MFA vs NYC: The Two Cultures of American Fiction

Writers write―but what do they do for money?

In a widely read essay entitled "MFA vs NYC," bestselling novelist Chad Harbach (The Art of Fielding) argued that the American literary scene has split into two cultures: New York publishing versus university MFA programs. This book brings together established writers, MFA professors and students, and New York editors, publicists, and agents to talk about these overlapping worlds, and the ways writers make (or fail to make) a living within them.

Should you seek an advanced degree, or will workshops smother your style? Do you need to move to New York, or will the high cost of living undo you? What's worse―having a day job or not having health insurance? How do agents decide what to represent? Will Big Publishing survive? How has the rise of MFA programs affected American fiction? MFA vs NYC is a must-read for aspiring writers, and for anyone interested in the present and future of American letters.

Featuring contributions by Chad Harbach, George Saunders, Maria Adelmann, Eric Bennett, David Foster Wallace, Alexander Chee, Melissa Flashman, Emily Gould, Jim Rutman, Lorin Stein, Jynne Martin, Keith Gessen, Carla Blumenkranz, Diana Wagman, Elif Batuman, Fredric Jameson, Darryl Lorenzo Wellington, Eli S. Evans, and more.

Published by n+1 / Faber & Faber, 2014, softcover, 320 pages, 8 x 5 inches.