When I first announced to a couple of select friends and family members that I was thinking of trying for a place on a masters course in creative writing, the reactions were not as varied as you might imagine. Ranging from a well meant Are you sure you won’t find it too much work? to advice that As a writer you should just get on with writing books, everyone had an opinion, and the general opinion was don’t do it!
Of course, anyone who knows me well also knows that while I always listen to cautionary advice, I rarely take it! And if there’s one thing I love it’s a challenge. So this week I begin studying creative writing at the MMU. The MA is taught mainly online, and part-time, so I have three years of glorious study ahead of me. To say I’m excited is a massive understatement!
Securing a place on this course is a validation for me. I left school at 16 with only a handful of fairly good O Levels, and went straight into hairdressing. No one in my family to that point had been to university, and it wasn’t even on my radar. Years later, realising that I was actually quite bright, I began studying with the Open University, taking courses as disparate as psychology and Shakespeare. I love learning – I imagine I can feel my mind expanding when I fill it with new information and ideas. And the MA will be a chance for me to take my writing to the next level. Who knows where it might lead? But one thing is certain, it won’t make me a worse writer …
No, but it will make you a less productive one, some have said. Maybe that’s true, but I still intend to write and publish novels in my current genre, starting with The Family Trap this year and then aiming for two more titles a year. The MA will run alongside this work, informing and improving my writing abilities at every stage. In all professional careers there is a requirement for Continuing Professional Development. Authors should be no different. I’m reinvesting my earnings back into my career and my future as a writer. There are other benefits too – once I graduate I’ll be qualified to teach creative writing, and this is another dream of mine. And meanwhile I’ll be able to bring titbits from the course to my blog and share some of what I learn along the way.
Yes, it’s a lot of work, but did you know that my maiden name is Tasker? As in multi-tasker 🙂
In case I’ve inspired anyone else to further study, coming up on Saturday is a list of the best home-study creative writing courses.
September 27, 2012 at 9:41 am
Joanne, I wish you all the very best of luck. I don’t know anyone who’s regretted doing a creative writing course or hasn’t felt, at the end of it, that their writing hasn’t improved massively (you are already a fantastic writer but the exercises and mentoring will improve things even more). You will be writing all the time, so you won’t be less productive at all. I’m sure you’ll love it. I did a Creative Writing PhD at Newcastle University and when I started some people were a bit sniffy and said things like: ‘I’d rather be spending my time doing proper writing’, etc. But I haven’t regretted it and I know my writing is better for it. You’re clearly an organised person and will – I’m sure – sail through this and love every minute. GOOD LUCK!
September 27, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Thanks Barbara, for the vote of confidence 🙂 I’m really excited about the course, and staying completely
open minded about where it might take my writing. How did you find studying creative writing at phd level?
September 27, 2012 at 9:49 am
I think it’s brilliant! I hope you enjoy it. Make sure you come back and update us on how it’s going though, would love to hear what the course involves. x
September 27, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Emma 🙂 I will, don’t you worry! Xxx
September 27, 2012 at 11:56 am
Well done Jo, I am sure that you’ll manage it all with ease. And as you say you can never have enough learning. Good Luck with it all.xx I look forward to seeing the posts xx
September 27, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Penny xxx
September 27, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Good Luck ! I bet you’ll love it. I had a million similar comments when I chose Creative Writing for my undergrad degree – I still think it was one of the best choices I ever made.
September 27, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Thanks Carole,
I’ll miss you guys at MD Writers, though – all my lectures are on Tuesday evening! Email me if you fancy meeting up for coffee at Jones’s 🙂 x
September 27, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Congratulations! I’m also considering an graduate degree in creative writing so I’m familiar with the arguments. But as I see it, you can never have too much learning 😉
All the best!
September 27, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Thanks Layla, I hope you go for it too! Xx
September 27, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Congratulations! I graduated a few years back with my BA, and I’ve been thinking about going into Creating Writing — aka getting a Masters. I’ll definitely check out MMU. Are you enjoying it so far? I know it’s only been a week, but still … 😀
September 27, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Hi Michelle,
Yes, I’m enjoying it hugely. Nabokov’s Pnin to read this week – not my usual genre! The first lecture was great, in a virtual classroom, with students from all over the world, including Canada, Germany and Spain. There’s a January intake for this course so you could get on that … 🙂 xxx
September 27, 2012 at 5:29 pm
If you’re excited about it, I truly think that’s all that matters. Enjoy!
September 28, 2012 at 8:58 am
Thanks Pauline x
September 27, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Brilliant! Go for it, Jo! There are lots of people who have good things to say about that course. And I think you’ve just answered your own question about whether you should be pursuing more indexing work… 🙂
September 28, 2012 at 8:59 am
Thanks Debbie, yes it is a good course. As for indexing work – I’d like to think I could take a break from it, but it does pay the bills! 🙂 xxx
September 28, 2012 at 8:39 am
Good luck Jo, can’t wait to hear all about it! 🙂
I did the first year of an MA, or was it BA? (Can’t blooming remember lol) course in Creative Writing last year, but didn’t enrol on the 2nd year. I was fed up being told what to write, and as for poetry! Lol
Xx
September 28, 2012 at 9:01 am
Hi Vikki,
The great thing about the masters at MMU is you can choose either the novel route, poetry or writing for children. So I’ve gone for the novel route – obviously! – so no poetry for me 🙂
We’re both all creative writing course focussed this week – love your blog today xxx
September 28, 2012 at 9:34 am
Ahhhhh, that’s excellent. I was really put off by the poetry section 😦
Exciting!!!!!
Thanks honey xx
September 28, 2012 at 1:57 pm
You got to do what you got to do… only you can know what you want and need, how much work you are prepared to put in, and how much you will get out of it. Well done for sticking to your guns and good luck with it all!
October 11, 2012 at 9:29 am
Hi Joanne – I came across your blog looking for articles on how to run a free promotion and what happens afterwards. I’m acting as (amateur) publicist and promoter for my daughter’s first book and we ran a promotion at the weekend. What’s weird is that Abby has also just started an MA in Creative Writing (at Nottingham Trent University) – having taken a year off from teaching – so there could be a number of reasons why it’s worth the two of you getting in touch. I’ll tell her about your blog and MA when I next speak to her. She’s loving the MA so far by the way.
Our 3 day promotion had similar success to yours but the other way round: 7,000 US downloads and 4,000 UK downloads. I think that’s largely down to my pursuing some of the big US sites in advance.
October 11, 2012 at 10:07 am
Hi Steve,
Thanks for getting in touch – I’d certainly love to find out more about your daughter’s book and the free promotion. Could you point me in the direction of the big US sites you targeted? I’m planning another free promo in a couple of months, and I would love to be more organised this time! It would be great to connect with your daughter too, and share MA experiences. Wow, how lucky she is having an ace dad to act as publicist and promoter! I’m envious 🙂