Part of my grad school application process involves writing 300 words to five pages of what is known as a Statement of Purpose. Basically it’s the school’s way of asking what the hell makes you so special that we should admit you. (Okay, so they’re also wondering why you chose their school over the others…)
So. Why the hell do I want to be a writer? Why do I am an MFA? What do I want to accomplish?
Honestly… I’m not sure. I love writing. It’s a part of who I am — just like blogging, doodling, and eating cupcakes. The problem is, writing is a part of the hundreds of other people all fighting for very limited spots at these institutions of higher learning. Hundreds of other people trying to explain in limited pixel space why they are the shit and why they should be picked over everyone else.
I know that getting my MFA is important to me right now. That my main goal is returning to the world of academia, networking and collaborating with other writers and artists, and taking large steps forward to whatever this direction is. Whether it’s towards a small press, a community education center, or a life of writing… … a continued passion for learning is the root of this. And that’s what I have to go on — and to try to use to scrounge up enough words to impress the admissions committees.
What’s your statement of purpose? What are you trying to accomplish?