MA in Creative Writing

Shall be doing that in a matter of moments... ;)

parties AND beef's student cooking ... whey hey ...

Beef on Beef, now that's be a cook book. Fish on Fish, for that matter. Dogstar on . . . Purplecat on . . . Perhaps not.

Beef on Beef, now that'd be a cook book. Fish on Fish, for that matter. Dogstar on . . . Purplecat on . . . Perhaps not.

I'm also doing an English and Creative Writing course and my prose writing teacher said i should do an MA but it's so expensive. £3000 is very steep although i'm told it's more managable if you do it part-time over two years.

That's a problem. I had a grant. Those were the days.

interesting Q gail ... i know that tom has done the UEA one and i would be very interested to hear his comments ... particularly as i have the applications forms in a pile next to my sofa ...

I enjoyed my year very much. Everybody on the course liked one another and we all got along really well - not always the case, I'm told. There are no formal lessons in writing (although there is a straight academic side to the MA) as there are in some American universities. Just a workshop where two people per week have their short stories, poems, novel extracts discussed by everyone. Technical aspects are dealt with, but mainly it's what you might call the artistic impact of the material that's the focus. How it's communicating, what's working, what can be improved etc. At least, that's how it wa in my day. Malcolm Bradbury was running it then - it's now Andrew Motion. Also in the last stages of the degree you get to work one-on-one with a notable writer - in my case Angela Carter - on your dissertation, which takes the form of a long novel extract, bunch of poems, short-stories etc. You do get to meet agents and publishers as well. Or you should - don't do what I did and skip all the parties and glad-handing you're invited to. What a fool I was.

thanks very much for the info Tom. It sounds v interesting and I especially like the bit about working with a notable writer. I'm looking at the Brunel one at the moment, mainly because of its location meaning i could live with my boyfriend (ahhh). I feel inspired, but haven't been a student for 10 years and think I could be thinking about it all a bit too romantically back to the good old student days... I shall keep pondering awhile....thanks!!

there are parties????? *fills in forms*

Oy Tom Saunders - are you picking on me?

*hastily opens can of Whiskas*

yes, I was toying with the idea of the part time option. Where are you doing your course at the moment Philip? where has been recommended to you for the MA?

I'm doing my course in Bolton. It was just a general chat more than a specific thing, but i think she said Nottingham was good (she asked which Uni's are near to where i live and Notts isn't *that* far). Sheffield Hallam as well i think.

Oh, deadly parties filled with bright young things from publishing and crusty old poets wearing bow-ties. The middle-classes at play.

Wow, I didn't know that Tom. I would also like to do that (I'm doing the BA English Lit with Creative Writing at the mo'). Go on Fish, go for it - I can practice my dubious student cooking skills on you...

Wow, I didn't know that Tom. I would also like to do that (I'm doing the BA English Lit with Creative Writing at the mo'). Go on Fish, go for it - I can practice my dubious student cooking skills on you...

Have a drink in the pub on me, Beef.