Tag: mfa

A long-held belief continues to pervade emerging writers’ thinking: if you want to become a writer, earning an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is essential. Yet while an MFA is valuable for many reasons, if your goal is to write a novel (or other long-form book project), an MFA may be overkill, sideline you from your goal, and put you into debt for many years. Since mentor support, literary education, and peer connection can be found in private writing programs — for a fraction of the cost and in ways that may ultimately suit your writing goals more personally and relevantly than a university degree program— it’s worth examining your priorities before going back to school and asking, “Do you need an MFA to write a novel?”