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...