Do You Need a Degree in Writing to Write a Book?
Do You Need a Degree in Writing to Write a Book?
Spoiler alert: no
No, seriously. I don’t think you need any credentials for any type of creative writing, just like you don’t need credentials for any other type of art. All you really need is time and supplies.
The wonderful thing about writing, language, and art is that boundaries are always needing to be pushed for progress. In any artform the more artists and writers (seriously, can we just accept these two things as the same?) we have, the more language and art can grow and morph and actually be the voice of the people like they’re supposed to be.
But that’s a soapbox for another day.
Today, the soapbox is telling you don’t need a stupidly expensive degree to writing sci-fi/fantasy (no, seriously. DM me on Twitter or Instagram if you want to know how much debt I’m in).
In my previous post, I already stated, “We grow up with story. All of us. Every single one. We learn how to tell a story from being told stories in all mediums: oral, signed, written, television, movies, theater, video games.” And I stand by that. You sincerely have all you need already and if you don’t, watch some more movies or read some more in the genre you want to write in (and, arguable, definitely read outside your genre too). This is also your reminder that libraries exist, and have digital formats too.
The fact of the matter is, we’re constantly consuming story, whether it’s some influencer’s social content or reading only the “classics”. If it takes 10,000 hours to master something you’re already beyond master-level when it comes to making story. By the way, it doesn’t take 10,000 hours 🙄. That’s another toxic construct that I’ll probably rant about on another Twitter thread later.
And need I remind you: humans communicate through story. We’re all storytellers even if we don’t believe it.
So, if you’re the type to socially tell stories, yay! You’re already qualified to write. But, if you're the type who prefers to observe listen (hi, it me), congratulations! You’re also already qualified to write because a story is nothing wihout an audioence. I have a theory about why introverts tend to be writers and artists that’s related, but I’ll let you fill in the blanks there.
I’m steering away from imposter syndrome talk because I think that can be a harmful construct to anyone’s psyche. But, I will say this… Yes, I do have an MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics. But the trick of it? My undergraduate degree is in IT and I was never one of those writers who "has been writing forever” (though no disrespect to those folks! Go you!).
I sincerely didn’t start writing-writing until I was 25. I’m just a nerd who really likes Final Fantasy and grew up watching Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek, and ten years ago I had an idea for a story.
Again, this to say what everyone and their sister have already said: You don’t need a degree to tell stories.
So, go tell ‘em, tiger.
PS - Seriously. Go hang out at your local library if you’re feeling uninspired or a little wobbly when it comes to your writing. Among the stacks you might find some reassurance in every single author of every single book on every single shelf has felt exactly how you feel.
PPS - If you’re still feeling you need some extra support, I highly recommend Brandon Sanderson’s free lecture series on YouTube or, if you have the means available, N.K. Jemisin’s MasterClass on SFF.