Reflective Letter
Ah, my old friend the Reflective Letter. Let’s not mince words—we’ve danced this dance a thousand times before. Onward, I say!
I’m emerging from Careers in Writing Arts with a confidence I did not have before. I still worry about my future, but the doubt and anguish aren’t nearly as crippling as they were in February.
There seemed to be two major themes of this class: Going to grad school or Publishing. The prospect of attending graduate school is something I’ve considered on multiple occasions but all too often I brush it from my mind and forget about it. We play this sort of game, you see. Learning about the differences between an M.A. and an M.F.A. was invaluable, and while listening to Dr. Courtney talk I thought to myself, “Wow, an M.F.A. would be cool.” The idea of working on a novel for a grade and future publishing is an amazing opportunity. I even looked into it for a bit. But, at the same time, there’s no way I would be able to afford two more years of school. My parents saved diligently to send me to college, buying up and putting away bonds before I was even a zygote in my mother’s womb. They made very clear, however, that the generosity stops at a Bachelor’s. And working part-time at Petsmart is no way to save for schooling. So for now I’m going to remain extremely grateful to my parents for the opportunity to even attend college (because so many young adults can’t). I figure I’ll spend the next few months looking for a job in my field, either copy writing/editing or working for some small publication, and if said employer would be willing to pay for my Master’s, well... then I see no reason not to get one. For now, I’m just eager to finally have finished school. Hey look, Ma! A diploma!
Working on the research paper was, dare I say it, enjoyable. Though Markirah and I apparently have a history of writing classes together, the two of us didn’t really hit it off until this semester. I dare say it’s because the two of us are crippling introverts and it took (literally) being forced together in Kopp’s Evaluating Writing class to really get to know each other. And, what do you know; we’ve got a list of common interests about as long one of Hermione Granger’s History of Magic essays. While the two of us have decidedly different writing styles, we were able to compose a unified research paper that not only highlights our skills as writers and collaborators, but reveals all that we learned of publishing, agents, and query letters while pursuing the question, “How do I get my short fiction published?” Interviewing Professor Jahn-Clough was as pleasant as it was informative: Jahn-Clough, who teaches Writing Children’s Stories to undergrads, was delighted to answer our questions in an interview that is enlightening, helpful, and a bit humorous. I know that Markirah and I will work together on future projects.
At first I was a bit discouraged by the CV because I thought I wouldn’t have a lot to put on there. I purposely excluded publications from my high school’s literary magazine because I thought they wouldn’t do me much good. As a result, I’m left with two pathetic publications. Ah, I thought to myself, but one of them is an award winner. I can’t let myself forget that. I’ve included “Atop the Camel’s Hump” to my online portfolio as a way of highlighting my skills as a writer of creative nonfiction in the same way “Pride” demonstrates that I can write for a young audience. In the next few weeks I’ll be sending “Atop the Camel’s Hump” to prospective publishers in the Delaware Valley and Greater Philadelphia Area. I’m hoping that the award will have editors a little more inclined to give it a chance. Who knows—maybe this summer I’ll see my first paycheck for being published!
The writing samples I’ve included in my portfolio are all there to reveal a different slice of the writer that is Casey Otto. The query letter is real—I sent it to CICADA Magazine nearly a year ago with a piece of creative nonfiction about an unusual experience I had while visiting Australia. Though the piece in question was rejected, the letter I received in reply was inspiring. "We enjoyed reading about your adventures Down Under and hope you will try us again. In publishing, as in life, persistence is the key," wrote Deborah Vetter, and what followed was a lengthy paragraph of opportunities available for a writer like me. Vetter suggested I become part of The Slam, an online forum for writers aged 14 to 23 where I could submit pieces up to 800 words. There’s no cash reward, but it’s a way of getting my writing online. I’ve recently been grooming a few pieces of flash fiction for The Slam. I used to get bummed out by rejections, but now I collect them like stamps. Every single writer there ever was has been rejected, I tell myself. We all start small. I mean, what kind of a person would I be if I didn’t follow the advice offered in my own research paper? As for the writing I’ve selected, I included two pieces of nonfiction (creative and how-to) and two pieces of fiction (for children and adults).
Overall, I liked Careers in Writing Arts. I thought the class moved especially smoothly for a first time seminar. While I would have liked to have seen some more of the jobs available to Writing Arts graduates (where to find them, which would suit my style best, etc.) I’m exiting the doors with a head full of fresh knowledge that I can’t wait to apply. Someday you’ll see me on the bookshelves!
I’m emerging from Careers in Writing Arts with a confidence I did not have before. I still worry about my future, but the doubt and anguish aren’t nearly as crippling as they were in February.
There seemed to be two major themes of this class: Going to grad school or Publishing. The prospect of attending graduate school is something I’ve considered on multiple occasions but all too often I brush it from my mind and forget about it. We play this sort of game, you see. Learning about the differences between an M.A. and an M.F.A. was invaluable, and while listening to Dr. Courtney talk I thought to myself, “Wow, an M.F.A. would be cool.” The idea of working on a novel for a grade and future publishing is an amazing opportunity. I even looked into it for a bit. But, at the same time, there’s no way I would be able to afford two more years of school. My parents saved diligently to send me to college, buying up and putting away bonds before I was even a zygote in my mother’s womb. They made very clear, however, that the generosity stops at a Bachelor’s. And working part-time at Petsmart is no way to save for schooling. So for now I’m going to remain extremely grateful to my parents for the opportunity to even attend college (because so many young adults can’t). I figure I’ll spend the next few months looking for a job in my field, either copy writing/editing or working for some small publication, and if said employer would be willing to pay for my Master’s, well... then I see no reason not to get one. For now, I’m just eager to finally have finished school. Hey look, Ma! A diploma!
Working on the research paper was, dare I say it, enjoyable. Though Markirah and I apparently have a history of writing classes together, the two of us didn’t really hit it off until this semester. I dare say it’s because the two of us are crippling introverts and it took (literally) being forced together in Kopp’s Evaluating Writing class to really get to know each other. And, what do you know; we’ve got a list of common interests about as long one of Hermione Granger’s History of Magic essays. While the two of us have decidedly different writing styles, we were able to compose a unified research paper that not only highlights our skills as writers and collaborators, but reveals all that we learned of publishing, agents, and query letters while pursuing the question, “How do I get my short fiction published?” Interviewing Professor Jahn-Clough was as pleasant as it was informative: Jahn-Clough, who teaches Writing Children’s Stories to undergrads, was delighted to answer our questions in an interview that is enlightening, helpful, and a bit humorous. I know that Markirah and I will work together on future projects.
At first I was a bit discouraged by the CV because I thought I wouldn’t have a lot to put on there. I purposely excluded publications from my high school’s literary magazine because I thought they wouldn’t do me much good. As a result, I’m left with two pathetic publications. Ah, I thought to myself, but one of them is an award winner. I can’t let myself forget that. I’ve included “Atop the Camel’s Hump” to my online portfolio as a way of highlighting my skills as a writer of creative nonfiction in the same way “Pride” demonstrates that I can write for a young audience. In the next few weeks I’ll be sending “Atop the Camel’s Hump” to prospective publishers in the Delaware Valley and Greater Philadelphia Area. I’m hoping that the award will have editors a little more inclined to give it a chance. Who knows—maybe this summer I’ll see my first paycheck for being published!
The writing samples I’ve included in my portfolio are all there to reveal a different slice of the writer that is Casey Otto. The query letter is real—I sent it to CICADA Magazine nearly a year ago with a piece of creative nonfiction about an unusual experience I had while visiting Australia. Though the piece in question was rejected, the letter I received in reply was inspiring. "We enjoyed reading about your adventures Down Under and hope you will try us again. In publishing, as in life, persistence is the key," wrote Deborah Vetter, and what followed was a lengthy paragraph of opportunities available for a writer like me. Vetter suggested I become part of The Slam, an online forum for writers aged 14 to 23 where I could submit pieces up to 800 words. There’s no cash reward, but it’s a way of getting my writing online. I’ve recently been grooming a few pieces of flash fiction for The Slam. I used to get bummed out by rejections, but now I collect them like stamps. Every single writer there ever was has been rejected, I tell myself. We all start small. I mean, what kind of a person would I be if I didn’t follow the advice offered in my own research paper? As for the writing I’ve selected, I included two pieces of nonfiction (creative and how-to) and two pieces of fiction (for children and adults).
Overall, I liked Careers in Writing Arts. I thought the class moved especially smoothly for a first time seminar. While I would have liked to have seen some more of the jobs available to Writing Arts graduates (where to find them, which would suit my style best, etc.) I’m exiting the doors with a head full of fresh knowledge that I can’t wait to apply. Someday you’ll see me on the bookshelves!