<p>I've always wanted to go to a women's college (I'm a feminist, queer, love the history/traditions/community etc.) and Smith is my absolute favorite school, but I'm a writer and concerned about the support for writing at Smith because they don't have a creative writing concentration or minor and the offerings are slim. The English major looks wonderful other than that, though. Writing is definitely my deal and I'd like to go to grad school for it, too, so: any Smith writers out there / anyone know if Smith English professors support writing independent majors, independent studies, etc. or if there is a significant writer's community (literary magazine etc.) at Smith?</p>
<p>This has been talked about a lot on here, so if I re-hash something you’ve heard before, please excuse. </p>
<p>A couple of things to keep in mind off the bat: </p>
<p>1 – I think most professional writers will tell you that, if you want to be a professional writer the best thing you can do to help yourself on your way is to first, write everyday. And second, read a lot. I am not a professional writer, but they tell me this is so. So really, an education in English, or American Studies, or Comparative Literature could be a great background for a professional writer and is in fact the background of many professional writers. The idea of studying creative writing in college is a relatively recent phenomenon, and probably 99% of the writers you admire and whose careers you maybe hope to emulate, were not creative writing majors. Seriously. Go look one up. :-)</p>
<p>2-- I think I’m right in assuming that you don’t want to spend your career writing about people who major in creative writing right? You want to write about lots of things, life, your experiences, maybe you have a favorite time period or genre! Learning about those things, will be incredibly enriching to your writing career, because it’s enriching you as a person. </p>
<p>Ok, so now that I’ve established my premise I will proceed. You need to know going into this that the Smith English major is a major in English, not writing, as I’m sure you’ve seen. However, it does offer a number of really good writing courses (short story, novel, play writing, poetry, etc), and many of the faculty members are professional writers and poets as well as being academics. English is by far one of the best departments at Smith and Smith has produced a number of fine, well known authors from the Department. Sylvia Plath met W.H. Auden when she was studying English at Smith (he told her to work on her verbs), other writers you may know who are Smithies include Jane Yolen, Ann M. Martin, Margaret Mitchell, J. Courtney Sullivan, etc. Writers you may not yet know but someday will who are Smithies include most of my friends from college who were mostly English majors. Many are in prestigious MFA programs for Creative Writing or heading that direction, some are doing journalism, some are freelancing, etc. </p>
<p>This is all to say that an English major at Smith is great preparation for being a writer. First of all, you write a LOT as an English major, and you read a LOT. I know writers all need to develop their own independent voice, but, to borrow a metaphor from art, Picasso was a master and student of the classical styles before he ever became a cubist. Studying, learning, and reading the great works of literature from all over the globe is probably the best training for writing you can have. And there are many writers or would be writers at Smith already, students and faculty who participate in the literary magazine, the campus newspaper, who start their own campus zines, who work for the local paper in town, who attend the monthly reading by professional poets and browse the bookstores in the area. The Pioneer Valley in general also has a huge writer community, with lots of well known authors living in the area, giving readings, shopping for used books by your side. </p>
<p>In short, it’s a great place to develop as a writer, even though it doesn’t have a marked out territory for creative writing. I hope that helps answer some of your questions!</p>
<p>And don’t forget Madeline L’Engle, Betty Friedan(The Feminine Mystique), Gloria Steinem(Ms. magazine, numerous books), Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Amy Ellis Nutt, and many more too numerous to mention.</p>
<p>Molly Ivins, too, for humor and political commentary.</p>
<p>For sure how could I forget Molly? Always a favorite of mine.</p>
<p>SmithieandProud, thank you so much for such an extensive response! Because I love Smith so much on seemingly every front I’ve been thinking right along the lines that you explored. It’s wonderful to have some more positive information about the English major at Smith. And I’ve heard the same thing about the Valley being a great place for writers & the Consortium being a useful resource. And, of course, I’m sure that the English major is great prep for any MFA program which (yes, I’m a high school senior so yes, I admit it’s premature) is a possible/hoped-for future plan. So thank you thank you! Most people I talk to (who, of course, are not Smithies) think that writing should probably come first, but it’s difficult to think that way when I look at Smith, so: lovely. Thank you.</p>
<p>I’m glad I could help. I too love to write and was close with many other writers at Smith. My main feeling is that, if you want to be a writer, it doesn’t matter what else is in your life: if you have the passion, you’re going to write. And any kind of writing you do, even academic, increases your skill. Plus, while I’m sure you’re a dedicated writer, there’s something to be said for being at a school where you’ll also be able to develop your other interests, those you know you have, and those you haven’t yet evn dreamed of. And Smith is a place where you can definitely do that. You won’t be in creative writing ghetto, you’ll be mixing with writers in lots of different fields. I mean, do you read books by John Greene? He’s an award winning young adult author, but he’s also the leader of a leading web community and a major YouTube producer. He’s a NY Times best selling author and be majored in… English and religious studies! It’s not that CW programs have no value, but it may be a bit early to specialize so specifically. Keep your mien and your options open.</p>