Rebekah Grace Wyant

Why I Decided to Pursue an MFA in Creative Writing AND an MA in Publishing​. 

Two events during 2016 stand out:

 

With the ocean’s late winter solitude, what better environment to decompress and focus than a writing retreat at the beach. I was an MBA surrounded by MA and MFAs, but that weekend of conversation, discussions, and workshops convinced me to pursue an MFA instead of a Ph.D. in Education or English.

​

The second event occurred at the April meeting of my mystery writers’ group. Two Villanova University professors spoke on Cyber Security, which would enable the membership to weave threads of hacking and security into their writing. My interest lay in the technical aspects.

​

Because of the demand for security analysts and my background in computer science, one of the professors encouraged me to apply to Villanova’s program. I felt a spark of that old energy―the passion of working again in technology, plus the salaries were enticing.

​

The enthusiasm waned, after a bit of research. Solving accounting problems and programming code for me had always resembled gameplay. Although I am a good shot, hunting and war games never interested me. My gut told me, a successful hacker-tracker might view their work as a sport. No judgment. Just observation.

​

During the winter writing retreat, a trio of MFAs encouraged me to travel to their alma mater for a summer program. I considered making the trip until my husband had an episode, which lasted into the fall. He is medically disabled.

 

So, I searched for a program closer to home and found Rosemont College’s MFA in Creative Writing. The College also offered an MA in Publishing, one of the few schools with coursework in e-publishing. Sitting on my patio with my laptop and a glass of merlot, I watched the birds at the feeder. I had an Aha moment.

​

I gave up my career for my husband’s. Caring for my mother, a stroke victim, and adjusting to my husband’s disability had led me to write a journal, which further lead me to study the craft of fiction, to writing groups, and to Rosemont College, and to the possibility of combining my writing with my computer and business skills. Perhaps all of this may lead to a profession in the literary world.