MFA programs in creative writing can be horrible snobs, even today. This is probably not news to a lot of people. I was in at the Univ of Arkansas, which actually is a "well respected" writing program due to the quality of its founding instructors, Jim Whitehead and Bill Harrison -- anyway, I was in classes in the early 90s w/ a guy who'd published at least 3 crime novels in hardback, and they basically treated him like the hired help. It was frustrating for him -- he had an agent and was selling his books -- but it wasn't "literature." I gave up on the program after a year and a half, partly for that very reason.
Don
--- On Thu, 3/5/09, jacquesdebierue <jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: jacquesdebierue <jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com>
Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: Gores missed the synedoche
To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 5:29 PM
--- In rara-avis-l@ yahoogroups. com, sonny <sforstater@ ...> wrote:
>
>
> so, 'they read as if they were meant to be sold' is supposed to be a negative criticism? as opposed to it meaning 'you don't need us, you're already good'.
>
Precisely my thought on reading this ridiculous statement. If it's not meant to be sold, what is it meant to do? Sleep in a drawer? The other stuff, about "this is no literature" is the usual, still alive though maybe mending a bit.
Best,
mrt
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