>On Thu, 20 Nov 1997, Sean Johnston wrote:
>
>> Vonda,
>> Any idea why academic insts. like UW-Seattle are so reluctant to
>> deal with writing SF? I'm trying to get into an MFA program, but I'd like
>> to not get there under false pretenses, which is what I might feel like I'm
>> doing if I submit something that's not really what I write just to get my
>> foot in the door.
>>
>> -Sean
>>
>
>Sean,
>
>You addressed this to Vonda, but having run into the situation myself, I
>thought I'd respond as well. Partly it's simply prejudice against science
>fiction. Although there's a large body of science fiction academics out
>there, and at least three professional organizations devoted to its
>study, SFRA, IAFA, and the Foundation in Britain, the high powered
>English departments still look down on popular literature. Even the
>biggest names in the academic criticisim of science fiction still teach
>at second or third tier schools. Just about the only exceptions to this
>are people like Paul Alkon or Mark Rose or J. Hillis Miller who made their
>names in "more serious" literary studies before publishing in our field.
>
>Correspondingly, most of the MFA programs in creative writing at top
>flight schools are equally snooty. When my then girl friend P.C. Hodgell
>decided to take off a year to write her first novel, Godstalk, she was
>roundly criticized by the director of graduate studies and her Ph.D.
>advisor for wasting her time. Even the fact that the book sold to a hard
>cover publisher and was nominated for awards didn't change their
>attitudes. Of course she later got back at the advisor by giving his name
>to a ruined, cursed city in her second book, Dark of the Moon.
>
>If you want to get an MFA or MA in creative writing while doing science
>fiction, I'd suggest you find out which schools have tenured
>English professors who are also working sf writers. John Kessel, for
>example, teaches at one of the University of North Carolina campuses.
>Jean Lorrah teaches at a university in Kentucky or Tennessee. etc.
>
>By the way, on another thread, strong female characters, has anyone
>mentioned P.C. Hodgell's Jame? She's one of the toughest characters ever to
>appear in fantasy literature.
>
>Mike Levy
Mike,
Thanks. That's helpful and I've been considering UNCarol.
-Sean
"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."--Charles H. Houston
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