Today I graduate writing school and I officially become a writer. The words you’re reading now are not sanctioned yet–give it a few hours and suddenly you’ll realize how un-degreed these sentences were. I kid, of course, because graduating writing school is not like graduating medical school or (ahem) law school–you can be a practicing writer without a writing degree. So why go?
Several people have asked me about writing school in e-mails and since this is the official end of the journey, I thought I’d take a tiny departure from food blogging and write about it. Should the non-foodieness of this post disturb you, do a google image search for “carrot” and let the pictures calm you. Everyone else, click ahead.
Ok, so writing school–how was it? What is it? Why go?
I was in my third year of law school and miserable, angry and completely unwilling to spend my life practicing law. I wrote a play called “Tragedy at Camp Zebulon” about a rebellious Jewish girl and her brother sent to a Jewish summer camp that slowly morphs into a concentration camp. And it was a comedy. What had I written? I didn’t know. I invited friends over for a reading and they all liked it but, like me, didn’t know its worth. Would this get me in anywhere?
I sent it to four places: Yale, Juilliard, NYU/Tisch and The New School.
I heard from The New School first: they liked me. They wanted to meet me. Then a rejection came from Yale. I wasn’t sure I wanted to really study at The New School—all I knew about it was James Lipton hosted his show there. Would that be worth two or three years of my time?
Then two exciting things happened: I got an acceptance from Tisch and I got an interview at Juilliard. (Long-time readers of this blog will remember these events as I documented them here and here).
The Juilliard thing didn’t pan out–they only take two to four people each year for a fellowship–and I was momentarily disappointed, but then Tisch grew brighter and brighter in my future. (And ironically, Marsha Norman–who teaches at Juilliard–became my masters thesis teacher at Tisch. So I had the best of both worlds.)
I didn’t know anything about Tisch when I applied and my parents began to ask questions. I e-mailed one of my future teachers to ask about the program and he made a solid case (my mom, of course, printed out the e-mail to show everyone she met on the street): 500 people apply, 20 get in; graduates include Neil Labute, Kenneth Lonnergan, and Doug Wright; there’s not a living playwright who hasn’t taught there. I was sold, mom and dad were sold, and I was on my way.
Flash forward to today—what have I learned? Was it worth it? Am I the next Neil Labute?
These are hard questions to answer. On a practical level: yes, absolutely, 100% it was worth it. Believe it or not, writing is a technical process. The first thing school hammers into you is an appreciation for structure. When I became a Nabokov fanatic, I began to read his lectures at Cornell (a wonderful book) and I taped a quote from him on my wall: “Great ideas are hogwash, style and structure are the essence of a work.” Style and structure, style and structure. I knew I had style, I just didn’t know what he meant by structure. I took it to mean the order the story was told in and that didn’t seem very hard.
Today I lay down on the altar of structure and feel myself sacrificed by its difficulty and its wonder on a daily basis. Structure is so so difficult. I still haven’t quite grasped it–someone (ahem) called my masters thesis play a structural mess and he was right. The sequencing of events in a play or a movie or a TV show takes a certain kind of genius. I know someone who hates “Titanic” for its dialogue, completely ignoring its structure. Yet it sets up a pretty ingenious structure for telling its story and you can’t dismiss the success it had. People want a good story and they want a good story told well. “Star Wars,” “Jaws,” any episode of “The Sopranos”–these are incredibly well told stories. If you try to take an event from the end of any of these movies and put them at the beginning they’ll fall apart. And that’s structure.
As for style, that’s the thing writing school can’t teach you. Teachers can comment on your style (I’ve had teachers tell me: “You’re hiding behind your humor,” “Your characters are sitcom thin,” “You need more complexity”) but these are things that no one can teach you to improve upon. Undoubtedly, my greatest asset in writing school has been my imagination–people are sometimes staggered at how far-out I take my material. Yet, my style often doesn’t seem to synch up with those of my classmates. And that’s a good thing–we’re all individuals. But it becomes difficult when the majority of them are writing serious dramas and you have a scene in your play where a chef puts parrots in a blender. I leave writing school pretty sure I’ll never be a serious playwright–there are no Pulitzer prizes in my future. Though I do think my capacity to please and entertain an audience is significant–at least I hope it is. Parrots in a blender anyone?
See, writing school can make you neurotic about your work. Though explicit rankings of “best writers” and “worst writers” are never filed, they are constantly discussed. There are festivals each semester and though we all pretend we don’t care when our work is never chosen (and, I should note, my work was never chosen) it cuts deeply because so many of us have frail egos and want people to agree with that voice in our heads that says: “You’re a genius–nobody understands you–your day will come.”
And when your day does come–when you have a glory moment in writing school (and I’ve had a few)–you feel yourself lifted into the air like a helium balloon. Yes, soon you’ll deflate, fall into the ocean and choke a whale, but in that moment you feel blissful, like nothing can touch you. My best glory moment happened at the Public Theater. The first ten minutes of my play “Crustaceans” were performed and they went terrifically well. I’ll never forget that.
I’ll also never forget the day Edward Albee came to our class; or the day we had lunch with Peter Brook. Or the Q&A with William Goldman, or the trip we took up to Harlem to see “The Gospel at Colonus.” That’s the final thing writing school gives you that you don’t necessarily expect at first: access. I’ve had access to some brilliant minds–from Pulitzer prize winners to writers on “Friends” and “Sex and the City.” These people have all read my work and I’m a much better writer for it.
Now it’s 10:53 and I better skedaddle to get to school. I hope this glimpse into the past two years was illuminating. The end of my education is today and my future begins tomorrow. The very next post you read will be written by a formally sanctioned writer. My amateur days are over.
Thanks, those were some helpful observations.
Congrats AG. Are you making some Caramel Corn to celebrate? ;o)
Congratulations on your accomplishment!
Congratulations!!
There’s a town called Zebulon in NC.
Maybe writers have certain formats that they excel at, because their sense of structure fits well with, say, a book or a blog and not a play. I think you already found one — good luck finding more!
Gosh and it seems like just yesterday you graduated from law school! Congratulations!
Adam, I’ve often thought about your choices over the past couple of years. I applauded your decision to scrap the law when it didn’t seem as if it were for you, and I’ve greatly enjoyed the parts of your education as a writer that you’ve shared with your readers. This post gave me a lot to think about in terms of my own development as a writer. Thank you so very much for sharing so much of what you’ve gained, and congratulations on the end of your formal schooling and the beginning of the “next part,” wherever that may lead you.
Good luck. You never were an amateur. James Thurber was a serious writer, as was Ogden Nash. I’m afraid you’ve placed yourself in good company. Congratulations.
Congratulations, Adam!
I’d love to read your play about Camp Zebulon :). Congrats!
Congratulations!
See, writing school can make you neurotic about your work.
And that, good sir, is an understatement.
A huge congrats Adam. So you’re changing the name of your blog tomorrow? ;-)
Congratulations, Adam!
I write, too, and I know how hard it can be.
Congratulations for completing the program.
I graduated with a double major (one of which was Communications with a creative writing empahsis) 25 years ago and always wanted to go to Grad School to get a MFA in Creative Writing and beef up my credentials. But it never happened. So good for you for making a left turn while still early in your journey and not being afraid to change your path. I wish you well.
Congratulations!!!! i am so happy for you and proud of you and i don’t even know you. But i know what it takes to get through this and i’m standin up and clappin for ya :)
Here’s to your amazing writing career.
Your writing here is remarkable and has moved me and also inspired me to break outta grandma’s recipes and experiment. Thank you and good luck :)
My comment isn’t about your writing (which is wonderful!) but rather about the use of the term “graduate writing school.” I was taught to say “graduate from xxxx,” whereas you (and a few others I see recently) omit the word “from.” Were we old people wrong or has the proper way to use the word “graduate” changed? I realize that one would say “attend school” so perhaps in Kansas the teachers were just ignorant. Would you comment?
As a creative writing teacher, I’d like to say that in my experience with students it’s much harder to write funny than sad.
And as a writer: I’m still struggling with structure after 20 years of writing.
AG, as you move towards your ultimate destination in the universe, you will always have guides to help point you in the right direction. They may come in the form of dreams, nightmares, alien beings, rants, riffs or an inspiration of a great meal – but your muse will be agile enough to turn your head towards the creative, passionate energy you seek. Your Emory fans continue to watch you grow and wish you the very best in the next chapter of your life.
Congratulations! I must say that I always await your new posts with such great anticipation–and now with your new pedigree that is doubly so. Now, can you please clarify if the parrots in this recipe are Kakapos, Macaws, or Lovebirds? I do wish to make sure I get this right…
I think the best way for you to celebrate your graduation is with more Lisa’s Microwave Egg Theatre. I can see it now an egg with a grduation cap holding a little degree.
Congradulations, now whenever anyone posts something in the comments about a misspelling, or something else trivial, you can ask them if they are an NYU writing graduate, and then if not shut it.
Mazel Tov, Adam! What’s next for you?
What’s next in your quest?
Congrats from one lawyer, aspiring writer to one who “IS”!! Best wishes, and go out and break a pencil! (smile)
I know this comment is pretty delayed but just wanted to thank you for the writing advice. I was struggling with some major writer’s block and after reading this post I was able to finish my play. The story’s in the structure! So cheers to good food and good writing!