Is it true that that a major in creative writing is waste of time (and money thereof)?

Paper Princess · Dec 21, 2011

So yes I am a highschooler, my dream is to become a writer. I am truly lost when it comes to choosing my major and all, I want to double major in creative writing and chemistry to fulfill my premed perquisites.
My question is, does it really help with being a successful writer, or should I make it a minor and concentrate on a career related major?
My goal is not being a full time writer, cause I know it's impossible. I want to become a writer and have a normal day job.
Back to my question, is it?

Williebee · Dec 21, 2011

A "waste"?

That would be up to you. Learning is rarely a waste. First you have to define for yourself what "successful" means.

Along the way you have to decide what you want to write -- genres, outlets, grade levels, all that fun.

I will say, considering the amount of writing your college life will involve? A writing major may require home cloning, just to have enough hours in the day.

Good luck, and welcome to AW!

Please take a few moments to read through the Newbie Guide.

-Williebee

CrastersBabies · Dec 21, 2011

I didn't find my studies in creative writing to be worthless in the least. But, I wouldn't call it the most lucrative of degrees unless you want to go into teaching or publishing or such.

They don't guarantee a book or publication. They don't guarantee that you'll improve a lot. Some people do, some don't. I always tell folks to take a class first (intro) and see what it's like, see how much they grow, see how open they are to that kind of traditional instruction.

If it's not their cup of tea, then I honestly believe that you can garner near the same skills/know-how by taking workshops, reading craft books, etc.

Pros of a CW degree--mentorship and craft at the academic level. Connections. Faculty-facilitated workshops.

Cons = what are you gonna do with it once you graduate?

You can pretty much take all the creative writing classes if you minor in creative writing. So, keep that in mind as well.

Wayne K · Dec 21, 2011

Knute Rockne saw a former player plowing a field and pulled over. He asked him why he went to college for four years just to return home to plow fields. The man said "So I have something to think about as I plow"

No education is wasted. Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change

Grunkins · Dec 21, 2011

I can't say whether it's a waste or not, but I can say a broad range of knowledge is a great benefit to a writer. A writer who has a strong handle on the English language learning history or economics or anything else is better off than a writer with just a strong handle on the English language.

Ton Lew Lepsnaci · Dec 21, 2011

This topic has come up again and again. You'll find plenty of detailed opinions when you do a search on it.

gothicangel · Dec 21, 2011

I'm going to differ. I say concentrate on the chemistry.

My BA was in Literature, and some times studying your 'hobby' can be quite destructive. It took me ages to enjoy reading again. I'm now studying Classical Studies, which works much better for me.

MamaStrong · Dec 21, 2011

Being a writer full time, is not impossible. Nothing is, in my opinion.

Deleted member 42 · Dec 21, 2011

I don't know that I'd call any kind of learning wasted.

But a degree in Creative Writing is not going to help you find a job.

English would be a bit safer, in terms of jobs, but frankly, almost any humanities degree is a bit of hazard right now.

I'd find something else to major in--something that you won't hate, that you have an aptitude for, and take lots of classes in writing, creative and otherwise. I'd also look for classes in literature, pop lit and otherwise, as well as history and the sciences.

Most of the time the faculty who teach creative writing in undergraduate have little to no publication credentials; this is not always the case, but it is the tendency. Also; most creative writing programs are tilted strongly towards people writing things other than genre fiction.

jennontheisland · Dec 21, 2011

Most writers have day jobs anyway. If you're going to make an investment, it's usually best to invest in something that will offer you at least the amount invested in return.

gothicangel · Dec 21, 2011

MamaStrong said:
Being a writer full time, is not impossible. Nothing is, in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, writing is great when I'm in the zone. But my full-time job?

I almost had a coronary today when I found out English Heritage where advertising for my other dream job at four sites [steward at Roman sites.] If I land one of those jobs, even a £500,000 book contract would not persuade me to hand in my notice.

IceCreamEmpress · Dec 21, 2011

I majored in English as both an undergraduate and a graduate student, and I am not sorry I did--and my degrees definitely helped me get several of the jobs I've had--but if there's anything else you're interested in studying where degrees are more directly related to fields with growing employment prospects (and chemistry might well be one of those, particularly biochem) I would probably encourage you to think about that as your major, adding the creative writing courses as a minor or an elective.

Having training in a laboratory science and writing will be likely to put you in a position to get much better-paying "day jobs" than having a humanities degree alone.

The bottom line, though, is that you have to like what you're doing enough to do it well. A C minus chemistry student is probably less employable than an A creative writing student. If you love both, prioritizing the science makes the best sense. If you don't really dig science, that's a different question.

scarletpeaches · Dec 21, 2011

Paper Princess said:
My question is, does it really help with being a successful writer, or should I make it a minor and concentrate on a career related major?

I left school at sixteen and have sold eight books thus far.

Paper Princess said:
My goal is not being a full time writer, cause I know it's impossible.

Why is it impossible?

Paper Princess said:
I want to become a writer and have a normal day job.

Then study something that will help you get a normal job, not something that will say you're qualified to do what you already do.

Brindle MacWuff · Dec 21, 2011

the double major you suggest would be very benificial in many ways. it does seem like a good idea.

But most importantly, nothing is impossible. To make it as a career as a writer will be enormously difficult. But impossible? Pah! I bat that filthy word away with my paw.

Work at your writing like a maniac. And don't stop until you have achieved your goal.

jennontheisland · Dec 21, 2011

IceCreamEmpress said:
A C minus chemistry student is probably less employable than an A creative writing student.

In Canada, new grads don't have to submit transcripts with job applications (at least, I've never seen it as a requirement or had an employer ask for it, and I'm two degrees in now). C or A, it's still a degree.

Brindle MacWuff · Dec 21, 2011

gothicangel said:
I almost had a coronary today when I found out English Heritage where advertising for my other dream job at four sites [steward at Roman sites.] If I land one of those jobs, even a £500,000 book contract would not persuade me to hand in my notice.

derail - I would LOVE that job. But I would tell so many lies. Especially to the Yanks. "Yes, it was an excellent site for the Roman fort. They chose it because of it's commanding view and proximity to the railway station."

end derail

buz · Dec 21, 2011

I don't think studying anything is a waste of time, but I think getting college degrees in things that don't make you employable is mostly a waste of money. (Of course, "employable" varies by field, but...anyway.)

Getting a degree is not the equivalent of learning, and people often forget that. You don't necessarily need to pay to study at a university in order to learn--there are books, libraries, the internet, and real-world experiences that, in many cases, can teach much better lessons than a professor. Most of a college course is reading and writing anyway; the professor just guides you through it and the grades force you to get it done.

You do need a degree for your credentials, for your resume, for your job. I would say focus on the chemistry and do internships; read and write and learn as much as you can in your spare time.

College (in America, anyway) is ridiculously expensive, and not something to be taken as lightly as it is. Likely, you will take out thousands and thousands of dollars in loans, and you will be paying it back for a long time...with your job.

The Lonely One · Dec 21, 2011

I certainly hope it isn't a waste. I'm applying to MFA programs as we speak (in fact I've been doing it for the past few weeks).

It just depends on what you want out of your education, life, and writing.

If you're pre-med, I'd say focus more on chemistry, but if you can handle the course load, a double-major in anything can't look bad on your application.

So no, I don't think it's a waste, as long as you know what you're getting into and want it despite it not being anything that'll get you rich.

quicklime · Dec 21, 2011

Paper Princess said:
So yes I am a highschooler, my dream is to become a writer. I am truly lost when it comes to choosing my major and all, I want to double major in creative writing and chemistry to fulfill my premed perquisites.
My question is, does it really help with being a successful writer, or should I make it a minor and concentrate on a career related major?
My goal is not being a full time writer, cause I know it's impossible. I want to become a writer and have a normal day job.
Back to my question, is it?

paper, i had a whole reply without reading your thread very well, so i omitted it.

let's start over: I ent through the same courses, because I went to grad school for biology. The undergrad courses were 95% the same as pre-med (I could skip a 2-credit human anatomy course).

I never considered writing till grad school, and only had a single english class in college. I still wrote well, because I read a lot. My initial reply was "pick a degree based on a "day job" in case writing doesn't turn out," so you are ahead of the game: you ARE going for your day job.

Pre-med can be a rough ride--can you handle a double minor, or do you have the time to complete one? If not, don't think you "need" an englicsh degree, but at the same time, you will have a lot of humanities and general degree requirements--try to see how many of those you can use writing/lit classes to fill, maybe? Or, get a double minor.

Ken · Dec 21, 2011

... it depends on the school. Getting a degree at one that's got a great teaching staff would be entirely different than getting one at a school that's got a lackluster staff. And there are a fair number of those about. So before making the investment, check out the school and even go to the department and ask questions and look at the curricula for the classes. G'luck.

quicklime · Dec 21, 2011

by the way, usually premed is a bio major, chem minor

MamaStrong · Dec 21, 2011

gothicangel said:
Don't get me wrong, writing is great when I'm in the zone. But my full-time job?

I almost had a coronary today when I found out English Heritage where advertising for my other dream job at four sites [steward at Roman sites.] If I land one of those jobs, even a £500,000 book contract would not persuade me to hand in my notice.

I understand. Just to be clear, I never said it was ideal in a sense that everyone or most people would want to do it. I just don't think it's impossible to do.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 21, 2011

Paper Princess said:
So yes I am a highschooler, my dream is to become a writer. I am truly lost when it comes to choosing my major and all, I want to double major in creative writing and chemistry to fulfill my premed perquisites.
My question is, does it really help with being a successful writer, or should I make it a minor and concentrate on a career related major?
My goal is not being a full time writer, cause I know it's impossible. I want to become a writer and have a normal day job.
Back to my question, is it?

Becoming a full-time writer is not impossible. Thousands do so.

Anyway, pretty much any type of college course is wasted on those who have no aptitude for whatever it is, be it writing or premed, and is a boon to those who do have aptitude.

If you can handle a double major, by all means do so. But I took a double major in college, and it does pile on the work.

Paper Princess · Dec 21, 2011

quicklime said:
by the way, usually premed is a bio major, chem minor

Here in Canada it could be any major as long as you fulfill the prerequisites.

Paper Princess · Dec 21, 2011

Williebee said:
A "waste"?

That would be up to you. Learning is rarely a waste. First you have to define for yourself what "successful" means.

Along the way you have to decide what you want to write -- genres, outlets, grade levels, all that fun.

I will say, considering the amount of writing your college life will involve? A writing major may require home cloning, just to have enough hours in the day.

Good luck, and welcome to AW!

Please take a few moments to read through the Newbie Guide.

-Williebee

Hey there,
what I meant by a waste is the fact that it is not something that would help someone get in the work force by any means. This is what is keeping me from taking it.

Is it true that that a major in creative writing is waste of time (and money thereof)?

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