"In a workshop, people look at a flash of talent but, when people scrutinize a thesis, they expect you to perform on every page," he says.
Jerome L. Martin '01 says he concentrated in English solely because he wanted to write a creative thesis.
"In order to do well, you have to put a lot more time into it than a critical thesis," he says. "It's hard, but it's totally worth it."
Watson says the creative thesis offers students a unique opportunity to undertake a serious literary endeavour.
"Its a chance to do something different," he says. "It's a way to get a book under your belt before you leave school. That's a big confidence builder."
Kalam says that since Harvard does not offer a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree, a creative thesis presents an appealing alternative.
"Writing a creative thesis was critical to me because I did that instead of get an MFA," Kalam says.
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