If you are a serious writer, then you may want to consider an MFA program at some point. I certainly do not think that I would be as good a writer today if I hadn’t gone to grad school, and certainly not through any lack of effort.
But MFA programs are horribly expensive: my two years in grad school cost twice as much as four years of college. Also, the worthiest program won’t pay off unless you can give it at least 30-40 hours a week… which means you can kiss full-time work goodbye while you’re a student.
If an MFA program isn’t in the cards right now, worry not. You can still grow enormously as a writer, and the work you do will help prepare you for a program in the future.
#1. DEFINE YOUR OWN “WRITING PROGRAM”
The ingredients of most MFA programs are not a big secret. They consist of workshops, seminars, and readings. Maybe you can’t have the whole apparatus going solo, but by being your own best professor and student, and working your way through your own “program” you’ll create a mental space for yourself as a writer. This is, in fact, the one advantage to an MFA program that you can grab wholesale: you can give your writing the serious treatment and discipline of a vocation without ever sending in an application. Make it official. Tell your best friends, and solicit their help. Pursue your goals according to quarters or semesters. Above all, treat your program with the same seriousness you would any paid, accredited program. This is your future after all. You’re not “an aspiring writer.” You’re “a writer.”
#2. WRITE EVERY DAY
I try to work on my writing for at least two hours a day. More often, I work three or four hours. Anything less than an hour, and you’re not really giving yourself the necessary mental space to get revved up. If you want to take a day off every now and then, or every weekend, that’s fine. Define your schedule according to your needs… the point, however, is that you have to spend a decent chunk of time writing, and you have to write frequently and regularly. If you can’t commit to this, then writing is probably not the life for you.
Keep writing fun, too. If you’re working on a 17-year novel project, take some time to develop short-stories, plays, and other projects. If you write in a particular genre (say literary fiction) try your hand at science-fiction, or romance. Not only will these variations keep the actual writing fresh and enjoyable, but they’ll expand your skills.
#3. READ EVERY DAY
I spend at least as much time reading as I do writing, and I don’t really get to read “for fun.” Reading is fun (see below), but even if I’m reading a friend’s book or scanning an article online, I’m looking for cues that I can apply to my own writing. This can be negative (“What a distracting use of commas!”) or positive (“I wonder how I can describe a character so well in so few words”).
Read with depth and breadth. If you think most of your writing is cyberpunk, become an expert on that subgenre. If you’re writing historical fiction set during the War of the Roses, get deep into the history of that time, as well as contemporary sources and primary texts. At the same time, keep yourself fresh by reading outside of your area of expertise. I know practically nothing about graphic novels, but when a friend lent me his copy of Watchmen, I wasn’t only enthralled by the artistry and power of the work, but inspired by some surprising tricks I could use to apply some of Moore’s narrative technique to my fiction.
And of course, read what’s interesting. Choose work that is challenging but fun. Don’t torture yourself reading stuff that seems like crap to you (at least not too much of it), or fluffy skimmable work, but always go for the most rewarding, enthralling, and complex work you can get your hands on. Every genre and subgenre has plenty to offer that will fit the bill here.
#4. CONNECT WITH OTHER WRITERS
The mainstay of most MFA programs is the workshop. So start your own workshop. Network with friends and coworkers. If you live in a big city, advertise in coffee shops, universities, restaurants, supermarkets. If you’re more remote, start an online writers workshop, conducted through email, chat, a social network (like Facebook), or a discussion board.
You may feel that it’s important to find other writers in your specific genre: fellow horror writers or experimental writers for example. This is a balancing act that has to correspond to your own goals, but I have found it most useful to work with writers pursuing different kind work than myself. There are two reasons for this: first, you don’t want group consensus to persuade you to strip your work of its originality, which is, unfortunately, a very real (if unintentional) risk where lots of similar writers are sharing work. Workshoppers first impulse is to smooth rough edges, but sometimes the rough edge is the best thing about the submission! Second, the most valuable comments don’t confirm something you have suspected but reveal something unforeseen. Different kinds of writers are more likely to approach your work from a different angle.
And, of course, make sure that you both like the people you work with and that you respect their writing. It’s depressing to share comments with unpleasant people, and it’s awkward balancing honesty with politeness if you loathe someone’s writing.
#5 TRAVEL
Shake up your routine! Travel could be a trip to Pitcairn Island or it could be a walk to the local park. But writing/reading/researching in different settings will stimulate your imagination and keep the work itself fresh and engaging. It doesn’t have to be all about you and your keyboard, and the more you can avoid that particular rut (I think it’s unavoidable for everyone at times) the more you’ll avoid creativity-killing weariness.
Of course, there are two common threads running through all of these steps, and they are just as important in any other strategy you employ. First, you’ll have to work hard. You’ve chosen a very difficult career and without hard work, every day, your writing is probably doomed to mediocrity and obscurity. Second, you have to have fun. Because writing is such a difficult career, the work often has to be its own reward. You won’t feel rewarded if the work isn’t fun. So enjoy yourself.