What is The Highway MFA?
What happens when money gets in the way of your MFA? You take it on the road, of course!
With Great Disappointment Comes Great Blog Ideas
The Highway MFA is NOT an accredited MFA program, although it comes pretty dang close. Built on the same "packet" format as traditional low-residency MFA programs, this self-paced program will follow one intrepid self-employed writer (hey, that's me!) on her journey through some of the world's best writing and the US's best views.
Long story short, this was NOT the year to apply to MFA programs.
I applied to a total of seven, and I'm not ashamed to admit I only got accepted to one.
What's tough though is that the finances just didn't work out for the school I got accepted to — meaning I've got to take another year off before I set off on that particular adventure.
Instead of being bummed out and eating Cheez-Its alone in Utah, I'm taking matters into my own hands — and taking this show on the road! — with The Highway MFA.
(Don't get me wrong: I'm still planning on going to grad school. I just have to figure out a little thing called "money" first, which means I'm waiting one more year and reapplying this winter. In the meantime, I'm jumping into the Working Writer Life with both feet.)
Based on research of low-residency programs and the packet info I received upon my acceptance, I cannibalized my own six-month writing intensive. (Sorry, not sorry.)
Each month, I will:
Read 10-12 fiction books, poetry books, or memoirs
Read 1-3 books on craft
Fulfill a "word count quota" for creative writing, which varies based on the month
Write 2,000+ words of critical essays on the month's readings
Write an annotated bibliography of the month's readings
End the month with a "personal letter" detailing my victories, struggles, thoughts, and questions
Post my progress on this blog, for entertainment and accountability purposes
I am also a BIG NERD with an addiction to travel, so you might find me at various coffee shops all over the continental United States.
Watch for a girl with glasses, a baseball cap with a bison on it, and two dogs (one is probably barking at you and the other is already your best friend).
And that's it!
No bells, no whistles, just me and a whole lotta books. Before each month kicks off, I'll also post a full list of the books I'm planning on reading that month, as well as updates on my word count quotas, days off, and general ~vibes~ toward how the project is going.
See you on April 1st!