by Helena Bell
The application season for Clarion West and other Clarion (UCSD) has begun. I’ve already seen posts on twitter from past alums encouraging people to apply and telling the world what wonderful, glorious experiences they had.
I’m not going to do that. I’m going to tell you not to apply. To not go. And here are my reasons:
Choose Your Own Nebula Speech Adventure (A Shameless Theft Homage of Tina Connolly’s Hard Choices).
MFA Programs and the efficacy or use thereof tend to come up in discussion periodically. For those of you interested, here is a run down of the types of programs and what to expect. I personally have an MFA in Poetry from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and am currently looking into applying for a second MFA, this time in Fiction. I might be addicted to school. Or it might be that MFA programs really are just that awesome.
You become a writer by writing. You learn by damaging your ego, and giving more of yourself than you take. By a thousand revelations, by millions of words you improve.
Peyton Kay has discovered a new Hole leading to the newest Eden for humanity, and a derelict alien ship hovering on the other side. She and her crew soon learn, however, that this vessel is far from lifeless.
Cynthia Ward has published stories in Analog, Asimov’s, Nightmare, Weird Tales, and elsewhere. With Nisi Shawl, she co-created the Locus-Award-winning Writing the Other workshop and handbook. Her latest book is The Adventure of the Golden Woman.
