I've had lots of people ask me if I think it's necessary to have a degree in writing in order to be successful at the career. They see the time and money involved and, sometimes, their eyes get a little wide at the prospect. So my honest answer is usually "No, but..."
Yes, there are plenty of people who are incredibly successful in writing without official writing degrees. They've used their natural writing talents and practice to improve their careers, and probably some reading and research along the way. Maybe they've taken classes here and there, or participated in workshops and seminars and things, but they don't have that piece of paper that denotes four (or more) years of dedicated time to writing.BUT...a college degree can be incredibly helpful, too. Not only will a college program help hone your writing skills, but the non-major courses you take can supplement your writing, too. At my college, for example, I earned a minor in Liberal Studies. The history, religion, and philosophy aspects of those classes expanded my understanding of my literature courses, which in turn strengthened my writing.
Looking at a college degree to benefit you long-term makes sense, too. If you take creative writing courses, chances are your professors will have connections that can expand your network in the industry. Maybe your advisor is friends with a publisher. Maybe your fiction writing professor knows about a great workshop coming up and can get you into it. Maybe your TA's agent is looking for new clients.
And from a different perspective, even the act of taking classes can be "for your craft." The professors and other students you see and talk to during the school year can be great inspiration for characters, dialogue, and plots. College campuses have great atmospheres, which can be fodder for writing, or just a great place to sit and write!
Here's my take: if you have the time and financial resources to get a degree, I think it's worth the time and effort. However, if you don't have a degree or can't get one, your writing career most likely won't suffer as a result.
Just as an aside - the ability to write well is one of the most marketable skills you can have in the business world. I am regularly amazed at the poor writing skills I see in the people under me and then they wonder why they have trouble advancing in the company.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally, my history degree was invaluable for making me a better writer. Any liberal arts degree will equip most people with the basic fundamentals of writing because the liberal arts tend to be writing-intesive fields. Thankfully, more and more companies are starting to recognize the value of a well-rounded liberal arts education for most positions.
I personally don't have a degree in anything unless you count the one from the school of hard knocks. Or my dog grooming license, but I digress. If I wanted to write for a newspaper or a magazine, I'd want a degree. But to write novels for a living, it's different.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it can help. It doesn't even have to be a degree in creative writing. It can be a degree in Zoology (Diana Gabaldon from the Outlander series) or it can be in family law. But what degree could I possibly get that would work with what I write about? Vampirism?
Eventually, I'd love to get a degree of some kind, if for no other reason than to be able to teach others about what I love to do. But right now, I'm learning as I go and that's good enough for me.
Thanks for making me think NP.
@Mike: I agree with you. Too many people think a business degree means they don't need to pay attention in English Comp. And, unfortunately, since many companies rely on spell check and freelance writers, more people will think that.
ReplyDelete@Kell: Parapsychology.