A question for published authors?

Question

Do you have a college degree? If so, what was your major?

If one has a talent for writing, do you feel that it is imperative to have a college education to become a published author?

I am asking regarding fiction.

Answer 1

A lot of publishers won't look at an author's background when accepting a manuscript for review.

You don't need to attend college to become published, but in college you will learn about how to better craft and tell a story.

That, of course, is not to suggest that you cannot learn better english on your own, which is entirely possible.

Really, it's a matter of personal talent and determination, for some it's easier to be taught, for others, it's easier to teach themselves. When it comes down to it, a degree is a piece of paper, knowledge gained with it is no more valuable than knowledge gained without.

Answer 2

Most published authors do not have a college degree. Just read the bios on the back of their books. Many have participated in writing workshops or have at least attended college but those with degrees are in the minority.

I always read the author bios on their books and websites, so I'm very certain about this. Plus I've attended numerous writers' conferences, I belong to several writing organizations as well as a critique group and I'm published in short fiction. I have one year of college.

Answer 3

I have to disagree with at least one posted answer, although I don't doubt the findings. In my experience, however, most of the authors I know have at least one degree, if not multiple degrees. I just completed my MFA in Creative Writing and had the good fortune to work with multiple visiting writers every semester.

Accept for one, Peter Cameron, they all had "higher" degrees. That makes a certain logical sense, given they were visiting a university and were probably products of a similar institution.

The college degree doesn't just make you a better writer. It gives you a sense of place--where do you fit into the critical tradition? Understanding and recognizing what has come before is intrinsic to gaining new innovations in fiction or poetry or even art. But I also recognize that some people gain this "seasoning" through life experience and extensive personal study.

The stories don't really change, but how we tell them does. I hope I've given you some insight from another perspective. Oh, and I say this with a certain sense of irony, my editor has never asked me about my degrees, although she did send flowers at my graduation.

Answer 4

College drop out here!

Never finished...I have some learning disabilities that were un diagnosed at the time, that made formal learning very difficult for me so I never really finished anything as far as education goes. Every attempt I ever made at it, always in intervals I never followed through and finished all at once.

But I hope to go back and finish soon...It is a great regret of mine that I didn't. I would love to become an English major but as you can see my skills are severely lacking at this point...

I Took Religion and Philosophy in one school thinking I was clever because it would be easy... I wasn't, and it wasn't easy either. And criminal Justice in the other.

Answer 5

Unless you do a lot of reading on your own, then i wouldn't say college is absolutely required. Although, most publishers will look to see that you have a college degree and that might hinder a possible rejection. But there are many ways to publish a book, you can even publish it yourself. I myself am an aspiring writer and do not have any published work yet but i am working on it. I'm currently in college and trying to obtain a BA in journalism. College isn't a must, but it helps give you perspective.