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Select Seniors Write Creative Theses

"If you don't come to the process with a structured plan and committment, you won't be able to write a creative thesis," he says.

Martin says that a more open process might encourage less dedicated writers.

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"There's something to be said for competitiveness," Martin says. "Those that do it are a lot more into it."

Kalam says one of his friends attempted to write a creative thesis the year before he did. After failing to write the number of pages his advisor desired, his friend had to drop out.

"I think people don't know what they're getting into with this," Kalam says. "Non-writers often don't understand how impossibly hard writing is."

If the creative thesis program is to maintain its integrity and reputation, Kalam says, it will have to stay small.

"There's a great tradition at Harvard of producing great writers and poets," Kalam says. "[The program] should be very hard to get into, otherwise it cheapens the creative thesis process."

Depending on the success of Night Journey, Kalam may have a chance to add to that rich tradition himself.

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