In June 2015, I graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. As I had done nearly all of my requirements by then (except give the obligatory talk) I was free to sit in on the excellent classes that were provided, as well as roam around Cambridge Massachusetts.
For those of you who have never heard of Lesley University, it was founded in 1909 by Edith Lesley in her home at 29 Everett Street, Cambridge Massachusetts. At first, it trained Kindergarten teachers. Over the years it took on various shapes, including Lesley College.
The most surprising thing about it is that it is situated next to Harvard Yard. So, if you had nothing better to do, you could wander over there and pretend to be a Harvard man (or woman.)
I decided to get an MFA in creative writing to give myself some bona fides that would prove (I hoped) that I was a serious writer and not a fly-by-night person who churned out pap. I chose Lesley because in those days it was in the top five of low-residency (lo-res) schools that offered this program. This meant that you only had to be on site for twenty days a year (in January and June). The rest was a correspondence course.
Going to Lesley was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. The course exceeded my expectations. Not only did the faculty do the usual things of critiquing our manuscripts and making us critique wonderful literature. No, they also talked plenty about creativity. And how to manage those inevitable times when you are metaphorically banging your head against the proverbial wall.. (This is the dreaded “Writer’s Block.”)
I came out of that two-year course a much better writer than I was going in. For the faculty taught me how to beautify my prose style and keep it free of clichés. They taught me how to revise my manuscript properly, so that I didn’t spend my time noodling away, worrying that it wasn’t good enough. And they taught me how to read other writers, both for craft, and for inspiration.
I am grateful to all of my teachers, who included Rachel Kadish, Christina Shea, Hester Kaplan and Tony Eprile.
