Is a Degree Needed in Order to Be a Writer?

 

Some writers may wonder if they need a degree in order to be a writer. The answer really depends on what kind of writer you want to be.

 

If you want to be a journalist, then some college training in journalism, or even a degree, would be important to have.

 

If you want to be a freelance writer, you don’t need a college degree for it – UNLESS you plan to specialize in a field such as astronomy, medicine or history. Then having that degree would certainly help you because it shows you received formal training in that field, making you a qualified and authoritative candidate for writing about it.

 

But if you just want to write novels, then you don’t need a degree.

 

But what about the MFA? An MFA, or Master of Fine Arts, degree is the kind of graduate degree which shows a student has completed studies in visual arts, performing arts and creative writing. Many writers out there have strived to obtain the coveted MFA, hoping that by doing so this will give them better leverage in their writing career and help them stand out above the average writer.

 

But does a writer really need an MFA?

 

I am subscribed to the SPILL IT! Newsletter published by Vine Leaves Press. They recently ran an article by writer Ian M. Rogers titled “Do You REALLY Need an MFA To Become a Writer?” I read this article with interest because I have always wondered the same thing! I often read writer bios, and I have come across many where the writer notes they have an MFA in writing. I often wondered if that MFA is what helped them to get their work accepted for publication.

 

Well, this might not always be the truth.

 

As Rogers noted in his article, “I know a lot of great writers who never set foot in grad school, and many who have degrees but whose books I have zero interest in reading.”

 

I second that! Heck, I’ve read amazing work written by high school students, college students, college graduates without an MFA and even high school dropouts. I have also read many works by writers with an MFA who I didn’t particularly care for – and some that I have!

 

I think what it really boils down to is talent. How good of a writer you are. You really don’t need a college degree, doctorate or MFA in order to be a writer – or even a great writer. By consistently writing, practicing, reading and learning what you can about the craft of writing, you can STILL be a writer sans the MFA.

 

Of course, if you still feel an MFA would help you as a writer, you don’t need to go to graduate school to earn it. You can earn it online! My recently released ebook, Free Stuff For Writers, which is available free on Kindle, includes the resource for a “DIY MFA.” So you can try that out too.

 

Bottom line: A degree can absolutely help you as a writer and with your writing career, but it is not required. The choice about pursuing a degree is a personal choice.

Don't Ever Believe That Something "Can't" Be Done

 

“I can’t write this!”

 

“I can’t make this story work.”

 

“I can’t do this!”

 

“Can’t” is a very annoying word. There’s something final about it. When someone is told “It can’t be done,” that’s like a permanent end to something. Don’t even try to change it; there’s no way around it once someone says “can’t.”

 

But you really need to remove that word from your vocabulary – especially if you are a writer.

 

By accepting that you “can’t” write a particular thing or that you “can’t” figure out how to write a story, you’ll end up trashing and abandoning more ideas and WIPs. You’ll end up never going all the way. And, you just might give up trying to get published.

 

That’s not the kind of attitude a writer should have.

 

The kind of attitude a writer should have is the “can do” attitude. It may sound cheesy, but a writer really needs to have faith in their abilities in order to achieve success. They need to believe that they CAN write something, CAN get published and CAN get an agent.

 

You just have to believe that you can!

 

There is always a way.

 

Don’t ever permanently close the door on something.

 

If you really want something, then keep trying to make it happen. Don't accept the first sign of defeat; fight for what you want! It may take a very long time and it may take brainstorming with other people, but if you want something, really want to do something, really want to learn something or really want to write something, then keep trying. Then try some more! Just don’t give up.

 

If you’re struggling with a story, take a break. Do other things in order to give your creativity the time and boost it needs to figure things out.

 

If you’re struggling with getting published, then DON’T GIVE UP! Keep writing and submitting!

 

If you’re frustrated because your first go at getting published means not getting paid for it, then hang in there! Something better will come along. I had to accept nonpayment for writing articles in my local newspaper before I got paid to write articles for a national newspaper. I just had to keep an eye out for that better publication opportunity.

 

If you’re struggling with learning how to write something new, then keep trying. Keep at it. Read everything you can about how to write it, take courses and study the thing you are trying to write.

 

It may take a long time to achieve the kind of goal you aim for, but it’s worth it to hang in there. It’s worth it to keep trying. And it’s worth it to believe that, no matter what, you can do it.

Good Writing Takes Time

 

There are a lot of writers out there who believe they must or that they should be able to write everything super-fast. It’s almost as if having this ability to write everything faster than the average writer makes them stand out. From writers challenging themselves to bang out a 50,000-word novel in one week by writing 10,000 words a day to writers promising to meet a deadline for their article by the next day, these writers feel that being able to get work done in record time makes them more desirable or competent.

 

However, if you want to write well, you should give yourself the time to write well. Don’t try to force the words or the story in order to finish writing a project really fast. Don’t try to rush it. (Trust me, your readers will know if your writing seems forced.)

 

As frustrating as it can be for some writers, it takes time to write a good article, a good story and a good book. For some writers, it may come naturally to write something fast, because they have been writing for so long that they have a good grasp on how to get their work done in good time. These are the writers who can easily get their work done quickly – and still be able to produce good work.

 

For other writers, they may need some time to write that first draft or to even finalize their fifth draft. That’s perfectly acceptable!

 

Good writing takes time to write. If you try to rush through the writing, you might miss something or make mistakes. You might end up with something poorly written or a story lacking depth, characterization and good description. I have come across many published stories that are obviously first drafts. They contain many mistakes and are poorly written. I couldn’t help but wonder if the author felt rushed to write this story and get it out there. Your readers may end up thinking the same thing if you don’t give your writing the time it requires to be written, revised and edited.

 

If you are a writer in such a situation where you do have to write something quickly (such as a news reporter), then remember how you were taught to write. Stick to your training. Write the best piece you can and go over it carefully before submitting.

 

If you are a writer with a deadline, then get to work on your assignment as soon as you can. Try to write your first draft as far away from your deadline as possible so that you have the time to go over it. Use the days leading up to your deadline to continue to research your piece and complete interviews so that you can add them to your work as your deadline moves closer.

 

In the event you have the time to write, however, then give yourself the time you need. Go at a pace that is comfortable for you. If you start struggling with your work, then step away from it in order to figure it out while doing other things. Write it as often as you can, yes, but don’t try to force it.

 

It can absolutely make a writer a more desirable candidate for work if they are able to write fast, but what you want to be able to do is produce good work. What matters the most is that you are able to produce good writing, even if it takes a little time to write it. Give yourself time to write and your work will turn out better for it.