What My Creative Writing Major was Like

Here's what the creative writing program was like at my university...and also, it's possible to get a job as an English major!
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cassandrajaye.com
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Shot on a Canon S120

[@michellemarie1197]

i want to be a creative writing major, and my main goal is to get a book deal and become a novelist, but i want to also become an editor, or go into copywriting and i have a book blog where i review books and i am interested in becoming a professor.

[@AmeliaLeguenReinosa]

Mycroft Holmes why would you say that?

[@jessthemess4]

@michelle Marie I want that too!

[@AndresPerez-rg4xk]

This was so helpful, I’ve been struggling for over a year or so... to figure out what I want my career path to be. This video and many like yours help reinforce my decision for this career path. The major question “will you find a job in this...” I can finally answer 😊😌

[@carterrozenboom8282]

Andrés Perez Hah the *major* question.

[@LivingDead53]

Thanks for sharing. Majors in humanities fund the expensive science majors. I would love to go and focus on creative writing, but my experience with online school hasn't been helpful (minus MIZZOU). I was wasting my time. Glad you found happiness.

[@kirkmcknight113]

I like to listen to you young folks talk about writing. Believe me when I say young folks because I'm 69 and starting my writing career. I am a blabbermouth, motor mouth, and whatever description you would use for an individual that talks too much. I figure writing will allow me to talk as much as I want to. I'm a TX man that has so much experience in life alone that I could write volumes on the things I have done or witnessed done. All of which is above the law, I cross my heart that's true. A man doesn't have to be bad to have fun. I can sit down at night and write a short story or 2 with no problems. I have several sticky notes on my bookcase. Each has at least 3 - 4 lines for a short story. Any advice young lady? Kirk in TX

[@salwameghjee]

Thanks for making this! I'm a senior in high school and I applied to a bunch of schools as either a creative writing or English major depending on what was offered, and it's helpful to hear that I can still achieve what I want as an English major :) Also, did you ever take a script writing class, and what was it like? Thanks!

[@CassandraJaye]

+Salwa Meghjee yay so glad that you're planning to do a creative writing/english major! I never ended up fitting a script writing class into my schedule, but definitely wanted to. I think that'd be a great skill to have :D

[@frankhardyjr1213]

I have some questions about this, because you caught my attention about this a lot. Hope I will hear back from you on here in the conversation you are having about English is so good and wonderful at the same time.

[@annmurry8589]

I had a lot of trouble choosing a major. I have issues with the whole "separated disciplines of study" thing. I see how studies in physics, math stats, and education have impacted my writing project - especially in the areas of world building and target audience. However, I have had to fill in the holes from not pursuing studies in writing by practicing in fanfic blog groups and watching tons of online videos about writing, further slowing the project down. Writing is not an automatic thing that doesn't benefit from study and practice. However, I think I would have struggled with the subjective grading and openness to personality politics - it's possible to push through that stuff in harder sciences while being a bit on the inept side of things. I fear any arts program could have eaten me alive - possibly an irrational fear - but also somewhat validated by experience. Even studies in education are rooted in stats, standards, and test scores. Are writing programs as subjective and steeped in personal aesthetics as I imagine them to be?

[@coreyandrewwright1231]

Thank you so much!~

[@chelchel3942]

what do you think of attending creative writing workshops outside vs getting a creative writing degree in university?

[@shelaaduana5980]

What is the difference between English literature and creative writing?

[@CassandraJaye]

+1! A lot of schools require you to take English lit. classes even if you're in a creative writing program because reading critically (i.e. talking and writing about published work) is a good way to learn what makes a story work. Creative writing workshops are more like, "here's this thing I wrote, how can I make it better?"

[@michaelrauch8629]

Creative writing is more concentrated

[@dinosaurfilms7425]

Make sure not to set your camera on automatic white balance when you're recording. That's what causes those colour shifts.

[@CassandraJaye]

Thanks! I don't even have a dslr at this point, so not sure if that's an option on my baby vlogger camera. But I'll be sure to note this when I get around to upgrading.

[@kevinobrochta7398]

CassandraJaye ã

[@dehanglimbu]

I want to become an author... So should I take creative writing or English major??? Plz help

[@tehufn]

I personally think that you should start writing before you go to school for writing. See if you actually like writing, and have a passion for it before you actually commit years and money to it. A "try it before you buy it" kind of approach.

[@dehanglimbu]

tehufn ya... Writing is my passion! I just love writing stories, but I am not sure which major should I take (English or creative writing)?? Help help!

[@valeriasalasibarra2550]

#ForeverYoung it's the same for me over here, but for what I've heard you can take some creative writing in he English major, I'm not sure tho, I'm three years away from graduating high school so idk how true is that

[@tehufn]

valeria salas some schools do it others don't.

[@Insert639]

I think you should major in creative writing or especially English to become more formally developed as a writer and a thinker. I am majoring in Philosophy, but have had a growing passion for the English language and its fundamentals. I am considering minoring in literature or English, however.

[@kimmylester6826]

thank youu

[@chipo759]

I am going to university to study creative writing with English degree in the UK have an unconditional offer

[@maplelaker]

What if you're interested in creative writing for undergrad and writing for children and young adults for grad? Why does UArts want me to "Describe an important window"?

[@Bieber807]

Hi! Thank you so much for all of this information. I am going into my senior year and have questioned what would be the right path for me. I have always exceeded in creative writing. I've found my weak spots are in persuasive and argumentative essays. Will that be a huge problem for me? Or is it something I can work on in the near future? I have good communication skills and have joined many clubs at my school on top of being involved in choir/music education all 4 years. I am hopeful that this major is the right choice for me. I am an average student. I had a very bad year last year with a big dip in grades. I'm hoping my artistic talents will shine through that. Do you recommend 2 year community then 4 years at a university to get my masters? Money is not as much of a problem but I would love to save in the long run if possible. When you say that you can come out with a job fairly easy is that depending on where you choose to go with your major or is that under any title?

[@troybolton14]

I'm curious about the workshops. Did you pick what type of piece to submit, or did it have to be a short story or a poem or something else specific? How much freedom is there?

[@CassandraJaye]

For me, it depended a ton on the class/professor. My "intro to creative writing" class was more regimented; we'd have to submit a poem one week, a scene from a story the next. But the intermediate and advanced workshops I took were super flexible, and everyone could submit whatever they were working on--a short story, a novel chapter, etc. Hope that's helpful!

[@coreyandrewwright1231]

My MA degree is in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing.~ 😁

[@moon6862]

Thanks for sharing your experience, it was really useful. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your job? And is it difficult to get a job into publishing or journalism with an English literature and creative writing degree?

[@ΜαρίταΚυριαζοπούλου]

Is creative writting hard?

[@raspberryboo2]

nothing about this makes me want to major in creative writing in fact i find it more discouraging now than before

[@kiyannarose.]

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[@TCS088]

That background music was soooooo annoying!

[@ameliareyes5591]

If you don’t mind me asking, what college did you go to?

[@CassandraJaye]

I went to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. They don't have a specific creative writing program, but i was able to do a creative writing concentration within my English Lit. major :)