Kendall Giles » Musings

New Podcast Series – Episode 1 – Beginnings

Kendall — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:04:24 +0000

So, I’ve started a new podcast series. Here’s Episode 1. Take a listen and drop me a line–I’d love to hear your feedback!

In this episode: a new podcast, a new publication, and something to be revealed in Episode 2.

Podcast:

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Mentioned in the Podcast:

InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences, Winter 2012 Edition

New essay published in InYo martial arts journal, winter 2012

Kendall — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:51:33 +0000

I just had an essay published in the Winter January 2012 issue of InYo: The Journal of Alternative Perspectives on the Martial Arts and Sciences.

Check it out!

Review: Every Writer’s Dream, by Jeff Goins

Kendall — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:53:49 +0000

With today’s dynamic publishing landscape and tight economic times, writers are increasingly expected to take on more of the marketing aspects by publishers for their books that make it to market. One subtle effect of this shift is that agents and publishers are looking at more than just the text of the book when deciding whether or not to sign the author. Yes, the author has to have written something great, but agents and publishers are also looking to see how well the author can help market the book.

For example, consider a book that is being proposed–the text is flawless and the book tells a compelling, interesting, and sellable story. Now, consider two hypothetical authors of that book. The first author is a housewife in Prairieville, Kansas, who tends to her house and family but otherwise has no community or online presence. The second author is a woman who is the CEO of a Fortune 1000 company, has a regular segment on NPR, and frequently is asked to keynote important industry conferences.

Both women write equally well, but hardly anyone knows the first author, while the second author is well-known across the country and perhaps in other parts of the world.

Suppose an agent or publisher loved the book and now has to decide which author to sign–the first author or the second author? Hopefully you can see why the agent or publisher would sign the second author–she is a widely known figure and her book would likely sell just because she is so well known.

This is the dilemma facing authors today. Yes, you have to write a great book, but there are things you need to be doing now in order to increase the likelihood that an agent or publisher will sign you once you finish writing your book.

What should an author be doing, in addition to writing the best book they can?

In Every Writer’s Dream, Jeff Goins details three important tools all authors should be using in order to increase the chances that an agent or publisher will accept a manuscript. These tools are called platform, brand, and connection. In this short, focused book, Goins explains what these tools are, why they are important, and how to get started using them. In fact, if an author uses these tools well, agents and publishers may come calling on the author instead of the author having to pitch to the agents and publishers.

Get Every Writer’s Dream and Before Your First Book using this link to Jeff Goins’ website.

As a bonus, Jeff is also including his short guide Before Your First Book, which includes motivations and tips to help get an author to stop waiting and start writing, right now.

For the next week, you can use the promo code “stopstalling” for $2 off.

How to Choose a Creative Writing MFA Program

Kendall — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:07:37 +0000

It’s early in the morning—-the sun is not yet up, but here I am, typing away, coffee at the ready.

What’s going on? Why aren’t I sleeping?

Though I didn’t get home last night until 1:30AM, I’ve got things to write.

You see, I’m just back from a creative writing residency as part of the Stonecoast MFA program in Creative Writing, at the University of Southern Maine–I’m brimming with ideas, energy, knowledge, and inspiration, and am still warm from the love and fellowship of other dedicated writers.

A good MFA program will motivate you this way. Though Stonecoast is a top-ten program and I’m absolutely thrilled with my experience there so far, for those of you who have the inkling that they might want to become a writer, but aren’t sure if they want to commit to an MFA program, I want to take a step back and talk for a moment about how to choose a creative writing MFA program that is best for your own specific writing needs and goals, and whether or not you should go for an MFA after all.

WHO WANTS TO WRITE?

So, you want to be a writer? You want to write poetry, a novel, or maybe a screenplay?

Well, nothing is stopping you—just start writing!

Or maybe you want a way to guarantee that your book will be published? Maybe you want to know how to write a best-seller?

Sorry, there are no guarantees, though there is always self-publication and hoping for the best.

Maybe you want an MFA so you can earn tons of money?

Um, you just might indeed write the next bestseller, but, in general, “tons of money” and “writer” are seldom seen in the same sentence, unless also combined with “are you crazy?”

However, maybe you want to learn how to write well and to improve your writing so that it is the best it can be. Maybe you want to work with top writers and develop a circle of motivated writers like yourself. Maybe you want to go to stimulating workshops and learn the ins and outs of writing craft and the profession of writing. Maybe you need structure and dedicated time to write.

If so, there are several choices available to you, one of which is to get an MFA in Creative Writing. Everyone has their own writing goals and writing interests, so know right upfront that there is no one best program for all students. There are programs that are better for certain students than others, however, and so below I’ll touch on some of the criteria and options you should consider before applying. It’s a serious decision, but I hope this guide will provide some help and clarity.

WHY I WROTE THIS GUIDE

I went through this entire process myself—the same process you are now undertaking. I agonized over different programs and unfamiliar jargon, and compiled reams of data. After deciding to get an MFA and analyzing all the different choices available, in the end I applied to a top-ten creative writing MFA program (Stonecoast) and, luckily, I got in! I couldn’t be happier with my decision. So, after realizing that a lot of the resources out there on how to choose MFA programs are a little dated, I decided to write this guide, compiling together all my notes, thoughts, questions, and discoveries, in the hope that it might help someone else.

WHY GET AN MFA?

I alluded above to some reasons why you might want to get an MFA, including:

improving your writing
networking with other writers
learning writing craft and professionalism.

These are noble goals, for sure, and an MFA can help take your writing to the next level. However, getting an MFA will require a lot of work, will take time, and may cost a lot of money, so it helps to be sure that this is really what you want to do.

All of the reasons I listed center on the desire to make yourself the best writer you can be. Note that none of these reasons say that with an MFA you will automatically get your book published or that you will automatically get a job teaching. Getting an MFA may help with these two events, but again, there are no guarantees. An MFA program costs a lot of money and time, so be sure you are spending your time and money on the right things. In the end, it’s up to you to do your homework. Only you can make the decision on whether or not to go, and where to go.

So, with those caveats out of the way, let’s dig in.

SHOULD YOU GET AN MFA?

Questions to ask yourself:

Are you looking to become a writer or a creative writing teacher?
Are you mainly interested in self-expression or is your focus on getting published?
What do you want to write? Poetry? Literary fiction? Popular Fiction? Screenplays? Creative NonFiction? Horror? Romance? Crime? Science Fiction? Fantasy?
Do you want to go for your PhD?
Can you relocate to another city/state easily or do you have job/family obligations that would make moving impractical?

Since the expected financial return from an MFA degree is rather low compared to other graduate degrees, especially degrees in engineering, be sure you really are making the wisest choice. I.e., an MFA might be right for you if you are passionate about writing, really want to improve your writing, and are willing to assume the time/money burden such a program will entail. If you are looking for your MFA to guarantee a six-figure salary to support your spouse and five children, then you might want to reconsider.

Note that, again, you don’t need an MFA to write. Many people have developed successful writing careers without one. There is a lot of debate out there on whether or not the MFA program is worth the money/time cost. Some of the arguments made are valid, some not, but you have to decide for yourself based on your unique goals, expectations, and life situation.

So here are some additional resources that may help you decide if an MFA is for you:

CREATIVE WRITING MFA PROGRAM MODELS

The Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree is a terminal graduate degree, meaning that it is considered to be the highest degree in its field. With an MFA, you can often be hired to teach in a college or university. Note, however, that current trends have seen the rise of Creative Writing PhD programs. Be aware of this if your goal is to teach in a university, since universities often, all else being equal, tend to favor someone with a PhD rather than just an MFA. So if you are only in it to teach, then you should seriously consider enrolling in a PhD program or continuing on to a PhD program after your MFA.

Generally, MFA programs last 2-3 years and, at a minimum, you will be required to present some sort of portfolio of your writing to graduate. Each school has their own course, project, teaching, writing, and other requirements, so you will need to look at the requirements for the schools you are interested in.

The MFA is more of an applied degree—the end products you create are actual creative writing stories, novels, poems, and screenplays. The Creative Writing MA degree (not an MFA degree) is less applied and more academic.

There are generally two “models” for how the MFA programs are run—the “full-residency” model and the “low-residency” model. (Note that currently I am not considering online models.)

The “full-residency” model is the traditional way MFA programs were organized—you go to classes on campus during the day and do your homework at night, probably much like you did during your undergraduate experience. Many graduate programs, especially in the Humanities, are organized this way.

A newer model is the “low-residency” model. Here, students attend classes and workshops on campus for a few days of the semester during a “residency,” then complete the semester working from home. The on-campus residencies are often at the beginning of the semester and generally last 7-10 days. For the rest of the semester you usually work with a faculty mentor, who critiques your writing and provides guidance based on your specific writing needs and interests.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each model, so deciding whether you want to go to a full-residency program or a low-residency program is one of your big decisions. There are more full-residency programs available to choose from, since that is the traditional model. Also, this type of academic experience will likely be familiar to you from your undergraduate years, so most students are familiar with the structure of this type of program.

However, there are some disadvantages to the full-residency program, which is why low-residency programs were created and are becoming so popular. In the full-residency model, just like in your undergraduate years, you are on campus away from home for the duration of your program. If you have family or work obligations, maybe leaving home for a few years to go back to school is not really an option. Also, since most full-residency courses are taught during the day, and you have to go to class every day of the semester, this might conflict with getting or keeping a job. Finally, some feel that the traditional classroom experience—classes during the day and homework at night—is a bit insulated from how writers work “in the real world.” So, the full-residency model is often more attractive to students going into an MFA program directly from their undergrad program, or for people who do not have work or family obligations to keep them from moving away for several years.

No surprises then, but the low-residency model is ideal for students who have family or job obligations that keep them from moving away, or who aren’t really looking for the whole “full-time” student experience again. Except for the few days at the start of each semester, in the low-residency model the student spends the rest of their time at home. Also, some feel that the low-residency model better trains the student for learning how to write “in the real world”—balancing family and job obligations with writing goals, deadlines, and the need to structure their own time to make everything fit. However, some students don’t want to deal yet with balancing home and writing obligations—they are looking for the structure, support, and “writing cocoon” that the full-time residency model offers.

As I’ve discussed, there are pros and cons to each model, so deciding which model will work best with your writing goals and what you are looking for is an important step to take.

RANKINGS

Just like with universities and colleges as a whole, there are rankings for individual creative writing MFA programs. The rankings for the 2012 year are below, by Poets and Writers magazine.

That said, you should take the rankings with a grain of salt. One advantage of the rankings is that, for a given set of criteria, you can compare across different MFA programs based on those criteria. One disadvantage is that the rankings are often made based on a subjective methodology weighted by criteria that you, as an individual person with your own writing goals and needs, do not care about. Here is the methodology used to create the 2012 MFA rankings.

Just for completeness, here are a few articles criticizing or cautioning against rankings:

OTHER CRITERIA TO CONSIDER

What else should you base your decision on?

Visits to Prospective Schools: Especially if you are considering a full-residency program, be sure you won’t mind being a full-time student at that particular school. Some programs have alumni weeks or opportunities for visitors to sit in on a class or talk to current/past students.
The Books Written by the Faculty: If you want to write and publish horror or science fiction and the faculty members write like Jane Austin (or vice-versa), while you will be able to learn something from those faculty, there may also be a disconnect between your writing goals and their sensibilities.
Funding: In general, many of the full-residency programs offer full funding, whereas many of the low-residency programs do not. Most programs offer partial funding. If you want the full-residency option, since there are so many good full-residency creative writing programs that offer full funding, unless you have some overriding reason otherwise, I would only consider going to full-residency schools that offer you full funding.
Location: For those interested in the full-residency option, if you are used to the big city and are moving to a more rural environment, or vice-versa, consider carefully the campus location. Big city folks often feel isolated and don’t know how to find things to do on their own when in a rural environment. On the other hand, students from rural locations often feel overwhelmed when coming to a large city. Can you spend 2-3 years in your program’s city? This is less of a factor for low-residency programs, since the residencies are so short. In this respect, an on-campus residency becomes more of a vacation.
Genre: As with reading the books that the faculty members write, most full-residency programs teach “literary” fiction–reading and writing the classics. However, this is a different genre than “popular” or “mainstream” or “commercial” fiction: e.g., science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, crime, thriller, young adult, etc. If you like to read Chekov, James, and Faulkner, then it is likely you will want to write in that style as well, so a literary fiction program might be better for you. On the other hand, if you like to read authors like Stephen King, J. R. R. Tolkien, Jim Kelly, Liz Hand, David Durham, Nancy Holder, or Scott Wolven, then you might want to consider an MFA program that has a commercial or popular fiction program. Stonecoast, for example, has literary as well as popular fiction tracks. In fact, I’ve spoken with students who chose Stonecoast because they actually wanted exposure to both genres. Reasonable advice says that you should study the type of writing you like to read, since that is where your interest and passion are located. In this regard, here’s a podcast where Liz Hand talks about MFA programs and Young Adult Fiction.

ALTERNATIVES TO AN MFA

After all this, maybe you still aren’t sure if an MFA is for you. Are there other options for improving your writing craft without going through an MFA program?

Yes!

You can:

Just write
Take one of many writing workshops, such as Clarion, Odyssey, or Norton’s Island
Start a writing group
Take free writing classes

In the End

In the end, only you can decide if and which MFA program is right for you. Either way, I hope that this guide has been of help in making your decision. The important thing however is to write to the best of your ability, and toward your dreams and goals.

Resolutions, Goals, and Improving Your Craft

Kendall — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:22:12 +0000

I made a resolution to myself years ago that I would make a serious effort to pursue and improve my writing.

I’ve always been interested in writing stories and telling tales–hey, maybe I’ll even write a novel one day–but somehow job, career, and family always seemed to take a higher priority. And so no progress was made toward my goal.

There wasn’t enough time left over at the end of the day to work on my fiction after getting home late each night from work, then cooking dinner, then spending quality time with the family. I was too tired, mentally and physically. And if there was a spare moment here or there, other projects, emergencies, and duties jumped to the head of the queue, demanding attention.

If only there was more time in the day, I’d have time to work on my writing.

If only I didn’t have so many other obligations, I’d be able to focus my schedule and make progress toward my goal.

If only there weren’t so many other more important things to do, I’d be able to do something for myself.

You know what?

If you truly want something, you’ll find the time for it.

So when I caught myself making endless “if only …” excuses for why I wasn’t making progress on my writing, I realized that the problem wasn’t all the external obligations, duties, and responsibilities I had that kept me from my goal. Rather, it was my internal lack of commitment and strength to take seriously my own goal that I had declared.

When I caught myself in my own lie, I resolved to recommit myself to my goal, starting from scratch, with renewed commitment and strength.

And you know what?

I found the time.

It wasn’t easy though:

I cut out time from my sleep to sneak in a writing session here and there.
I declined many social invitations.
I sold my television.
I trimmed back the number of non-priority projects I was working on.
I drank way too much coffee.
I realized I essentially was doing more work for other people at the expense of my own health and happiness, and was wasting my time on things that weren’t getting me closer to my goal.

If you truly want something, you’ll find the time for it.

However, there was a price for my diligence.

I found myself lost when my friends discussed the television shows they were watching or the movies they had seen at the theatre.

I didn’t know the latest pop music albums/songs.

I missed out on all the excitement of people playing all the new online and mobile games.

But you know what?

When I started taking my writing goal seriously, within the last two years I:

This, after basically starting my writing career from scratch.

I’m currently in Maine on a writing retreat:

Just last night, I heard Jim Kelly read a flash fiction story:

I heard Nancy Holder read her new work:

I heard poets, memoirists, essayists, and master storytellers like Liz Hand, Boman Desai, Tony Barnstone, Sarah Braunstein, Annie Finch, Aaron Hamburger, Joy Harjo, and Debra Marquart. I’ll work with David Durham, Scott Wolven, and others. All of them inspire me with their energy and enthusiasm and passion for writing.

I’ll be eating with, listening to, and learning from these people, and more, over the next ten days in a concentrated revelry for those serious about improving the craft of their writing.

And I’ll be setting my alarm earlier than normal. And going to bed later than I should.

And I’ll be losing out on the latest Reality TV results.

And I won’t know who won this or that sports contest.

And you know what?

The problem with goal setting and achieving your goals is not external, it is internal.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Festival and panel discussion

Kendall — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:21:04 +0000

On Tuesday November 15, 2011, in the VCU Commonwealth Ballroom, day 1 of the VCU Cabell First Novelist Festival kicked off with an evening celebrating the novel, writing, reading, and building a career as an author. This two-day festival is a special event recognizing the tenth anniversary of the Award.

The keynote talk was given by NPR book critic and novelist Alan Cheuse, who spoke on “First and Last Novels: Rumblings About Writing and Publishing in the 21st Century.” In his talk, we gained an appreciation for James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, we heard about the struggles in getting that first novel published (yes, editors sometimes lose manuscripts in liquor stores), and we were reminded of the importance of writing quality in the tempest of the modern publishing world.

After Cheuse’s talk, VCU professor, novelist, and Cabell First Novelist Award co-founder Tom de Haven moderated a panel including Alan Cheuse and previous Cabell First Novelist winners Michael Byers, Maribeth Fischer, and Victor Lodato.

The theme of the panel was “Building a Career After Winning an Award,” and de Haven led the discussion by the panelists on what happens after that first novel is published. We heard insights and experiences about agents, publishing, writing that second novel, voice and writing styles across multiple novels, and author branding. Questions from the audience were also invited.

After the panel, there was a reception and author signing.

Wednesday November 16, 2011 is day 2 of the festival, where the 2011 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award Winner, David Gordon, will be celebrated.

For more information:

About the Cabell First Novelist Festival and award
David Gordon wins 2011 Cabell First Novelist Award in StyleWeekly
A Decade of Firsts in VirginiaLiving
The Big 10 in RichmondMagazine

5 quick links for 14 October 2011

Kendall — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:12:36 +0000

Just in time for the weekend: five quick links, including Oreos as art, the power of beauty, Richard Feynman on how science works, All Hallow’s Read, and tips for overcoming writers block.

Oreo cameos: Your next art project is only a bag of Oreos away
How does beauty feel?: Our response to beautiful objects
The scientific method and the rules of chess: by Richard Feynman
All Hallow’s Read: Neil Gaiman explains the event himself
The 10 types of writers block: and how to overcome them

Have a great weekend!

5 quick links for 8 October 2011

Kendall — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:03:03 +0000

Today we’ve got five interesting links, including a video clip about Bruce Lee, an initial recommendation engine for science fiction books, two Steve Jobs links, and a link about the Geek Girl convention!

Hurray for the weekend!

Bruce Lee footage: His original Hollywood screen test, breaking with Chinese tradition, absorption of Western martial arts, origin of Jeet Kune Do, plus some action footage
A recommendation engine for science fiction books
Steve Jobs in pictures: From The Atlantic. Very moving.
Geek Girl Con: A convention for geek girls
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address: It’s worth your time to watch the whole thing.

Think Small 6, artspace at Plant Zero, and a public reading

Kendall — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:33:56 +0000

I’ve been invited to read one of my short stories at the Think Small Micro Fiction Event at the artspace gallery at Plant Zero in Richmond, Virginia.

Think Small is a biennial international miniature invitational exhibition. This the 6th exhibition runs October 28 to December 18, 2011.

The key challenge to the Think Small exhibition is that artists must produce innovative works that fit within a 3″ by 3″ space. Thus, artists must “think small.” For the Think Small Fiction event, complete short stories must fit within that 3″ x 3″ space. This means that the stories must be 100 words or less!

I’ve been invited to read my short story “Searching” at the reading on Friday November 11, 7PM-10PM. This is a public reading, so you are encouraged to attend!

By the way, my story “Searching” that I will be reading at Think Small 6 is also a part of my newly released collection of stories called Five Slices of Death. Check it out!

Kendall Giles » Musings

New Podcast Series – Episode 1 – Beginnings

Podcast:

Mentioned in the Podcast:

Related Posts:

New essay published in InYo martial arts journal, winter 2012

Related Posts:

Review: Every Writer’s Dream, by Jeff Goins

Related Posts:

How to Choose a Creative Writing MFA Program

WHO WANTS TO WRITE?

WHY I WROTE THIS GUIDE

WHY GET AN MFA?

SHOULD YOU GET AN MFA?

CREATIVE WRITING MFA PROGRAM MODELS

RANKINGS

OTHER CRITERIA TO CONSIDER

ALTERNATIVES TO AN MFA

In the End

Related Posts:

Resolutions, Goals, and Improving Your Craft

Related Posts:

VCU Cabell First Novelist Festival and panel discussion

Related Posts:

5 quick links for 14 October 2011

Related Posts:

5 quick links for 8 October 2011

Related Posts:

Think Small 6, artspace at Plant Zero, and a public reading

Related Posts:

Five Slices of Death, my new horror short story collection, is available now

Five Slices of Death, by Kendall Giles

BUY NOW!

Five Slices of Death for the Amazon Kindle

Five Slices of Death for the Barnes & Noble NOOK

Related Posts: