David Shrauger's Blog: David Shrauger's Author Blog
December 8, 2014
The joys of an MFA program
I haven't been blogging as much as I could have been the last few months as a result of my participation in University of Washington's Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. I thought I would take this opportunity, at the end of my first quarter, to talk a little about why I think I made the best decision of my life by applying and attending an MFA program.
Surrounded by Brilliance.
Every since my first day I have been really impressed by my classmates. They are a talented and lively group, and they are a constant source of inspiration, encouragement, and good old fashioned competitive fire. The students in my cohort are also becoming an invaluable support group and editors that every writers needs.
Pushed to Improve.
With the program's emphasis on improvement, I have been forced to take stock of areas in my writing that are not as strong as they could be. Attacking these writing pressure points for the last three months has unearthed some extraordinary work that I would not have generated otherwise. Some of it is work that I am comfortable submitting to the ultra-competitive short fiction market.
Tangible Results
At the end of my first quarter, I have already generated a chapbook of writing that I completed and published in a limited-run booklet. While this may not seem like much of an accomplishment it is hard to articulate the pride you feel seeing tangible results that you can hold in your hand. It is a pride that I will never feel no matter how high the sales figures of my eBooks happen to climb.
For those who may be considering an MFA program but who may be on the fence because of the degree's uncertain value, I strongly encourage you to take the leap. My only regret is that I didn't start the program sooner.
Surrounded by Brilliance.
Every since my first day I have been really impressed by my classmates. They are a talented and lively group, and they are a constant source of inspiration, encouragement, and good old fashioned competitive fire. The students in my cohort are also becoming an invaluable support group and editors that every writers needs.
Pushed to Improve.
With the program's emphasis on improvement, I have been forced to take stock of areas in my writing that are not as strong as they could be. Attacking these writing pressure points for the last three months has unearthed some extraordinary work that I would not have generated otherwise. Some of it is work that I am comfortable submitting to the ultra-competitive short fiction market.
Tangible Results
At the end of my first quarter, I have already generated a chapbook of writing that I completed and published in a limited-run booklet. While this may not seem like much of an accomplishment it is hard to articulate the pride you feel seeing tangible results that you can hold in your hand. It is a pride that I will never feel no matter how high the sales figures of my eBooks happen to climb.
For those who may be considering an MFA program but who may be on the fence because of the degree's uncertain value, I strongly encourage you to take the leap. My only regret is that I didn't start the program sooner.
June 23, 2014
The joys of being an author
“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.”
― George Orwell
I love writing. I have loved it all of my life. I am doing it at this very moment and it fills me with indescribable joy. So it is with a heavy heart that I find myself agreeing with George Orwell's assessment of writing a novel. It is a process that is incredibly draining and disheartening. When you are in the middle of it there are many times that you wish that you could just turn back.
When the book is finally finished, though, it is all worth it. When you can look at it and know in your heart that it is finished and ready to read there is a relief and gladness that makes everything worth it. I first finished "Sting of the Scorpion" in 1999, what seems like a century ago. It was a good story, ready to read, but I wasn't ready to share it. By the time that I was, the entire world had changed and I had changed. The story had to change with it.
When Sting of the Scorpion comes out this September you will be reading a novel that I have put over a decade of effort into. A quick reader may be able to breeze through it in a single day. Is it worthwhile to put so much energy into work that will only be a passing distraction? Every author in the world would say yes. We do it for the readers far more than we do it for ourselves.
― George Orwell
I love writing. I have loved it all of my life. I am doing it at this very moment and it fills me with indescribable joy. So it is with a heavy heart that I find myself agreeing with George Orwell's assessment of writing a novel. It is a process that is incredibly draining and disheartening. When you are in the middle of it there are many times that you wish that you could just turn back.
When the book is finally finished, though, it is all worth it. When you can look at it and know in your heart that it is finished and ready to read there is a relief and gladness that makes everything worth it. I first finished "Sting of the Scorpion" in 1999, what seems like a century ago. It was a good story, ready to read, but I wasn't ready to share it. By the time that I was, the entire world had changed and I had changed. The story had to change with it.
When Sting of the Scorpion comes out this September you will be reading a novel that I have put over a decade of effort into. A quick reader may be able to breeze through it in a single day. Is it worthwhile to put so much energy into work that will only be a passing distraction? Every author in the world would say yes. We do it for the readers far more than we do it for ourselves.
June 10, 2014
You've got to start somewhere
As of today I am officially an author on Goodreads, and I couldn't feel better. It occurred to me today that when I made a decision to become an author earlier this year that there would be a moment when I would have to stand up and admit it to the world. I suppose that day is today.
Three great things have happened this week that have made me feel a lot more secure in labeling myself as an author. It is a week of firsts. My first published work. My first sale. My first review. My first troll comment. My head is spinning with all the firsts, but Goodreads and my Amazon Author Page have been accomplishments that I have been very proud of.
Well, thank you for reading. I look forward to haunting this Goodreads blog for years to come.
David Shrauger, Author of "Betrayal: A Prologue to Sting of the Scorpion"
Want to read "Betrayal" Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KUG80ZG
You can also take a look at my Amazon Author Page. It will soon have a lot more books on the shelf :BIG GRIN: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KUL7U0C
Three great things have happened this week that have made me feel a lot more secure in labeling myself as an author. It is a week of firsts. My first published work. My first sale. My first review. My first troll comment. My head is spinning with all the firsts, but Goodreads and my Amazon Author Page have been accomplishments that I have been very proud of.
Well, thank you for reading. I look forward to haunting this Goodreads blog for years to come.
David Shrauger, Author of "Betrayal: A Prologue to Sting of the Scorpion"
Want to read "Betrayal" Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KUG80ZG
You can also take a look at my Amazon Author Page. It will soon have a lot more books on the shelf :BIG GRIN: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KUL7U0C
David Shrauger's Author Blog
The musings of David Shrauger, working freelance writer and author of fiction in the brave new world of independent publishing.
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