I blame myself.
I don't think that Fergal was trying to start a war, more trying to clear one up and then got genuinely irked.
Fair play. And she is indeed remarkably kind.
To be honest I used to balk at the exclusivity of the MA. I think it is something I have just grown used to now. Doing applications for MA's currently, this very week, and I positively not applying to UEA. For a start They probably would'nt have me, and I would not want to. You out grow a place.
I went to an evening with a friend who had done the MA, and the chair leading person did a big talk about how exclusive the students who did the Ma used to be when it was headed by Malcolm Bradbury.
The fact that they used to viewed with some sort of reverence when they walked around campus, had seats reserved for them at the front of litererary events.
Obviously it has lost this in a rigid sense, but soetimes it does seem to still have a slight hint.
I reckon though, use what you have got, and if it adds weight add it.
I will be hopefully be proud of anywhere that would consider taking me to do an MA. Just want good tutors.
Span
Ah, I see.
Must have been fun, non?
But it was one of the lecturers who was saying that this was the case, at a presentation show case evening for MA students.
Span
Just hype, Span. Or that kind of false nostalgia for the "good old days." It does the university no harm to foster these illusions. Yesterday was always and will always be better.
Visit my blog: http://whatisthisstrangeplace.blogspot.com/(link is external)
wow quite a hot topic - it is a very interesting debate, as a none UAE'er i did find the references to it a little daunting when i first joined - but to be honest i don't know who has the MA and who doesn't on here.
In terms of career success - it can only help, as agents etc will be looking at the graduates work. I am sure it also an extremely demanding course that produces some excellent writers. If i could afford the time i would do it - if publishing success eludes me, i will probably look into it in the future when the kids are older.
However for now this site is educating me and developing my writing, and i am pleased there are people on here with that experience as their critquing skills will also be honed.
A lot of us on here want publishing credits and if we are honest enough money from our wrtiting to at least justify part time hours. For me if that means further education in this art form then i will go for it and UAE has the name so that would be where i start (though of course there is no garuntee they would want me - i love rejection, i love rejec..). I do like the work of Ian McEwan and Kazuo Ishiguro and would love to be able to write as well as either of them.
Juliet
Juliet - whilst I'm sure that the United Arab Emirates produces its fair share of talented wordsmiths, I would not go so far as to say it has a 'name' for it. I think you are much better off sticking with the community at abctales.
And I'm sorry for going over the top earlier. I don't mean to step on anyone's toes and I love abctales and all who sail on her - it's just I worked *so* hard to get on the course at UEA, because writing is all I ever wanted to do. I'm really passionate about it, and I get a bit antsy if I feel people think that makes me arrogant or a twat.
I take my hat off to all you UEA ers. I make no bones about the fact that any writing talent I have will not be developed because I do not have the passion or energy that I admire so much in all of you. As the old cliche holds true, its 5 % inspiration and 95% perspiration. And if you worked hard to get on a prestigious course you SHOULD be proud - of course it doesn't make you an arrogant twat and people who suggest that it does are probably jealous. I'm a bit jealous really but at least I admit it.
I would like to add it doesn't matter so much WHERE you got your MA so long as the standards are on a par.
For that matter I don't particularly think it matter WHAT you studied! Poetjude (BSc and soon-to-be Dip Theo). If anyone has any zoological problems...perhaps you'd like a critique of the spider in your bath, I'm happy to oblige!
... and although I was one, I agree with Bobble that all students are wankers.
It cost the government a small fortune and put myself into debt to get my BA in ringtone composition and drink beer for three years at Scunthorpe Poly.
"Jack are you saying that it is impossible for any writer to acheive any kind of success or recognition without an MA from UEA?"
I think it greatly increases your chances of success to have an MA from UEA. I think that if you're a pretty good writer, determined, prepared to flaunt yourself, and have the UEA creative writing MA, you are pretty much guaranteed at least a degree of success. I'm not saying you that you can't be successful without it, and I'm not saying that you don't have to work hard if you do have it, but it makes a big difference. Someone like Tom - he has the MA, but he's hindered by other inherent prejudices in the publishing industry.
I dunno. Sometimes I change my mind about that. And incidentally, David Flusfeder, who also did the MA back in the days of Malcolm Bradbury, said it set his writing back half a decade.
Most of the time, I don't care about it, but sometimes I am very disappointed in myself, and that's one of the things that I focus on.
Also, is anyone on ABC, other than Brighteyes, actually *still* a UEA'er? Rokkitnite's done with it - so have Span, Spack, Fergal, McManaman and myself. It's not really got anything to do with anything anymore, has it?
http://www.freewebs.com/michaeljamestreacy/index.htm(link is external)
When you denigrate this guy as a 'spaz'... do you mean that he suffers from Spastic Cerebral Palsy, or are you just using the term as a derogatory expression?
And you think your so clever
and classless and free?
But you're still fookin' peasants
as far as I can see.
Juliet
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