On Becoming a Novelist Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 2, The Writer's Training and Education Summary

Chapter 2, The Writer's Training and Education Summary and Analysis

Studying writing and literature in college and graduate school can help one become a better writer and gain a leg up in getting a teaching position, but not in terms of earning a living by writing. The U.S. does not know what to do with artists and does not support them. Novelists have a better chance than other artists, but few can support themselves by writing. Most writers' workshops have faults but can be useful even in the absence of a good teacher. Associating with serious writers at the same early stage helps psychologically. The decision to become a professional emphasizes how little one knows. Undergraduates whose egos are inflated by local faculties get a taste of reality in institutions like the Iowa Writers' Workshop. They adjust or give up.

Gatherings of young innocents, maniacs, born writers, snobs, and romantics provide praise and criticism from people who care as...
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