The MFA in Creative Writing: Creating a Generation of Profound Writers? Or Destroying the Fabric of America?

Four years after receiving my MFA in creative writing in fiction, I’ve decided to add my two cents to the endless debate: Is an MFA in creative writing worth the time and money? In case you glossed over the second clause in my first sentence, let me reiterate that I am adding my two cents, not answering the question. See how well I implemented the “creative” part of my degree? When I decided to pursue my MFA, I had just returned from backpacking into India through Nepal, Tibet, and China. Just before that, for two years, I had been teaching English in the small town of Dandong in Northeast China. This was back when I thought I wanted to make a difference in the…