Reddit reviews Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School

A degree is only as useful as you make it after you've attained it.

I could have gotten an MFA (I was offered a free spot in my grad school's program—long story) but chose not to because, frankly, I didn't feel that I needed it.

Don't get me wrong: an MFA can be invaluable. But imo (I can't stress that enough, this is all through my own lens), it's mostly the experience and the ease-of-access to useful tools that makes it worthwhile; not necessarily the degree itself. In other words, the journey to the degree is what gives it value (which I suppose could be said of any degree you earn, but I digress).

When you go for an MFA, you get (most obviously) incredible amounts of workshopping and feedback on your pieces; this is pretty essential to a growing writer. You absorb a lot of information regarding craft and nuance—all things that you could surely find on your own, but are consolidated and streamlined nicely for you in a program geared towards creative writing.

By extension, you also get immediate, intimate, and prolonged access to successful and published writers (instructors, guest writers, temp/visiting writers, etc.), whose brains you can pick quite freely.

And lastly (probably the "most" important thing for aspiring writers), you're given a 'better' platform from which to get published. You'll have all these connections that you can work, and they'll do what they can to help you get in (all the while improving your writing in a sustainable environment).

So, what are some important things an MFA gives you?

• Workshops: Feedback given and received (very useful).
  
• Networking: Like-minded peers to collaborate with, and instructors who are invested in your success (befriend as many people as you can; you never know if someone's gonna be a breakout writer).
  
• Knowledge: Easy access to a ton of information ranging from style to craft.
  
• Guidance: You have a schedule. This seems like a no-brainer, but everything is laid out for you, and there is a logical progression to the things you will learn. Also, advice from people who've been in your position before.
  
  Now here's the thing: all four of these things are attainable without an MFA. It'll take more effort on your part, but it's doable.
  
  You can workshop—either on your own, or as part of a community (like this sub). This also opens the door to networking, both with the people who critique your work and with those whose work you critique.
  
  You can make your own schedule—a little harder for those who tend to procrastinate or find it difficult to self-motivate, but it can be done. Buy some books on creative writing (Portable MFA; GWW on Fiction, etc.; I'm assuming you're interested in fiction rather than nonfiction/memoir or poetry), set a schedule for yourself (maybe M/W/F or something). Make your own lesson plan, do the exercises.
  
  If possible, try to find a friend or two to do it with you (even if they're not great writers or really interested in it,
  but rather just want to support you)—it's always better with other people. Write on the days in between and the time before and after the lessons.
  
  Sure, you might not have such easy access to people in the industry without going to an MFA program, but at the end of the day, it's more often than not the quality of your writing and the execution of your ideas that will get you places. There are lots of self-published authors on this sub alone. How many of them have MFAs? I couldn't guess, but I can guarantee not all of them have one; they were just determined and diligent. They put in the time and work, maybe got an agent.
  
  Pursuing an MFA is great because it gives you constant exposure to creative writing in what is usually a conducive environment: you cannot afford to put things off or to have writer's block; even if you're at a loss, you have to write.
  
  The problem with doing this solo (i.e. not in an MFA), especially if you have motivation issues, is that creative writing can be an endless time-sink. If you have writer's block and you just think, "Ah, I have no idea where to go with this, I'll just come back later," you can just go off and do something else: play video games, watch TV, see a movie, see friends... or maybe you're just a bad procrastinator. It just becomes an endless loop of minimal productivity.
  
  If you don't get much writing done in an MFA, you will get your ass handed to you. And you might be one of those people who can get by on procrastination, but in a CW program, it's very easy to see who is procrastinating... so your work will likely be sub-par and your ass will get handed to you anyways. Your instructors won't mince words, they will tell you straight up what's bad about your work.
  
  At an MFA, you must produce. At home, doing this alone, you can have days where you only write one page, days where you write 10, and nothing bad will come of it.
  
  When I was getting my MA in English, I had a friend who was in the MFA program (while I was still deciding if I wanted to enroll in it after I got my masters) and he kept talking to me almost daily about his deadlines. He'd have to have a brand new short done by the next week; or 50+ new pages for his novel-in-progress by the week after; the entire novel draft by midterm break; the draft revised by the end of semester; all of this while writing other shorts, workshopping other people's stuff, teaching at the local high school, etc.
  
  My brother-in-law was an Army Ranger and talks about basic training and Ranger school, and when the instructors would make them run or do crazy amounts of push-ups/pull-ups, they'd refer to it as "getting smoked."
  
  Well, in an MFA, your ass will get smoked. You're going to have to write a lot. When there's a deadline to meet and something on the line (your reputation, your grade, etc.), you'll find your motivation fast, even if you have to make it up; this isn't necessarily the case when you're your own boss.
  
  Like I said earlier, I was offered a guaranteed spot in my school's MFA program. I eventually declined, because, essentially, I'm very confident in my prose. The head of the CW department was essentially begging me to join, and I knew that if he thought my writing was that good, I didn't actually need the MFA (although I'd be lying if I said I didn't want one).
  
  Worst-case scenario, if you get your MFA (and even while pursuing it) and everything else falls through, you can get some teaching opportunities at local high schools and temp jobs at colleges. When you get your MFA (since it's a terminal degree), you can teach full-time at the college/university level which does have its perks. But teaching isn't for everyone (:
  
  So, TL;DR: if you're a very motivated person, you don't really need an MFA. If you need a kick in the ass, an MFA may be very helpful (and you'll get some very helpful things along the way).
  
  Also: money. It sucks, but it's also a factor.
  
  Hope this was helpful. Good luck!
  
  ~b

How about Writing Fiction from the Gotham Writer's Workshop. It's got a good bit of useful advice about everything.

I'll second Zinsser.

Finally, maybe something literary criticism-ish and structural. How about Reading Novels by George Hughes?

I have to admit I don't care for either King or Strunk&White. Sorry.

1. Right off the bat, your title. Just call it "June Wedding." Drop the letter A.
   
   
2. Be sure to do your sluglines properly. Formatting can throw people off. Your first slug should still indicate whether it is night or day.
   
   
3. Try to avoid bizarre comparisons. If you compare you should make it simply and understandable. What does it mean "Greek chorus"? Don't be vague and intellectualy superior. You're not writing a novel.
   
   
4. Watch out for dialogue. Make it natural and make it clear. First line you say "2007," where "the year 2007" would sound much better. A number alone could mean many things. This is really just tightening up your screenplay.
   
   
5. You have excessive use of flashbacks and the narrator's voice. Keep it limited. You must make the audience feel like they are not observing a story, but rather that they are a part of it. Too many flashbacks and too much speaking over, while it can come in handy, may suck your audience out of their fantasy.
   
   
6. Honestly. I don't know what MOS means. Probably a good idea to take that out.
   
   
7. Do not do SMASH CUT! No one does that. I've never seen that in a professional screenplay, nor is it something I do. Leave it out. "Cut To:" is fine.
   
   
8. You need to get into the action and tension quicker. As I am reading this, I am finding myself bored. You gotta hook the audience in a little. Make it more exciting sooner. You do have some action, but it comes way later on, and we are not set into it gradually.
   
   
9. Conflict, conflict, conflict, and there isn't enough emotion. You need to push your audience to the edge, you need to jerk 'em around, and make them feel what everyone else is feeling. These characters of yours are talking about what? Not much. Unfortunately, it's too subtle.
   
   
10. Your screenplay first and foremost needs structure. It's too unbalanced. Don't stretch out the exposition and back story so long.
    
    
11. As far as I can tell there's nothing at risk. Risk is a basic part of life, and we all have something to lose. It seems like these characters are living in a world of zero consequence. Sure, some words are exchanged, but not much other than that.
    
    
12. You gotta make your characters more distinct. It feels like there is one person, who is playing everyone. Although that's how real life probably is, your screenplay needn't be like that. Give people quirks. Give them characteristics that help the audience separate them.
    
    
13. It appears that your screenplay really starts around page 72 or so, we find out who is cheating, and then everything starts taking off. You might not want to do this, but if you start from there, and then write about the consequences following you could make a great story.
    
    
14. Every good story has some humor in it. Try and have some laughs to give the audience a break.
    
    
15. Make us care about these people (your characters). Why do we care about them?
    
    To conclude, your main problems here are: lack of structure, action, conflict, risk, loss, suspense, humor, and unique characters.
    
    Now, that might seem harsh, but it's not to discourage you. I think you can write. I think you have that ability in you, like most, but what you lack is keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, and making them scared, and happy, and emotionally involved. I highly suggest that you pick up some books on writing and read them. That's my main advice. It's not that you have to follow exactly what they say, but once you know the rules you can break them, and shape them to your liking.
    
    Anyway, good luck in the future! Keep on writing.
    
    Pick this up, if you can:
    
    http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Fiction-Practical-Acclaimed-Creative/dp/1582343306/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382945522&sr=1-1&keywords=gotham+writers+workshop
    
    It's just the basics, however, can come in handy.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Not necessarily just for short stories, but I would suggest the Gotham Writers Workshop Writing Fiction Guide.
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Fiction-Practical-Acclaimed-Creative/dp/1582343306

Well, writing in general with your own ideas is always the biggest plus. But if you're wanting to use a prompt book or something I suggest the 3am Epiphany or Gotham Writers Workshop: Writing Fiction

Every comment in here is amazing advice to start, but I'd also like to add in the Gotham Writers' Workshop book. It runs you roughly $5-15 on Amazon, but offers you a good way to hone and practice your narrative skills by offering you a diverse story selection with exercises that are geared towards making you think, imagine, and create.

Link to book: Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582343306/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.MruzbS4CWM04

I heard about siamese when I read this book http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Fiction-Practical-Acclaimed-Creative/dp/1582343306