I love creative writing, and perhaps someday I'll continue onto grad school for that. Then again, maybe not. You never stop learning, no matter what environment you're in. Often, I feel like I learn as much from constructive feedback from peers as I do in writing class workshops.
One reason I don't plan to go to grad school any time soon (besides the economy) is because my ideal writing career is writing fantasy or romance, which is rarely taken seriously in academic settings. At college, I've generally encountered positive feedback about this ideal, maybe not for wanting to be a romance author though so much as for knowing what I want to do with my life and pursuing that goal. Then again, I've received some tongue-in-cheek responses too... not many, thank goodness.
The one that stands out in particular was a comment that was probably meant as a compliment. When I introduced myself to the class at the beginning of the semester, my professor said that I'd "be the one out there making lots of money writing romance novels while the rest of us scrap by as starving artists." What I got from that was a backhanded way of saying that if I write romance novels (which so happen to be vastly popular) in the future, at least I'll make money, whereas my fellow students are REAL artists of the word who don't sellout to popularity.
Needless to say, that didn't sit well with me. I sure as hell don't feel like I'd be selling out by writing romance novels because its what I love to do. And I don't think that my writing is any less valuable or worthwhile than my peers because of it. Secondly, no, I DON'T want to be a starving artist. I want to proudly make my living, supporting myself and my family, who've always supported me in turn. I don't want to be poor. So there.
/end rant/
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