Okay, I'm not going to lie. This is really, REALLY surprising to me. Of course, in the CW program's defense, this is mainly geared towards English classes, and thus a "general acquirement of knowledge" in regards to what makes a novel/story/etc. successful. And for that, it's definitely true. I can also attest there was never more than like 23 people in any of my English classes, but to be honest I always thought that was due to lack of interest. Or the sheer number of pre-professionals at Emory.
For the most part I enjoyed all of my Creative Writing classes and I certainly learned a lot from them. That being said, there is still a fine line between being a good writer, technically, and being a good writer, period. I of course like to think I am both; I am sure there are others who disagree (as is the case with every writer, period). But it also brings about another concern: writing in the digital age. Well, I mainly post this for what I'm referencing below, because it just makes me so happy!
Excerpt from Student ink: Emory tops list of best colleges for budding writers
Writing in the digital age
The information revolution has helped Emory's budding writers bypass traditional publishing channels to gain recognition beyond campus. Print-on-demand opportunities level the playing field for solid writers who may be missing the right connections.
While the digital explosion has produced a growing pool of writers, readers are increasingly time-strapped and bombarded from every angle, notes Izmaylov.
"Now, everyone has a chance. But, at the same time, how do you choose?" she says.
Grimsley, for one, isn't worried that novice writers and bloggers water down the profession as a whole. "Good writing will always rise to the top," he says.
"It's not a new phenomenon. People have been calling themselves writers for as long as I've been teaching," he explains. "The digital age just makes it noisier."
