Weird coda to my creative writing class.
Dec. 14th, 2006 01:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icarusCue the scene: Stepping into the creative writing office, I hear a stream of derisive laughter from my creative writing T.A./Prof.'s office. He and the other T.A. are hanging out, pouring over stories. I took an instant dislike to her from her sarcastic, rather nasty tone, and I wondered how much effect these two had on each other throughout the quarter.
Because if I was their teacher, and this was kindergarten, I'd separate them. I know a bad combination when I hear it.
He came out to accept my story portfolio when I really just wanted to drop it in his box and skeedadle. Amazingly, as soon as the pressure was off and the class was over, he was sweet again. This is the guy I remember from last summer.
"So, are you planning to apply to the creative writing program?" he asks.
Oh god. How does one evade this question? Because the honest answer is, I was leaning towards "no" before his class, but this class convinced me not just no, but "No Way." Not that I'd ever take a class with him again but I've learned that creative writing is entirely the teacher. If you have a good teacher, you make good progress. If you have a bad teacher, at best you'll make no progress. At worst, you'll backslide. In lit, no matter how bad your teacher is, at least you're exposed to the original works.
"Uh, no, I don't think so," *backpedal-backpedal, Danger, Danger Will Robinson!* "I just feel there's no place for a genre writer in this creative writing program." I named a couple of professors (other than him) that weren't positive towards sci-fi, et al. "Maybe if I was at Kent State University... they have an entire Sci-Fi program."
He nodded and mentioned another university -- Columbia? -- that has a strong Sci-Fi program. Quickly, I switched the subject to his cold, and asked him about his writing projects.
Fastest way out of a conversation: Ask people about themselves.
He mentioned his creative writing thesis and was evasive; either he doesn't talk about his writing or![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amothea suggests that he hasn't started. "How's that going?" I ask.
"Oh, I have till March." (I thinkamothea is right.)
To keep the conversation out of dangerous shoals, I talked about Out Of Bounds (leaving off the fanfiction AU part), going to the Nationals in January, and writing research in general.
"You know how once you research something for a story, you retain an interest in that subject and keep going, even when the story is done?" I talked about interviewing two Vietnam vets for a war story (also fanfic, but nevermind that) and he looked a little blank. I don't think he's ever done that level of research.
I came away feeling like I could name a dozen fanfic writers who were far more experienced, active, and engaged in writing, who understood the research involved. Heck, I just read a fluffy SGA romance last night where the writer had taken the time to get Rodney's hydrogen fuel technology right.
I came away... less disgusted with him, and more impressed with the calibre of writers in fanfiction.
Because if I was their teacher, and this was kindergarten, I'd separate them. I know a bad combination when I hear it.
He came out to accept my story portfolio when I really just wanted to drop it in his box and skeedadle. Amazingly, as soon as the pressure was off and the class was over, he was sweet again. This is the guy I remember from last summer.
"So, are you planning to apply to the creative writing program?" he asks.
Oh god. How does one evade this question? Because the honest answer is, I was leaning towards "no" before his class, but this class convinced me not just no, but "No Way." Not that I'd ever take a class with him again but I've learned that creative writing is entirely the teacher. If you have a good teacher, you make good progress. If you have a bad teacher, at best you'll make no progress. At worst, you'll backslide. In lit, no matter how bad your teacher is, at least you're exposed to the original works.
"Uh, no, I don't think so," *backpedal-backpedal, Danger, Danger Will Robinson!* "I just feel there's no place for a genre writer in this creative writing program." I named a couple of professors (other than him) that weren't positive towards sci-fi, et al. "Maybe if I was at Kent State University... they have an entire Sci-Fi program."
He nodded and mentioned another university -- Columbia? -- that has a strong Sci-Fi program. Quickly, I switched the subject to his cold, and asked him about his writing projects.
Fastest way out of a conversation: Ask people about themselves.
He mentioned his creative writing thesis and was evasive; either he doesn't talk about his writing or
amothea suggests that he hasn't started. "How's that going?" I ask."Oh, I have till March." (I think
amothea is right.)To keep the conversation out of dangerous shoals, I talked about Out Of Bounds (leaving off the fanfiction AU part), going to the Nationals in January, and writing research in general.
"You know how once you research something for a story, you retain an interest in that subject and keep going, even when the story is done?" I talked about interviewing two Vietnam vets for a war story (also fanfic, but nevermind that) and he looked a little blank. I don't think he's ever done that level of research.
I came away feeling like I could name a dozen fanfic writers who were far more experienced, active, and engaged in writing, who understood the research involved. Heck, I just read a fluffy SGA romance last night where the writer had taken the time to get Rodney's hydrogen fuel technology right.
I came away... less disgusted with him, and more impressed with the calibre of writers in fanfiction.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:12 am (UTC)Pouring? Really?
Yes, I know I have no soul. Otherwise I'd have something more interesting to say ... when you're completely over and done with the class, are you going to find this guy and tell him that the story he loved and which he said showed you'd done loads of work was written two years ago? Because he so deserves it.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 06:56 am (UTC)you going to find this guy and tell him that the story he loved and which he said showed you'd done loads of work was written two years ago?
I don't think I'll risk it. Besides, I don't think he'll get the point, that I was a better writer before his class. Now, god, I'm almost scared to touch pen to paper for fear what will come out.
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:36 am (UTC)*shudder*
Yes it is the best way to get out of a conversation. I do it all the time with my supervisor
S:'So, how is your thesis progressing?'
Me: 'Great! How is your paper going for the book?'
S:'Distracted and talking'
Me: *phew*
Also he so hasn't written anything on his thesis. That is precisely the same excuse I give every, single time. The 'oh yes, great, fascinating topic, just doing some reading'. If he had done something on it you'd not be able to shut him up about it.
Heh. I come away with that conclusion after standing in a 'popular' bookstore and reading the blurbs on the best seller list.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:18 am (UTC)The more I look at it, the more I'm convinced that, yeaaah, no. He hasn't. And he doesn't have any other writing projects in the pipeline.
I admit, I put "real writers" and creative writing programs on a pedestal. Partially this was due to an excellent creative writing teacher I had in 2003. Now I know that writing programs cover the same material you learn from a good beta or twenty, while fanfiction has the advantage of going "direct to market": you know right away if your story "sells" based on reviews.
Icarus
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 01:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:20 am (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 04:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:21 am (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 06:57 am (UTC)I'm really rather in awe of your ability to make lemonade out of lemons... Is it teachable?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:23 am (UTC)*crosses fingers*
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 10:48 am (UTC)I love researching things for writing. half the time I forget to even write the fic, or just lose interest in the storyline I had planned, but the answers to my random questions are always fascinating. (I finally used WG's P90 spiel today. *grins*)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:27 am (UTC)Did you? Oh, he'll be pleased. Does this mean we can see fic from you in the near future? What's the name of the story?
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 07:36 am (UTC)I have a friend checking it now, but then it'll go up in the community if you're interested.
At the moment as far as fic goes, I'm in the land of too many wips that I just never seem to be able to finish. Plus I was going to write original fic for this uni thing... *hums*
no subject
Date: 2006-12-18 06:46 am (UTC)one summer, that's all i read, was fanfiction. normally i go through 10-15 books in a summer, but all i read was HP#5 (that was the summer it came out), and fanfiction...because it was all good and wonderfully written and yeah.. it's sad that people can't make money on their wonderful works, but then it just means that they don't do it for the money. they write because they want to. some of my best stories are fanfics.. and i'm proud of them.