My MFA Journey (Part 6)

Note: I’ve been writing about my journey during my MFA at the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) in Writing for Children and Young Adults. You can read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 as well.

I’m finishing my third semester with my fabulous faculty advisor Will Alexander, author of fantasy and science fiction for young readers, including his most recent book, A Festival of Ghosts, which you must read if you haven’t already!

This semester, Will suggested on-point mentor texts and critical essays that shaped my thinking, he provided writing exercises that gave me techniques to address challenges, and he provided feedback that inspired and challenged me to succeed. He confirmed when I was on track and guided me with enthusiasm when I was not. He celebrated successes with me, both big and small, and truly cared about my development as a writer. Will, I’m so very grateful!

The third semester is all about the critical thesis, which is actually more fun than it sounds because you pick a writing-craft topic that you want to learn about in more detail. For me, that topic was culture and character development.

My premise was that cultural development is not only for characters who are labeled as diverse; it is for all characters. I limited this exploration to family culture, which shows where our characters first develop their beliefs, and peer culture, which shows where they apply those beliefs. I demonstrated that our characters’ cultural orientations provide motivation for how they feel, what they do and say, and how they change—all of which are basic building blocks for story. I developed character cultural development tools that writers can use to gain story insights as well as insights into how they relate to their characters, and I connected this topic to the #OwnVoices movement.

This topic is personally important to me because I want to authentically portray the diverse community in which I live and write. As writers, we’re familiar with how to integrate surface-level cultural elements into a story, perhaps by using slang, describing food or fashion, or using a festival as a setting. However, we should also understand the deep-level beliefs behind those elements. In addition, awareness of how our own cultural orientations differ from our characters’ will help us identify beliefs, feelings, and behaviours that come from ourselves, rather than them. It can also help us identify if we are the ideal writer to tell a particular story.

Now, my critical thesis will join the many others at VCFA’s Gary Library as part of their canon of critical thought on children’s literature. I must be a geek because that makes me excited!

This semester, I also read and analyzed books in a wide range of genres — picture books, chapter books, poetry, novels for kids and teens, graphic novels, novels in verse, short stories for kids and teens, fairy tales, nonfiction, memoir, and essays on writing craft. I listened to 21 audio-recorded VCFA lectures and read many critical theses.

For my creative work, my overall goal this semester was to explore the micro-level craft techniques for emotional depth on the page and macro-level techniques for the emotional structure of a story in both short fiction and novels. Here’s what I wrote over the last six months:

• I wrote three flash fiction stories to play with how to generate emotionally deep characters.
• I revised several picture books, and I’m thrilled that one of those now has a contract with Owlkids Books!
• I wrote and revised a new narrative nonfiction picture book, which I’m super excited about!
• I wrote a solid draft of over three-quarters of a middle-grade fantasy novel that I can’t stop thinking about!

I can’t begin to explain all the ways this program has changed me as a writer. With one more semester to go, it’s not over yet.

My fourth semester starts in July with a residency filled with workshops, lectures, and readings — and a new faculty advisor. In my final semester, I’ll be completing a creative thesis and preparing a lecture. But first, I need a few weeks to rest up for the fun and hard work to come!

Want more? You can read Part 7, Part 8, and my final MFA post.