Any observations can be made under the cloak of a nom de plume. I understand that an enrolled student at UQ or QUT for example, unhappy with the quality of the teaching and the courses is still going to be unlikely to want these views to be known as theirs. There's no such thing as objectivity in universities or anywhere else, and making an enemy of a powerful writer in Queensland could affect ones prospects in the limited market that Queensland offers.
So anyone who feels they might like to contribute an assessment on this topic to this blog but not an acknowledged one please feel free to email me here - queenslandwriting@gmail.com - and I will post it for you, regards Barbara
11 comments:
This week I will be posting a review of an excellent book I've just read called 'The 101 Habits of Highly Sucessful Novelists' by Andrew McAleer. It touches on this very subject. In short, I've withdrawn from university as I found it unchallenging and stifling. I also realised that it was just an excuse to put of writing (which is kind of ironic). But also, I already have a Masters degree so university is not such a biggy for me.
We're on the same page I think Skye. I started my second tranche of Swinburne, which seemed all but identical to the first, and about as useless to the real process of writing. Now I have 3 weeks in which to consider withdrawing, and I find that 1> I'm reluctant to cough up another $6000 for an at best dubious outcome, and 2> getting so little useful feedback makes me wonder what the point of it all is (apart from a fee grab by Unis - did you know the humanities departments these days are just about funded by all these writing courses?). I found an interesting bit of writing on this topic, on a blog. I'll attach it when I can find it again. I'm hoping to get a bit more input from QWC members if they're willing to add to the discussion.
And here's an interesting discussion on writing, teaching writing, writers courses etc -
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/bwriting/stories/s1430412.htm - it's particularly measured in its assessment of the value of courses, teaching etc and the likelihood or otherwise of getting published. It's not the one I was looking for, but that was American in any case.
I've come to realise that all these courses are not making me a better writer. Hard work and dedication makes a good writer. Plus, think of all the books you can buy with $6000, that wealth of knowledge you can have sitting in your library rather then lining the pockets of the universities. Don't get me wrong, I'm pro university but I think a lot of these Creative Writing courses are just money makers, especially the external courses which are almost designed to allow limited feedback. The units I had taken only had two assessment items each. Where is the value for money in this? Now if there were five or six assessment items, which allowed for greater feedback (and the lecturers actually doing something), I may have reconsidered withdrawing as that would have been a challenge.
It was actually the book I mentioned above that made me re-assess the reason I was going to uni. I highly recommend it.
I'm looking forward to your book review Skye. $6000 worth of books is a very enticing prospect. In fact yesterday I went to Folio and spent $33.00 of it so technically I now how have $5967. In case you're interested I bought Chloe Hooper's wonderful book "The tall man". She won a Walkley on the Palm Island case (the death of Mulrinyi Doomadgee) and has now written an excellent book. I might buy Mr McAleer's book next. I've just read Bernard Schlink's "The Reader" (excellent beginning veering towards the trite as answers begin to be required). So not doing a writing course is also allowing me the time to read a lot of really good books, probably a far more useful help in writing well anyway. And certainly much more relevant than reading a lot of diluted cultural theory. ttfn B
My thoughts exactly. It is funny, everytime I start a university course I start getting anxious about the limited time I'm now going to have to read. It is almost like having withdrawals. The day I withdrew from uni I immediately logged onto Collins Booksellers and ordered six books (although truthfully, four of those were reference books on the Middle Ages).
I've posted a brief review of the book on my blog. It truly is a no nonsense book on writing. Although I only read it a few weeks ago I have since flicked back through it several times.
Thanks Skye, I didn't realize your review was already online. I'll add a link here to your blog for anyone else who might be interested:
http://skyegurtner.blogspot.com/
Reading well is the key to so much when it comes to language and using it skillfully. But I love to read just for the pleasure of seeing into the mind of another. Of course this is also a daunting aspect of being a writer. Readers can see right into us as well. It took me a while to get over my stage-fright at being read. Now I just think how generous other writers are when they reveal themselves to me, so I must be generous in my own turn.
I wanted to refresh my creative writing skills and recently signed up to do a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing at QUT. I completed two subjects in creative writing about 10 years ago. At that time I enjoyed two small classes with authors taking the sessions. I really enjoyed the classes. This time I find out I am in a class of 200. What I think is a postgraduate course, is actually four subjects from an undergraduate course. As I already have a Bachelors of Business (Communication), I didn't want to be in a class of beginners or in a lecture with 200 people. It was very disappointing and I was certainly not going to pay $2200 a subject. I have since done a five week short online course with Sydney Writers Centre which I found wonderful and it was significantly less money (sixth of the price)!
Am currently doing a Master of Letters (Creative Writing) at CQU. The bulk of instruction comes from decade-old texts, but feedback from lecturers has been good. No class contact at all though, everything is done online. Have managed a HD and a Letter of Commendation from the Dean so must be doing something right...
Hello to the two çommenters'above - I'd love to send you my trial survey if you have time to do it - if you're so inclined could you email me at queenslandwriting@gmail.com - thanks for your observations everything is helpful. I'd actually quite like to interview a few people in person too, so if either of you is willing (no names no packdrill etc) please let me know, regards Barbara
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