn’t happy. I knew I needed something, but I didn’t know what it was. It turns out that I needed to do something for myself. Something to work on outside of my professional duties. Something to look forward to.
• It’s given me an outlet for dealing with my righteous anger at the world.
• Finally, and most importantly, I’ve been introduced to some of the finest people in the world. You know how it’s kind of hard to make friends as an adult? Well, when I started my first residency and met my cohort, it was like we’d grown up together. I truly love those people. I’ve read that some MFA programs and writing workshops are competitive and cutthroat. Nothing could be further from the truth in my case. We support each other. We celebrate each other’s successes. In all honesty, when good things happen for one person in our group, it feels like the entire group has won. And nothing has been more satisfying than seeing my people grow as writers. I fully expect every one of them to be successful. They are writing really good stuff.

So maybe getting the MFA doesn’t make sense financially. But neither does having children or going on vacation. Enrolling in the MFA has vastly improved my quality of life. I truly believe that everyone needs a creative outlet. Teaching middle school children definitely calls for creativity but I needed something more. Something divorced from my professional life. I’m a multi-layered onion, dammit.

I guess I’m in a better position than some. I have a career. I’m well-compensated (but who doesn’t want more, amirite?) I don’t have to write to make ends meet, which gives me some amount of freedom. I can write on my own terms, to a degree, since I don’t need writing to put food on the table.

I’d love to quit my day job and write full time someday. I would need JK Rowling “Eff-you” money for that to happen, though. But who knows? That kind of thing doesn’t happen unless you work to make it happen.  The MFAC program has given me a better idea of what the work entails.

Enrolling in the MFAC program has been more about the journey than the destination (I’m sorry about the cliché – I’m still a work-in-progress.) It’s been a welcome disruption to the routine of my life. And life is short! It really is! Why not do something for yourself, if that something gives you energy and purpose?

To quote the great philosopher Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Who knows if I’ll get published? And if I do, who knows if anyone will buy my books? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d love for those things to happen. But even if they don’t, I still feel like the MFA is worth it.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to pursue this creative endeavor. I am aware that such opportunities do not exist for everyone. I’m grateful to my family for being accommodating. But mostly, I’m grateful for the instructors and students in the MFA program, who have given me a new lease on life.

Is the MFA worth it? In my case, yes. One hundred percent worth it.

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