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Four words and a number: Robert Silverberg,Science Fiction 101
BTW if you're sending stuff to publishers/submitting chapters etc you'll be wanting to talk in terms of word count rather than page count, because the font could be tiny or the lines could be double spaced - i.e. the "page" is a moveable feast whereas word count is a constant. Sorry, you probably know that.
With ref to what Nick said:
I think the point of phex's degree is that it's not just in something generally perceived to be useless for finding a job as well as unteachable - it's also in American literature, so with a bit of further reading ze could probably get a teaching job if ze wanted ... or go into advertising, copywriting, the Civil Service, lion-taming, whatever.
So this degree is not just about "learning to write" which is, as Jack pointed out, more about reading and writing itself than learning theory or story structure or grammar etc. The degree, as I understand it, would have basically the same academic kudos as a straight English degree, with extra creative fun thrown in.
As to how useful this qualification will be for making you a novelist, I think that's up to you. If you make the most out of your teachers and peers in terms of learning what not to do and how to take criticism, that's very good prep for, say, submitting stuff to magazines and publishers and competitions.
But publishers and agents don't much care if you've got a degree in creative writing - they just want to know if your writing's any good. That said, UEA does have a very good rep for putting out good writers - although the MA course is the really famous one. Shame it's being taught by that terrible cunt Motion.
You might find the following things to be an advantage if you intend to make writing your career:
1) Contacts. If you're not related to a writer/agent/publisher, sleep with one. If you can't do that, schmooze one. Most of the teachers on your course are probably professionally involved in writing somehow - ask them what you want to know. Use them. Make contacts. Get them to tell you names of magazines that might like your stuff. Get them to write an introductory letter, even, or at least let you say that they sent you in your covering letter.
2) Rejection. It happens to everyone. Start liking the taste of door as it slams in your face. Ask out the prettiest girl on campus for practice. If she says no, you're already learning to cope with rejection. If she says yes, congrats - you have a gorgeous new girlfriend.
3) Discipline. If you're writing a novel, set yourself targets - say 5000 words per week. You can be flexible, you don't have to write every day, but hit your weekly target and mnake it a point of honour. This is very important: it's going to be your career, right?
4) Reading. Read everything you like and lots you don't. Anything can give you an idea or a cool phrase - plus reading kind of feels like work, but is fun.
5) Being pretty. Never underestimate the importance of a cute jacket photo. Did wonders for Zadie Smith. If you're not pretty, don't worry about it, (it could be worse - you could be wanting to be an actor) but if you are it's a nice plus.
6) Perseverance. Find magazines you like and start submitting. Do it now. Study the style and word length they like and for God's sake always send an SAE. Keep submitting until you get something in. After a couple of years, if you don't succeed, you are either submitting to the wrong market or your writing sucks. But if you're at UEA it's probably not the latter (Motion excepted).
That's all I can think of. I'll shut up now. |
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