I went to John Bayley's seminars on Henry James. When I introduced myself, he sked, "Are you a Bowler? Or an Ambassador?" Nothing to do with sport or diplomacy, I soon realised. He wanted to know whether I rated James' 'The Golden Bowl' above his 'The Ambassadors'. At the time, I'd only read the first of these, so I said I was a "Bowler". This seemed to please him. He was a lovely man.
As you note, it would be interesting to see all the creative "side projects" outside of the curriculum. It reminds me of when I was studying music at the University of New Mexico. A well known classical guitarist wanted to receive a music degree, so he enrolled. After a year or so, the admin decided he must learn piano. He refused. In the end, it turned out to be a good thing - he moved back to South America and continued recording albums - starting with his third release.
Hummm maybe this is why so many people take so long to finish the dissertation. Also if you write a dissertation you must be able to spell it. I am surprised that there are two sssss in it. LOL I only have a bachelor's degree so I never wrote one.....
Well, it was more than my creative writing that slowed me down. I also had a baby my second year of graduate school and was working nearly full-time as an editor to support the family. It's nothing short of a miracle that I finished in eight years. At the time, I was sort of glad that my supervisor didn't mention the dissertation.
Yes, it is mazing what we can do when we are determined! I had my kids while I was in College also. Sort of... I took the year or two... off with Lisa and then went back. That is why it took me 6 years to get a four year degree. I was not married for long tho... so I was doing it alone. You were married and you SHOULD have had help. I am sorry that you didn't have much help. I am sorry that I did not also....
You met once a term during which he told you about his play? 😂 That's dereliction of duty! Mind you, I think everyone in grad school should be encouraged to do a creative side project. I wrote a bad novel, which was never published, but which Jack Lemmon's production company read as a possible project. I still have the very kind and detailed rejection letter, which basically said it was very good (it wasn't) but he couldn't see himself in the part! Best of all, writing it somehow helped me get past the intimidation factor in writing my dissertation. 😀
I bet the novel wasn't that bad. At least you finished it. I have four partially written novels that I started during successive National Novel Writing Month of November sprints. It was a relief to take a break this November from the madness.
I just don't get NaNoWriMo. Who the hell thought November was a good time to write a book? That it must be done to schedule? That literary agents, who are always bitching about overwork, need more to read--and yet they encourage this lunacy. If everyone were writing novels to entertain themselves (and I was--I only sent it out because husband strongly suggested it), it would be fine. Instead, everyone's being encouraged to get published when the people who get published are almost always (a) Celebs (b) People who work in publishing and who kiss up and (c) Friends of people who work in publishing. Thus ends my rant, Lynn! Write a new novel, I say. I have at least three half done, because it wasn't the right time!
Always an enjoyable read.
Thank you.
I really enjoyed this!
I went to John Bayley's seminars on Henry James. When I introduced myself, he sked, "Are you a Bowler? Or an Ambassador?" Nothing to do with sport or diplomacy, I soon realised. He wanted to know whether I rated James' 'The Golden Bowl' above his 'The Ambassadors'. At the time, I'd only read the first of these, so I said I was a "Bowler". This seemed to please him. He was a lovely man.
As you note, it would be interesting to see all the creative "side projects" outside of the curriculum. It reminds me of when I was studying music at the University of New Mexico. A well known classical guitarist wanted to receive a music degree, so he enrolled. After a year or so, the admin decided he must learn piano. He refused. In the end, it turned out to be a good thing - he moved back to South America and continued recording albums - starting with his third release.
Hummm maybe this is why so many people take so long to finish the dissertation. Also if you write a dissertation you must be able to spell it. I am surprised that there are two sssss in it. LOL I only have a bachelor's degree so I never wrote one.....
Well, it was more than my creative writing that slowed me down. I also had a baby my second year of graduate school and was working nearly full-time as an editor to support the family. It's nothing short of a miracle that I finished in eight years. At the time, I was sort of glad that my supervisor didn't mention the dissertation.
Yes, it is mazing what we can do when we are determined! I had my kids while I was in College also. Sort of... I took the year or two... off with Lisa and then went back. That is why it took me 6 years to get a four year degree. I was not married for long tho... so I was doing it alone. You were married and you SHOULD have had help. I am sorry that you didn't have much help. I am sorry that I did not also....
You met once a term during which he told you about his play? 😂 That's dereliction of duty! Mind you, I think everyone in grad school should be encouraged to do a creative side project. I wrote a bad novel, which was never published, but which Jack Lemmon's production company read as a possible project. I still have the very kind and detailed rejection letter, which basically said it was very good (it wasn't) but he couldn't see himself in the part! Best of all, writing it somehow helped me get past the intimidation factor in writing my dissertation. 😀
I bet the novel wasn't that bad. At least you finished it. I have four partially written novels that I started during successive National Novel Writing Month of November sprints. It was a relief to take a break this November from the madness.
I just don't get NaNoWriMo. Who the hell thought November was a good time to write a book? That it must be done to schedule? That literary agents, who are always bitching about overwork, need more to read--and yet they encourage this lunacy. If everyone were writing novels to entertain themselves (and I was--I only sent it out because husband strongly suggested it), it would be fine. Instead, everyone's being encouraged to get published when the people who get published are almost always (a) Celebs (b) People who work in publishing and who kiss up and (c) Friends of people who work in publishing. Thus ends my rant, Lynn! Write a new novel, I say. I have at least three half done, because it wasn't the right time!