Comments | applyingtograd: Questions about MFA in Creative Writing

teacup56 in applyingtograd

Questions about MFA in Creative Writing

Mar 06, 2012 20:19

Hello all. I'm planning to apply to MFA programs in creative writing this fall (for fall 2013 start, hopefully). I'm already working on getting things together (some of it just mental planning at this point. For right now, I'm just researching schools online and working prolifically on a novella). I have some general questions, though ( Read more... )

writing sample, creative writing, statement of purpose, mfa

Comments 6

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teacup56 March 7 2012, 03:09:21 UTC

Why's that about the novella?

(confused...)

Oh, and about the writing sample, yes, of course I will be submitting fiction for an MFA program, not a critical paper.

agentdanger March 8 2012, 02:58:46 UTC

prolific means creating lots of different works. not just one.

teacup56 March 7 2012, 03:12:14 UTC

I guess because a novella is supposed to be short?

I think things that are labeled "novella" vary in length.

It's a long short story or a short novel. Mine's more of the short novel variety, I think, so I think one could be producing "prolifically" for a short novel.

teacup56 March 7 2012, 03:20:50 UTC

Ah, I see. Prolific refers to producing many works, not just producing a lot of words. I've always heard it used to say that a person is writing a lot, not necessarily producing many different works. But for the record, I'm doing that, too. Or rather, I have other works under my belt that will be tinkered with ( ... )

candychic125 March 7 2012, 18:13:16 UTC

I've seen the SOP done both ways. I looked up examples from successful applicants, and a lot of them are single spaced. I believe for the 500-1000 word variety, single is fine. But if a school specifies a 4-page count without the mention of spacing, I would email or call that school's secretary just to be sure. They most likely mean double. And if you're up against the wall without an answer, I would go for two pages single spaced, because more often than not, it would extend to four double spaced pages ( ... )

roseofjuly March 24 2012, 08:41:25 UTC

Not in your field, but

1) What does it add to your statement? If you state that most writers you know write from personal experience, why would putting that in your statement make you stand out? I suppose it would depend on the context.

2) In my field a 15-page writing sample means that they want one writing sample that is 15 pages long, not two at 7 and 8 pages. Usually they want to see how you expand on a theme/deeply cover some research topic. Not sure about fiction.

3) If they don't specify, you can do what you want, but double-spaced is easier to read once they print it out. I single-spaced my statement and double-spaced my writing sample (neither was specified).