I'm going to tell you the story of my adventures in publishing little by little, in the hope that in a few weeks, I may have some news to share with you.
My education as a writer has been a lifelong process, as it is for most writers. But instead of telling you my whole autobiography, I'll start with my graduate school experience.
I studied for a doctorate in English literature at Emory University from Fall 1999 until Spring 2006, when I received my Ph. D..
I knew from the beginning that I might not want to be an academic, for several reasons too complex to explain here. I wanted to go to graduate school because I loved literature and I was good at analyzing it. I just wanted to study.
And study I did! For three years I took classes and the dreaded comprehensive exams, first written, then oral. Many parts of grad school were grueling, but I was blessed with a wonderful group of peers and a great faculty. Almost everybody in my program was pretty humane, which is not true at many other grad programs. I'm especially grateful for my dissertation director, who taught me a great deal. I really needed his support when I relocated during my fourth year of grad school and ended up writing my dissertation long-distance, while caring for a baby!
I'm happy with the work I did in graduate school. Thanks to my dissertation director's guidance, I produced a quality dissertation that ended up winning a prize. More important was my immersion for seven years in literature of all kinds. I read, and read, and read--classic works from the Renaissance to the present. (I skipped Medieval--had enough Middle English as an undergrad, thank you very much!)
These long years of studying great writers became my creative writing apprenticeship. In conjunction with my undergraduate study of theater and poetry, my graduate school experience gave me knowledge--both intuitive and analytical-- of the elements of great stories.
I haven't been through an MFA program, so I can't compare a Ph.D. program in literature to an MFA. I can vouch that a Ph. D. program of literary study can do wonders to prepare you for working as a novelist. The catch is that if you're going to consider it, you have to really enjoy literary criticism. No one who only wants to create is going to make it through the rigors of a seven-year program in analysis.
Next: My Publishing Journey #2 - What Happens to a Dream Deferred?
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15 comments:
Wow. I didn't even know you could get a Ph.D pulling other books apart. Cool. I'd love to do a MFA. If we had the funds I would! Can't wait to hear your news.
Ooo! I can't wait to hear more, Roslyn! And what an intense program!!
I would be in school for the rest of my life if I could afford the time and finances.
I'm beginning to appreciate feedback more and more as I see it improving my work.
Can't wait to keep reading.
~ Wendy
That sounds very interesting. What works inspired you the most? Do you still use theatre in your life?
You're making me very anxious with your teasers of good news.
M.
So...can we call you Doc?
:-)
I'm looking forward to your good news.
Rosslyn, it's fun to hear more of the back story of your writing life. How are you liking the new blog schedule? I'm considering cutting back in one form or another, so am wondering how it's suited you. Do you miss more frequent postings?
Waiting patiently...for your news and a response if you can manage it. :)
Tabitha - I like to think of it as encouraging deeper appreciation of books rather than pulling them apart. :-) Though some academics certainly do pull them apart.
Mary - Theater is a very loaded pastime for me, as it's all tied up with a period of lostness in my past. However, I do enjoy directing some children's programs at our church. I was always more interested in directing than in acting, but the time I spent in acting classes was invaluable for my understanding of characterization in novels.
Roxane - I like the new schedule! It's funny how several people I know seem to be cutting back at the moment. We all have to work constantly to keep our lives simple! I do miss some of the conversations, and I suspect I may be ready to start reading a little more again, even if I stick to a once a week post personally.
Rosslyn, thanks for the response -- I just caught yours on my blog. Good to hear it's been a helpful break for you. As for my Fat Tuesday "announcement," I'll let you in on it now, since I'm not sure now how I'll present it, but basically, I'm going to be moving deeply into the spiritual aspects of my blog during the whole of Lent. I did this last year too and really loved it. Before then, I really didn't speak much about my faith. It's as if I was hiding it. Last year's Lent allowed me to "come out," and ever since then, faith has been big part of what I write about. So, this Lent, I'm going to do the same. I risk losing some readers, but to be honest, I can't wait! And during Lent, I will be discerning the future of my blog and whether I will be cutting back for a while in the future. I have many things that need tending to and I am sensing the need to slow down a bit on blogging, though not duck out altogether. I enjoy it too much. It's hard to find the balance though, isn't it? Alright, sorry for the VERY LONG response. :) Have a nice Fat Tuesday. :)
That's amazing!! Very impressive. Now I can't wait to read a novel by someone so educated in literature!!!!
Roxane - I sympathize with the "coming out" process. Though I've always discussed some aspects of my faith on my blog, it was hard for me to take the plunge into just talking the way I would talk to a good friend, without watering down or hiding what I think. I am very conscious that not everyone from my past will respect my beliefs, and some will think I'm crazy or naive. But part of growing up for me has been learning to accept negative judgments with the understanding that we can't please everyone all the time. So I'm glad you have made the same decision! It's very liberating.
Eileen - That's very sweet of you. I just finished explaining to another friend, though, that one of the main advantages of studying so much great literature is that I am not in much danger of becoming vain. There is a VAST difference between what I write and some of the great work I have read. :-) I don't write literary fiction; I just try to write as well as I can while creating uplifting mainstream fiction.
Roxane, I'm such a dork. I just accidentally pressed the wrong button and lost your comment. However, by going back, I was able to at least reconstruct your text, so here it is! It's too good a comment to lose.
ROXANE SAYS:
"But part of growing up for me has been learning to accept negative judgments with the understanding that we can't please everyone all the time."
Rosslyn, we are on a parallel journey there. What a breakthrough that was! I write for secular press too and have to be somewhat careful, but when it comes to our blogs, we own our own content for the most part, and we shouldn't have to hide behind anything here. It has been exhilirating to let my faith spill into the rest of my words. Thanks for the fun exchange.
Congratulations on your PhD. What a wonderful accomplishment. And I'll bet studying great writers/writing is terrific preparation for your own writing.
I'm so glad you are sharing your background to us. I've wanted to know how you became a writer.
It's amazing to me that you have all those years of studying the classics. I'm sure you are able to draw on that when you write.
Rosslyn, you've done so much hard work in your academic programs that the writing you are doing now probably seems much more enjoyable. Good work.
Note: I put off starting the D.Min. for at least another year. Still have a child at home and don't want to start a new program right now.
What an amazing experience!
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