Maureen Joyce Connolly MALS ’93 shares how her experiences as a Graduate Liberal Studies student have shaped her personal and professional life. From a science background to publishing her first book last year, Connolly highlights how a liberal arts education helps explore a variety of interests and discover new passions along the way.
Q: How did you learn about the Graduate Liberal Studies program?
A: Through research and by visiting campus. I looked into several programs in the area and could find nothing to match what Wesleyan’s GLS program offered in terms of depth and quality.
Q: What were your initial goals for joining the program and how did they evolve?
A: As a science undergrad, I felt that I had missed out on humanities and other liberal arts instruction. I wanted to ‘complete’ my idea of a liberal education, which included developing critical thinking and literary analysis skills. My plans evolved as I moved through the program since my focus became more on the creative aspects of writing.
Q: What unique experiences did you have in the GLS Program?
A: The level of instructor involvement and the quality of the students were outstanding. The professors are dedicated and wholly invested in providing thoughtful feedback that spurs growth. The students were motivated learners and hungry for interaction and new experiences. It is a dynamic combination.
Q: What were some of your favorite GLS classes? How have they influenced your work?
A: Every Anne Green class was remarkable. I focused my studies on creative writing, and the staff and environment at Wesleyan helped me feel as though I could be successful in a creative career. Being a professional writer is very difficult, in part because it is isolating. You must be able to establish a very firm core belief in your own skill set to stay on path and be productive despite criticism. Wesleyan helped me build this foundation because the GLS instructors provided feedback geared toward expansive thinking. They helped me understand how criticism spurs growth.
Q: What recommendation would you have for someone just starting out in the program?
A: Wesleyan has so much to offer. Maximize it as much as possible: participate in on-campus events; meet with professors and other students; allow yourself the time to explore and also to simply just be present.
Q: What advice would you have for someone who wants to pursue a career in writing?
A: Take the time you need to get it right! There is no giant, cosmic timepiece that is forcing you to hit milestones. Publishing is a very competitive world and the more assured of your viewpoint/voice and the more highly polished your work is matters a great deal. Pressure test different ideas and techniques—be playful, yet learn, learn, learn. Professional writers are successful because they are always writing and improving. Keep at it at your own pace. All you need is a dream and determination.
Tell us about your book!
Little Lovely Things is my debut novel and was published in April 2019 to critical acclaim from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Refinery 29, among many other sources. Considered a ‘genre-bending’ work, it encompasses elements of literary writing into a theme of psychological suspense. A quick little bit about it follows:
Highlighting the potential catastrophe in the small decisions of everyday life, Little Lovely Things, asks the question–how does one reshape themselves after tragedy strikes?
It’s 1993, the first Saturday in September—impossibly hot—and Claire Rawlings is driving her two girls to the daycare at the hospital where, as a resident, she is scheduled for rounds. Ignoring the troublesome signs of a sudden allergic reaction, Claire exits to safety, only to pass out cold. When she wakes, her daughters are gone. With lyrical prose and page-turning momentum, the story unfolds through the viewpoint of four characters: Claire, the devastated yet strong-willed mother; Moira, the transient who finds herself thrust into instant motherhood; soulful Jay, whose grisly discovery brings him to the center of the tragedy; and Andrea, the scrappy and wildly talented tomboy. Traversing the landscape of loss, Little Lovely Things, ties together the threads of lives shattered, hope lost, and—finally—joy restored.
To lean more about Maureen Joyce Connolly and her book Lovely Little Things visit Maureen’s website.