Also no MFA and no NYC! Sometimes I think about doing an MFA in New York but this is a good reminder that you can be a writer anywhere with any degree :)
So true! I will admit that doing an MFA in NYC sounds fabulous... but that didn't end up being my path and it may or may not be yours. Whatever you choose, best of luck!
I’m the opposite, actually! Currently doing MFA and NYC, and it’s been great but also a struggle definitely (financially etc) but really appreciated this perspective! It’s definitely not for everyone and not feasible for many. I’m in my twenties and was already in New York but I knew the only way I could swing both was a fully funded program that would allow me to work as well.
I'm someone with an MFA (from a low-res program) who has never lived in NYC - I lived in the Boston area for 20 years and then moved to bucolic Western MA, in part because there is a thriving writing community here, one that bridges the gap between academic (we have an MFA program that lives here) and popular (we have multiple community-based literary organizations, including one where I teach regularly.) I also founded and run a monthly Zoom-based virtual poetry series, and I'm deeply engaged in building and sustaining a writing community.
One of the major unexpected benefits of my low-res MFA was being able to connect with writers from all around the United States and the world - and being the community-minded person I am, it has also been a driver for me in wanting to sustain these relationships and to build further connections. I'm also a relatively outgoing person and an inveterate networker; one of my great joys in life is connecting people I adore with other people I adore.
A lot of what has worked for me with building community is holding space open for others and working to boost their signal and amplify what they're doing. Some of it just starts with showing up and being engaged in what other people are doing. I've no doubt you'll find your own way to do it. (Also, the University of Houston is home to one of the best creative writing MFA/PhD programs in the country; there are tons of remarkable writers who live in the city and also who pass through the city for a few years -- or just for a reading!)
It sounds like you've done amazing work building community. What low-res MFA did you do? (I ask because in my wild dreams, sometimes I imagine applying to one, although it wouldn't work with my life right now--but I have friends who have raved about their programs!) Agreed on the University of Houston, which also works with our Brazos Bookstore and Inprint Houston (a literary org). A good reminder to me to get more involved!
I did the Lesley University low-res MFA, which is in Cambridge, MA. Definitely happy to answer any questions I can for you about that program or the low-res life in general. Feel free to message me!
This is so relatable! I love NYC, I lived in Brooklyn once, but it was the hardest thing I ever did and I left after 2.5 years. I thought I would be there forever. I miss reading and writing on the train—there is something so romantic about it and the city feels inspiring all the time, the buzzing of people—but it’s so. Freaking. Hard to do. And I also found myself longing for nature and space in a different way while I was there. I wish I was closer to it so I could go whenever I want! I’m from California and live in LA now. But there is something to be space about smaller towns being better places for writers, honestly. Leave the big ones to events and book tours. I say from LA, hah, but I’m in the valley. I wish you the best finding your local community and I’m glad you’re going to events. 💜 you’ve inspired me to see what’s happening at my local shop!
Living in Houston, do you know anything about the literary community in Austin? The cost of living is so much better in Texas and the Southwest in general, and I feel like Texas could be the next big hub for artists. Considering moving once my lease is up in DC.
I live in Austin! There's definitely a thriving literary scene here, though, from my experience, most of the people I've met tend to be coming from the MFA / academia route. There are a couple of great bookstores - Alienated Majesty and First Light put on a ton of events that cater to different types of people/writers/readers. I do day trips to Dallas and Houston occasionally for literary events, and Marfa, Texas, in west Texas also has a cool, interesting literary / art scene.
Thank you so much for your reply! With the people coming from MFA/Academia, does that affect things in some way? I’m a bit of a noob in this area so I don’t know the type.
People are nice and everything but I notice they always want to drop they have an MFA fairly early on in the convo, which makes me lol. Some that I've met seem to have a weird or unsupportive attitude towards indie publishing or DIY literary ventures. Could just be the ones I've met so take it with a grain of salt haha but overall, Austin has a strong lit and book culture
No MFA, some NYC. After dropping out of my PhD program at Columbia, I moved to Chicago and that’s where I became a writer thanks to the city’s storytelling scene. I met writers of all stripes and all levels–truly, from NBA nominees to people just starting out–and it was amazing what that kind of non-cliquish support did for me. I moved back to NYC after a decade in Chicago and had a miserable time finding something similar lol. It took getting into the Tin House Summer Workshop in Portland for me to finally find any NYC-based writers that were more or less at the same stage in our career. I left the city for a multitude of reasons and am now in Lima, Peru, very much missing both of my communities but my lack of social life means I’m writing a ton. I’m trying to keep my toe in my community virtually and with annual trips. We’ll see how it goes.
I feel you! Like you I'm trying to see if the annual trips thing works out to stay connected. But yeah, the lack of social life really is great for words on a page.
I have faith you’ll find a lot more community in Houston with time too. When I first landed in Chicago, I really thought I was missing out on all the lit things. But the truth is that NY was almost too vast to make any real headway into any sort of “scene” and I was working too much to do what little I could afford. Chicago had a super robust homegrown lit culture but it was also a stop for anyone of note in the writing world, so I took major advantage of that. If it wasn’t for Tin House, I would have known zero writers in NY. I was also in a weird spot where I was a bit too pro for open mics but not pro enough to be in lineups with award-winners lol. I dunno, my advice to young writers today would actually be to go to a smaller more affordable city than to head to Brooklyn. My two cents
Honored to be the new friend writing with you in a coffee shop! And doubly honored to be finding (creating) a Houston literary community alongside you. <3
Thank you for writing this. I'm also no MFA, no NYC but most of my peers from Bard moved to Brooklyn right after graduation and formed an enclave there. I've been painfully jealous and simultaneously grossed out by the writing culture there for a decade. I've finally accepted that I can be successful here in Boston and that it's not some rural wasteland with tumbleweeds going by. Im excited for the first time in a while. I realized I didn't need any more degrees, validation, or permission. I just needed to start. Thank you for your fantastic post.
I lived briefly in Boston after college! Thought it was a fantastic town––with all the universities there you can find a cool lecture or event any night of the week. Definitely not a rural wasteland, and wishing you the best of luck in finding community there!
Absolutely! That's what's so wild about the power of NYC. I literally live in a bustling literary city but I thought if it wasn't NYC, it was nowhere. Thank you so much!
I've found that for me, seeking an artistic community beyond writing (cooking outside of work with other professionals, being in short film productions, taking a rug tufting class, talking with painters) has pushed my writing more than writing communities that I've had access to. In places where the writing scene is smaller, artists of other disciplines have mentored me and given me useful insights that apply to writing. I'm a different writer than I might've been with NYC/MFA, but I think I have a lot more to write about.
I love this idea! I should definitely seek out artistic community beyond just writers, and that’s so useful in places where there aren’t so many of us. Love the interdisciplinary vibes, and thank you for sharing!
as someone who also doesn’t live in NYC or have an MFA this was wonderful to read. great question “what does your ideal writers life look like?” and then “can you find that where you are?” thanks for sharing!
(also fwiw I shared your 300 words a day post with a friend and now we’re writing together. 600 words in and counting!)
I’m currently finishing up my grad degree and was able to take a few classes with MFA students at Columbia. One of the most jarring conversations I had with a student there was them telling me they barely have any time to do the actual writing and for most of their classes had not many papers/writing assignments to turn in. It was countless conversations about wanting to publish a book … and that’s it. But for what then???
It's kind of sad to me that so many writers are made to feel like they must either live in NYC or have an MFA. I wonder if writers in the past felt something similar, or what the equivalent would be in other countries.
I live on a small, isolated farm. Sometimes I miss the city or wish I could experience the social side of a literary life, but I've also been very lucky online: I got into workshops, a residency, a magazine. I've made writer friends and found community and critique partners. I've grown a lot.
Then I think of the writers I admire the most. Maybe NYC or an MFA help not only with the writing but especially with the networking, business side of things — I wouldn't know, but sounds likely. But when it comes to "simply" being a writer, working, improving, writing things you're proud of... I don't know. How many writers in the world, now and in the past, have done that without an MFA or NYC? Most of them! The overwhelming majority of them.
I used to feel like I was missing out on something big by being out here, but now I really don't. We all find our own paths. That's definitely a huge part of the fun for me: doing the best I can with what I have and then just seeing where it goes.
We sound so similar! I think I've grown to like having a quiet life to write and then getting to do residencies and workshops every so often to build community and expand my horizons. I bet you get a lot of writing done at that farm!
Exactly! I know feel like it's my ideal life, really — lots of quiet time and quiet life to write, and then learning and getting to meet people from time to time through workshops and such.
As for the amount of writing I get done, well... I'm trying! haha. But I definitely write so so much more than I did when I lived in the city and had a full-time city job.
Not NYC (but my son lives in Brooklyn), no MDA (but a PhD in what most consider to be an unrelated area). I enjoy the PDX writing vibe: friends who sit at the coffee shop and write silently, lots of open mics, lots of readings by interesting authors, lots of time at my desk with my dog at my feet. A happy balance.
Substack comments are the new New York cafe for meeting writer friends
seriously tho
Also no MFA and no NYC! Sometimes I think about doing an MFA in New York but this is a good reminder that you can be a writer anywhere with any degree :)
So true! I will admit that doing an MFA in NYC sounds fabulous... but that didn't end up being my path and it may or may not be yours. Whatever you choose, best of luck!
I’m the opposite, actually! Currently doing MFA and NYC, and it’s been great but also a struggle definitely (financially etc) but really appreciated this perspective! It’s definitely not for everyone and not feasible for many. I’m in my twenties and was already in New York but I knew the only way I could swing both was a fully funded program that would allow me to work as well.
Love to hear this--and I want to say I loved your MFA "and" NYC post, which makes a perfect pair to this conversation!
I'm someone with an MFA (from a low-res program) who has never lived in NYC - I lived in the Boston area for 20 years and then moved to bucolic Western MA, in part because there is a thriving writing community here, one that bridges the gap between academic (we have an MFA program that lives here) and popular (we have multiple community-based literary organizations, including one where I teach regularly.) I also founded and run a monthly Zoom-based virtual poetry series, and I'm deeply engaged in building and sustaining a writing community.
One of the major unexpected benefits of my low-res MFA was being able to connect with writers from all around the United States and the world - and being the community-minded person I am, it has also been a driver for me in wanting to sustain these relationships and to build further connections. I'm also a relatively outgoing person and an inveterate networker; one of my great joys in life is connecting people I adore with other people I adore.
A lot of what has worked for me with building community is holding space open for others and working to boost their signal and amplify what they're doing. Some of it just starts with showing up and being engaged in what other people are doing. I've no doubt you'll find your own way to do it. (Also, the University of Houston is home to one of the best creative writing MFA/PhD programs in the country; there are tons of remarkable writers who live in the city and also who pass through the city for a few years -- or just for a reading!)
It sounds like you've done amazing work building community. What low-res MFA did you do? (I ask because in my wild dreams, sometimes I imagine applying to one, although it wouldn't work with my life right now--but I have friends who have raved about their programs!) Agreed on the University of Houston, which also works with our Brazos Bookstore and Inprint Houston (a literary org). A good reminder to me to get more involved!
I did the Lesley University low-res MFA, which is in Cambridge, MA. Definitely happy to answer any questions I can for you about that program or the low-res life in general. Feel free to message me!
This is so relatable! I love NYC, I lived in Brooklyn once, but it was the hardest thing I ever did and I left after 2.5 years. I thought I would be there forever. I miss reading and writing on the train—there is something so romantic about it and the city feels inspiring all the time, the buzzing of people—but it’s so. Freaking. Hard to do. And I also found myself longing for nature and space in a different way while I was there. I wish I was closer to it so I could go whenever I want! I’m from California and live in LA now. But there is something to be space about smaller towns being better places for writers, honestly. Leave the big ones to events and book tours. I say from LA, hah, but I’m in the valley. I wish you the best finding your local community and I’m glad you’re going to events. 💜 you’ve inspired me to see what’s happening at my local shop!
This is such an important read! loved this concept
Living in Houston, do you know anything about the literary community in Austin? The cost of living is so much better in Texas and the Southwest in general, and I feel like Texas could be the next big hub for artists. Considering moving once my lease is up in DC.
I live in Austin! There's definitely a thriving literary scene here, though, from my experience, most of the people I've met tend to be coming from the MFA / academia route. There are a couple of great bookstores - Alienated Majesty and First Light put on a ton of events that cater to different types of people/writers/readers. I do day trips to Dallas and Houston occasionally for literary events, and Marfa, Texas, in west Texas also has a cool, interesting literary / art scene.
Thank you so much for your reply! With the people coming from MFA/Academia, does that affect things in some way? I’m a bit of a noob in this area so I don’t know the type.
People are nice and everything but I notice they always want to drop they have an MFA fairly early on in the convo, which makes me lol. Some that I've met seem to have a weird or unsupportive attitude towards indie publishing or DIY literary ventures. Could just be the ones I've met so take it with a grain of salt haha but overall, Austin has a strong lit and book culture
Love Brazos!! This is a great narrative shift for all the writers —With love from nyc
Thank you! Enjoy that beautiful spring NYC weather for me!
No MFA, some NYC. After dropping out of my PhD program at Columbia, I moved to Chicago and that’s where I became a writer thanks to the city’s storytelling scene. I met writers of all stripes and all levels–truly, from NBA nominees to people just starting out–and it was amazing what that kind of non-cliquish support did for me. I moved back to NYC after a decade in Chicago and had a miserable time finding something similar lol. It took getting into the Tin House Summer Workshop in Portland for me to finally find any NYC-based writers that were more or less at the same stage in our career. I left the city for a multitude of reasons and am now in Lima, Peru, very much missing both of my communities but my lack of social life means I’m writing a ton. I’m trying to keep my toe in my community virtually and with annual trips. We’ll see how it goes.
I feel you! Like you I'm trying to see if the annual trips thing works out to stay connected. But yeah, the lack of social life really is great for words on a page.
I have faith you’ll find a lot more community in Houston with time too. When I first landed in Chicago, I really thought I was missing out on all the lit things. But the truth is that NY was almost too vast to make any real headway into any sort of “scene” and I was working too much to do what little I could afford. Chicago had a super robust homegrown lit culture but it was also a stop for anyone of note in the writing world, so I took major advantage of that. If it wasn’t for Tin House, I would have known zero writers in NY. I was also in a weird spot where I was a bit too pro for open mics but not pro enough to be in lineups with award-winners lol. I dunno, my advice to young writers today would actually be to go to a smaller more affordable city than to head to Brooklyn. My two cents
Thank you! This is so reassuring. If you're ever in Houston, let me know!
Honored to be the new friend writing with you in a coffee shop! And doubly honored to be finding (creating) a Houston literary community alongside you. <3
Thank you for writing this. I'm also no MFA, no NYC but most of my peers from Bard moved to Brooklyn right after graduation and formed an enclave there. I've been painfully jealous and simultaneously grossed out by the writing culture there for a decade. I've finally accepted that I can be successful here in Boston and that it's not some rural wasteland with tumbleweeds going by. Im excited for the first time in a while. I realized I didn't need any more degrees, validation, or permission. I just needed to start. Thank you for your fantastic post.
I lived briefly in Boston after college! Thought it was a fantastic town––with all the universities there you can find a cool lecture or event any night of the week. Definitely not a rural wasteland, and wishing you the best of luck in finding community there!
Absolutely! That's what's so wild about the power of NYC. I literally live in a bustling literary city but I thought if it wasn't NYC, it was nowhere. Thank you so much!
I'm also no MFA, no NYC.
I've found that for me, seeking an artistic community beyond writing (cooking outside of work with other professionals, being in short film productions, taking a rug tufting class, talking with painters) has pushed my writing more than writing communities that I've had access to. In places where the writing scene is smaller, artists of other disciplines have mentored me and given me useful insights that apply to writing. I'm a different writer than I might've been with NYC/MFA, but I think I have a lot more to write about.
I love this idea! I should definitely seek out artistic community beyond just writers, and that’s so useful in places where there aren’t so many of us. Love the interdisciplinary vibes, and thank you for sharing!
as someone who also doesn’t live in NYC or have an MFA this was wonderful to read. great question “what does your ideal writers life look like?” and then “can you find that where you are?” thanks for sharing!
(also fwiw I shared your 300 words a day post with a friend and now we’re writing together. 600 words in and counting!)
Ah, Tim, I'm so glad to hear that! I wish you and your friend so much success writing together. Please update me on how it goes!
I’m currently finishing up my grad degree and was able to take a few classes with MFA students at Columbia. One of the most jarring conversations I had with a student there was them telling me they barely have any time to do the actual writing and for most of their classes had not many papers/writing assignments to turn in. It was countless conversations about wanting to publish a book … and that’s it. But for what then???
It's kind of sad to me that so many writers are made to feel like they must either live in NYC or have an MFA. I wonder if writers in the past felt something similar, or what the equivalent would be in other countries.
I live on a small, isolated farm. Sometimes I miss the city or wish I could experience the social side of a literary life, but I've also been very lucky online: I got into workshops, a residency, a magazine. I've made writer friends and found community and critique partners. I've grown a lot.
Then I think of the writers I admire the most. Maybe NYC or an MFA help not only with the writing but especially with the networking, business side of things — I wouldn't know, but sounds likely. But when it comes to "simply" being a writer, working, improving, writing things you're proud of... I don't know. How many writers in the world, now and in the past, have done that without an MFA or NYC? Most of them! The overwhelming majority of them.
I used to feel like I was missing out on something big by being out here, but now I really don't. We all find our own paths. That's definitely a huge part of the fun for me: doing the best I can with what I have and then just seeing where it goes.
We sound so similar! I think I've grown to like having a quiet life to write and then getting to do residencies and workshops every so often to build community and expand my horizons. I bet you get a lot of writing done at that farm!
Exactly! I know feel like it's my ideal life, really — lots of quiet time and quiet life to write, and then learning and getting to meet people from time to time through workshops and such.
As for the amount of writing I get done, well... I'm trying! haha. But I definitely write so so much more than I did when I lived in the city and had a full-time city job.
Not NYC (but my son lives in Brooklyn), no MDA (but a PhD in what most consider to be an unrelated area). I enjoy the PDX writing vibe: friends who sit at the coffee shop and write silently, lots of open mics, lots of readings by interesting authors, lots of time at my desk with my dog at my feet. A happy balance.
I went to college in PDX! You're making me want to go back and visit. Sounds like a lovely life you have out there.