If you’re interested in a graduate degree in fiction writing, Emerson’s Creative Writing MFA may be for you. Today we’re interviewing Natalie Lemle ‘24, a current student studying fiction. She’ll share the story of how she came to attend graduate school, her experiences in the program, and details about her recently acquired novel, Artifacts, by Simon & Schuster.
Why Did You Apply to Emerson?
“I decided to apply to grad school because I wanted to take my writing—which I’d always viewed as more of a hobby than a possible career—more seriously,” Natalie says.
She studied classics and art history as an undergrad but never took a creative writing course. “I focused on other things. Creative writing was always something I did on my own,” she says.
When Natalie applied to MFA programs, she mainly applied to schools in the Boston area because she was already living and working here. She is the founder of art_works– an art advisory that helps companies and individuals build and manage art collections.
“[One of the big] things that attracted me to Emerson was that I also write scripts. I liked the idea of being able to mix with film MFA students,” Natalie says. Alongside creative writing, Emerson also offers film MFAs in Film & Media Art, as well as Writing for Film and Television. She adds that she liked Emerson because it is a 3-year program instead of 1-2 years.
Natalie also received a tuition remission from the college, which aided in balancing her school, work, and personal life. “This is a program where you can have a life outside of the MFA, which was perfect for me,” she says.
What’s Your Experience at Emerson Like?
Natalie’s writing focus is fiction, which means she is taking fiction-based workshops. Students must complete at least 16 credits (four classes) of the required 20 credits of workshops in their concentration. There are three genres students can choose from: poetry, nonfiction, or fiction. Students interested in exploring other genres can take a genre outside of their concentration as an elective.
Natalie says her experience at Emerson has been great so far because of the program’s flexibility.
“I’ve been able to pursue writing in a formal setting while working and having kids,” she says. “I also have really benefited, I think, from getting to know students outside my concentration, including publishing grad students.”
Natalie’s also learned a lot from her professors in the program.
“Craft-wise, I have learned a ton from each of my fiction workshop professors. On an emotional level, I got validation I didn’t expect going into an MFA program,” Natalie says. “I think I thought my work would be torn to shreds. The environment has been much more positive than I expected, and I have really appreciated that.”
She expands on how the writing environment at Emerson has been helpful. “Every time I left a workshop I felt energized, even on the nights my work was being workshopped—which is really saying something!” Natalie says. “It felt like such a blessing to be surrounded by fellow writers one night a week, especially because prior to enrolling in the MFA I did not have a community of writers that I was a part of. All my professors made themselves available outside of class. All of them seemed genuinely invested in their students’ work.”
Natalie adds the program broadened what she reads for pleasure. This is based on the recommendations from peers. “I never read any genre fiction before coming to Emerson and now I have read so many books that never would have been on my radar if not for the recommendations of my peers,” she says. “There are a number of talented fantasy writers in the program, and I have really loved learning more about how that genre works.”
Can You Tell Us About Artifacts?
Simon & Schuster recently acquired Natalie’s manuscript Artifacts. The novel follows a New York lawyer, who once harbored dreams of becoming an archaeologist. An ancient art curator, accused of buying looted antiquities, hires her to defend him. The event forces her to reflect on a summer abroad she spent on an archaeological dig in the Italian Alps. She then returns to investigate the role she may have played in the looting of the site and her professor’s disappearance.
“It explores the gray areas of the art market, the fallibility of memory, and issues of repatriation and cultural heritage,” Natalie says.
The idea for the novel is something that she’s been thinking about since she was a teenager. “I wrote a bad version of it in my twenties; similar themes and characters, different execution,” Natalie says. “The seed of it is probably my obsession with ancient things. I don’t know where that came from, it’s not something anyone else in my family was super interested in. But ever since I can remember I’ve been captivated by archeology.” She originally wanted to be an archeologist, which is why she studied the classics. She even went on a dig when she was in college.
The manuscript was something Natalie didn’t share with her fiction professors at first. “I had a draft of it when I enrolled in the MFA program, but I felt like I wanted to workshop short stories instead of novel excerpts,” Natalie explains. She felt the feedback would be more beneficial being able to workshop a full short story. “All of that said, workshopping short stories in my fiction workshops helped me with my novel. I learned so much about the craft that I hadn’t known, and I also really benefited from reading and responding to my peers’ work. That part very often helped me figure out what wasn’t working in my stories/novel.”
She mentions how she submitted the manuscript to a few of the book editing Publishing and Writing MA classes. There, she recieved a lot of helpful feedback from her peers. Faculty teaching a book editing course will sometimes reach out to the WLP (Writing, Literature, Publishing) department in search of student manuscripts for their classes. It’s the chance for the publishing students to get hands-on experience editing a manuscript. It also allows creative writing students to receive feedback from others outside of their MFA community. Students in an MFA Creative Writing program can take a publishing course, like book editing, as an elective.
When she felt like her novel was ready, Natalie researched agents and sent out query letters. Once she started receiving responses and interest from potential agents, Natalie asked for and received great advice from her professors, who were invaluable during that roller-coaster process.
What’s Next For You?
Natalie is graduating in fall 2024. She’s planning on working on a new novel for her thesis. Steve Himmer is her chair and her reader is Steve Yarbrough, both of whom she is grateful to be working with.
After the program, students will submit and defend a “near publishable” thesis. A thesis is a manuscript in one genre. The contents of a student’s thesis will vary based on your concentration. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, essays, or a novel like Natalie’s. A thesis committee (a chair and reader) will then approve a student’s thesis.
“It’s also set in the art world, but a totally different corner of it,” Natalie says. “This is another idea that’s been in my head for a long time. I originally mapped it out as a screenplay but then decided (as a direct result of a few classes I took in my second year) to write it as a novel. It’s too early to say much about it, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it evolves.”
What Advice Do You Have for Someone Thinking About a Creative Writing MFA?
Natalie’s biggest advice is to go in with a plan and think about what you want to get out of the program.
“An MFA is not a panacea, but the great thing about a program like Emerson is that you can do a lot in 3 years in terms of working on your craft, while also having a life outside of writing,” Natalie says. “I think in many ways this program is more reflective of what life outside of an MFA looks like, because you’re not required to teach, and many people in the program work.”
Natalie also adds that you’ll get the most out of any MFA program if you’re ready to be receptive to outside opinions. “I think in my twenties I wouldn’t have gotten as much out of this program, for example,” she says.
For more information about Emerson’s writing programs, check out our Q&A blog or schedule a call with an admissions counselor today.
Leave a Reply