A couple years back, I got my MA in Writing and Publishing. I met some amazing people, read a lot of great books, and produced a lot of my best creative writing to date. It’s also pretty cool to say, “I have a master’s degree,” so I have no regrets, but sometimes I wish I would have known about the credentials and alternatives available to writing students that aren't grad degree programs.
Graduate school can be time consuming (most programs take 2-4 years to complete) and expensive (though lots of schools offer limited assistantships or scholarships), but the hardest part is that having an advanced degree doesn’t guarantee a job. Over the past few years, I’ve researched several different ways that aspiring writers can gain more experience and new marketable skills outside of a grad program.
1. Reading the books on MA/PhD syllabi without attending the classes.
This probably sounds like cheating. It’s not. It’s also obviously not the full graduate class experience—you won’t have an instructor guiding you through the material, asking questions, or requiring you to respond in a thoughtful way to the information. But books on writing are the raw tools of any writing or English graduate degree and the lists are easy enough to find.
If you already have a grad school-bound friend or colleague, ask them to keep a list of books that show up on their syllabi. College book stores will also have lists of required reading for classes, and you can find what classes are being taught each semester by browsing an online course catalog. Plenty of professors are also active writers and bloggers who regularly share their class reading lists with their online audience, and at the very least, a Google search for “most taught books on writing” will definitely give you a strong start.
2. Starting or joining a writing group online or in person.
If your desire to get a graduate education is steeped in a desire to become a published author, you’re not alone. One of the best things about going to graduate school is the opportunity to write extensively and workshop your pieces, letting others weigh in on your drafts. This is a hugely important step in becoming a published writer. But luckily, grad school isn’t the only way to achieve writing and revision.
If you know other people who are looking to improve their writing game—maybe from college or from work—you can easily suggest starting a writing group. It doesn’t have to take place in a classroom; the only rules for a writing group are to write, read respectfully, and revise. You can also use online forums or sites like MeetUp to find like-minded people to start a writing group with or even join an existing one. Libraries and community centers also often offer small, volunteer-facilitated groups or spaces for patrons to start their own.
3. Taking standalone classes or workshops online.
If you’re craving the advice and instruction of a seasoned writer or veteran professor but don’t want to commit to a whole program, you can find courses online that specialize in teaching just about anything. Looking to brush up on the art of revision? Want to dive into fiction or horror writing or the short story? Want to learn about how to network with publishing or submit manuscripts? There are courses covering all of that and more at your fingertips.
For instance, LitReactor is an incredible resource for both aspiring and longtime writers. They not only write regular articles on books, writing and publishing and host a helpful podcast, they also offer very reasonably priced online writing courses. A 2-week online workshop class taught by Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk was featured once and writers paid $250 for coaching and instruction; they also have classes on writing and selling YA novels, writing mysteries, and tons more.
There are also plenty of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) available to students. MOOCs are defined as “a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people.” Lots of prestigious universities (like Stanford, Princeton, MIT, UCLA, etc.) as well as smaller institutions offer classes conducted in this open resource platform.
No matter what kind of class you take, however, make sure you can find information and review on the instructor or course by other students to make sure it will be a worthwhile and helpful experience.
4. Attending a certificate program.
Certificate programs are great for professional development and staying up to date on industry trends. Some of them function as condensed grad school programs—they’re the same classes that graduate students are taking, but certificate seekers take fewer of them and pay less.
Community colleges also often offer certificate programs that are designed for students who aren’t seeking a degree but are interested in updating skills or continue education in a specific field. Some English majors go on to earn Technical Writing certificates to help them get jobs in textbook or manual publishing. Whether you take the post-baccalaureate certificate route or decide to go for a continuing education certificate, certificates are a great way to add to your skill set and qualifications or help you prep for graduate studies down the line.
5. Attending professional conferences.
Writing conferences and conventions usually do two things. They connect readers and writers with publishers and books at trade shows and book fairs, and they also present on literature and discuss writing. Conferences are a prime destination for connecting with authors and agents, learning about the state of publishing, or workshopping in a genre.
There is no shortage of professional conferences for writers. For example, the Association of Writers & Writing Programs has an annual conference that features over 2,000 presenters and 500 readings, panels, and lectures. BookCon takes place annually and features tons of authors, book signings, and publisher appearances and panels. There are also plenty of smaller conferences held at libraries and community centers and genre-specific conferences!
The whole world is an educational experience waiting to happen, and you don’t have to limit your learning to the classroom. If you’re not sure about making the graduate school plunge or just want to sharpen a few skills, try some of these alternatives to grow your abilities as a writer, help you earn a promotion, or put you on the path to publishing.
