creative writing major

creative writing major

The Benefits of Pursuing a Creative Writing Major

1. Introduction

It is often said that the humanities encourage the individual to act as a productive and creative member of society, in contrast to those who study the sciences and end up working purely for material gain. This statement does bear much credibility; studies conducted by organizations such as the Council for Industry and Higher Education have found that employers are frequently critical of graduates’ lack of communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills, often claiming that most graduates are not properly prepared for the world of work. The high practical value of the humanities subjects is evident from the fact that employers consider familiarity with the subject matter, oral and written communication, and critical thinking/analytical skills as the most important skills to be equipped with after leaving university (What Do Employers Want?, CSU, 2002). It is agreed that writing is one of the best ways of improving these abilities. It is no coincidence that many humanities graduates will enter careers that involve a substantial amount of writing. So if writing is such a valuable skill, why is there a distinct lack of opportunities to actually study it?

Nowadays, people work so hard simply to do jobs that are uninvolving and noncommittal. This is truly a waste of a life, said N. Dash in the department newsletter, January 2004. There is no wonder an increasing trend in spare time activity for taking up non-vocational creative tasks such as gardening or home decorating. A growing realization that fulfilling activities need not necessarily correspond to careers is indicated by the increased number of mature students studying the humanities (Times Higher, 2003). With these attitudes, it is small wonder that the prospect of leaving education to engage in dead-end work is a fear for many.

2. Developing Writing Skills

To develop a fictional story or a descriptive composition, children need to line up language, grammar, and punctuation. The technical aspects of writing can be taught in fun ways. Do remember that it’s important not to overload a child with “the rules.” To start with, get the child to choose 10-15 words they’ve previously spelled wrong or 10-15 favorite words. It’s a rule that they must learn to spell these words correctly in a story. Encourage the use of a thesaurus and highlight the importance of editing and redrafting work. With experience, children will gain confidence in their spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Creative writing activities can help with writing skills. There’s a strong relationship between reading and writing. If a child can read a story and then retell it or act it out – fabulous! This kind of activity takes an ordinary story and gives the child the opportunity to use rich, expressive language. It develops the imagination and adds an emotional narrative to the story. We call this the “oral rewrite,” it’s incredibly important.

3. Exploring Different Genres

In this section, the essay will move to focus on the ways in which you are able to explore your own talents within different genres. It will look at the benefits of being a versatile writer and will pinpoint opportunities for students to adapt their coursework to the genre of their choice. With the recent reorganization of the major requirements, a student now has many more chances to focus specifically on poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or journalism, and many 300 level workshops now have distinct offerings by genre. In addition, students may now count one genre-specific workshop or craft course from outside the English Department toward the major. This change increases the total number of creative writing courses a student may take from six to seven and opens the door for genre study through other front-rank departments with a singular workshop course. This creates great opportunities for students who are sure of the genre with which they wish to be involved, allowing them to double major or simply expand their knowledge by taking genre-specific workshops outside of the English Department. With this sort of opportunity, students are able to become very skilled within a specific genre, and this sort of skill can be very useful when promoting into the work environment.

4. Building a Portfolio

The portfolio is designed to showcase a student’s individual development and mastery of specific skills. Through an assortment of works, the writer can show a progression in their abilities from one piece to the next. “A portfolio is highly useful; shows improvement and progress. You can confidently show an employer several examples of your writing, proving the range and versatility in your talent,” McCann said. With such a display, the prospective employee may feel more comfortable placing a larger project in your hands. The ability to effectively display an aesthetic for work and progression may directly influence the type of job you will be offered and the amount of pay you will receive.

Each writer needs a well-stocked arsenal of tools in order to succeed. The capstone project for our program, the completion of a portfolio, can serve as an entryway into the world of work and also open doors for further education. This collection of polished, revised, and perfected pieces can illustrate to potential employers or institutions of higher learning the very specific and desirable skills you possess. Compiled correctly and used efficiently, it can be an invaluable key to success.

5. Career Opportunities

While some people might have you thinking that the only career in writing is that of a novelist, the truth is that a major in creative writing can be a springboard to a wide array of fulfilling and rewarding occupations. The ability to think creatively and to communicate effectively are valuable skills in any field. Many students do go on to pursue a graduate degree in creative writing, English, or journalism; however, there are endless possibilities for a writing major, including: teaching, corporate work, public relations, advertising, publishing, law, library science, and even freelance writing. We asked Karen Oughtred, a UBC Career Services Coordinator, if it can be difficult for students with a creative writing major to find work. She responded: “It can be a bit challenging, usually because when people hear ‘writing major’ they automatically think ‘unemployable.’ But this major has a lot going for it. It’s a rigorous program that is seen as a good reflection of one’s analytical and verbal skills. For any verbally articulate job in communications or PR, it would be a viable major. Writers make good teachers of English as well. And ones who are more flexible and can write about a wide variety of topics can find lots of different kinds of work. It really depends on the individual’s skills and interests.”