is creative writing useless

Is a Creative Writing Degree Worth It? Let’s Get Into It.

In my day—by which I mean the early 2000s—a creative writing degree was considered one of the less practical academic pursuits, only a little more reasonable than a philosophy degree and a theatre arts degree (which, incidentally, is what I have).

These days, we have a bit more appreciation for what a person can do with some well-rounded creative writing skills. Such a person can write novels and poetry, sure, but they can also compose speeches for politicians, create written content to refresh a major corporation’s brand, and craft compelling ad copy.

There’s no question about it. Creative writing is a skill that earns , depending on how you use it.

But as is the case in a lot of modern industries, we’re starting to see that a degree doesn’t carry the weight it used to. And not having a degree isn’t always a barrier to entry.

So where does that leave aspiring writers? Should you bother to pursue a creative writing degree? If so, what should you be trying to get out of it?

We’re about to go over all the ins and outs of this educational path. We’ll talk about:

The advantages of pursuing a degree in creative writing
The different types of creative writing programs
How to choose the program that’s best for you
How creative writing is taught
The career opportunities that come with a creative writing degree

Let’s start by looking at the perks.

Benefits of Pursuing a Creative Writing Degree

A smiling graduate in a cap and gown holds out a rolled-up diploma.

I’m about to list the four biggest benefits of attending a creative writing program. But I want to be clear about something:

Every one of these perks is something you can also get without a degree in creative writing.

I don’t say that to discourage you from taking this path. This might still be the best next step for your career. See, the biggest difference between getting a formal education and DIY-ing one isn’t what you learn but how you learn it.

That’s why we’re not just looking at what these four benefits are but also how you achieve them in a creative writing program.

Develop Strong Writing Skills

This is the reason most creative writing students pursue a degree. A good program offers a range of courses to help you sharpen your skills, faculty members who have real-life experience with the publishing industry, and access to visiting writers who can offer additional inspiration and insight .

Most programs incorporate writing workshops where you and your fellow students share and give feedback on your work, all under the guidance of a professor. Many universities also put out literary journals, giving students the opportunity to participate in the publishing process .

And of course, enrolling in a creative writing program ensures that you’ll be constantly writing , which is the best way to sharpen your skills.

Explore Diverse Genres and Styles

A self-guided learner has full authority to choose which areas of writing and literature they’ll explore. This is mostly a good thing, but the benefit of pursuing a creative writing degree is that your professors will see to it that you get familiar with a range of formats, genres , and styles .

This is especially true in undergraduate creative writing programs. Expect to read and analyze a wide spectrum of literature, from ancient epic poems to modern mainstream novels.

Build Your Network

This is such a notable perk that many of my friends who went to graduate school for screenwriting highlight this as the number one benefit.

Of course, you can build a network of peers and mentors without shelling out a ton of money for a formal education. But in a creative writing program, you spend all your time with other writers. You read each other’s work, struggle through the same coursework, and connect on a personal level.

Plus, if you happen to go to a school with a robust alumni network, you might find it easier to connect with those in your industry who share your alma mater after you graduate.

Widen Career Options

There are plenty of writers who don’t have a degree in creative writing—or don’t have a degree at all —who are making a decent living off of their words.

Nevertheless, a formal education can offer a wider range of options. It will give you a better shot with employers who place high value on college degrees or want to know that you have specialized knowledge regarding a specific type of writing.

And if you think you might enjoy teaching creative writing, a degree is a must.

Types of Creative Writing Degrees

A person works on a laptop at a table on the sidewalk outside of a café.

Intrigued? Then let’s explore your options more in depth.

There are several different types of creative writing degrees you can pursue, each with a slightly different focus and different opportunities once you leave school to practice your craft in the real world.

We’ll break this down one by one.

Undergraduate Degrees

It typically takes four years to complete an undergraduate creative writing program, though the timeline can be longer or shorter depending on your schedule and any credits you’ve already earned and transferred over.

We’re covering some general creative writing degrees available at the undergraduate level, but I highly recommend doing additional research. There are several more specific degrees that zero in on a particular aspect of writing, like a Bachelor of Arts in Communication or Journalism.

If you have a clear-cut vision for your writing career, start there and work backward to find the degree that makes sense for you. If you only know that you want to be writing one way or another, start by looking at these three options:

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing

When you pursue a Bachelor of Arts, you can expect to get a well-rounded education that includes writing instruction as well as a balanced emphasis on the sciences and humanities.

It’s a liberal arts degree, basically, and it’s the most common choice for students seeking a creative writing education.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Creative Writing

BFA programs are much rarer than BA programs, but it’s worth considering one if you want an education that puts a heavy emphasis on the “arts” part.

This type of program focuses less on sciences and humanities. It often includes hands-on writing workshops (more on those in a bit) and is favored by students who fully intend to become authors, playwrights, screenwriters, or poets.

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Writing

If you think you might enjoy applying your creative writing skills to something more scientific or analytical, a BS might be the best option for you.

This is a popular option for students who see themselves getting into technical writing, cultural studies, or communication.

Graduate Degrees

A group of smiling people sit around a table in a meeting room, surrounded by coffee cups and laptops.

Postgraduate education—or grad school, as the cool kids call it—comes after you’ve earned an undergraduate degree. The most common reasons to seek out a graduate degree in creative writing include:

You think you might like to teach creative writing at the college level one day
You earned an undergraduate degree in a different field and now you want to study writing
You just really want to go deep on this subject

Just as with undergrad degrees, there are highly specific grad programs you can explore. Or you can dive into one of these:

Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing

While an MA program doesn’t have the humanities and sciences components of a BA program, it still maintains a balance between participating in the arts and observing them.

That is to say, you’ll do a ton of writing in this program, but you’ll also read and analyze a fair amount of literature.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing

MFA programs tend to be super hands-on, with workshops in which students share and give feedback on each other’s writing. Over the course of the program, you’ll complete a book-length work like a novel or poetry collection.

You also might find that you need more credits to earn an MFA degree than an MA in creative writing.

PhD in Creative Writing

Now you’re just stalling. Write your book already.

I’m kidding. A PhD is a perfectly reasonable option if you want to study literature and creative writing in great depth. Most students who take their writing education this far are also planning to build a career in academia in addition to being a published author.

PhD programs are extremely rigorous, can last four years, and conclude with a dissertation project.

Writing Workshops vs. Writing Courses

A professor stands at the front of an auditorium, lecturing creative writing students.

At this point, we should probably discuss the difference between writing courses and workshops in an academic setting. You’ll find both in many programs, but the balance between these two educational experiences will depend on which type of creative writing degree you pursue.

It will also influence your entire learning experience.

What Makes a Course a Course?

A creative writing course is exactly what you think of when you imagine any class in a formal education setting.

In a course, a professor lectures on specific topics, assigns projects, and grades students on their performance. There may be class discussions and even opportunities for students to share and engage with each others’ writing. But the overall structure of a course focuses on conveying information.

What Makes a Workshop a Workshop?

A creative writing workshop is more hands-on. While the professor will share insights and guide discussions, the primary purpose of a workshop is to help students refine their craft. They share their work and give each other feedback.

You see much more of this learning style in BFA and MFA programs, which put greater emphasis on honing creative skills. If you want your writing education to include analyzing literature or studying the business end of publishing, you’ll probably want to look into more course-heavy BA or MA programs.

Renowned Creative Writing Programs

A person sitting at a computer smiles and gives a thumbs up.

This is usually when a person wants to know where they should go to get these degrees. What are the best creative writing programs out there?

Really, the best program is the one that fits you. Reputation is just one of many factors you should consider when you decide where to pursue a degree in creative writing.

That said, it’s always a good move to know the respected institutions in your field. It helps you sound informed at cocktail parties. To that end, here are some of the most revered schools in the world of creative writing (in the U.S., anyway):

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop
Brown University
Columbia University
Duke University
Emory University
Mizzou (Journalism)
Northwestern University

Choosing the Right Creative Writing Program

A person stares at laptop, brow furrowed.

If prestige shouldn’t be a top consideration when deciding where to earn a degree in creative writing, what should you prioritize?

Here are a few factors to keep in mind as you research your options:

Career goals - Do you want a program that’s going to prepare you for a job in marketing that pays the bills while you write poetry on the side? Do you want to become a globe-trotting journalist or a high-earning technical writer?

Decide what will be the best degree for you, then zero in on the schools that excel in that area of study.

And don’t forget to consider genre! If you want to earn an MFA but are interested in commercial fiction writing, make sure you find a program that matches your goals. Literary fiction tends to get all the love in higher education.

Faculty - Research who you’ll be learning from. Do they seem like the right folks to guide you on your professional journey?

Curriculum - Learn everything you can about a school’s course options and creative writing majors before you commit. Will you be able to focus on the area of writing that matters most to you? Will the skills you learn help you do fun things in the real world like eat and pay rent?

Location - There are accredited creative writing programs that are entirely online. However, many of your best options will be in-person or low residency . Not only is the location relevant for practical reasons—you have to be able to get there—it can also influence how much you pay to go.

If you attend a state school in your own state, for example, you can expect to pay less than the out-of-state students.

Results - Do a little digging to find out what graduates say about their experience in the program. What did they like about it? What didn’t they like? Would they say it was worth it? What are they doing with their creative writing degree now?

Cost - You’re probably way ahead of me here, but I’ll mention it, anyway. The less you pay for a degree in creative writing, the greater your return on investment will be. Look at tuition costs, possible scholarships, out-of-state versus in-state expenses, and the local cost of living.

Career Opportunities with a Creative Writing Degree

Two people shake hands over a desk after a job interview.

Maybe you decided long ago that you definitely want to go to college. Maybe for you, the question isn’t whether you want a degree at all but whether a degree in creative writing is a good use of your college fund.

In that case, we should talk career opportunities. What exactly can you do with a creative writing degree?

A lot, as it turns out. In fact, we have this ridiculously long list of jobs that require strong creative writing skills. You can follow the link to explore them in depth, but here’s a quick sample of what’s in there:

Proofreader
Content writer
Technical writer
Social media writer
Screenwriter
Speechwriter
Literary agent
Brand strategist
Corporate communications specialist

That’s really only scratching the surface, and it doesn’t even touch on the ways your writing skills might serve you in less creative professions. I know multiple lawyers with a creative writing degree they credit for making them significantly better at drafting legal arguments. (On the flip side, an alarming number of lawyers become screenwriters or novelists.)

The important thing is to consider different creative writing majors carefully. Between the different schools, degrees, and areas of concentration, you’ve got lots of options and plenty of opportunities to select the education path that leads to your ideal writing career.

Whatever You Do, Keep Learning

A screenshot of the Story Craft Café homepage with a post reading 'I beleaf in you."

Only you can decide if a creative writing degree is the right move for you. Whether you go for it or not, remember that continuous learning is the best thing you can do to ensure a successful and fulfilling writing career.

Keep reading work that inspires you. Build and nurture your writer network. Proactively seek out workshops, seminars, conferences , books, articles… anything you can get your hands on that will help you sharpen your skills.

And while I wouldn’t claim it’s a one-to-one replacement for the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, remember that Dabble is always here for you with a shocking amount of free educational resources and a supportive community in the Story Craft Café .

Peruse the hundreds of articles, templates, and worksheets in DabbleU . Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly guidance delivered straight to your inbox. Download this free, 100-page ebook walking you through the entire novel-writing process.

Even if you need a little more time to decide if you want a degree in creative writing, you can start boosting your skills now.

So what are you waiting for?

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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Should You Really Be A Creative Writing Major?

College Info

So you’re thinking about majoring in creative writing! Completing an undergraduate creative writing program can be a great way to explore your love of fiction or poetry and hone your craft.

As edifying as a creative writing major can be, it may not be what you expect. Dedicated creative writing majors are also quite uncommon, so if you're committed to getting your degree in that subject, you'll have a narrower pool of possible colleges. This post will help you decide whether a creative writing major is right for you.

Feature Image: Nilufer Gadgieva /Flickr

Many Great Schools (with Awesome Writing Classes) Don't Have a Creative Writing Major

As I mentioned above, creative writing is a relatively rare major, so if you're solely focused on schools with a dedicated creative writing degree, you might miss out on schools that could be a great fit for you.

Keep in mind that a lot of school that don’t offer specific majors still have great opportunities to pursue creative writing, whether by completing a minor, contributing to the campus literary journal, or simply taking classes.

Even if you know you want to study creative writing, try researching the opportunities available at different schools with an open mind . You might be surprised by what you find!

You're Going to Have to Read — A Lot

I once had a friend who loved writing ;but hated reading—especially if he had to analyze the text. If you tend to agree with him, and would rather be submerged in a vat of ants than write a paper about Virginia Woolf's use of symbolism to comment on World War I in The Waves , this course of study isn't right for you. Most creative writing majors are run by the English department, and, in fact, many are special tracks within the English major. As such, they involve a lot of reading of all kinds , including fiction, plays, poetry, and literary theory.

I was an English major in undergrad, and we were expected to read a roughly book a week in each class . Some were long (I had one professor assign the longest single volume novel in the English language ) and some were short, but it added up to a lot of books! You’ll also have to write critical essays analyzing these works of literature—if you really only want to write your own fiction or poetry, consider majoring in something else and taking creative writing classes as electives.

You Don't Need a Specific Major to Be a Writer

Writing isn't like engineering: you don't need a specific degree to pursue it professionally. The only thing that you need to do to be a writer is to write.

Most writing jobs, whether in publishing, journalism or teaching, don’t require or even expect you to have majored in creative writing. For the few positions that do require a writing degree, which are almost exclusively in academia, you'll actually need a graduate degree (generally an MFA).

Studying writing in school is a great way to motivate you to work on your writing and to get constructive feedback (more on this below), but it’s not the only way. A lot of great writers studied something totally unrelated to writing or didn’t go to college at all.

You Can Learn A Lot From Really Focusing on Writing

So far I've focused mostly on reasons you might not want or need to major in creative writing, but there's one very good reason to do so: you'll spend a lot of time writing, talking about writing, and reading your peers' writing.

One of the key features of any creative writing major is the workshop —a small class where students closely read and dissect each other’s work. Workshops can be very productive, since they offer the opportunity for lots of revision and rewriting. However, they also involve a lot of criticism and can be challenging for very sensitive people. Consider how you'll react to someone not liking your writing or suggesting ways to improve it.

Many creative writing majors also require a capstone project or creative BA thesis, which requires you to complete a substantive piece of work that's at or near publication ready. For students who are genuinely committed to publishing their writing, this project is an invaluable stepping stone.

Some Schools Have Special Opportunities for Creative Writing Majors

At schools with particularly strong writing programs, majors may have the opportunity to attend special readings or meetings with authors that aren't open to non-majors. They may also have priority for activities like working at the literary journal or university press.

These kinds of perks are completely dependent on the school, however, so make sure to research the specific programs that you're interested in.

Final Thoughts

Creative writing majors offer a unique opportunity to focus on the craft of writing, but they aren't right for everyone. If the following statements apply to you, a creative writing major could be a great fit:

You love to read and write.
You take criticism well and don't mind other people reading your work.
You want to pursue writing outside of the classroom as well as in it.

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Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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Is There Such a Thing as a ‘Useless’ College Major?

Would you consider pursuing a degree in a field you love even if it wouldn’t necessarily lead to a well-paying job?

By Shannon Doyne

Please note: We ask that adults respect the intent of our Student Opinion questions and refrain from posting here . While there are many other places on nytimes.com for adults to have their say, this is the only forum that explicitly invites the voices of young people.

If you are planning to go to college, what are you thinking of studying? Why?

Will your passion guide you, or are you more likely to choose a subject because it is practical and likely to lead to a job?

In the Opinion essay “ Stop Corporatizing My Students ,” the creative writing professor Beth Ann Fennelly writes about a proposal in her state, Mississippi, to determine which college majors are the most needed and least needed based on how likely students are to find employment in the state after graduation. Such a study could lead to changes in the way the state government allocates funding to public universities and community colleges.

The essay begins:

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Creative Writing Courses Are Useless: Creative Writing Programs and the Italian Literary System

First Online: 10 October 2020

Cite this chapter

Cecilia Ghidotti 6

Part of the book series: Science, Technology and Innovation Studies ((STAIS))

476 Accesses

Creative writing schools and programs are weird creatures. They have been around for decades and have become increasingly popular despite their relatively recent addition to the curricula of higher education. This chapter investigates the public discourse around creative writing programs: it looks at how creative writing degrees are received both in the English-speaking world (the United States and the United Kingdom) and in Italy, and it investigates the reasons behind this reception. In the Anglo-American case, creative writing is part of university education, but this is not the case in Italy, where universities do not offer degrees in creative writing. The teaching of creative writing thus is entirely entrusted to private enterprises such as schools, associations, charities, cooperatives, and bookshops. This chapter looks at how, in Italy’s case, the reception of creative writing has been shaped by the country’s historic understanding of high and popular culture and by the position of the Alessandro Baricco, best-selling author and founder of the Holden School, the most famous Italian creative writing school. These themes are relevant to the scholarship on creative and cultural industries because they offer insights into the role of creative writing programs as mechanisms for the inclusion and exclusion of cultural workers. They also reveal the programs’ growing influence over literary production and cultural production more generally.

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The Rise of Creative Writing

Creative Writing for Professional Writing Majors

Bridging the Distance: Learning Victorian Literature Through Creative Projects

See Harbach ( 2014 ) for a detailed account of how the two systems of American fiction work: one depends on writing programs and the other is connected to the New York literary economy.

“Though we partially agree with the popular insistence that writing cannot be taught, we exist and proceed on the assumption that talent can be developed, and we see our possibilities and limitations as a school in that light. If one can ‘learn’ to play the violin or to paint, one can ‘learn’ to write, though no processes of externally induced training can ensure that one will do it well.” Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Philosopy https://writersworkshop.uiowa.edu/about/about-workshop/philosophy

Myers ( 1996 : 146), Harbach ( 2014 ) and Bennett ( 2014 : 52).

In January 2019, the Holden School launched the Holden Academy, a three-year program that will award a qualification recognized as a bachelor’s degree by the Ministry of Education, University and Research. The Holden Academy will not replace the Holden School’s two-year program, which will award the same qualification as before.

According to the data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD 2017 ), the average fee for a master’s degree in Italy in 2017 was about 1800 USD (1580 euros).

“For over 20 years, this diploma has been acknowledged in all working storytelling environments, TV, the radio, cinema, theatre and advertising. It’s always been a business card which allows whoever has it in their pocket to present themselves as a professional storyteller with the acknowledgment they deserve” (Holden School Website 2019 ).

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Ghidotti, C. (2020). Creative Writing Courses Are Useless: Creative Writing Programs and the Italian Literary System. In: Kiriya, I., Kompatsiaris, P., Mylonas, Y. (eds) The Industrialization of Creativity and Its Limits. Science, Technology and Innovation Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53164-5_5

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Eight Common Writing Mistakes

by Melissa Donovan | Dec 1, 2020 | Better Writing | 22 comments

Are you making any of these common writing mistakes?

We all make mistakes in our writing. The most common mistake is the typo — a missing word, an extra punctuation mark, a misspelling, or some other minor error that is an oversight rather than a reflection of the writer’s skills (or lack thereof).

A more serious kind of mistake is a deep flaw in the writing. It’s not a missing word; it’s a missing scene. It’s not an extra punctuation mark; it’s an overabundance of punctuation marks. And these mistakes aren’t limited to the mechanics of writing: plot holes, poor logic, and a prevalence of bad word choices are all markers of common writing mistakes that are found in various forms and genres of creative writing.

I see most mistakes as an opportunity to either learn something new or make an improvement to a piece of writing. While mistakes can certainly be frustrating, and rewriting to weed out mistakes can be laborious, each fixed mistake is a step toward a more polished piece of writing, and every time you resolve a problem in your writing, you become a better writer .

Common Writing Mistakes

Here are some of the most common writing mistakes opportunities I have seen in creative writing, including fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction:

1. Dull Beginnings

Every once in a while I come across a piece of writing that starts off slow, then picks up momentum. Maybe you’ve seen this too: the first chapter of a book is boring or the first paragraph of a blog post is obtuse. Then it gets better — a lot better. Kudos to you for giving it a chance! I suspect that many writing projects start out with dull beginnings. As we write, we fall into the rhythm and pacing. We get to know our characters. The plot comes into focus. The great thing about writing is that we can always go back and rewrite. Don’t risk losing readers who scan the first few paragraphs and decide not to read the rest. Don’t count on reviews that say “Starts slow but gets better.” Take the opportunity to rewrite your opening and hook readers from the first sentence.

2. Unnecessary descriptions and details

I’m reading a book right now that is jam packed with a bunch of descriptions and details that I don’t really need. The story is great, so I’m trudging through it, but it’s not the best reading experience I’ve ever had. Readers don’t need to know every detail about a room’s decor or a character’s appearance. They don’t need a play-by-play account of every action that takes a character from point A to point B. Writing a lot of description and detail during early drafts can be a good thing; it helps us get to know our story world. But again, revision is an opportunity to scale it back. Leave room for readers to use their imaginations and ask yourself how essential each detail is to the main purpose of the piece.

3. Verbiage

Despite popular belief, verbiage is not a synonym for words or text . It specifically means an “overabundance or superfluity of words, as in writing or speech; wordiness” ( source ). Verbiage is not a good thing. It means you’re using too many words and the work could be more concise. Verbiage occurs for a number of reasons. Poets often resort to verbiage to meet meter requirements. Students use it to meet page-count requirements for their essays. Verbiage also happens when writers try to use a lot of fancy words and language to make themselves sound smart. And almost all writers create verbiage in early drafts, especially if discovery writing is involved. Don’t spend an entire paragraph saying something that could be said in a single sentence. You’ll put your readers to sleep!

4. Redundancy and stating the obvious

Redundancy is when we say the same thing twice, although usually we say it in a different way the second time. For example, I am taking my car to the shop tomorrow, so I won’t be able to go anywhere because my car will be in the shop . The readers are told twice that the car will be the shop tomorrow. That’s redundant.

The problem with stating the obvious in a piece of writing is, ironically, less obvious than redundancy. Here’s an example: I went to the store yesterday. In the store, there was a huge book display . The phrase “in the store” states the obvious. The text implies that the book display is in the store, so it doesn’t need to be stated outright.

5. Unnecessary or ineffective repetition

Sometimes repetition is a good thing. When we’re trying to teach through writing, repetition can help the reader retain information. It can also emphasize a theme or symbol. The trick is to know the difference between effective and ineffective repetition, and this can happen with the content of a piece of writing or the language. The most frequent place you’ll see this is in first-person point of view where there are an abundance of sentences that start with “I” (it’s actually difficult not to use “I” frequently in first-person pieces). But other examples include using the same adjectives over and over (all the girls are pretty ; all the guys are handsome ; all the cars are fast ) or repeating the same details and descriptions over and over (you only need to say she’s pretty once).

6. Failure to use spelling and grammar check and over-dependency on spelling and grammar check

I used to keep spell-check turned off because it annoyed the hell out of me. It was always trying to correct me, even when I was right or purposely breaking a rule. But I found too many typos in my final drafts, so I turned it back on. I especially appreciate the markup that spell-check provides, which makes it easy to catch and fix typos as they occur.

That doesn’t mean we can rely on spell-check to be our editor, especially not our professional editor. The fact is, most technology-based editors are highly flawed. Their dictionaries are incomplete (I often type words that my word processor doesn’t recognize but which are in most dictionaries). They cannot handle complex grammar. They are useless for correcting misuse of words and language. So yes, use spell-check, but don’t rely on it.

7. Filler words and phrases

Filler words and phrases usually occur when an action or idea is unnecessarily framed inside another action or idea. For example: I went the book store yesterday. I know I should have left my wallet at home. The idea that the narrator should have left her wallet at home is framed inside of her knowing that she should have left her wallet at home. But the sentences are written in first person, so the reader already knows that everything the narrator (or speaker) says comes from her thoughts or knowledge. “I know” can be removed to make the sentence stronger and more concise. Let’s revise: I went to the bookstore yesterday. I should have left my wallet at home.

Common filler words and phrases include I know, I thought, and I wondered . Can you think of any others?

8. Lackluster ending

This is the worst. You know how you feel when you’re reading a great story or article and you’re really into it, but then the ending just sucks? I hate that. I still think these stories are worth reading because it’s all about the journey, not the destination. Having said that, lackluster endings are unsatisfying. When I come across them, I almost always get the feeling that the author was tired of the project, just wanted to finish it and move on, and resigned to a second-rate closing. Some people complain about endings where there are still unsolved mysteries or unanswered questions. That’s fine if there’s going to be a sequel! Don’t disappoint readers by giving them a lazy ending.

Which Common Writing Mistakes Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed any of these mistakes in your own writing or reading material? Are there any other common writing mistakes you’d like to add to this list? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

22 Comments

Haha, so many things came to mind when I read this article!

I’ve noticed that many older novels would start with 2 (unnecessary descriptions and details) and as a result, have 1 (dull beginnings). This is most likely because these descriptions that seem unnecessary nowadays was actually necessary back then. The writers needed to describe, say, an African savanna, in detail while readers nowadays have probably all seen pictures of that. Actually, in some of the stories, you would see one character enthusiastically telling another how delighted she was when she read this long descriptions of a place she would love to go to someday. These days it’s more like, well, let me just show you a Youtube video.

I am certainly guilty of 3 (verbiage). You mentioned that poets often resort to verbiage to meet meter requirements. Well, I’ve done it for lyrics. At least I was writing lyrics for a number in a comedic scene, so I was able to turned it into a joke. There were multiple places in the song where I blatantly inserted useless words (such as “really, truly, surely” in a row). Since I was doing something ugly, I might as well call attention to it so we could all have a laugh.

For 8 (lackluster ending), I’ve seen it in books before (sometimes taking the form of “oooooh, it was just a dream”) and I’ve definitely seen it in TV shows that span multiple seasons. Sometimes, the original creators already left. Many writers over many years have created a bunch of continuity problems. And what’s worse is when the writers don’t know whether the TV show will be renewed for the next season or not, so the ended up putting in a finale that’s sort of a finale, but not quite. And then the fans that have been following a show for many years would be rewarded with a ending that’s totally less than satisfying. At least books in general don’t have this problem.

Kelvin, we think alike! I started reading an older novel a couple of years ago, and I was shocked at the pages and pages of unnecessary description. It was so dull, I couldn’t finish it, which bothered me. I drew the same conclusion as you: back then, authors had to provide a lot of description because readers didn’t know what, say, a tropical island looked like. I’m having the same problem now with Les Mis, a great story — but the unabridged version I’m reading is verbose. I think a lot of songwriters use verbiage to fill meter. Sometimes they even repeat the same word over and over (yeah, yeah, yeah).

I often scan creative writing textbooks into my computer for instant access. Many authors of such books, who often are college professors, write in a way that suggests they are getting paid by the word. I edit every chapter, and it’s not unusual for a chapter with six thousand words, after my edit, to have four thousand or forty-five hundred. I was a newspaper writer for many years so my edits are severe, maybe too severe. But after my edits, the copy is sharper and gets to the point quicker.

Wow, that’s hardcore. I’ve never heard of anyone scanning books and editing them. That’s a great hobby!

That is hard core. However, when reading ebooks on my iPad, I just can’t help myself from doing some editing! Perhaps it’s because I was a teacher, and correcting has become second nature. Although I didn’t do it before becoming a writer, though.

It’s always tempting to edit while reading just about anything!

Some useful guidelines here. I recently cut a 900 word short story down to 400 for a competition and initially thought the task impossible but when I had finished it was a much improved piece of writing. Excellent advice for those of us who tend to overindulge with words. A great post I intend to share with my class and teacher.

Thanks, Marc! There’s a saying about finding your favorite sentence in a piece of writing and cutting it. I can’t remember who said it, but we writers must learn how to trim away the excess and let go of passages (sometimes entire chapters) that aren’t necessary.

Dull Beginnings absolutely kill me. Why do it? As you say capture the reader and don’t bore them away. I hate dull beginnings because I am prone to write them lol – something that took a while to overcome.

7. Filler words and phrases – awesome specific tip there thx. Remove “I know” makes the sentence considerably stronger. I am such an offender in this area.

Thanks and great post.

My guess is that a lot of writers don’t realize the beginning is dull. But who knows why it happens? Another common type of filler word is the starter (that’s what I call it):

He started to walk to the door. She started to speak.

As opposed to just jumping in to the action:

He walked to the door. She spoke.

Don’t forget crutch words. One of the most common is having speakers “smile” or “grin” as they talk instead of actually blocking the scene with action between dialogue. When characters smile, grin, chuckle, and chortle and I know I’m reading a novice, or someone who ignored their editor.

Many writers look for alternatives to the tried-and-true he said/she said dialogue tags, and often the alternatives they come up with don’t work well. So if we’re talking about using smile , grin , or chuckle to replace a dialogue tag, then I agree with you that in some cases it will fall flat. But I wouldn’t make a sweeping statement implying that only novices have their characters grin, smile, or chuckle.

“I have it right here.” She smiled and reached into her bag.

There’s nothing wrong with the construct above. However, the following is not ideal:

“I have it right here,” she smiled.

I am so guilty of using filler words and phrases. And yes my endings are dull too, at times. Thanks.

I have yet to encounter a writer who doesn’t have a bad habit, whether it’s using the same word over and over or using filler words. The good news is that once you realize you’ve got a bad habit, you can work on it!

I agree with you on these issues! It’s amazing how many cuts I can find when I know I have to. And the result is almost always an improvement. I especially have to catch redundancy. It’s a good tool for drafting, since you can try out six different ways of capturing a setting or an emotion. But then come back and pick the best one of the six! Couple of points: additional “filer” (or “filter”) words are “**She heard** the wind whistling through the trees” vs. “The wind whistled through the trees,” and “**She saw,**” which works similarly. These are so hard to catch. RE spell-check: Instead of turning off spell-check, turn off “autocorrect” functions. You will be notified of typos, but the computer will not try to guess what you really intended. I’ve seen some pretty crazy computer-supplied corrections! Also, grammar-checkers are notoriously poor substitutes for your own knowledge. The one on my Word program misidentifies fragments and rails against all kinds of style choices that work beautifully to establish voice. Finally, do give “older” books a chance, even if you know that these days, you don’t dare write in an older style. The Victorians, for example, lived in a slower age, but they wrote some of the most gripping fiction you’ll ever read.

Thanks, Virginia!

Hello Melissa,

I’m currently taking an online course on creative writing which is a hobby of mine. I stumbled unto your Blog on a Google search and it had all the answers I needed. Thanks so much for this! All the way from Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria.

Thank you for your kind words, Dorathy. I’m glad you found Writing Forward helpful. Keep writing!

One of things that it is very annoying to me when I read an article that is suppose to be written by an expert writer is when author writes “almost always” or “almost never”. Particular when the article is about eliminting unnecessary words. Either it is “always” or “never”, it can’t be “almost”. It has to be one or the other.

Rosemary, considering the number of typos in your comment, it’s audacious of you to be criticizing other writers.

1. You have unnecessarily used the word very with annoying . Exactly what is the difference between “annoying” and “very annoying?” 2. You have left the “d” off the word suppose . 3. Perhaps you’re using British English, which would explain why your commas and periods are outside of your quotation marks. 4. You have left “ly” off the word Particular . 5. What exactly is eliminting ? 6. The sentence that starts with the word Particular is incomplete and therefore grammatically incorrect. 7. You are apparently ignorant about colloquialisms, or common expressions.

My advice to you is to think twice before you attempt to publicly insult others, particularly people whom you yourself have deemed to be experts. Also, consider posting a note by your computer that says this: “Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.”

And Rosemary, if you’re going to go around publicly correcting other people’s writing, make sure to proofread your own first.

I am guilty of so many of these in my first draft! Now I am more aware.

That’s why it’s first and not last!

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My writing degree is not useless, despite the stereotypes and people looking down on others, a creative writing degree is anything but useless..

There are many stereotypes for those who choose to be writers. Such as caffeine runs through our veins rather than blood, we do our writing in coffee shops, we tend to look like hipsters, are hermits, we're always depressed, we can make up stories on the spot and somehow being a writer means you like cats more than any other animal.

While some writers do drink a lot of caffeine when they get a sudden burst of inspiration at two in the morning and write until the sun comes up, so do students in other majors such as bio-med, nursing and business who needed to cram in a late night study session or needed to finish a project. Do we do our work in coffee shops? Sure, but we don't all like coffee and the shops are not just for writers, and writers aren't the only one's who go there. Not all writers are hipsters or hermits, we're not all depressed, we hate being asked to make up stories on the spot and some writers prefer dogs, fish, spiders or even lizards rather than cats.

While most writers laugh at these stereotypes, there is one stereotype that bothers us the most.

Getting a creative writing degree is useless.

From personal experience, I remember telling a boy I was dating at the time I'm getting my AA so I can go study creative writing at a university. All he would bring up is I should study something else and write in my spare time, saying I can't get a job with a degree like that and at least he could get a job with his degree. He was going to school to become a doctor.

I've had friends confide in me telling how they had friends who were studying outside of the major in a variety of programs tell them that their degree is useless and they won't be able to do anything with it. Most of them were in bio-med or business.

Zoe LeBeau, a current Writing Studies major at the University of Washington had this to say when asked if they have been told their degree is useless.

"For some people, creative writing may be a useless degree. I've seen many classmates who don't take work-shopping seriously; they only write when they have an assignment due. If they don't succeed out in the real world, it's not because their degree held them back, but because they held themselves back."

As a personal belief for myself, what I have learned through my college experience is that it's not about the degree that you get, it's about what you do with the degree and what you make of it.

While getting my degree, I've met dozens of other writers, attended writing conferences, been published, worked for a literary journal and now I'm doing work for Odyssey. I don't think I could have had a better experience with my education, I've learned more going to university than I could have on my own, and my passion for writing has only gone upward as I have made connections through staff and classmates.

I wouldn't trade my university experience for the world, and for anyone out there doubting if they should go for the creative writing degree, go for it. Go for your dream, follow your passion. While we do have to keep in mind that if we want to be writers, we do need a job to support ourselves, but that doesn't mean that the degree is useless. You will have completed a four year degree, you will have graduated from university, you will have accomplished so much. To anyone that doubts you, just remember this;

Your writing degree is not useless!

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Moana's top 10 life tips, "moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other disney movies do., 1. it's easy to be fooled by shiny things..

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

2. Listen to your heart and follow it wherever it may take you.

Moana always felt the ocean calling her name but it wasn't until she finally listened to it that she was able to learn why it had been calling her and where it was taking her.

3. Face your fears.

Moana itself teaches this lesson in nearly every scene but I think it is best demonstrated when Moana continues to go back to confront Te Ka, the goddess of fire , with the desperate hope of being able to complete the task the ocean had given her. Maui also faces his fears in this scene as he comes back to help Moana after previously saying that he wouldn't.

4. If life knocks you down try again and again until you can stand tall.

Maui was certainly feeling defeated numerous times throughout the movie but he kept getting back up and eventually became the strongest and best demigod he has ever been.

5. The ones we love never leave us, their lessons last forever.

Grandma Tala dies, it is by her faith in Moana and the lessons she has taught her that Moana is able to finally follow the call of the ocean. Grandma Tala said she wanted to come back as a stingray, which she did just when Moana needed her most.

6. When you make a mistake, fix it.

Maui made the fatal mistake stealing the heart of Te Fiti because he thought that would make the humans happy . Instead, he ensured the destruction of the ocean and all of the islands that inhabit it. Thankfully, Moana came along to teach Maui about the error of his ways and help him to fix the damage he has caused.

7. Never be afraid of being different.

Grandma Tala tells it best; she was never afraid of what other people on the island thought of her and the ways in which she lived her life differently than the them. She simply did the things that made her happy and tried to teach others to do the same.

8. All we all really want is to be loved.

The reason why Maui took the heart of Te Fiti in the first place was because he wanted the love and approval of the humans and he felt that that was the best way for him to receive it. Maui's parents abandoned him as a child so he was always desperately searching for love because it was so absent from his life.

9. You are stronger than you think.

Before embarking on her quest, Moana knew nothing about sailing let alone working with a demigod to return the heart of Te Fiti. However, she learned that she was far more powerful than she could ever had hoped to be as she persevered through every obstacle. Although there were times when she wanted to give up, at one point she even did, she always somehow found the strength to continue working towards her goal.

10. Kindness is what brings the world to life.

Moana showing Te ka kindness and compassion is what led to Te Ka returning back to Te Fiti, the living mother island and restoring the world to it's beautiful and fruitful live.

7 Types Of Students You Will Meet In College

You wish you could be #5, but you know you're probably a #6..

There are thousands of universities around the world, and each school boasts its own traditions and slogans. Some schools pride themselves on sports , while others emphasize their research facilities. While there is a myriad of differences among each and every school, there will always these seven types of students in class.

1. The one who sits in the front row

2. the one who is always online shopping.

It doesn't matter whether it's fall, winter, spring or summer - these people are online shopping every single lecture. They usually sit a row or few in front of you, and while the professor is lecturing, instead of taking notes or even trying to act like they're listening, they just aimlessly scroll through Aritzia, Forever 21 and Zara. The only time their eyes ever leave their computer screen is when class ends, so they're basically just there for giggles.

3. The one who always falls asleep

This person comes to class every day, but somehow never stays awake for more than 20 minutes. You can sometimes hear the occasional snore from a corner of a large lecture hall, or catch their heads nodding like a pendulum near the front of the class if they're the studious type . But let's be real here: we've all been one of those students at some point.

4. The one who never pays attention

This category of students is probably the most common. Sure, they'll go to class, but all they do is surf through memes on Facebook or watch others play Fortnite. These people are in class for the attendance grade, not to learn. On occasion, they may raise their hand in class to ask a generic, vague question that has already been covered but hey, gotta get that participation grade. They're just doing everything they can to survive college, and honestly, it's a mood.

5. The one who never studies (but still aces the class)

Standing as probably the most frustrating category of people in this list, these students won't know about a midterm until two days before. The day before the exam, they'll be chilling in Malibu and partying at night. They go to class every once in a while when the class time doesn't clash with one of their many elaborate social plans, but never pay attention. Somehow, they still ace all their exams and end up with the top grade in the class.

6. The one who is always stressed

These people will start studying for a midterm at least two weeks before hand, and will be so stressed about homework and classes that they spend more time worrying about the workload than actually doing the work itself. They're in desperate need of a relaxing vacation that they're too stressed to plan, and they disappear from the outside world for weeks at a time. You can usually find them in a study room in a library, where they probably have been in for the past week.

7. The one you've never seen before

You didn't even know that they were in your class to begin with because they never show up until it's exam week. Are they too smart for the class or struggling too hard to care ? The world may never know. Maybe they're just straight chilling in their apartments being lazy, but most of time, they probably didn't even put this class on their schedules. Catch them going to Disneyland on a weekday at least once a month, which is more than the frequency that they attend class.

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function.

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes .

1. Dime and a Mime

I think that this one would be super cute except one of the dates would have to not talk the entire function which would be extremely difficult.

2. Ramp and a Lamp

This is my personal favorite except it would be difficult to dress up like a ramp.

3. Hooters and Shooters

For this you could have one person dress up like hooter's girl and have one person wear plastic shot glasses with color glue in them.

4. Sherlock and Woodstock

For this one person could wear a cape and a Sherlock hat with a magnifying glass and the other person could dress up like the bird Woodstock or the festival.

5. Spaghetti and a Yeti

StableDiffusion

This would be the coolest idea to do. To dress up like a bowl of spaghetti and a Yeti. The only thing you would have to watch would to make sure that the Yeti didn't eat the spaghetti.

6. Whale and snail

This would be very cute. You could use a backpack or a laundry basket for the shell.

7. Ladder and Bladder

I don't know if you have seen the bladder cartoon but just imagine someone dressed up like that. Wouldn't that be so cute?

8. Rake and Snake

The snake could use the rake. This would be a very easy to dress up for.

9. Jam and Ham

You could dress up like a thing of jam or like a dollop of jam and just wear a single color.

10. Pig and a Twig

You could dress with pink and then the other person could dress with brown.

11. Banana and Nana

All you need for this one is a banana costume and old lady clothes

12. Dairy and Fairy

One person would dress up as a milk carton and the other as any kind of fairy.

13. Hibachi and Versace

I think that this is the most creative pairing that has ever been thought of. The hibachi person would definitely have to have one of those tall hats they wear.

14. Trash bag and American Flag

You could put your arms through the straps that come out of the trash bag and just wrap an American flag around yourself (as long as it doesn't touch the floor).

15. Gumball Machine and American Dream

This would be super cute if the person who was the gumball put puffballs onto their shirt and wore silver pants.

What is a rhyme without reason date function?

A rhyme without reason date function is a social gathering when partners show up wearing outfits that rhyme with each other. It opens up an opportunity for creativity. It is most popular on college campuses, though it can be extended to other parts of society as a fun way to play dress-up. It also gains additional popularity around Halloween time, given the interest in costumes and dressing up for that holiday.

What are some top ideas for a rhyme without reason?

There are so many options: A Dog and a Frog could be fun. A Ramp and a Lamp, a Whale and a Snail, a Rake and a Snake, a Trash Bag and a Flag, and Bob Ross and Dental Floss are just some ideas for a rhyme without reason date function. Using your own creativity, you could think of countless more options and if you explore the web, you'll find lists out there to provide inspiration . Rhyming without reason at the end of the day is all about having fun.

What are some sources of rhyme without reason inspiration?

For starters, TikTok has a whole collection of rhyme without reason ideas. You could browse those for quite some time and find plenty of inspiration. You might also look toward Her Campus for plenty more ideas or our handy list . There's no shortage of options around the web, but some of the best ideas may come from you. Start with the rhyming perspective and then think about what fun pairings would be for a real-life rhyme without reason costume party.

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Never would I have thought a few years ago that I would be such a huge yoga fanatic, that I would be hitting the gym almost every day to get to class, and that I would be forming all these amazing relationships with so many incredible people who also share a love for you. You've enhanced my way of life in numerous ways that I need to thank you for.

Thank you for showing me my true strength. Not only physical strength, but more importantly mental strength. You've shown me that I am more than what others may think of me, and that I can rise above any obstacle that comes through my path.

Thank you for helping me to walk through life with grace and passion. To love what I do and love the life that I share with those around me. Before experiencing yoga, I never truly understood what it was like to be passionate about something. Now that I have, not only do I know what it's like to be passionate, but also have a willing to be passionate.

Thank you for teaching me what it is like to appreciate the small things in life. Which has only helped me more to appreciate the big things. You've shown me to not only appreciate the life around me, but also to give myself the appreciation that I deserve. And more importantly, give others the appreciation that they deserve.

Thank you for allowing me to let go. Whenever I feel as if I need a break from the world, the yoga studio is the first place I think of. As soon as I enter the studio, the outside world leaves my mind. You've allowed me an escape that I will be forever thankful for.

Thank you for turning me into a mindful person. Having mindfulness is harder than it seems, especially here in today's society. Over the past couple years, I have become more mindful to the world around me, I have been able to truly be myself and let everyone else be themselves -- all thanks to yoga.

And lastly, thank you for allowing me to breathe. As simple as it sounds, breathing is the one thing that I carry around most with me off the mat. Deep breaths are what get me through the day. Throughout tough situations, emotional battles, and stressful times, I always know to come back to my yoga, to come back to my breath.

I only hope that those around me feel the same way as I do about you, yoga. You have truly transformed my life in the best way imaginable. It is a gift and a great privilege to be able to experience the practice. Thanks to you, I have grown as a person, proved to myself the true strength I have, become more aware and have ultimately started living a better life.

You're the best,

Your Yoga-Obsessed Friend

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion..

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

The Norse cosmos began with two worlds, Niflheim and Muspellheim. These two worlds, the worlds of primordial cold and fire , were separated by a great fissure called Ginnungagap. The waters from the well Hvergelmir, at the center of Niflheim, by many rivers flowed into Ginnungagap and "when those rivers, which are called Elivagar, came so far from their source, the poisonous flow hardened like a slag of cinders running from a furnace, and became ice. ...Then layer by layer, the ice grew within Ginnungagap" (Byock 13). The northernmost regions of the gap filled with hoar frost and rime, but the southernmost were "the regions bordering on Muspell [and] were warm and bright" (Byock 13). Where the cold of Niflheim's ice and the warmth of Muspellheim's fire met in Ginnungagap the ice thawed, and "there was a quickening in these flowing drops and life sprang up" (Byock 14). From the ice came Ymir, known as Aurgelmir by the giants, the origin of all frost giants. As the wise giant Vafthruthnir says, "'down from Elivagar did venom drop, / And waxed till a giant it was; / And thence arose our giants' race, / And thus so fierce are we found'" (Bellows 76-77).

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society 2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Pitt News

Opinion | Get the ‘useless’ fine arts degree

Sarah Cutshall | Visual Editor

Opinions Editor Leah Mensch is passionate about writing and plans to get a master’s of fine arts in creative writing.

By Leah Mensch , Opinions Editor February 5, 2020

Once I told someone I wanted to get a master’s of fine arts in creative writing and they told me it was the second-to-worst post-graduation plan they’d ever heard from a student. I didn’t ask what the first was, but I can only imagine.

Arts degrees — especially fine arts degrees, which usually come in the form of music, studio art, creative writing and theater — have been, over the years, labeled useless. Search “useless degrees” on the internet and you’ll find, on just about every homemade ranking, that it’s quite literally just a list of liberal and fine arts degrees.

But I think the word “useless” is a lazy use of language. Everyone’s idea of what useless means is different, and regardless, it’s not possible to define whether or not a degree is “useful” based upon the number of jobs available and the number of people employed directly in the field. People have different life paths and different ways of using a degree. But this doesn’t make it useless.

It’s true that for the most part, STEM degrees lead to higher paying jobs than liberal and fine arts degrees, and it’s understandable why young people care about a higher starting salary and financial security. Student loan debt is playing a role in the physical and mental stress of young people — the debt, which, as of 2019, averages at about $31,000 total, and $400 in monthly payment per college graduate. In 1980, for reference, the average debt per graduating student was $9,320. But each year, the average debt increases at a higher rate. In 2010, the average debt was almost $10,000 less than it is now — $29,900.

And while STEM majors usually have starting salaries that are $20,000 higher than those of liberal arts majors, by the time people reach the age of 40, the salaries between those who majored in the liberal arts and those who majored in STEM are virtually the same. For example, women who are applied STEM majors earned nearly 50% more than social science and history majors at ages 23-25, but only 10% more by ages 38-40, a New York Times analysis reported. So even in terms of salary, which doesn’t solely determine whether or not a degree is useful, liberal arts degrees aren’t all that far behind STEM.

It seems too that since we’re going to have to work longer than the generation preceding us, it’s more important than ever that we actually like and care about what we’re doing. The retirement age in the United States is steadily rising , the age in which the U.S. government allows retirees to receive full social security benefits has risen from 65 to 67. This is all to say that we’re going to be in our career fields for a very long time, and pursuing something enjoyable, or else a passion, is continuously found to be a key factor in maintaining healthy relationships, mental health, physical health and energy. In other words, not useless.

And just because someone’s primary job isn’t in their field of study — a writer who teaches high school for example, or a playwright who primarily does work editing — doesn’t render the degree useless. It just means that their way of finding a stable income is different. The same goes for artists who have to work multiple jobs to support themselves.

This isn’t to say that going to art school is going to provide the same financial stability that an engineering degree will. But this is to say that just because art doesn’t provide the same financial stability doesn’t mean that a degree in art is useless. It just means that the artist might have to find other means of supporting themself and their artistry. It might be copy editing or it might be tutoring. It might be serving food at a restaurant, working retail or bartending.

Art is a method of communication . It allows people from different backgrounds, from different walks of life to communicate with each other. In a world where borders and division seem to be all over the place, we need art more than ever. We need liberal arts majors. And more than anything, we need to be able to pursue what we love with confidence, and we need to not get caught up in the “usefulness” of what we love.

The only kind of useless degree is a degree earned that has no impact on the graduate who earned it. Which is to say, the graduate doesn’t think of their art or work, and it doesn’t influence their life in any way, shape or form. And that’s rare, especially if the degree earner is passionate about their subject, which, in terms of art, is often the case.

So I am going to graduate school, and I am going to graduate school for writing. I might be paying rent by way of overnight restaurant shifts — there’s so much I’m not sure of. But one thing I am sure of is this — I would rather be a writer working two jobs to pay my bills than be no writer at all.

Leah writes primarily about mental health, books, writing and the spices of the world for The Pitt News. Write to Leah at [email protected]

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Leah Mensch (they/she) is the opinions editor at The Pitt News. A Pittsburgh native, they will graduate in 2021 with degrees in Nonfiction Writing and...

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Stanford is reinstating term limits for Jones Lecturers (former Stegner Fellows) to honor Wallace Stegner’s foundational principles and provide teaching opportunities for new fellows.
The program will increase its annual courses by 10% starting in the 2025-26 academic year to meet growing student interest.
New creative writing lectureships (renewable for up to three years) and an associate director position are being established to support additional courses and mentorship. Current Jones Lecturers can apply for these roles.
The English Department is piloting 10 new lectureships to blend creative writing with literary studies, aligning with students’ desires to combine creative expression and critical thinking.

Amid unprecedented growth and evolving student interests, Stanford University’s Creative Writing Program in the School of Humanities and Sciences is implementing significant changes to restore its original vision and meet the increasing demand for creative writing courses.

The program, renowned for cultivating some of the country’s best writers, is recommitting to its mission by restructuring key fellowships and expanding course offerings.

Central to these changes is a return to the foundational principles set by Wallace Stegner, an English faculty member and 1972 Pulitzer Prize winner, when he established the Creative Writing Program in 1946.

Moving forward, Jones lecturers – all former Stegner Fellows – will be term-limited and rotate out regularly. This shift ensures that new Stegner Fellows can become Jones lecturers, maintaining a fresh flow of perspectives within the program.

This change continues a reform process initiated in 2019, which limited newly hired Jones lecturers to four-year terms. While many of the current Jones lecturers are expected to continue teaching for the next four to five years, they will eventually cycle out. This will make room for new lecturers, who will be eligible for terms of up to five years each. Importantly, Stanford anticipates maintaining the same number of creative writing lecturers to keep the program’s teaching capacity robust.

“The Jones Lectureship offers Stegner Fellows the opportunity to teach our undergrads,” said A. Van Jordan, a former faculty co-director of creative writing and professor of English and African and African American Studies.

“When the Jones Lectureship operates as it was designed to, ideally, with the imprimatur of Stanford on their CVs and new book publications, they will go on – as many have over the years – and begin their careers as faculty at other institutions,” said Jordan, who is also a Humanities and Sciences Professor.

These changes will not only help ensure the program honors Stegner’s original vision, but also address the evolving landscape of writing in the digital age. In an era where AI can generate content instantly, the importance of human creativity and inspiration is more significant than ever, said Debra Satz, the Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences.

"Drawing inspiration is a competence computers don’t have; we do," Satz said. "We want every Stanford student to have the opportunity to make their own choices, guided by some of the most gifted writers of our generation."

Wallace Stegner, a Stanford English professor and Pulitzer Prize winner who established the Creative Writing Program, is the namesake of the Stegner Fellowship program. | Chuck Painter

Honoring a legacy of excellence

Since its founding, Stanford’s Creative Writing Program has become a cornerstone of literary excellence, producing Stegner Fellows who have achieved national and international acclaim. "There have been times when I thought I was seeing the American literature of the future taking shape in my classroom," Stegner once wrote.

Inspired by Stanford students who were World War II veterans with compelling stories to tell, Stegner envisioned a program to nurture emerging writers. He collaborated with Dr. E. H. Jones, a physician and the brother of the English Department chair, who provided initial funding and later established a permanent endowment. This support led to the creation of the prestigious Stegner Fellowship – a two-year residential fellowship for promising early-career writers in poetry and fiction – and the Jones Lectureships, which provides Stegner Fellows with teaching opportunities while they complete their manuscripts.

Nearly 80 years later, the Stegner Fellowship remains highly competitive, attracting nearly 1,400 applications last year for just 10 slots. In addition, creative writing is the most popular minor with Stanford undergraduates (music is second). The COVID-19 pandemic intensified this trend, as students sought connection and expression during isolating times.

“We were all living the same Groundhog Day over and over, and in those terrible pandemic years, reading and writing didn’t feel like a luxury or a frill but a vital form of connection,” said Patrick Phillips, professor of English and former director of the Creative Writing Program.

Looking ahead

To accommodate this surge in interest, the program will increase its course offerings by 10%, from approximately 100 to 110 courses annually, starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

To staff the additional courses and provide enhanced support, the Creative Writing Program is establishing new positions:

Creative writing lecturers: Beginning in 2025-26, two new lectureships (renewable for a maximum duration of three years) will be available to outgoing Jones lecturers. These positions will allow them to continue teaching and mentoring. A reduced teaching load will allow them to focus on administrative responsibilities like professional development, curriculum assistance, and collaborating with colleagues on innovative course design and teaching strategies.

Associate director of creative writing: The associate director of creative writing, who will also be a senior lecturer, will also commence in 2025-26. They will teach courses, help with administrative responsibilities, and provide leadership support to faculty and lecturers. A national search will be conducted for this role, with current Jones lecturers eligible to apply.

These new positions aim to maintain the quality and variety of course offerings, ensuring that popular classes like the Graphic Novel Project and Novel Writing Intensive continue to thrive.

“It is common for popular classes to change hands,” said Nicholas Jenkins, faculty director of the Creative Writing Program. “In setting the curriculum, the Program always pays close attention to student views. Nothing that draws enthusiastic undergraduates is likely to go away. The influx of new Jones lecturers into the Program will also produce innovative course offerings that will become must-haves.”

The future of creative writing and the English major

While arts practice and theory are typically separated at U.S. universities, Stanford houses them together. “In H&S, the Creative Writing Program is housed within the Department of English,” explained Gabriella Safran, senior associate dean for the humanities and arts, the Eva Chernov Lokey Professor of Jewish Studies, and professor of Slavic languages and literatures. “Students benefit from the synergy of practice and theory, making and analysis, rather than needing to choose between one and the other.”

Recognizing students’ evolving interest in merging creative expression with critical thinking, the Department of English is also piloting ten new lectureships, renewable for a maximum duration of three years. Starting in 2025-26, five lecturers will begin teaching, with the other five joining the following year. These positions are anticipated to be filled by current Jones lecturers.

Gavin Jones, chair of the Department of English, emphasized the importance of bridging literary theory and history with the practice of creative writing itself. “Students increasingly want to write creatively as well as think critically about literary texts,” he said. “This is a good time for new pedagogical practices that reflect this change by merging creative expression with literary analysis.”

The English Department lecturers will teach some creative writing courses alongside new gateway courses that are part literature seminar and part creative writing workshop, and they may occasionally co-teach with English faculty. In the process, they will help the department rethink English pedagogy for new generations of students.

“When our writing workshops are good, they’re not just undergraduate classes, but extraordinary gatherings in which people can talk and write about what matters most in their lives,” Phillips said. “I feel lucky every time I walk into a room of undergraduate writers.”

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The 10 Most Worthless College Majors

Contemplate before you matriculate.

Image via Complex Original

We don't dispute that college is a time to find yourself. Just remember that you're funding this self-finding expedition with a combination of parental savings and personal debt. Unless you want to end up writing for the Internet, selling your body at a truck stop, or doing some other similarly degrading work, we suggest that you think long and hard about exactly what field of study you will jump into.

Maybe you love nothing more than delivering monologues in the school play or hanging out at your local coffee shop musing on the nature of existence, but perhaps there are some passions that are best left buried deep within.

Instead, why not take a more sensible major and embark on the embittering, but lucrative rat race from cubicle to cubicle? Sure, the corporate ladder is awful to climb, but there is probably a motor boat and an in-ground pool at the top of it. Follow your creative impulses and the only way you'll see that boat or that pool is when you are paid to clean it.

Sure, you can do what our friends did and just go to law school after you've spent four years studying the medieval musical instruments, or you can also start making that cash right after undergrad if you avoid these 10 Most Worthless College Majors .

RELATED: The 10 Types of Douchebags You Meet in College

10. Art History

No one wants to pay you to talk about regular history, let alone art history. The only museums most Americans have been inside of are Madame Tussaud's and the Little League Baseball Hall of Fame. The average American can probably only name five paintings, and three of them are just different versions of "Dogs Playing Poker." As a society, we simply don't care about art, let alone art that was made more than twenty-five years ago, especially if there are no naked chicks. Why should we care about old art, when we can just watch movies and television shows that reduce once glorious dead cultures to an endless parade of bare breasts?

Unfortunately, art history majors are on the wrong side of history.

9. Psychology

The field of psychology is very much like law or medicine in that it takes years of schooling to hone the skills necessary to practice at the highest level. Psychology is unlike law or medicine in that it is nearly impossible to make a good living unless you are at the very top of the field. If you can't handle a decade of schooling and an endless array of certifications, the only person you will be allowed to analyze is yourself. You'll be able to ask yourself questions like "Why did I waste all of this money?" and "What the hell am I trying to prove?" as you continue your education into your thirties.

8. Journalism

When was the last time you read a newspaper? No, the time you idly flipped through the comics, Dear Abby, and the horoscopes while trapped at your parents' house for spring break doesn't count. With the rise of the Internet, there are now innumerable news sources geared at niche audiences that steal their links from each other and write lazy, poorly researched copy that they spew out to the public as quickly as possible. If you're lucky, you'll get commissioned to write some hard-hitting exposé for eight bucks an hour. After a week of tedious labor, your hard work will be shoved in the corner of the website, to the left of today's newest gallery of grumpy cat memes, and just under a collection of the best drunk Lindsay Lohan animated GIFs.

7. Religious Studies

Religious Studies is just one of the various liberal arts majors in which the only possible career path related to your field of study is to become a professor of said subject. You can add Classics, Linguistics, Medieval Studies, and any other major that ends in "studies" to this list. These majors exist only to pad the university's curriculum and squeeze more money out of the today's debt-ridden youth. Don't worry though, these fields of study will make you far more interesting at parties, if your idea of interesting is boring guests to tears with anecdotes about long-dead Popes.

6. Education

There are many countries in which teachers are respected. The United States just isn't one of them. Unless you can double major in Finnish or Korean, you are out of luck. Not only are teachers paid a nominal salary relative to their abilities, but unlike other "do-gooder" professions like social work and environmentalism, the public perceives teachers as greedy and lazy, thanks to recent anti-union smearing. Between actually teaching, grading papers late into the night with only a glass of wine as solace, and being strong-armed into directing the school play despite the fact you've never actually seen a play, you'll have to deal with parents who labor under the delusion that they are more qualified to teach their children than you are. Enjoy those three months off when you'll have the "vacation" of working retail or manual labor to make ends meet. The best part will be when one of your least favorite students struts into the McDonald's where you're spending your summer and demands his nuggets extra crispy.

5. Anthropology/Archeology

A good guideline for choosing a college major is "Have I see anyone do this in real life?" Growing up, you saw many adults perform many jobs. You likely met doctors, lawyers, mechanics, and drug dealers. These are all real jobs that are potentially lucrative. The only archaeologist you saw growing up was Indiana Jones, and the only anthropology major that you met was your cousin who has since become a drug dealer. If you love digging, remember that archeology is the least lucrative profession that involves digging, after grave digging, ditch digging, and (both literal and metaphorical) gold digging. We recommend you try to get your fill of foreign cultures by reading National Geographic or working on a cruise line.

4. Communications

A communications degree exists to let the world know that you spent four years in a young adult holding cell and managed to attend class at least 40% of the time despite all of the Call of Duty to be played and weed to be smoked. If you ever talk to a communications major, and you ask them what they study, they respond with, "I'm a communications major with a focus in [insert B.S. here]." Real majors don't require this additional information. You don't often hear, "Oh, I'm a law student with a focus on..." or "I'm an engineering student with a concentration in..." because the thing they are "focusing" on is the thing they are studying. Let's face the facts: you are a communications major with a focus on graduating at best, and at worst you are a communications major with a focus on the perpetual existential crisis of having nothing in life that you are the least bit passionate about. Look on the bright side, most of your school's student-athletes will be communications majors; maybe they can score you courtside seats if you do their final project for them.

Ah, the theatre. And yes, all of you unwashed masses of business and marketing majors, we do spell it the British way with an "re" at the end. Theatre majors are the future administrative assistants of America. Fresh off the leading role in their local high school's production of Oklahoma , America's future colonial reenactors head off to college with a song in their heart and their best black turtleneck on their back. Soon enough, they realize that the majority of working actors in Hollywood were forced into the profession at a young age by insane mothers, and their chances are even slimmer than they imagined. This gives way to discussion of a "fall back" plan right around the end of sophomore year. What these now-jaded students haven't realized is that theatre departments depend on indentured servitude to put up their half-assed black box productions. Even the most prestigious schools will force you to be on stage crew and build sets when you aren't acting, in addition to actually going to class. This means that you will be working eighty hours a week while the future CEOs of America are drinking from a human beer luge comprised entirely of the torsos of nubile freshman sorority girls.

We hope it is worth it when you finally get to don a pair of tights for that leading role in a restoration drama you land out of pity senior year.

2. Philosophy

In a sense, every college student is a philosophy major. Most students just keep their philosophical pursuits separate from their class work. Sensible students wax philosophical only after a few beers on the rooftop of their ramshackle apartment. They spew things like, "What if we're all made of colors?" or "Do you ever feel like, we're, like, not really here. I mean really not really here ?" It would be beneficial if you kept your philosophical inquiries in check and limited your passion for having your "mind blown" to psychedelic rock albums on Spotify. If you cannot do this, if the pull of Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard is simply too great to resist, then might we recommend learning a trade during the summer? Not only will you have a steady union job to fall back once you get out of school, but you might also be inspired to write the next Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance .

1. Creative Writing

If you pick a major like this, you might end up doing something like, oh I don't know, writing top ten lists on the Internet. The major would probably be more useful if it were geared towards list writing, copywriting, or creating internal memos, because that is the majority of the writing that people get paid to do. But, you're an artist, damn it, so you should spend four years learning how to express yourself. Of course, by "expressing yourself" we mean having all of your ideas beat out of you as your embittered professor tries to turn you into a Raymond Carver clone. Your teachers will frown on "genre fiction," and by this they mean "all of the stuff that makes any money." Why write the next Game of the Thrones or Twilight when you can write another story about how the fading picket fence that divides the land of two suburban neighbors is symbolic of their alcohol-ravaged marriages and lost youth? The only career that creative writing prepares you for is "professional drinker." Remember, most great writers drink themselves to death, so if you are a cut below the Hemingways of the world, how do you expect to avoid the same fate?

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43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately

by Diana Urban | Sep 8, 2015

When revising any piece of writing — a novel, a news article, a blog post, marketing copy, etc. — there are certain words I delete to make the text stronger and cut my word count. When I’m writing a novel, one of my last drafts focuses on cutting these “filler” words. Removing them helps speed up the pacing of both action and dialogue. In my business writing or blog posts, cutting these words makes the content feel more polished (at least, IMO!). While this might not be the ultimate list of all words you could remove, these are the ones I personally look for when I’m revising, so I thought other writers out there would find this helpful! Also, my examples below might be exaggerated, but I hope they get the points across.

Always remember, though, that there is no one correct way to write. Writing is art, and it’s always subjective. If you want to include these words in whatever context (e.g. to make dialogue sound more natural) that’s 100% your call! This is just my personal list of words I try to limit my usage of as much as possible, and I’ve shared it here in case it’s helpful to anyone else.

Words you should delete

Really, very. These are useless modifiers. You should be able to find stronger verbs or adjectives for whatever you’re trying to enhance. For example, “He ran very quickly along the really long field.” can be, “He sprinted across the vast field.”

That. If a sentence still makes sense after removing “that,” delete it. For example, “This is the most amazing blog post that I’ve ever read.” can be, “This is the most amazing blog post I’ve ever read.”

Just. I have a hard time removing “just,” especially in dialogue. But for the most part, you don’t need it, and too many can make your dialogue or prose repetitive.

Then. When showing a sequence of events, either remove “then” or try using “and” instead of “then.” Using “then” frequently sounds repetitive and even juvenile. “I shut the car door, then tripped over the sidewalk. Then Bob pointed and laughed, and then my cheeks flushed.” sounds better as, “I shut the car door and tripped over the sidewalk. My cheeks flushed as Bob pointed and laughed.”

Totally, completely, absolutely, literally. These words don’t add information to a sentence. For example, “The box was completely full of clothes.” reads the same as, “The box was full of clothes.” or better yet, “The box was stuffed with clothes.”

Definitely, certainly, probably, actually, basically, virtually. Again, these words don’t add information. If the sentence makes sense without these words, remove them.

Start, begin, began, begun. These words are unnecessary unless an interruption to the action soon occurs. But for the most part, you can remove these words.

Rather, quite, somewhat, somehow. A movie doesn’t have to be “rather dull,” it can just be “dull.” Delete!

Said, replied, asked, and any other dialogue tag. Dialogue tags slow your pacing and distract readers from the conversation. You can keep these tags for the first couple sentences of dialogue, but once you established who says the first couple lines, readers can follow the conversation back-and-forth for themselves. Also opt for surrounding dialogue with action instead of dialogue tags. Action will let us see what the characters are doing besides talking, and offer character trait information as well. For example:

“I don’t know where I’m going,” said Derek.

“You have a map,” said Ramona. “Figure it out.”

“Haven’t you been here before?” asked Derek.

“It’s been twenty years,” said Ramona. “How am I supposed to remember?”

Derek frowned at the street sign overhead. “I don’t know where I’m going.”

“You have a map.” Ramona took a drag from her cigarette. “Figure it out.”

“Haven’t you been here before?”

“It’s been twenty years. How am I supposed to remember?”

Down, up. Usually, these words are unnecessary and you can remove them. For example, “I sat down on the floor.” could be, “I sat on the floor.” and “I stood up.” could be, “I stood.”

Wonder, ponder, think, thought, feel, felt, understand, realize. When you add any of these terms, you’re removing readers from the introspection and adding useless words. For example, “I wondered whether Johnny was the murderer.” could be, “Was Johnny the murderer?” If the narrator questions, “Was Johnny the murderer?” it’s self-explanatory that the narrator is wondering it. This also helps readers feel closer to your narrator, and more involved in the speculation.

Breath, breathe, inhale, exhale. These are far too commonly used by many authors to describe character internals, including me! Instead of deleting, you’ll have to find an alternative way to describe how a character is reacting to whatever has made them breathe quickly, exhale sharply, or “Let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.” Ick! I highly recommend The Emotion Thesaurus in paperback, not digital, so you can skim through any time.

Shrug, nod, reach. Every author has her own quirks, and over time, you should become familiar with your own. These are a few of mine — in my first drafts, I have characters shrug, nod, and reach for things way too often — and I know a lot of other writers include these, too. Always have second readers, whether you’re writing a novel or blog post. They’ll be able to point out actions that happen too frequently better than you can, because you’ll usually be too close to your own writing to notice.

How to find these words in your writing

If you’re using Word, it’s easy to find these useless words. First, make sure to select a highlight color from the toolbar besides white.

Click Edit > Find > Advanced Find and Replace . Click Replace and the little down arrow.

Enter the word you’re seeking in both the Find what: and Replace with: fields. When your cursor is still in the Replace with: field, click Format > Highlight .

Click Replace All . Repeat this process for every word you want to find in your document. Then you can scroll through your writing and easily spot these words, and decide if you want to delete them. Doing a Find/Replace to delete these words isn’t a good option because there will be some instances when simply removing the word muddles the meaning of your sentence. Sometimes a sentence will need to be reworked.

Image via Cheezburger .

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Online healthcare degrees, fastest accelerated online degree programs by degree level 2024, 4-week online course for medical coding and billing 2024, easiest phd and shortest doctoral programs online 2024, 20 most useless college degrees 2024, the quickest online master's degrees 2024.

Numerous degree options and professional trajectories are available to students embarking on their college journey. We'll help you by going over the most useless college degrees so you can make an informed decision.

The choice quickly becomes overwhelming, with dozens or even hundreds of different options.

When choosing a major, you may first consider a college degree that sounds most exciting and what you think you would be good at. Nonetheless, you may overlook the potential usefulness of a college degree in securing employment following graduation.

When considering what major is best for you, it's important to consider which degrees will secure you a job and which are entirely useless.

Useful Degrees That Might Interest You

Here are some of the most useless college degrees out there.

20 Most Useless Degrees of 2024

1. advertising.

Pursuing an advertising major could lead to potential career paths in digital marketing, e-commerce, or sports marketing. What many advertising majors don't realize, however, is that to land a highly competitive job in one of these areas, their degree should be directly in that field.

Advertising majors take classes on promoting and selling products through media outlets like social media, television, and bulletin boards. They also learn what aspects of advertising are most appealing to people, including color and design. This education leaves limited opportunities for employment after graduation. Those who graduate with an advertising degree can find a job at advertising companies, but few employers will take them otherwise. Those who do not succeed in advertising have few other options.

2. Anthropology And Archeology

A degree in anthropology and archeology may sound appealing if you love history, travel, and being outside. If you are not willing to commit significant time and money to obtain a PhD in the field and to potentially spend years in roles such as underpaid intern or research assistant this career path may not be suitable for you.

Anthropology investigate's human civilizations and their cultural development while archaeology examines human history by unearthing artifacts and remains. Those who graduate with a degree in anthropology and archeology may hope to spend time studying the findings on a historical excavation site or at least in a museum. While a prestigious doctorate from Harvard or Yale may land you at an excavation site, likely, the majority of degree's won't even get you out of your backyard.

Those who cannot make it in this field may search elsewhere but have difficulty finding a job.

3. Art history

Students who study art history love art and design. Those who want to get a degree in art history usually take classes in art composition and multiple classes in art history from every time period. They may study influential artists like Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet.

Although students with an art history degree are passionate about old art and sculptures, it's hard to make a career out of it. Those who graduate have a wealth of knowledge about art throughout the centuries but have difficulty finding a job where they can use it. Some get jobs at art museums and, later on, as art appraisers, but this is one of the most challenging fields to break into. Most places that specialize in art want to see a lengthy resume with plenty of experience.

Individuals who complete their studies but are unable to secure a career within the realm of art must seek opportunities in other domains. However, their limiting degree doesn't leave them many options. Most employers want to see education more directly applicable to their careers.

4. Communications

Communications majors study the science behind communication. They learn how to make communication more accessible while promoting suitable communication methods. If you're interested in communications, you may take classes related to oral and visual rhetoric and classes that help you learn how to promote your message best.

Because communications is such a broad field, the degree has no specific focus. While this may sound useful, it makes getting a job after college more difficult. Those with a communication degree commonly pursue journalism, marketing, and business administration jobs. However, those interested in one of these fields are better off getting that specific degree. Many jobs that communications majors may apply for after graduation are related to specific majors. This makes getting a job with a broad communications degree more difficult.

5. Computer Science

Pursuing a computer science degree may appear to be a promising path towards a thriving career post graduation. However like many of the most useless college degrees, computer science is a challenging degree to use after you graduate.

This is because a general computer science degree is broad just like a degree in communications. Some students enter computer science to get a job in coding, information technology, or cybersecurity. However there are specific programs for these career paths that look much better on a resume.

Upon completing a computer science degree, you might find yourself uncertain about the next steps to take. To get a job you may require higher education in your field or more specific education and focus in an area like coding or cybersecurity. You may instead find yourself looking for a job with your current education and experience, which may prove unsuccessful.

6. Creative Writing

Creative writers really do have skills that people who want to publish stories and novels want to have. However, their education is narrow and specific. During their education, students in a creative writing major learn how to tell a story with colorful words and create poetry while also learning about the professional writing process. Their writing is flowing and descriptive.

Although you may become a talented writer with a creative writing degree you're not going to make enough money to make ends meet unless you publish a major novel or childrens story. Creative writers don't learn the skills of journalism or the technicality of linguistics to pursue a job writing for a newspaper or other news company. Instead, they are left with beautiful writing skills and no job.

If you're interested in creative writing and hope to publish a book someday consider majoring in a similar field, like journalistic writing, and taking some creative writing classes. This will make you more employable following graduation and give you a steady income while you write a novel.

7. Criminal Justice

Numerous students are inspired by television series and films such as NCIS or Criminal Minds to pursue studies in the criminal justice sector. Actors make jobs like detectives and special agents seem attractive and fun. Nonetheless, the truth about these careers is that they are not only perilous but also quite scarce.

Many students who major in criminal justice will spend a significant amount of time after graduation searching for a rare desk job for which they are qualified. They may work as paper pushers for their city or state of residence. Some individuals might pursue further education or training to embark on careers as police officers, lawyers, or foster care workers. When considering a career in criminal justice it's crucial to assess the desired job and determine if it aligns with your intended career trajectory.

8. Culinary arts

Culinary arts may teach students how to cook and make their food look presentable but it doesn't teach them many skills beyond this. A degree may look good on a resume if you're interested in pursuing a job as a cook or chef after college but any other career will consider your training useless.

Students in culinary programs acquire specialized knowledge such as food preparation techniques and ingredient combinations but their training often lacks transferable skills in areas like business or health related matters. While they become proficient in tasks like, vegetable chopping, spice blending, and potato boiling, they may not develop abilities applicable to a broader range of occupations. The result is that many students who graduate with a degree in culinary arts wind up unemployed but well fed after graduation.

Choosing a culinary or trade school over a conventional college or university degree could be a more prudent decision for those genuinely dedicated to forging a career in the culinary arts. This approach enables you to receive specialized training in your chosen field while saving both time and money.

9. Education

At first, this may seem like a highly useful degree. Teaching children is useful, right? However, many who enter the field quickly find this isn't as useful as it sounds.

Education majors must declare a specialty, such as early childhood, special education, or secondary education. Some who do this must get a master's degree to practice in their field. Those who stay with a general education degree may find their degree useless after graduation. A preschool won't want them because they aren't certified in early childhood education. Special education won't want them because they don't have the proper certifications or endorsements.

When contemplating a major in education, evaluate the specific educational field you wish to delve into and determine your area of focus. You should know that you may have to get a master's degree or receive extra training and endorsements to practice. Additionally, education majors typically undergo rigorous placements at schools of their interest to receive student teaching experience. After all of these channels have been completed, it is only then that an education major can expect to get a job.

10. Entrepreneurship

A degree in entrepreneurship may sound great for those looking to start a business someday. However the degree by itself is one of the most useless degrees. This is because students can get all the education they want, but without hands on business experience, their learning will hardly mean a thing.

Achieving success in launching a business necessitates an extensive understanding of business operations gained from years of experience. Numerous accomplished entrepreneurs possess a business degree and have acquired real world knowledge before establishing their ventures. Some might pursue further education, such as a degree in entrepreneurship, while others may opt for a selection of relevant courses.

An entrepreneurship degree by itself, however, leaves the learner questioning where to go next. They are less employable than someone with a business degree and may lack the education and experience it takes to get a job. Those interested in entrepreneurship should pursue experience first.

11. Ethnic and civilization studies

Ethnic and civilization studies is a culturally relevant field that may seem a great choice at first glance. Given the current state of our nation, ethnic and civilization learners are not only important but essential to the progress of our country.

However, a sole degree in ethnic and civilization studies may not land you the career you're hoping for. Many who receive jobs after graduation with this degree look for jobs in education, social work, and counseling. However, each of these jobs receives a special degree of its own. While studying ethnicity and civilization is essential, those interested should consider double majoring in a second degree or using it as a minor to increase their chances of an excellent job following graduation.

12. Fashion design

An individual pursuing a fashion design major may envision starting their own clothing line, joining a prominent company as a designer, or venturing into fashion marketing.

However, it's important to consider this major's job field. Securing a position with a leading fashion brand directly after graduation can be quite difficult, and creating your own brand from the outset is an even more daunting task. Successful people require years of experience, meaningful connections with those in the field, and learning how to build their brand.

If you're truly interested in the field of fashion design, be prepared to battle unemployment and disappointment. Many students who obtain a degree in fashion design are left looking for a job in a different field and find it wildly unsuccessful, as few employers consider their education relevant.

13. Film, video, and photographic arts

This is another degree that attracts those with big dreams. Those passionate about film production and media are found to pursue a completely useless degree.

Students who get a degree in film, video, or photographic arts usually learn how to use their artistic skills to start small businesses in photography or videography. While photography and videography are legitimate professions and many excel in them, these fields typically rely on innate talent rather than acquired skills. As a result, many of those who will be successful photographers will do so with or without a degree. Even if a few courses might offer some valuable insights to enhance their work, obtaining a degree in photography or videography is likely an impractical use of time and money.

14. Languages

Learning languages is an excellent means of acquainting oneself with foreign cultures and getting ready for international travel. While there are undoubtedly many benefits to learning multiple languages, studying languages as a college degree is useless. Those who invest years of their education into perfecting a language may feel accomplished. But when they graduate, there is one crucial question burning in their minds: now what?

Those who graduate with a language degree may become translators. Others work at a foreign embassy or in international relations. If you're lucky enough to land one of these jobs, the pay and job outlook can be okay. Conversely if you do not acquire proficiency in multiple languages, you might have to search for an employer willing to hire you based solely on this language skill set.

Some colleges offer programs for classical languages like Greek and Latin. Others stick to more relevant languages like Spanish and Chinese. If you're going to try and make it big in the language world be sure to choose a relevant language. You should also think about getting a second major to make yourself more marketable when you leave college.

An individual pursuing a music major might dedicate their time to choral singing, instrumental performances with a band, or engaging in extracurricular activities such as jazz or marching bands. They also spend much time in class studying music history and composition. Music majors may even focus on a specific area, like composition or conducting.

Because their field is so small, music majors often have trouble finding work after graduation. You may land a job as a prestigious conductor, professional musician, or community band director if you're incredibly talented. Most music majors wind up teaching music lessons or leading worship at church.

Although these are great jobs to make a little extra cash, they rarely manage to pay the bills. Music careers are typically low-paying and don't include benefits or a 401K. The result is that those who major in music look for a different career later. However, due to their limited degrees in music, many find that they lack the type of education that many employers are looking for.

16. Philosophy

Philosophy majors study the nature of knowledge. It often seems like a paradoxical field, as students learn about learning and think about thinking. Although philosophers like Plato and Aristotle are household names and have truly impacted the world, philosophy is a challenging field to break into.

In the present era, the study and application of science have outlasted the study and application of philosophy. Many jobs available on the market are related to science instead of thinking. After undergoing extensive education and gaining experience, philosophy majors may secure employment as philosophy professors, or they may opt to pursue further education in different fields such as law or writing. Those aiming to secure a stable job and acquire a bachelor's degree in philosophy might consider investigating alternative fields.

17. Psychology

The study of the mind and its corresponding behaviors constitutes the field of psychology. Like philosophy, a psychology degree is difficult to use after you graduate.

Psychologists often pursue higher education in their field to practice as clinical psychologists. Individuals who conclude their education with a bachelor's degree often face difficulties in finding a suitable niche. Some counseling jobs are available to those who graduate with a psychology degree. In general, individuals possessing a psychology degree face significant employability challenges.

Thus, it is imperative to assess the number of courses you plan to take and the potential career opportunities following graduation before embarking on a psychology degree. If you're looking at a specific field, you may be better suited and more employable by pursuing a different degree.

18. Studio arts and fine art

Comprising diverse areas such as sculpting, painting, drawing, photography, digital media, and graphic design, a degree in studio and fine arts is well suited for individuals who appreciate various forms of artistic expression. Multiple factors contribute to the perceived value of this degree.

First, as with the degree in photography students are typically talented in their area of interest or they're not. Those who are not talented can not expect to learn what they need to succeed in classes.

Second, those who are exceptionally talented in one of these areas may make a career from it by pursuing their dream without a degree or simply taking a few classes. Despite the limited availability of jobs in fields such as photography and drawing exceptionally gifted individuals might bypass the need for education and launch their careers straightaway.

Third, if a person is particularly interested in obtaining a degree in one of the fine arts they should pick a more specific degree focus. To gain knowledge and prosper in the field of graphic design, selecting a graphic design major is a prudent decision.

19. Theater Arts

A degree in theater arts allows a learner to study acting and the making of theater production. They may take classes about famous plays or classes that help them improve their acting skills. Those who pursue a theater arts degree are typically interested in acting jobs, writing plays, or producing scripts.

Those interested in the theater arts should be wary about pursuing a degree in this area. This is another field where jobs are few and far between following graduation. Graduating with a theater arts degree usually entails participating in internships and continuing education for several years. Eventually, one may secure a low-paying job in the field. Those who pursue a career outside of their degree may be shut out by employers looking for more relevant education.

Those with a lot of talent or drive should continue their education at a theater arts university or center. These schools have more prestigious reputations for education and may help launch an acting career.

20. Travel and tourism

Sounds fun, right? Even though this degree might have the glitz and glamour of travel and getaway, the result of this useless degree isn't so appealing. During their education, students studying travel and tourism learn about the best places to travel, their methods, and how to improve the tourist experience. Although these classes are more entertaining than most, many students who graduate with a travel and tourism degree are left unsure of the next step after graduation.

Students who graduate with a travel and tourism degree have limited job options after they finish school. Although many enter the field hoping to make it big as an Instagram traveler or professional vlogger, the result is that many end up taking boring and mundane office jobs. Some may choose to work as travel agents, while others may take a job as someone who helps others book plane tickets, hotels, or cruises through private companies. As with many of the other most useless degrees, these jobs tend to be poor sources of income with inconsistent hours, and workers aren't always treated well.

Finding a job is difficult if you graduated with a travel and tourism degree but are looking to leave the field. You may have fantastic stories and fun experiences to share, but employers looking for that degree will be disappointed.

Recommended Online Colleges With Useful Degrees

What is the most useless degree.

Some people may have acquired great careers in the past by earning the degrees mentioned in this list of useless degrees. Just as time changes, emphasis in the work world changes. Today, someone may have to look at a more specified degree within those fields of study to gain good employment.

Which majors are useless?

Twenty of the most useless degrees are found in this article. There may be other useless degrees but according to Edsmart these top the list.

What are the worst degrees?

This alphabetical list currently contains the most common useless degrees. The most useless degrees of today may not be useless degrees in the future.

Advertising

Anthropology And Archeology

Art history

Communications

Computer Science

Creative Writing

Criminal Justice

Culinary arts

Education

Entrepreneurship

Ethnic and civilization studies

Fashion design

Film, video, and photographic arts

Languages

Music

Philosophy

Psychology

Studio arts and fine art

Theater Arts

Tourism And Hospitality

Travel and tourism

Useful Degree Programs That Might Interest You

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Spots available: English 192V A Documentary Poetics of P(l)(e)ace with L. Lamar Wilson

This Autumn, L. Lamar Wilson is the Mohr Visiting Poet and CW is offering a seminar to undergraduates, English 192V . In this seminar, you'll explore how writers' sense of place intersects with their narrative, lyrical, and syntactical choices as they envision peace during times of war and social unrest. Full course description below; syllabus available on ExploreCourses .

*Spots are available! First come, first serve. Course enrollment to close on TUES, OCT 1. If interested, email dhuligan [at] stanford.edu ( Danielle Huliganga ) .

English 192V A Documentary Poetics of P(l)(e)ace

Autumn | Tues 3:00-5:50pm | 5 units

Prerequisite: introductory poetry course

Satisfies: intermediate/advanced poetry requirement for CW minor

Processing this staggering moment’s ubiquity of human conflict at home and abroad, we will explore how writers’ sense of place intersects with their narrative, lyrical, and syntactical choices as they envision peace during unyielding war and social unrest. We will ground ourselves with formative texts by Eleazer (more here), Lucy Terry Prince, Samuel Occom, Phillis Wheatley Peters, Yellow Bird, Walt Whitman, Zitkála-Šá, Jose Martí, Lucien B. Watkins, T.S. Eliot, H.D., Marianne Moore, Claude McKay, Pablo Neruda, Melvin B. Tolson, Gwendolyn Brooks, Xuân Dięu, Seamus Heaney, Mahmoud Darwish, Galway Kinnell, Lucille Clifton, Sharon Olds, Carolyn Forché, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and others, created, respectively, in the wake of America’s pre- and early-colonial wars with indigenous, French, and British peoples; its first civil war and involvement in postbellum conflicts in Cuba and Mexico; the twentieth century’s world wars in Eurasia and conflicts in Vietnam, Ireland, and the Middle East; and the inextricably tied wars on “poverty” and “drugs” at the fin de siècle and end of the last millennium, whose failures have shrouded this century’s digital disinformation divide and culture wars. Then, we will examine the ecopoetics in two traditions that have shaped this century’s art: Forché’s “poetics of witness” and the emerging school known as “documentary poetics.” We will select five recent collections and historicize their lineages, ecopoetics, and wordcraft as we refine our own.

L. Lamar Wilson is the 2024-25 Mohr Visiting Poet. He is the author of Sacrilegion (Carolina Wren Press, 2013), a Thom Gunn Award finalist, and associate producer of The Changing Same ( PBS /POV Shorts, 2019). He’s published widely, including in This Is the Honey (Hatchette, 2024), Bigger than Bravery (Lookout Books, 2022), the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day, Los Angeles Review of Books, New York Times, Oxford American, and Poetry. Wilson, an Affrilachian Poet, has received fellowships from the Cave Canem, Civitella Ranieri, Hurston-Wright, and Ragdale foundations. He teaches creative writing, African American poetics, and film and gender studies at Florida State University and Mississippi University for Women.

IMAGES

how I feel about my “useless” English/creative writing degree
(PDF) The MFA in Creative Writing: The Uses of a “Useless” Credential
17 Weak Words to Avoid in Your Writing
Ten tell-tale signs of bad creative writing
Academic Vs. Creative Writing: What You Need to Know Before You Teach
Writing Career Tips: 9 Types of Useless Scribbling to Avoid

VIDEO

Use This Trick to Never Run Out of Writing Ideas
cursive writing is useless #shorts #subscribe
Why writing & reading is useless
TRYING USELESS LIFE HACKS AGAIN #shorts
How to tell whether your writing is good . . . or not

COMMENTS

Is a creative writing degree worth it? : r/writers
Don't get it OP. If you love writing get a degree in Professional Writing or an equivalent so you're qualified for grant writing, copy writing, or advertising. You can be successful in creative writing regardless if you're willing to work hard and keep learning. Reply reply. skatinislife446.
My College told me a Creative Writing Degree is useless
Speaking as a person with a Creative Writing degree, it absolutely is useless, from a business standpoint. Now, for the technical skills/discipline/nuances of storytelling and narrative, etc. I was taught so I could pursue a career as a writer, those were invaluable. I would take the degree again, too.
Age old question: Is a creative writing degree worth it?
Although it is true that living in NYC can be huge for your career. If you aren't going to a NYC school or a school that's free and/or pays you, I'd skip. No, do a short creative writing course sure, but don't get a qualification in it. If you have to ask the question, then the answer is no.
Is a Creative Writing Degree Worth It? Let's Get Into It.
A creative writing course is exactly what you think of when you imagine any class in a formal education setting. In a course, a professor lectures on specific topics, assigns projects, and grades students on their performance. There may be class discussions and even opportunities for students to share and engage with each others' writing.
Should You Really Be A Creative Writing Major?
One of the key features of any creative writing major is the workshop —a small class where students closely read and dissect each other's work. Workshops can be very productive, since they offer the opportunity for lots of revision and rewriting. However, they also involve a lot of criticism and can be challenging for very sensitive people.
how I feel about my "useless" English/creative writing degree
hey bby 💗 this video is about my perspective on mu "useless" writing degree! I'll be discussing the job search, the experience in college, and the comradery...
Is There Such a Thing as a 'Useless' College Major?
The essay begins: I have taught creative writing at Mississippi's flagship university for over 20 years, and I've witnessed a powerful outcome: Students who master written and spoken ...
Creative Writing Courses Are Useless: Creative Writing Programs and the
The complex issue of the uselessness of creative writing degrees is addressed by Childress-Gerber (2015) in The MFA in Creative Writing: The Uses of a "Useless" Credential. The authors move from the taken-for-granted belief that creative writing degrees are useless for teaching how to write and even for securing industry jobs to an ...
8 Common Creative Writing Mistakes
Here are some of the most common writing mistakes opportunities I have seen in creative writing, including fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction: 1. Dull Beginnings. Every once in a while I come across a piece of writing that starts off slow, then picks up momentum. Maybe you've seen this too: the first chapter of a book is boring or the ...
My Writing Degree Is Not Useless
Getting a creative writing degree is useless. This statement has haunted me, along with many other statements about my passion for writing, dream of being an author and my ability to "make it", all throughout my college career in passing, fellow students, and even professors. I find it hard to imagine that those who are in majoring in nursing ...
Opinion
Arts degrees — especially fine arts degrees, which usually come in the form of music, studio art, creative writing and theater — have been, over the years, labeled useless. Search "useless degrees" on the internet and you'll find, on just about every homemade ranking, that it's quite literally just a list of liberal and fine arts ...
Ma in creative writing : a useful experience or a waste of time?
Good reputation, famous alumni, e.t.c.. According to the author, an Ma in creative writing is neither useful, nor important. In general, there seems to be a certain disbelief when it comes to creative writing courses. Some regard them more as a hobby rather than an actual course.
Is Creative Writing a useless degree?
There is a traditional dissertation on a topic in year 3 as well as the creative element - not all creative writing courses are just about sitting in a room writing sonnets. In the end, it all depends on what you want to take. A hard-working, bright person with a a 2:1 or better should be in a good position to get a job.
Should I study creative writing at Uni? : r/writing
And it's up to you to make use of that. My opinion is based on two things. The first is how badly a uni course in creative writing that I took sucked, and how utterly worthless it was, and the other has to do with making a living and debt. In my experience, creative writing at uni was a waste of time.
Stanford Creative Writing Program revitalizes its vision amid growing
New creative writing lectureships (renewable for up to three years) and an associate director position are being established to support additional courses and mentorship. Current Jones Lecturers ...
The 10 Most Worthless College Majors
Unfortunately, art history majors are on the wrong side of history. 9. Psychology. The field of psychology is very much like law or medicine in that it takes years of schooling to hone the skills ...
Creative writing as critical fieldwork methodology
This article examines creative writing (CW) as a place-based methodology for doing and analysing fieldwork. Drawing insights from CW scholarship and workshops as part of a collaborative project, we contribute new empirically-informed insights from peer researchers about the significance of leveraging emotional connections, detailed attention to lived experiences, and the researcher's ...
43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately
When revising any piece of writing — a novel, a news article, a blog post, marketing copy, etc. — there are certain words I delete to make the text stronger and cut my word count. When I'm writing a novel, one of my last drafts focuses on cutting these "filler" words. Removing them helps speed up the pacing of both action and dialogue.
My College told me a Creative Writing Degree is useless
A Creative Writing Degree is useless. IMO, a big and important part of a Creative Writing Degree is networking. Bc of my BFA in Creative Writing, I know other writers who will help me with my work and cheer me on, people who will share and inspire me by their own work, people who will help me edit my work or give me pointers on places to send ...
20 Most Useless College Degrees 2024
Creative Writing. Creative writers really do have skills that people who want to publish stories and novels want to have. However, their education is narrow and specific. ... The most useless degrees of today may not be useless degrees in the future. Advertising: Anthropology And Archeology: Art history: Communications: Computer Science:
The MFA in Creative Writing: The Uses of a "Useless" Credential
Page 1. C. Clay ton Childress and A lison Gerb er. The MFA in Creative W riting: The Uses of a. "Useless" Credentia l. Abstract: Over half of today's Masters of Fine Arts programs in ...
Spots available: English 192V A Documentary Poetics of P(l)(e)ace with
L. Lamar Wilson is the 2024-25 Mohr Visiting Poet. He is the author of Sacrilegion (Carolina Wren Press, 2013), a Thom Gunn Award finalist, and associate producer of The Changing Same (PBS/POV Shorts, 2019). He's published widely, including in This Is the Honey (Hatchette, 2024), Bigger than Bravery (Lookout Books, 2022), the Academy of American Poets' Poem-a-Day, Los Angeles Review of ...
Writing is one of the most useless creative talent you can have
Writing. To illustrate my point, let's contrast it to another one's ability to draw (or illustrate digitally). First, to produce something for one's consumption (to earn money), you need to craft something others want. If you draw, draw something others want to see. If you write, write something others want to read.
Creative Writing Useless
Creative Writing Useless | Top Writers. Professional Writers Experts in their fields with flawless English and an eye for details. Free essays. Laura V. Svendsen. #9 in Global Rating. 741 Orders prepared. Nursing Management Business and Economics History +104.
ChatGPT has become useless for creative writing : r/ChatGPT
Hi Nat! ChatGPT has become useless for creative writing. I had been using chatGPT to help me write my novel and it was absolutely incredible. I had it set up to write passages using the unique voices of my characters and in my writing style, and some of the things it would write were incredible. It had become absolutely indispensable to my ...