I wish I had known you back in the day, Alexander. This writer’s advice is gold, even for an older writer like me. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel influenced me so much. Thank you.
Thank you so much for writing this!!! And thank you for talking about being spiritually prepared for the reality of writing workshops. I'm currently in an M.F.A program (super super SUPER part time lol), but I'm always thinking about the purpose and role of workshop. I took a bunch in my early 20s, and I really did need them because I literally didn't know what I was doing. But now that I understand myself as a writer, I find that workshops have much less weight? Like, it's really support and scaffolding for a writing process I've spent years building rather than The Answer to the lack of a writing process. Anyway, I agree that it's necessary to enter into workshops with a level of self-knowledge and confidence because sometimes people give great feedback but sometimes....they're wrong!!!! And you're allowed to not take it. Even from a professor. I once had a disagreement over how one of my stories should end with one of favorite professors ever and, at 21, I might've changed the ending I loved. My favorite thing you've said is this: "You're already giving that institution too much power. You will save you." New writers are so primed to give their power away! Yes, it's so important to allow people into your work, but nobody sees your vision as sharply as you do, this doesn't mean they can't help you refine it, but walking into workshop with no vision for your piece can make you feel even more lost than before. Thank you for saying all of this.
I had no idea that you wrote for OUT/LOOK. That journal – I have no words. I saved every copy and carted them around for years. For me, even though magazines like semiotexte and other academic journals had begun publishing queer studies, etc., OUT/LOOK marked a new era. Thank you.
Good comments. One more; jobs as bus boy, shipping clerk, and library technician as well as data entry, paid some bills, brought me in contact with people, possible characters for plays, poems, stories. Kept writing, rejections collected that became wall paper and collected dust. No claim to fame. Write out of necessity to discover…
Yes. I’ve written about my jobs as night manager to a seafood restaurant and a cater waiter, a steak house waiter… haven’t written about being a gogo boy yet but there’s time.
Thank you, Alexander. This is the kind of course I really needed in my MFA nearly 15 years ago now. Of course, I also needed effective trauma therapy before I could make any kinds of practical moves in a writing career, or even a writing practice. And I did absolutely turn to an MFA hoping it would save me! You're right, it didn't work. Though I did expand and grow in useful ways both in my writing and my experience. But that aside, one of my fave profs at my MFA did want to offer such a course, or even a short series of talks on how to build a career, so few of us actually continue writing or at making after an MFA, but she was unfortunately roadblocked at the time, for reasons I can't quite fathom. I remember hearing "we're a process-based program, not a product-based program." :/
I'd love more discussions about how self-publishing essays, poems, stories whether here on Substack or another blog-like space or even self-publishing books, can lead to a literary glow up re: community, connection, and publishing projects and opportunities.
I come from a different professional world, so breaking into the writing world is daunting. I’m starting to learn about which magazines accept short fiction, and how to get the writing out into the universe. It’s strange when you come from outside the academic world and are lacking community, which of course brings me here! This was helpful! Thanks
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Alexander. I saw this in my Substack digest email and recognized your name--you taught a course on graphic novels during your residency at Amherst College. I'm not sure I would have written and illustrated my own graphic story this year if I hadn't taken that course. Thank you!
William! I’m so happy to hear from you and to read comics by you. Thank you. I’m getting shades of Asterios Polyp in that one from April on your newsletter. Congratulations and I look forward to reading more.
All good advice. I graduated from undergrad in 1992, then bounced around the South (Knoxville, Atlanta, etc) waiting tables, wiping down tanning beds, working as a copywriter at an ad agency, and publishing stories in literary magazines, before starting an MFA program in 1995 (my non-negotiable requirement for the MFA: it had to be fully funded, offering full tuition waiver and a teaching stipend, because I didn't want to go into debt for an MFA). By the time I got there, I'd done some living, and I had published several stories in literary magazines, which was very helpful in helping me to be immune to the occasional terrors of the workshop. After finishing my MFA in Miami and living in New York City (where I sold credit processing machines), I ended up in San Francisco in 1999--just an amazing place for a writer to be. By that point, I had a published story collection under my belt, and I started managing an apartment building in the Castro and teaching writing in Hayward. Making a living wasn't easy, but the gymnastics I had to do from one city to the next to make a living made me a better writer. I truly believe, like you say, that no one should ever start an MFA straight out of college.
And it's definitely better to go into the MFA when some published stories under your belt. In the best case scenario, your classes will lead you to books you wouldn't have otherwise known about, you'll get teaching experience that will help you after you finish school (at U of Miami, I taught creative writing to undergrads while pursuing my MFA), and you will find some time to write among other people who think writing is important and worthwhile. Also, you'll go to some great parties. But anyone who goes into an MFA program thinking it's a magic path to publishing is very mistaken. I didn't make any "connections" in my MFA program....except meeting the guy I would marry, who is the first reader for all of my work.
Just graduated with a master's in English (not an M.F.A.) and found myself wandering quite a bit. This is just what I needed. Thanks for reminding us it's not one thing. It's many. We are so lucky to continue learning from you. I could never forget "My Parade."
Reading lines like “you will save you”- it’s always been true but as a middle aged single mom who just launched her kid into college and can FINALLY do me- I’m in tears abs praying that dreams don’t have expiration dates. 💯
Feeling grateful that I work at Pt. Reyes Books - I sell more copies of Queen of the Night than anything 🥰
This is so helpful. I have considered an MFA before as I thought it was a prerequisite to becoming a writer, but have always felt that grad school is so inaccessible. It's helpful to know that it's not the only way to become a writer (but practice and submitting is necessary). This is the advice and push I needed, thank you.
I wish more writers and programs talked about practical paths for writers. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, I’m so glad. Yes, more of these stories. We need to share them.
Yes yes yes! I wish I knew even half of this during graduate school. But better late than never. Thank you!
I wish I had known you back in the day, Alexander. This writer’s advice is gold, even for an older writer like me. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel influenced me so much. Thank you.
Thank you so much for writing this!!! And thank you for talking about being spiritually prepared for the reality of writing workshops. I'm currently in an M.F.A program (super super SUPER part time lol), but I'm always thinking about the purpose and role of workshop. I took a bunch in my early 20s, and I really did need them because I literally didn't know what I was doing. But now that I understand myself as a writer, I find that workshops have much less weight? Like, it's really support and scaffolding for a writing process I've spent years building rather than The Answer to the lack of a writing process. Anyway, I agree that it's necessary to enter into workshops with a level of self-knowledge and confidence because sometimes people give great feedback but sometimes....they're wrong!!!! And you're allowed to not take it. Even from a professor. I once had a disagreement over how one of my stories should end with one of favorite professors ever and, at 21, I might've changed the ending I loved. My favorite thing you've said is this: "You're already giving that institution too much power. You will save you." New writers are so primed to give their power away! Yes, it's so important to allow people into your work, but nobody sees your vision as sharply as you do, this doesn't mean they can't help you refine it, but walking into workshop with no vision for your piece can make you feel even more lost than before. Thank you for saying all of this.
While I’m still working up the courage to claim the dream of being a published writer, this post is so practical and helpful. Thank you.
I had no idea that you wrote for OUT/LOOK. That journal – I have no words. I saved every copy and carted them around for years. For me, even though magazines like semiotexte and other academic journals had begun publishing queer studies, etc., OUT/LOOK marked a new era. Thank you.
It was a life changing thing. Thank you.
I saved them all too. OUT/LOOK was terrific and I was deeply sorry to see it end.
I was too. It felt like a death.
Good comments. One more; jobs as bus boy, shipping clerk, and library technician as well as data entry, paid some bills, brought me in contact with people, possible characters for plays, poems, stories. Kept writing, rejections collected that became wall paper and collected dust. No claim to fame. Write out of necessity to discover…
Yes. I’ve written about my jobs as night manager to a seafood restaurant and a cater waiter, a steak house waiter… haven’t written about being a gogo boy yet but there’s time.
Thank you, Alexander. This is the kind of course I really needed in my MFA nearly 15 years ago now. Of course, I also needed effective trauma therapy before I could make any kinds of practical moves in a writing career, or even a writing practice. And I did absolutely turn to an MFA hoping it would save me! You're right, it didn't work. Though I did expand and grow in useful ways both in my writing and my experience. But that aside, one of my fave profs at my MFA did want to offer such a course, or even a short series of talks on how to build a career, so few of us actually continue writing or at making after an MFA, but she was unfortunately roadblocked at the time, for reasons I can't quite fathom. I remember hearing "we're a process-based program, not a product-based program." :/
I'd love more discussions about how self-publishing essays, poems, stories whether here on Substack or another blog-like space or even self-publishing books, can lead to a literary glow up re: community, connection, and publishing projects and opportunities.
I come from a different professional world, so breaking into the writing world is daunting. I’m starting to learn about which magazines accept short fiction, and how to get the writing out into the universe. It’s strange when you come from outside the academic world and are lacking community, which of course brings me here! This was helpful! Thanks
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Alexander. I saw this in my Substack digest email and recognized your name--you taught a course on graphic novels during your residency at Amherst College. I'm not sure I would have written and illustrated my own graphic story this year if I hadn't taken that course. Thank you!
William! I’m so happy to hear from you and to read comics by you. Thank you. I’m getting shades of Asterios Polyp in that one from April on your newsletter. Congratulations and I look forward to reading more.
Thanks so much for reading my work! Oh cool, I will check Asterios Polyp out.
All good advice. I graduated from undergrad in 1992, then bounced around the South (Knoxville, Atlanta, etc) waiting tables, wiping down tanning beds, working as a copywriter at an ad agency, and publishing stories in literary magazines, before starting an MFA program in 1995 (my non-negotiable requirement for the MFA: it had to be fully funded, offering full tuition waiver and a teaching stipend, because I didn't want to go into debt for an MFA). By the time I got there, I'd done some living, and I had published several stories in literary magazines, which was very helpful in helping me to be immune to the occasional terrors of the workshop. After finishing my MFA in Miami and living in New York City (where I sold credit processing machines), I ended up in San Francisco in 1999--just an amazing place for a writer to be. By that point, I had a published story collection under my belt, and I started managing an apartment building in the Castro and teaching writing in Hayward. Making a living wasn't easy, but the gymnastics I had to do from one city to the next to make a living made me a better writer. I truly believe, like you say, that no one should ever start an MFA straight out of college.
And it's definitely better to go into the MFA when some published stories under your belt. In the best case scenario, your classes will lead you to books you wouldn't have otherwise known about, you'll get teaching experience that will help you after you finish school (at U of Miami, I taught creative writing to undergrads while pursuing my MFA), and you will find some time to write among other people who think writing is important and worthwhile. Also, you'll go to some great parties. But anyone who goes into an MFA program thinking it's a magic path to publishing is very mistaken. I didn't make any "connections" in my MFA program....except meeting the guy I would marry, who is the first reader for all of my work.
Just graduated with a master's in English (not an M.F.A.) and found myself wandering quite a bit. This is just what I needed. Thanks for reminding us it's not one thing. It's many. We are so lucky to continue learning from you. I could never forget "My Parade."
Thank you so much, that is very kind.
Great takeaways here! Screenshots several paragraphs that I will now try to implement into my life. :)
Reading lines like “you will save you”- it’s always been true but as a middle aged single mom who just launched her kid into college and can FINALLY do me- I’m in tears abs praying that dreams don’t have expiration dates. 💯
Feeling grateful that I work at Pt. Reyes Books - I sell more copies of Queen of the Night than anything 🥰
As always, thank you for sharing all your experience and insights with us!
Thanks so much for writing this.
Absolutely!
This is so helpful. I have considered an MFA before as I thought it was a prerequisite to becoming a writer, but have always felt that grad school is so inaccessible. It's helpful to know that it's not the only way to become a writer (but practice and submitting is necessary). This is the advice and push I needed, thank you.
You’re welcome! Good luck!