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UC Santa Cruz</a> Creative Writing Concentration, I am all too familiar with the grueling and constant process of mastering my writing practice. As a college student, I had to deal with hard deadlines during difficult life circumstances, creative blocks, periods of depression, and resistances towards my path. Through my experience <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/m2/study-creative-writing">studying Creative Writing</a> and receiving my degree, I learned a lot of vital skills and lessons. </p>
<p>My goal is to pass on to you the genuinely helpful tips and rituals I learned during my time as a Creative Writing undergraduate student, as well as provide you with my personal experiences of what a Creative Writing major is like.</p>
<p>This article will provide you with a brief introduction to the Creative Writing major and career paths, tips on how to succeed as a Creative Writing student, and some further resources to help you in your research. </p>
<h2>What is the Creative Writing major or program like? </h2>
<p>There are a few main branches or focuses within the Creative Writing major. You may choose to focus on poetry, fiction, non-fiction Creative Writing, screenwriting or playwriting, and more. You can mix focuses and also mix Creative Writing with academic or other forms of writing as well. There is truly no fixed path in Creative Writing but it can be very helpful to start with a concrete focus. Other than the branches and the major, the Creative Writing program comes with various events, organizations, and opportunities (like internships, workshops, author speaker series, etc). The environment of Creative Writing programs are great spaces for meeting fellow writers and mentors, and engaging in writing activities.</p>
<h2>What is a Creative Writing class like?</h2>
<p>Creative Writing classes tend to be smaller and most if not all Creative Writing courses are workshop centered or have workshop classes along with lectures. </p>
<p>Each Creative Writing program or department divides their courses in different ways, however generally there tend to be lower division Creative Writing classes like introduction or intermediate classes and there are also upper division classes like advanced and thesis classes. All of these classes can be amazing to take and people from all majors can usually take lower division Creative Writing courses and explore their creativity. </p>
<p>Creative Writing classes also tend to focus on a singular branch or theme. For example there may be a class focused on memoir or a class focused on poetry or haikus. One really amazing aspect of Creative Writing classes is that the professors or instructors tend to be creatives or writers and you get to learn from true professionals and gain access to the wisdom and resources that they share.</p>
<h2>Career paths as a creative writer</h2>
<p>You may want to look into what careers interest you as you go along your education and get closer to graduating. </p>
<p>Some possible jobs or careers are: </p>
<ul>
<li>Author or poet </li>
<li>Editor</li>
<li>Freelance Writer</li>
<li>Screenplay writer, play writer, screenwriter, scriptwriter for movies, TV shows, advertisements, plays, etc.</li>
<li>Copywriter</li>
<li>Technical writing</li>
<li>Storywriter for games and video games</li>
<li>Blogger</li>
<li>Teacher/Professor</li>
</ul>
<h2>How to succeed as a Creative Writing major </h2>
<p>Throughout my years as a Creative Writing student, I gathered advice and practices that helped me succeed as a writer and especially allowed me to thrive in university and graduate with high grades. Below is a list of methods and advice to help you in your Creative Writing degree: </p>
<h3>Communicate with your professors and faculty.</h3>
<p>Build connections, learn from their experiences, and gain rare mentorship from professionals and artists. You will not always have access to talented authors and writing professionals and it is imperative to take advantage of the opportunities available to connect with your professors. Attend their office hours and show your dedication and interest in their classes for them to notice you. </p>
<h3>Do your readings for class, and on time</h3>
<p>This tip seems simple, but it is essential to prioritize your class assignments and especially readings as reading other works will open you up to different styles and forms of writing. Literature and Writing programs can be dense in readings so expect to set long amounts of time aside for this. </p>
<h3>Engage with your peers’ works</h3>
<p>Dedicate time to read and engage with your peers' work and learn from their skills. Share your knowledge as well in your responses. Provide feedback to their work during workshops and actively engage in conversations around peer’s works. Even if you may feel too shy or awkward to speak up during physical/in-person workshops, make sure you pay attention and listen to others while they discuss their manuscripts. You will also typically have to submit responses to peers' works online, so you may engage with your peers' work in that way as well. </p>
<h3>Ask for feedback</h3>
<p>Ask for feedback from peers, professors, friends, and anyone who will listen. Gaining an outside perspective on your work can be beneficial to your craft and your study. Consider the advice and edits of those around you even if you don’t resonate with everything being said. </p>
<h3>Take advantage of opportunities provided by the program</h3>
<p>Join groups and attend events, take advantage of internship opportunities provided by the program, and apply to writing awards and submission opportunities for being published in magazines and competitions. Check out the writing and creative community in your local area. Check out local readings and open mics, as well as local magazines and competitions accepting submissions. </p>"/>
