Call Me "Crazy"
Hey Crazy, I hear you're thinking about school again.
Yes. It's true.
I've been contemplating my English Major which has been stuck in limbo for close to 2 years now. I haven't finished it because my writing emphasis asks that I do an internship in order to graduate. Admittedly, the search wasn't as dedicatedly intense as it could have or should have been. But I wonder if this has to do with whether or not I'd chosen the right emphasis. The only reason I chose the writing emphasis was because dummy me thought: "Well, if I want to write books I ought to major in writing, huh?" But I've since learned(from the dept chair, no less) that a writer doesn't need a degree to sell a novel. Which makes sense, really. And the fact that you have one isn't going to guarantee that a publishing house would sign you.
It's been told to me by several teachers (my advisor, especially) that what truly makes a good writer is someone who reads. You have to read to be able to write. Reading feeds it. My advisor had said he would've liked to have gotten me in on more lit classes. So my thought today was: Wouldn't a literature emphasis serve me better in that area? PLUS there'd be no internship. I looked up the lit major check list and I only need like 2 classes and I'm graduated.
The other thought with this was:
Would I like to go on to grad school and get my Ph.D. so I could teach at the college level.(I'd decided that if I would teach it would be college. Not high school or grade school) If I want to do this, do I need the teaching emphasis? Or can I do it with a lit emphasis?
Then I'd have a career. English Professor who spends her spare time trying to get published. I'm told it happens a lot with would-be writers. Stephen King was an English teacher before his big break. I'd be like Professor Tripp in Wonder Boys. I don't know if I'd be banging the chancellor, mind you. But I think you get what I mean.
Jim says it sounds good. Like I've got a direction at least. I'm not flailing around in the dark. The only bumps in the road would be choosing a school for my graduate studies.(Location, feesability, affordability-- How'm I gonna get there and How'm I gonna pay for it?-- Shit like that) But if I can get that figured out, I could be "Dr. Karen" in a few years(however long grad school takes). It does sound like a plan, doesn't it?
What's wierd about it, was what spurred me to consider going on to grad school and becoming a teacher-- I found myself missing the books. Like I said, call me "Crazy".
I won't lie. The prestige of having a Ph.D. is acceptionally inviting. I usually find "Einstien" to be a complement lest the person's being sarcastic. When it comes to what I'd like people to say about me, I'd like "She's really smart" to be at the top of that list.
ANYway
We also talked about my writing today. That roll I had where I was writing 10pgs a day, and how I need to get that momentum back. If this is my final career destination(aside from this teaching shit) I need to learn how to keep the momentum from stopping at all. Period.
Like Jack London said:
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
We can't have that fabulous reclusive cabin in the woods if I haven't the money to build it, right?
So back to work!
Yes. It's true.
I've been contemplating my English Major which has been stuck in limbo for close to 2 years now. I haven't finished it because my writing emphasis asks that I do an internship in order to graduate. Admittedly, the search wasn't as dedicatedly intense as it could have or should have been. But I wonder if this has to do with whether or not I'd chosen the right emphasis. The only reason I chose the writing emphasis was because dummy me thought: "Well, if I want to write books I ought to major in writing, huh?" But I've since learned(from the dept chair, no less) that a writer doesn't need a degree to sell a novel. Which makes sense, really. And the fact that you have one isn't going to guarantee that a publishing house would sign you.
It's been told to me by several teachers (my advisor, especially) that what truly makes a good writer is someone who reads. You have to read to be able to write. Reading feeds it. My advisor had said he would've liked to have gotten me in on more lit classes. So my thought today was: Wouldn't a literature emphasis serve me better in that area? PLUS there'd be no internship. I looked up the lit major check list and I only need like 2 classes and I'm graduated.
The other thought with this was:
Would I like to go on to grad school and get my Ph.D. so I could teach at the college level.(I'd decided that if I would teach it would be college. Not high school or grade school) If I want to do this, do I need the teaching emphasis? Or can I do it with a lit emphasis?
Then I'd have a career. English Professor who spends her spare time trying to get published. I'm told it happens a lot with would-be writers. Stephen King was an English teacher before his big break. I'd be like Professor Tripp in Wonder Boys. I don't know if I'd be banging the chancellor, mind you. But I think you get what I mean.
Jim says it sounds good. Like I've got a direction at least. I'm not flailing around in the dark. The only bumps in the road would be choosing a school for my graduate studies.(Location, feesability, affordability-- How'm I gonna get there and How'm I gonna pay for it?-- Shit like that) But if I can get that figured out, I could be "Dr. Karen" in a few years(however long grad school takes). It does sound like a plan, doesn't it?
What's wierd about it, was what spurred me to consider going on to grad school and becoming a teacher-- I found myself missing the books. Like I said, call me "Crazy".
I won't lie. The prestige of having a Ph.D. is acceptionally inviting. I usually find "Einstien" to be a complement lest the person's being sarcastic. When it comes to what I'd like people to say about me, I'd like "She's really smart" to be at the top of that list.
ANYway
We also talked about my writing today. That roll I had where I was writing 10pgs a day, and how I need to get that momentum back. If this is my final career destination(aside from this teaching shit) I need to learn how to keep the momentum from stopping at all. Period.
Like Jack London said:
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
We can't have that fabulous reclusive cabin in the woods if I haven't the money to build it, right?
So back to work!
posted by Sonny Shine at 2:13 PM
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