Now, it turns out that what was said about “shop class” has great relevance because, at least in visual arts, it is possible to at least make a living — and a good one at that — in certain areas such as game design and films. My dreams of becoming the next Lucian Freud aside, I think maybe if recently-graduated writers broaden their ideas about what is acceptable to do with their skills for a living one can, at least, pay the rent and be able to concentrate on where their real passion lies. Maybe you won’t be the next Salinger, but at least you will be able to write.

The question, at least in visual arts, is whether a masters degree will add anything to those two goals (of earning a living and making art). From what I have seen in my discipline, most employers are more interested in whether you can produce what they need than what letters you put after your name.

At any rate, it is something which needs to be looked at, thought about and talked about too. Thank you for bringing up the subject.

A visiting writer white-South African from hell once held up her hand in the middle of making me read a piece I had so recently extruded (she wanted fresh work) it was still a funny color and said, “Stop! This sounds like a young-adult novel that isn’t working.” I went home and sat under an afghan and watched a Brady Bunch marathon.

I thought I had a mentor from the program (another visiting writer who advised me to send her my work because it was really good), but it took me so long to recover the confidence to send her something, she’d forgotten who I was.

MFA programs? I don’t recommend them. Just read and write.

Cheers!