<p>Brown does not have “majors”–in anything. Majors in Brown speak ARE concentrations. Looks as if creative writing is under the rubric of “Literary Arts.” <a href=“http://bulletin.brown.edu/literacyart/literacyart.pdf”>http://bulletin.brown.edu/literacyart/literacyart.pdf</a></p>
<p>If you get into the summer program, stop by the department and ask about it.</p>
<p>@whenhen, I see your point, but I also wonder whether it’s realistic for a student to have reached a professional level in their field with a BA. Writing seems like something that is usually going to require a certain level of maturity and life experience to be successful. Also, is there really a “right” and “wrong” way to go about it? This isn’t engineering; no bridge will collapse if someone only revised 8 times and got something they felt was publication-worthy. I’ve never taken a writing class, so I really don’t know much about the process. My daughter does do revisions of course for her more serious writing projects, but she is also much better than I am at expressing herself well the first time around.</p>
<p>We have some experience with the University of Iowa. SO many great writers go there - from high school to undergrad to MFAs. That’s the place to be. </p>
<p>I’ve sent my daughter to two other camps (in Ohio and Virginia), then after her junior year we sent her to the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. Amazing. She’d never been around such talented, creative, and fun people before. Then the instructors all are part of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop - the best of the best. Iowa is where all great writers come, from high school aged to Nobel Prize winners. We just loved Iowa City, the program, everything. (The United Nations even named Iowa City “The City of Literature” in the US for a reason.) She’s headed to Princeton this fall, studying creative writing/lit and biology. She almost went to Iowa, but she wants Iowa for grad school.</p>
<p>Her dream is an Iowa MFA once she’s good and ready and graduated. Maybe after she works for a few years to see the “real world”. In the last few years, Iowa Writers’ Workshop grads had won a Pulitzer, a MacArthur Genius fellowship, and even a Man Booker prize. Yes, they draw writers from all over the world - two of those prize winners were from China and New Zealand, writing in English of course. </p>
<p>ain’t it great to be fathers who are proud of our daughters? congratulations on raising such an accomplished child.</p>
<p>I was an English major (journalism/professional writing concentration) and had many friends who concentrated in creative writing. While they all aspire to be writers, they all have a back up plan since it is difficult to be successful and live off of only writing as an income. If you’re interested in teaching maybe take that route. Many of my professors are successful writers, one is even on the NY Times best sellers list and has had his books made into movies. Even he still has a back up career as a professor. I see nothing wrong with majoring in creative writing, just make sure you have a back up plan. If you decide to take a different route, you can always take creative writing electives! </p>
<p>Every respectable liberal arts college or university can train you well in terms of writing. However, I feel that it would be useful to go to a place where students in general are excited by writing and are available to critique and read and enjoy your work. This is where growth takes place. You read others’ work. They read your work. Not just inside class, but outside class as well. You do it because you love it. I really saw this at Sarah Lawrence when I visited. </p>
<p>I do feel that a good writer will probably be trained in the liberal arts, though. That’s how you learn to give depth to your writing and to do your research (details help stories to come alive). </p>