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Can you hold down a dayjob while earning your MFA in creative writing or journalism?

Over at the MFA Blog, readers are debating that tough, tough question. Myself, I paid the rent with a crappy bookstore dayjob while studying for my MA in journalism. It was stressful, but I did it, because I wanted to stay in New York City. 

Writer and foodie C(h)ristine actually survived the working and MFA lifestyle, and had this to say: "I worked parttime throughout my MFA. I was able to swing it, though I know I cheated myself out of the whole experience (which to me is the dream of a huge block of time devoted to writing), but at the same time, I got a chance to stay financially solvent and keep my career on track (after all, we all return to the working world after the MFA)."

I think aspiring writers should shoot for the moon when they apply--try to get a scholarship or teaching work--and have this huge chunk of time where you can live as a writer. It doesn't last long.

If you can't get the scholarships, don't rule out the MFA. Even while working a dayjob and studying, you can still become a stronger, more professional writer. If that doesn't work, creative writing guru, Erika Dreifus, wrote a Poets & Writers article about Low Residency MFA programs--university writing programs for working adults.

Hurrah! My prayers have been answered! A Random House Summer Catalog was in my inbox this morning, and on page two was the announcement and brand new ISBN number for a reissued edition of John Burningham's outstanding John Patrick Norman McHennessy--the boy who was always late. This has been on my "Lost Treasures" list since the early days of this blog. I take no credit for it's reissue, only immense pleasure that someone in a position to bring it back did so.

I hope it has been left as originally published and not revised to meet modern day sensibilities. I'm thinking of the bit where the disbelieving teacher threatens to thrash JPNM for telling lies. Children today need not fear corporal punishment, and I suspect that when the book was originally written in 1987 there really wasn't much danger of it then either. But you never know how far the bubble-wrapping of children will go. The revising of books is an ongoing controversy in Children's Literature, from Tintin in the Congo to whether or not editions of Good Night Moon should feature a picture of illustrator Clement Hurd holding a cigarette.

English author John Burningham returns to whimsical form with this picture book which answers the question, "Where do cats go at night?" Burningham's previous offering, Edwardo: The Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World (2007) was rather message-heavy. But It's a Secret! is a straight forward fantasy (if that's not an oxymoran) in the same vein as Come Away From the Water Shirley (1977) and The

Hellooo!

We had a lovely break from routine, did some travelling and are now back in Montreal. Here are a few pictures of our travels:

We never get tired of this view:

Edinburgh castle

The old swimming baths that I used to go to has been turned into a wonderful tapestry studio called Dovecot Studios. While we were there, we were lucky enough to catch the John Burningham exhibition that was on:

Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh

We took a very wet but lovely trip to the botanics:

Wildflowers, Edinburgh Botanics

On our way to see some friends in Orkney, we stopped off at Dornoch:


Dornoch beach

Stromness is so pretty:

Stromness, Orkney

Skimming stones in Stromness

Ewan's Rock balancing, Stromness


View on our cliff walk


Old man of Hoy

But he main reason for our trip was because my sister was getting married:

The happy couple


My beautiful sister and my lovely nieces

It was an absolutely wonderful day and we were so glad that we got to share it with them. We did lots of fun family stuff together and also had plenty of time to sit around and relax.

Consequently, I haven't touched any art materials in weeks, which was needed I think. But now, I am itching to get started again but also a little nervous to begin. I am experiencing a little bit of illustration stage fright if there is such a condition :) I thought I might start with buying a new sketchbook, try a bit of doodling and see where it takes me....

Almost forgot to mention that some copies of the latest book that I illustrated recently arrived:Why oh Why does Baby cry? Published by Random House.



It has tabs to pull and flaps to open:

Flap closed

Flap open

See you soon folks!

Most aspiring writers reading this site don't have any time to go back to school. Unless you have a trust fund, you can't start your career over as a graduate writing student. 

Until I met author and creative writing guru, Erika Dreifus, I thought adult writers were out of luck. Last year Dreifus wrote a Poets & Writers article about Low Residency MFA programs--university writing programs for working adults. These workshops may be the best hope for jump-starting your writing career.

Check it out: "The popularity of these programs, which allow writers to earn a degree without having to spend much time living on a particular campus, was easy to understand. Writers like me who had, in many cases, slipped out of our early twenties and had established personal and professional commitments, could continue our education without disrupting (too much) the patterns of our lives."

Today Dreifus updated her extensive Low-Residency MFA and MA programs list, so why not think about it? If you live in New York and are looking for an even more focused experience, the folks at the Sackett Street Writers Workshop have built a bustling writing community/writing school out of their apartment.