Designing My Own MFA

I am not going to grad school for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is money. (My disdain for leftist politics and an unwillingness to support a system of Marxist academics also play a role in me not attending. As does the fact I will make no money from such a course of study, and so should not spend too much on it.) However, I still want to improve my writing. I also want to go deeper with my art. I have not found a program that would let me work on writing and art together for grad school. I seek the discipline of school, but I also need freedom to pursue what calls to me. Poetry is my first love, but visual art is a passion that makes me feel profoundly alive.

So I’m going to design my own MFA. It’s what I jokingly refer to as Stay at Home University, only with a more rigorous program and more specific goals.

Here is a general outline of my program for the first year.

1. Read at least 90 books of poetry or art, as well as books on the craft of writing and how to guides for art. For year one, these could be books I already have. I haven’t read all of them yet, and many of the ones I have read deserve a reread. This will save me money. I do not know whether I will create a list in advance of 90 particular books or just read them as I am moved to and record what I read.
2. Write every day whether I feel well or not. This will be hard. Having a mood disorder means I feel really awful some days. But every day I need to write some poetry or nonfiction. I already do this when I feel well, but often when I’m sick, I either skip or I only write for maybe 10 minutes. Now I need to sit down and really spend time with words no matter how I feel.
3. Create art daily. It can be in any medium, but I must create. If I’m doing badly (like I have been), even taking a photograph can count. But I must do something.
4. Watch lectures on a variety of topics to inspire my writing and keep my mind sharp. Great Courses has good lectures, as do many podcasts I follow, and I think itunes has university lectures too. I know they used to.
5. Take some of the money that would have been spent on grad school and use it to get feedback on my poems before publication. I do not know who to hire or where to find them, but I’ll find out.
6. Find accountability. I will likely ask my husband and my friend L to hold me accountable and ask how things are going with my goals. One of the good things about attending an actual grad school is having people hold your nose to the grindstone. I need to recreate this as much as possible in my life. I may use this blog to hold me accountable too. If I am not writing about my progress, please drop me a line and ask what’s up. Every day I should be learning and writing and creating.
7. The “program” will culminate in me producing a publishable manuscript.

If grad school or undergrad are not options for you for economic or personal reasons, consider designing your own customized program of study. If you want a partner, send me a message. We can inspire one another and hold each other accountable. I am so hoping that Bipolar Disorder doesn’t muck things up. I need strength to overcome the challenge of moods that swing so quickly that they exhaust me. Essentially, I just want a bit more structure and to move with more purpose through the creative portion of my day. I am hoping that by creating a loose plan of action, I will accomplish more.