tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post5838183871924693812..comments2024-03-19T04:45:08.455-07:00Comments on Writing About Writing (And Occasionally Some Writing): The Mailbox: Why Don't You Become a "Real Writer"?Chris Brecheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-87149867490438955882018-05-21T20:49:24.640-07:002018-05-21T20:49:24.640-07:00You’d think a guy with an MFA wouldn’t need to be ...You’d think a guy with an MFA wouldn’t need to be schooled so hard. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16185607382744870813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-84361849890722269762018-05-21T12:34:52.901-07:002018-05-21T12:34:52.901-07:00Longtime reader, first-time commenter.
I desperat...Longtime reader, first-time commenter.<br /><br />I desperately wanted my MFA but settled for a BA when it came time to decide if I wanted my first job (as a newspaper editor right out of college, back when newspapers were still a viable source of employment) to pay for another degree or rent on a place that was anywhere but my parents' house.<br /><br />Not going for my master's was the best decision I ever made, hands down: While my advanced-degree pals were facing mounting debt and zero job prospects in the face of the recession, I was accruing real-world writing experiences for my resume and portfolio, which kept me employable--and able to say that my 12-year career has been entirely spent in writing and editing. <br /><br />Do I still want an MFA? Well, yeah, but only because the classroom is more enjoyable than an office (and also bragging rights). But having writing awards and a portfolio full of articles on glossy pages and a steady income tgat comes from word-slinging makes me feel way more like a writer than a $65,000 piece of paper does.<br /><br />Thank you for this post, both for the sentiment and the aspirational levels of burn you showcased here that were one helluva jpy to read.Madeleinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13921234842400142792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-82026854579457488052017-12-05T21:21:49.762-08:002017-12-05T21:21:49.762-08:00I'm gonna bookmark this page and send it to wh...I'm gonna bookmark this page and send it to whoever asks me when I'm going back for my masters next. Love it so much. Thanks for writing, keep it up!a.f.caldwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15740314306187209904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-45663728954603703742017-12-05T19:35:43.340-08:002017-12-05T19:35:43.340-08:00Here (again) for the rerun. Can't remember if ...Here (again) for the rerun. Can't remember if I read this when it first ran but I know I've read it before and it never fails to make me laugh. I'm thankful I've never gotten any indignant messages from "real writers" (or maybe I have, I don't check my email that often...)Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01335202125314671709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-70458101769287161122017-12-05T15:05:35.983-08:002017-12-05T15:05:35.983-08:00So came here from the rerun link... and grinned at...So came here from the rerun link... and grinned at the figures you quoted!Akcipitrokulohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935515409759907878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-16975644921493023552017-12-05T11:13:51.110-08:002017-12-05T11:13:51.110-08:00Coming here from a 2017 rerun.
Thanks for this. ...Coming here from a 2017 rerun. <br /><br />Thanks for this. For years I felt I couldn't wrote the way I wanted and felt self conscious because I'm not a "real writer".<br /><br />Blogs like yours help a lot. You're awesome Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05469635102797474646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-25098507472118896472017-12-04T21:50:42.836-08:002017-12-04T21:50:42.836-08:00Am I the only one offended by your stereotype of t...Am I the only one offended by your stereotype of the janitors? I mean. Honestly man, let’s not disparage the entire profession eh?<br />J/k that was the best article I’ve read in a long time. Every bit of it. Don’t pull the punches, you’ve got all words, use them! And don’t ever feel bad about it. <br />Also-super excited to view myself as a gatekeeper-it’s like I got a life promotion just for reading! Yay me. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15192875182071276839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-81268949349331817922017-04-30T14:15:04.733-07:002017-04-30T14:15:04.733-07:00Wow, I believe it's almost humanly impossible ...Wow, I believe it's almost humanly impossible to write a good novel in just three days - unless you are Agatha Christie, of course.~***~https://www.blogger.com/profile/13288891970682349938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-33767498464069000932017-04-30T14:12:13.145-07:002017-04-30T14:12:13.145-07:00Wow, I believe it's almost humanly impossible ...Wow, I believe it's almost humanly impossible to write a good novel in just three days - unless you are Agatha Christie, of course.~***~https://www.blogger.com/profile/13288891970682349938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-1830219334850186562017-04-30T07:11:58.523-07:002017-04-30T07:11:58.523-07:00Thanks Chris. I used to be a member of the Nation...Thanks Chris. I used to be a member of the National Association of Science Writers...yes, I actually wrote loads of medical news articles. But at annual meetings, it seems that upwards to 70 percent of attendees had never written a thing. Could never figure out why they attended!<br /><br />I just finished a blog piece, an essay, on what I termed a 1950's fairy tale. It's the true story of a lion cub who was thrown against the bars of her cage by her mother at the Port Defiance Zoo (Tacoma, WA). A Washington couple rescued the injured cub and raised her in their home, where she became a 350 pound tabby cat. Totally tame, vegetarian, rode unleashed on parade floats, and helped sell cars for a local auto dealership. My grandfather made visits to the rescue ranch, hence the story. The role of fairy tales, even modern ones, play such a role in a young child's life.<br /><br /> If you have time (and I know you may get this request a lot, so I understand) go to: thisandthatbyjudy.com My graphic artist deserves great credit for designing the template/site. Never under-estimate good graphics when it comes to publishing stuff on the web!<br /><br />You have a wonderful FB page...judy folkenberghttp://thisandthatbyjudy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-53308211768249716292014-09-25T21:41:59.777-07:002014-09-25T21:41:59.777-07:00No worries. I can see who you are from this end wi...No worries. I can see who you are from this end without any trouble.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-3811775450516331492014-09-25T21:41:37.627-07:002014-09-25T21:41:37.627-07:00Did I reply? I'm not seeing anything in my in...Did I reply? I'm not seeing anything in my inbox from the seventh, but life is sort of a blur these days.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-34859289200838246982014-09-25T20:15:50.304-07:002014-09-25T20:15:50.304-07:00bet you the person who sent in the original bitchi...bet you the person who sent in the original bitching didnt even read ur replyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-25814972376380728532014-09-07T11:58:51.853-07:002014-09-07T11:58:51.853-07:00Terrific post! Just found your blog today.
I emai...Terrific post! Just found your blog today.<br /><br />I emailed you about my MFA dilemma. Sandra L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12996512145634439543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-82805377656206429972014-03-12T14:24:48.392-07:002014-03-12T14:24:48.392-07:00True, there is a perverted pleasure in burning the...True, there is a perverted pleasure in burning them for all eyes to see ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-74868251494449606842014-03-11T17:37:16.257-07:002014-03-11T17:37:16.257-07:00Yeah, I figured it was probably a waste of time to...Yeah, I figured it was probably a waste of time to reply to the person who wrote it, but it gave me an excuse to put on a show for everyone else. Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-19508822859613073262014-03-11T17:18:16.300-07:002014-03-11T17:18:16.300-07:00Oh. I am not anonymous. I'm just new at this. ...Oh. I am not anonymous. I'm just new at this. Very well then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-46137255279216528052014-03-11T17:15:06.876-07:002014-03-11T17:15:06.876-07:00That's a fine comeback.
However, my experience...That's a fine comeback.<br />However, my experience tells me that there's no understanding with this type of dirt. These people are so, soooo self confident, that your words cannot even reach their limited, pseudo intellectual little heads. And they don't deserve the time one spends on replying.<br />I enjoyed this, though:<br />"I realize that you're surrounded by people who are very busy sleeping with each other and attending every literary event they can find where there is free wine from a box". Made my day. Thank you ;) <br /> <br />and I have no idea why this thing is making me anonymous, I'm from here:<br />http://jsjasmine.wordpress.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-10524725641354963482013-09-12T13:40:40.626-07:002013-09-12T13:40:40.626-07:00Three days? What the hell is anyone supposed to d...Three days? What the hell is anyone supposed to do in three days???Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-40448890326942102962013-09-12T13:37:59.843-07:002013-09-12T13:37:59.843-07:00Super :)
I had a friend who was just as pretentio...Super :)<br /><br />I had a friend who was just as pretentious as your anonymous assclown. she only read literary stuff and wrote in literary styles. Even her fanfiction, ffs. If I still knew her (we stopped talking in 2006 for reasons on both sides), I'd point her to your Nano article. One year she'd entered a contest to write a novel in three days, and gave me a patronizing part on the head and an "Oh, isn't that cute!"statement when I said I was doing Nano. I agree with your article, and I imagine one could take what your Nano article (why it's a bad idea) and multiply it by ten for what she tried.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00715105712066395402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-80801406402572380132013-05-28T18:35:30.846-07:002013-05-28T18:35:30.846-07:00Thanks Amy. That makes me feel uberawesome coming...Thanks Amy. That makes me feel uberawesome coming from you! :)Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-31388236764397370412013-05-28T18:32:29.644-07:002013-05-28T18:32:29.644-07:00This post is delicious the second time around, too...This post is delicious the second time around, too.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06575902449982773635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-53445522047447923482013-05-03T17:23:00.675-07:002013-05-03T17:23:00.675-07:00Holy crap. That was like watching an octopus eat ...Holy crap. That was like watching an octopus eat a shark. You are my God.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-65594404402285293742013-02-10T18:36:34.762-08:002013-02-10T18:36:34.762-08:00Yeah, I actually have several friends who have don...Yeah, I actually have several friends who have done an MFA program. With the exception of the ones who really WANTED to learn to write in the "literary genre" they universally regret doing it.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-57205656189898765052013-02-10T18:34:21.335-08:002013-02-10T18:34:21.335-08:00This is just....beautiful man. ~sniff~
Unfortu...This is just....beautiful man. ~sniff~ <br /><br />Unfortunately I HAVE an MFA, and other than pushing the students to write more and cultivating in them a sense of "high art" that is basically "good examples of what WE like to read" they don't have much more going for them. You WOULD be bored.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com