<p>Hello everyone!
I've been a chronic lurker on CC for months now, and I finally worked up the nerve to ask for some advice from you guys.
I'm a Junior at a small charter school in Rhode Island, and this semester I have been trying to figure out my post High-School plans. I have a passion for creative writing; I write every day, and this year I wrote "The End" on my first novel. If I won the lottery tomorrow, that's what I would do for the rest of my life.
However, my family has never had a lot of money, so I've grown up knowing what it's like to financially unstable, and I know that's pretty much a guarantee if I focus all my efforts on becoming one of the 200 or so current novelists that make their living with their work.
Because of this uncertainty, I find myself gravitating towards a career in business. My stats are competitive to the point where I will have a shot at many quality B Schools, and my extra curriculars are largely business related as well.
I suppose my question is, is it worth it to go to college to prepare me for a career that I know I will be able to tolerate, but not adore, so long as I know that I will be financially stable enough to pursue my passion in my downtime? Or am I missing some sort of career that creative writing study prepares me for?
I guess my concern is that if I study business, I might end up losing sight of my dream and living a dreary 9-5 life until retirement, and that's a fate even more frightening than financial instability. Has anyone gone through a similar choice and regretted their decision? I should add that I by no means hate business, and there are parts of management that I think I would enjoy. But the fact is that my heart races a little when I imagine myself living in a small London Flat, writing my next novel. I think I can say with certainty that my love of the craft is real, as I look forward to my daily writing hour throughout my school day, but I can't stomach the idea of raising kids on $25,000 a year for adjuncting and freelance. I'm sorry for the rambling, but I go back and forth almost daily, do you guys have any ideas?</p>
<p>it really comes down to what’s more important to you: passion or security? Personally, I think studying something in college JUST because you think it will make you money is naive, as it often won’t work out that way, and you’ll have given up doing something that you enjoy. But it is also important to have a back up plan. Remember, there are a lot of opportunities for writers other than novel writing, and if that doesn’t work out for you you could always pursue another writing career which would probably be more worthwhile for you than business. I would recommend majoring in English with a focus in creative writing and minoring or double majoring in business. If I were you, I’d stay away from making career decisions based on raising children you may or may not have, and if you do there’ll hopefully be two parents to foot the bill. I say always pursue your passion,as long as you have a back up plan there’s no harm in it, and ultimately doing a job you love is much more important than what you make doing it. Keep business as a back up if you need that reassurance, but focus on your writing, just don’t limit yourself to novels, although that’s great to have as your first choice</p>
<p>Thank you for that advice, it’s exactly what I needed to hear. I know it’s naive to concern myself with nonexistent kids, it’s a fear that’s in the back of mind when I think of the future, and you’re right its preposterous to worry. Double majoring is certainly something that’s on my mind, I just worry that if I don’t dive in head first I will sacrifice whatever shot I did have. It’s hard to contemplate a life where I’ve given up on the joy I know I can get from writing.
As far as other writing careers go, my experiences with journalism have made me hesitant to consider that track, although there are plenty of things I haven’t tried, such as copywriting and the like, but it seems like it’s hard to make a living even doing something like that.
Does anyone have experience doing a creative job after getting a creative writing degree? </p>
<p>Sent from my HTC One X using CC</p>
<p>You may be able to combine your passion for writing with business. Pursue writing and see where it takes you.</p>
<p>The U Iowa offers a business school in addition to an Undergraduate Creative Writing Track within the English major. Admission to the Writing Track is competitive and you don’t apply until you have completed 60 hours. </p>
<p>It would probably take 5 or 6 semesters to complete both programs so would not be cheap for an OOS student. Although, you could probably do a BA in Econ and the English major in 4 years since they are both in the college of liberal arts.</p>
<p>[Department</a> of English | College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | The University of Iowa](<a href=“http://www.english.uiowa.edu/undergrad/writing/]Department”>http://www.english.uiowa.edu/undergrad/writing/)</p>
<p>There are probably similar programs at other schools.</p>
<p>That seems perfect! I didn’t realize Iowa had a competitive undergrad writing program as well! It seems like there are plenty of schools that allow you to do both, but it seems like it isn’t always practical.</p>
<p>A liberal arts college can offer both majors. If you keep up your grades, often between merit and financial aid, the cost can be less than some state schools.</p>
<p>Few LAC’s have fully approved business programs.
Wisconsin has a very good UG creative writing program and you can dual major with business.</p>
<p>[UW-Madison</a> Undergraduate Creative Writing](<a href=“http://creativewriting.wisc.edu/undergrad.html]UW-Madison”>The Undergraduate Program – Creative Writing – UW–Madison)</p>
<p>why not study communications… ? marketing? a lot of good writers are hired in marketing and for communications that have to be good, creative writers… it may not be writing novels, but it is something that can make you money and give you the time to write in your spare time</p>
<p>Communications sounds intriguing, I’ve done a small amount of research into the major. Is the consensus still LAC if I go with marketing or communications? There’s a very small school in my home state that is likely to give me a lot of aid, ifbi pursue a major that isn’t pure business, would not benefit me to choose the unknown school over a more reputable place that would put me into debt? I’m not sure about salary for communications majors but my understanding is that it varies a lot by career. </p>
<p>Sent from my HTC One X using CC</p>
<p>Approved as in accreditation? That’s frightening, what effect does accreditation have on job prospects for grads? </p>
<p>Sent from my HTC One X using CC</p>
<p>AACSB approved. And many firms only recruit at AACSB schools.</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aacsb.net/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AACSB&WebKey=4BA8CA9A-7CE1-4E7A-9863-2F3D02F27D23[/url]”>https://www.aacsb.net/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AACSB&WebKey=4BA8CA9A-7CE1-4E7A-9863-2F3D02F27D23</a></p>