Also, in regards to paying for school, I wonder if there are any scholarships for returning/non-traditional students? I'd look into that.
BA in Fiction or all those writing books
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I obtained a few scholarships (being over 35 for most of my schooling). I'd sign up with FastWeb (and learn to skip past all the lame ads). That should give anyone a good idea of what is out there.
I graduated with my BFA in Creative Writing when I was 38. I loved it, and I've always been happy that I did it. I think that it was good for me because I read a huge amount of literature I would never have read by myself. I wrote about literature, did research papers, wrote articles, movie scripts, poetry, and just a lot of different stuff. My teachers were writers as well as teachers. I got to be the editor of a literary journal, which I think helped me to know what good writing was.
I think I did it because it had always been a big dream of mine to finish college and to graduate in something I actually loved.
I think I did it because it had always been a big dream of mine to finish college and to graduate in something I actually loved.
I'm so happy to hear that. I'm going back to college next month, and starting a four-year course in Creative Writing for Digital Media. One of my main worries was that I'd be surrounded by teeny-boppers, who'd be more interested in chatting in the back of the class than learning. I know, it sounds sad of me, at 26, to be thinking like that
Glad to know you've had such good experiences.
@Butterfly: Two years ago I did an evening course in Creative Writing. It was cheap - 110 Euro - and it really motivated me with my writing. As education costs seem to be so high in the States, I'd recommend doing a few shorter courses before committing to 18k.
As for what job opportunities would be available afterwards, the BA in Creative Writing name a few, such as;
Professional Writers
Journalists
Proofreaders
Copy Editors
Publishers
Online Content Developers
Marketeers
Scriptwriters
Storyboarders for Film, Video
E-Publishers
Creative Writers (Screenwriting, Playwriting,Theatre Writing, Radio Drama)
E-Publishers
Media Writer
Educators / Teachers
Web Designers
Media Researchers
Media Reporters
Advertisers
Salespeople
I know your course may not be the same, but if you do the course and don't get signed up straight after, there is always other jobs in the industry.
Best of luck.
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The OP is in her 50s so maybe the whole "find a job with the degree" thing isn't such an issue for her.
I don't think you can assume you would make 17 K back. Definitely not. But then again it isn't completely impossible either.
I guess it's not the kind of course I was thinking it was though if you have to do Math.
I have a Masters in English Literature. There was no creative writing qualifications at University where I live back in my day. It was certainly very intellectually enriching, and very useless for getting work.
I know that people in my city who do the new Post Graduate Diploma of Writing have had some successes where I live, but I'm pretty sure that is simply that they learned on the course the right agents and editors to submit to with a focus on local agents and publishers, and that is something you can find out for yourself with research.
If you can afford it for the intellectual enrichment that is the main reason to do it.
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I'm so happy to hear that. I'm going back to college next month, and starting a four-year course in Creative Writing for Digital Media. One of my main worries was that I'd be surrounded by teeny-boppers, who'd be more interested in chatting in the back of the class than learning. I know, it sounds sad of me, at 26, to be thinking like that
Glad to know you've had such good experiences.
@Butterfly: Two years ago I did an evening course in Creative Writing. It was cheap - 110 Euro - and it really motivated me with my writing. As education costs seem to be so high in the States, I'd recommend doing a few shorter courses before committing to 18k.
As for what job opportunities would be available afterwards, the BA in Creative Writing name a few, such as;
Professional Writers
Journalists
Proofreaders
Copy Editors
Publishers
Online Content Developers
Marketeers
Scriptwriters
Storyboarders for Film, Video
E-Publishers
Creative Writers (Screenwriting, Playwriting,Theatre Writing, Radio Drama)
E-Publishers
Media Writer
Educators / Teachers
Web Designers
Media Researchers
Media Reporters
Advertisers
Salespeople
I know your course may not be the same, but if you do the course and don't get signed up straight after, there is always other jobs in the industry.
Best of luck.
Many, if not most of the jobs you list, have nothing to do with a BA in creative writing and certainly none will directly result from having the BA.
I've known many people involved in some of the professions you list - I don't actually know anyone with a creative writing degree. Most bachelor's degrees won't get you a specific job regardless, but the jobs you're listing, like proofreader, copyeditor, publisher, screenwriter, journalist, web designer, etc., just aren't even related.
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No disrespect meant to the OP, who is in the same age group as me, but in the current economy, it would be extremely difficult for someone so close to retirement age to start out in most of the job categories listed.
For example, I have a BA in English, some post-grad work in Technical Communication, six commercially published books, and over 25 years of experience as a technical writer.....and I can't find a new job in the field. (Thank goodness I actually have one -- I just can't find a new one.)
People going back to school in their 50s, 60s, 70s, or even older is fantastic! I'm all for life-long learning. But going back at that age and expecting to get a corporate job based on the newly minted qualifications will likely lead to disappointment. Sad but true.
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What kind of "stories"? That is not a snarky question I just wonder if you have plans.
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Yes I was going to say something, because here in New Zealand the courses all say that kind of thing, but I know the reality is that it doesn't work like that. The fact that graduates have got jobs in these fields tends to be incidental to their doing the qualification, but that is New Zealand. However the world economy.....
A few of them would take another practical diploma on top in journalism or whatever.
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