tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post67630976281074050..comments2023-11-02T01:29:11.575-07:00Comments on The MFA Chronicles: On Cohorts, The Nerve to Apply, and Subject Matter in PoetryJayTeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923700657540655227noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-12816172026806119272009-08-13T00:33:06.023-07:002009-08-13T00:33:06.023-07:00I did not know I cared about the land I was raised...I did not know I cared about the land I was raised on till I moved away...CashewElliott/Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395876336251959343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-44119576159078099082009-08-09T18:43:41.712-07:002009-08-09T18:43:41.712-07:00To give the flip side of this age thing: at 31 I a...To give the flip side of this age thing: at 31 I am the oldest in my cohort at Penn State, and I feel a little bit insecure about that, just in the sense of being out of practice with workshoppping, with critique, with reading, with the whole dynamic of being in a classroom... I feel like all the people who are coming right after their undergrad, or a couple years out, have an advantage over me in some ways. <br /><br />I know it's really all about the writing, and that age does not matter. I just wanted to give you the opposing perspective as well; us "older folks" don't have it all together either.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02608421232179032744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-38592701827927375122009-08-06T12:17:48.895-07:002009-08-06T12:17:48.895-07:00Denis, they are the first year poets. The noobs, a...Denis, they are the first year poets. The noobs, as it were. There are six poets per each of the three years, so eighteen total. Two things I noticed about the group of poets above us: 1) they are predominantly female, and 2) they are, on average, older (25-30), and more than a couple have MA's in Creative Writing.insertbracketshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07980404937296101384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-16847955389163590382009-08-06T03:22:20.202-07:002009-08-06T03:22:20.202-07:00Also, just out of curiosity, is this the poetry co...Also, just out of curiosity, is this the poetry cohort you're speaking of, or the entire 1st year cohort?yurchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11293268186955787890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-55397377032887266942009-08-06T00:06:42.572-07:002009-08-06T00:06:42.572-07:00I agree with you and Eric. In fact, I'm prett...I agree with you and Eric. In fact, I'm pretty sure the majority of the first-years at Hollins this year are coming straight from undergrad, although some of these same recent undergrad students are also non-traditional/older students.<br /><br />It's unfortunate that ageism is so prevalent.yurchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11293268186955787890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-90430938705526096982009-08-05T08:22:55.992-07:002009-08-05T08:22:55.992-07:00Great read, Tory, thanks for posting. The whole a...Great read, Tory, thanks for posting. The whole age issue is such a non-factor, in my opinion. If you're wasting time immediately identifying people in your class/workshop by age/experience rather than the quality of their work, then you're wasting time that could be better spent actually critiquing and writing, and unfairly coloring your expectation of the work they can or cannot produce. It's such an obvious and ridiculous form of ageism. I've worked with younger writers who have produced fantastic work, and likewise, worked with many older ones who, frankly, had no talent. And even that is an irrelevant fact -- who cares how old someone is if they produce something great? If it's good, it's good.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07442858381309753802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-334032475575360212009-08-05T07:44:49.836-07:002009-08-05T07:44:49.836-07:00Thanks for posting, Tory. I couldn't agree wit...Thanks for posting, Tory. I couldn't agree with you more about applying to programs away from home. My poetry has grown so much with outside perspective.<br /><br />I also agree that the over-30 years-old comment is completely absurd! I remember someone left a comment on Seth's blog about how the best MFA programs are on the coasts and how ridiculous that comment is too. <br /><br />I'm looking forward to reading more about your experience at Ohio State! My sister and I love the North Market--you'll have to check it out! (Oh, and Buckeye Donuts on High St.)bethanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03702299414126175870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-2241347679818444462009-08-04T17:14:14.787-07:002009-08-04T17:14:14.787-07:00Thanks for the suggestion Margosita! And for bring...Thanks for the suggestion Margosita! And for bringing to light the idea of acknowledging weaknesses as a reader. I hadn't really considered that ever and it's a helpful tip.JayTeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923700657540655227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-74860471344168624202009-08-04T16:26:17.580-07:002009-08-04T16:26:17.580-07:00JayTee and all- I'm not sure where to put thi...JayTee and all- I'm not sure where to put this comment, but hopefully here works! I just wanted to note that on a big group blog like this one, it is helpful to put the name of the post author at the top. I think everyone wants to be recognized for thier individual contributions and as a reader it is easier for me to get to know each blogger if I know from the start who is writing what. Also, photos are nice, if there is a way to add a thumbnail. Not a big deal, but a small change could go a long way for readers like me. :)<br /><br />Tory- Don't worry so much about age and experience, as long as you are willing to recognize the limitations it gives you. I think one mistake I've seen people do in workshop (myself included) is a reader (or writer) assuming that everyone brings the same understanding of a particular thing to the text. So if you don't care about nature or don't have experience in the woods and someone submits a nature-themed poem, own up to the fact that you are a reader that has a harder time relating. Be honest that your reaction to the work is going to be about wordplay, maybe, and not a reaction to the images the poem calls to mind, or something. I guess what I'm trying to say is acknowledge your stengths and weaknesses as a reader (and writer) and people will be pretty receptive.margositahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06432497140892679276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-75594726271863604092009-08-04T15:08:05.696-07:002009-08-04T15:08:05.696-07:00One of my professors told me that she thinks it...One of my professors told me that she thinks it's hard to write about the place you live when you live there; you need to move away to have the right perspective on it. I completely buy into this -- I've had a hard time writing about my hometown until recently, when I finally started accepting the fact that I no longer live there -- and I hope that once I move out of this area (I'm also less than 100 miles from where I grew up), I'll be able to do it even more. JayTee is right: your description of the desert in this post IS great, so don't rule out the possibility yet.<br /><br />Thanks for posting this. I'm currently in the middle of my "Oh my God, how can I possibly have the nerve to apply to MFA programs?!" anxiety attack, so it's nice to know that others in my situation have been successful.Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00374250073077357021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1396226836483140641.post-82127432992372601782009-08-04T14:34:45.450-07:002009-08-04T14:34:45.450-07:00Well, your description of the desert in this post ...Well, your description of the desert in this post was great! lol Since I was a non-traditional undergrad, everyone in my workshops was about 10 yrs. younger than me and I loved and appreciated their feedback all the same. In fact, they had no idea how old I was and I was surprised to find that some of them were even younger than I thought they were! <br /><br />I'm jealous that you've been sharing poetry with your class already. I didn't even think of that! The only thing I really know about the incoming class of poets I'm with is that all 5 of us are female.JayTeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923700657540655227noreply@blogger.com