Lessons From My MFA Creative Writing Program

In the moments after I listen to each new episode of the Tim Ferriss Show, I want to redesign my entire life. Especially after The Terminator was a show guest. In other words, I'm easily inspired. After completing my second residency in my master's of fine arts in creative writing program, I felt like I absorbed the one-liners from all of Arnold's movies since Conan.I can't properly show you how meaningful this Stonecoast experience has been for me, but I can share some of the insights I transcribed. I think many of these are true in writing and storytelling and life.Author Rick Bass says:So much of writing is physical. You have to be in shape for it.If you have a story focusing on sadness, contrast it with a paragraph about great joy. Always be aware of the opposite.Your answer to any question about writing is "specificity." It overrides everything.If you have to use a big moment to keep your reader engaged then maybe you have bigger problems.Write a great sentence. Your next sentence has to be even better. And the next even better. That's how you keep the reader engaged.Short stories are a time-tested way for humans to relate to each other.The first sentence in a story is the second most important; the last sentence is the most important. Get the reader to commit to the journey.Rick Bass is a fascinating man and he led me to coin a term: when your writing group is critiquing your story in workshop then you're getting "Rick Bassed." This diagram he scribbled on short story s...
Source: cancerslayerblog - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: MFA writing/speaking Source Type: blogs