University of Southern California Masters in Professional Writing

Reviewer's Name:

Bill McConnell

Review Date

March 18, 2009

Year of Graduation:

2008

Review Title:

You Get Out What You Put In

Full Review of the Program:

When I started in the MPW program in 2005-2006, I had no expectations. I believed myself to be a decent writer, but that image was flawed. Through a variety of courses, I discovered areas of weakness in my writing, and I met with my professors and worked to overcome those weaknesses.

Now, I can’t say with 100% certainty that I am any better of a writer for having been through MPW, but I am a stronger writer. MPW provided me with skillsets that I didn’t know were necessary to write well. My fiction has improved in ways I can’t measure. I have more confidence with my craft then I ever did before MPW, and I feel I owe the teaching staff for that.

Noel Riley Fitch taught me some important points for assembling a book. Even if you are doing fiction, her book proposal tactics are invaluable.

Shelley Berman, who most of us hated, still had much to teach even through his scathing disdain for all of our “mediocre” attempts at humor.

Gina Nahai cares about our stories and how we develop them. She cares deeply about the success and survival of this program, too.

Janet Fitch, through her tyranny of structure and craft, instills discipline.

Chris Meeks and Judith Freeman read everything I ever submitted with a careful eye and offered invaluable feedback so that I could finish a novel.

I am sure there are professors I have not mentioned, like Syd Field, MG Lord or Shelly Lowenkopf, who have helped others in the same way as those I mentioned.

Advice to Prospective Students:

A writing program is not a magical cure-all for writing. A program does not make a writer better, just stronger. They do not gaurantee success, they just provide the tools to assist one in becoming successful.

I had a wonderful experience in MPW. I wouldn’t trade away the three years I spent there for anything. The schooling was invaluable, but in the end it is up to me to take what I have learned and apply it to my craft. If I am lazy, I will be a weak writer. If I practice the concepts I was taught, I’ll be a practiced writer, and if someone publishes my work, I’ll be a successful writer. If that happens, you can bet your ass I’ll give some thanks to MPW. It was a good program for me. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to put in the effort to write. Just know that when you graduate, there is no job or writing career waiting for you. You have to build that out of your own sweat and creativity.