Which course is better to take in college, creative writing or literature?

Question

I want to be a writer/author. Yes, I do realize that a course dedicated to extensive writing might make more sense, but there's a lot of rudimentary pieces that can be picked up from in depth reading and analysis, as well. So in your opinion which do you think is the wisest choice, studying creative writing or literature?
Any other comments, or personal accounts of dealing with this are welcome.
Thanks for all your answers :) <3

Sorry, guess I should mention that I will be an English major. :) I'm just trying to figure out which path to take in that area. Thank you for all the answers so far!!

Answer 1

Here's my opinion (if it so matters): Literature (you reading it) and Fiction (you writing it) go together, in that you must understand what works with Literature in order to successfully write it in a conventional way that attaches itself to readers. This may not necessarily be your goal when writing, but if it is then yes, reading is quite beneficial.

But

Literature courses on a whole are taught incorrectly in the light of literary art, high school and college alike. They are taught entirely analytically, and professors and scientists and educators and scholars try to rip meaning out of every word in a sentence until the meaning is lost. Literature courses are informative in their own right: you come into contact with great works, you get educated perspectives and yes, some of the observations may be a great exercise in critical Philosophical thought. However, literature classes will never teach you how to write. Only writing can do that. Writing is not a thought out process with ideas and meanings and intentions. Writing is a subconscious, sensual exercise of the soul, and both the writing and reading process are only properly experienced through a direct sensual connection -- not a secondary connection through analysis.

Many people will disagree with me here but I honestly don't think you can write fiction by learning to analyze other fiction. They're opposite processes and will only work to hinder one another.

Answer 2

I studied English Literature and Creative Writing at University in the UK with similar aspirations to you, all I've ever really wanted to do is write. The only thing I would suggest is that a standalone degree in Creative Writing is fairly constrictive but it works well as a secondary aspect or minor. Consider that very few people manage to get published and most of those that do haven't got a qualification in creative writing, so think about what you'd like to do if you didn't get your 'Harry Potter idea'. An English major does also place some restrictions on you but that's the same with a lot of majors, it often comes down to the individual modules (credits in USA?) that you choose as they well affect how you develop. I know work in Banking although I constantly write and my writing has improved from what I learned in my course. If I were to do anything differently I would probably take Creative Writing as a minor and Spanish as a major. I also wish I'd stayed to complete a teaching qualification as well before getting tied up with marriage and a mortgage.

Answer 3

I teach a creative writing workshop and several literature courses. I say, take the creative writing course -- definitely. You can always read literature on your own, discuss it with others in a book group, and/or read literary criticism to help develop your understanding of it, but creative writing is often best done in a group setting, with like-minded individuals who can learn from each other and a writing instructor who can offer personal assistance.

There's nothing that helps you to be a better reader like learning how to be a better writer. A good writing instructor will help you understand the decision-making process of a writer, giving you better insights into the "literary mind" and thus making you a better reader. As a writer, you gain insight into reading by making the same choices "real" authors make.

A literature class can help you understand the historical context of individual novels, but then what happens when you pick up a different novel? You still need guidance. It's like the old adage about teaching a man to fish. Literature courses are about teaching you how to clean and gut a fish (i.e., novel) or two, but a writing course teaches you how to hook fish of your own. And like I said, you can always learn the historical stuff from books on literary criticism. I have read several books on creative writing, and while they are helpful, none can take the place of an experienced writing instructor and a creative writing class.

Hands down, a creative writing course is better.

Answer 4

It really depends on what you want.

Studying literature is a great way to improve your writing. You'll familiarize yourself with classic (an not-so-classic, depending on the class) forms, internalize language and the rhythms of language, etc. You'll learn about themes and see lots of different ways of communicating those themes. I commend you for seeing that these are all very valuable lessons.

But a creative writing class will have a more direct application on your writing specifically. You'll get feedback on your writing from your professor and possibly your fellow students. How comfortable are you with sharing your work and hearing criticism of it? If you are not good at taking criticism, then all the creative writing classes in the world won't help you.

The other consideration is the professors. What do other students say about them and about the classes (especially the writing class--in a writing class, the prof has much more effect on the tone and usefulness of the class than in any other subject)?

I have a master's degree in publishing & writing, and most students (English undergrad majors were exempt) were required to take at least two lit classes. I chose the most unusual ones, and I loved them--American Indian literature and Science Fiction literature. A traditional lit class would have been less helpful to me. But my writing classes (workshops, really), also provided specific insights into what I was working on at the time and went a long way toward helping me focus on my novel.

So--lit classes are great for general writing ability, while writing classes are good for the specifics of your writing. Which are you more interested in working on right now?

And maybe you can take the one you don't pick in another semester.

Answer 5

Well, you need both literature and writing courses. The study of great literature will give you a framework to hang your own stories on. When you read, you are absorbing techniques used by other writers--how they structure their story, how they handle back story and point of view, how to build a convincing character arc. But at some point you'll have to jump in and create your own stories. I took one creative writing class in college, because I was actually a Music major and just wrote for fun. Mostly, it taught me that I could write to a deadline and produce something that wasn't truly heinous. Experience is the best teacher. I could listen to sopranos all day, but unless I opened my own mouth and sang, I didn't learn much.

Good luck!
Check my website www.emilybryan.com. I offer more writing types on my writer's corner.

Answer 6

I took both. I majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing. I think the creative writing is a necessity if you are going to become an author but studying literature is so beneficial as you say. Try to balance them out if your university does not already require it.

Answer 7

Well, a lot about literature can be self taught, but most of the learning you get from creative writing you can't. I learned a lot about what I need to work on in my own work and what to look for in others' work, and how to pick up tecniques from other authors.

I would recommend you take both, as both will be helpful, but my creative writing class helped me more than my lit class did.

Answer 8

I started to take a Creative Writing class in college (had to drop it because it was just an extra class, needed to focus on more important classes) and it was great. It was more work than I expected because there is a lot of reading and writing. It really makes you think. I minored in English so I've had my share of literature classes. Those are great too but I really liked that creative writing class.

But it's up to you.

Answer 9

That is a tough question. I would take both for the reasons that you mentioned. However, if you had to pick just one I would probably take the writing coarse. I learned so much from my creative writing classes. My teachers were great and the peer review really helped me see my own work from a different perspective. My writing improved significantly as I took my classes. Good luck with making your decision.

Answer 10

Well I REALLY think that you need to take both, but if I have to pick one for you, then Literature is the way to go. I think you should study the masters before you endeavor to become one yourself. Besides, you should probably take and extensive Creative Writing workshop, not just a course. Good Luck to you!