Comments on: Where the Hell Is My Incremental Perturbation?

By: Brian D'Souza

Brian D'Souza — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:42:43 +0000

Another great piece of advice.

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 00:46:47 +0000

Have been checking in on your blog now and then and enjoying it. Your discussion here about plot reminded me of what one of my teachers used to say about plot–that it had to do with getting people into trouble and then getting them back out. Which is perhaps not so very different from what Barth says. And maybe not so different from fairy tales.

Oh, and just recognized–I guess paid attention enough to recognize–where your banner comes from. It’s the Carver story, right? The one about the boy who dies and the baker? A good small thing? Nice.

By: Armand

Armand — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 17:28:27 +0000

Rachel-

As someone who also has an MFA, I would say the programs can be very helpful, but I would advise against accruing much debt while in attendance.

If I had to do it again, I would either get into a school that pays your way or go part time (maybe just one class per semester) and work enough to pay as you go. I would take out as few loans as humanly possible.

Also- I would suggest using that time to hammer out a novel (in sections) rather than doing the traditional short-story route that many MFA programs tend to emphasize. While it is easier to workshop and finish a short story in one semester (which is why, I think, most beginning workshops are based on the short story) the short story market is tiny compared to the novel market. If you wanted to break things out later, you could always turn some chapters on the novel into stand-alone short stories.

Just my 2 cents

- Armand

By: gordon

gordon — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:28:25 +0000

@Armand – Nice idea. I’ve been wanting to take a screenwriting class for a while. Maybe in the spring.

@Rachel – For what it’s worth, there were fresh young “kollidg” students in my MFA program, right alongside less fresh folks like me (35), and people on up to their 50s and 60s. Personally, I got way more from my wiser colleagues than the wee ones fresh out of undergrad. I say you’re not too damn old.

@Tommy – The fairy tale gambit is excellent. Thanks for dropping that in. I’m using that from now on.

By: Tommy

Tommy — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:03:19 +0000

William Olen Butler said that Plot flows from a character’s yearning. It’s that whole, what does a character want thing.

Also, if I’m stuck on plot, i think fairy tale. At every juncture of the story, say yes. Will goldilocks go inside the house? Parent-me says no. Storyteller me has to say yes, let her go inside.

By: Rachel Ann Gray

Rachel Ann Gray — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:08:37 +0000

To MFA or NOT to MFA?!!?
I spin a good yarn. However, my credentials consist of a well-worn library card and a half-century of hard living. Am I too damned old to go to kollidj?

By: Armand

Armand — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:34:31 +0000

I’m not the best with plots, but one thing that taught me a lot was taking a screen writing class.

regards-
Armand