Creative writing MA - advice please

[Flashinthepan]

Hello,

I am considering applying for the Creative Writing - First Novel MA at St Mary's University. I have a BA in English and Creative Writing from Warwick. I've been working in publishing since I graduated (about 7 years) but I find my job unfulfilling and have always dreamed of writing more/writing full time.

My dilemma is, we're also trying to get pregnant, we've already had problems so it's by no means a given, but I'm worried if I got pregnant I wouldn't be able to give the course all the attention it deserves. I'm also worried that I'm just not good enough and how I will feel if I get rejected. I don't want it to dampen my love of writing.

Any help/advice/suggestions/slaps around the face with a wet fish would be very welcome.

Thanks.

What MyBrilliantDisguise said

I agree with what others have said - get writing regularly first as that's the important bit. I am currently partway through an MA and I feel that I'm able to make the most of it because I was already used to writing regularly before I started. Many aren't though. As a writer you do need self discipline and to be able to continue on your own once the MA and its deadlines are over!

In terms of books, I think Dorothea Brande's Becoming a Writer and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird are both good places to start.
Also the others mentioned below!

I did an MA in CW many years ago and now work as a full-time writer (but not because of the MA!) As others have said, an MA is great but there are other (and much cheaper) ways to achieve what you need -- good, professional feedback and support from other writers.

I would suggest looking into the week-long Arvon courses (held in several different centres around the UK and in specific areas novel writing, screenwriting, radio etc. see www.arvon.org). They are expensive but obviously nowhere near the cost of an MA and they are a great kick start to getting you into the discipline of writing I'm actually in touch with more people (including the tutors) from the Arvon course I did than the MA course I took.

Another even cheaper option is to book a writing retreat again, if you book the right kind you can get great feedback/tutoring too (along with support from other writers all trying to get words on paper!) For example: www.urbanwritersretreat.co.uk/ There are some excellent authors who run week-long writing retreats abroad too well worth researching (though as PP have said, make sure it's a recommended one).

While my MA was wonderful in providing me with space and time to concentrate on my writing I wouldn't say it was essential and think there are other routes you can take to reach the same destination. (Not to put you off though it could be perfect for you!) More than anything, I would say you need to give yourself permission to take your writing seriously and to commit to doing it on a regular basis. (Entering writing competitions can help with that just to get you finishing a piece!)

Also, if it's of any encouragement, my writing didn't take off until AFTER I had kids having them was the best kick up the backside I could have had. I suddenly realised that if I didn't do it now, I never would. So kids for me accomplished two dreams in one maybe it will be the same for you! Best of luck with TTC and the writing...

I'm so glad I found all you lovely ladies. I did the undergraduate diploma in CW at Oxford and really enjoyed it. I found that it was the impetus I needed to write more but as a single mum to an under 4 at the time I usually only managed to write stuff for the course and not my own things. It's only been this year that I'm being strict with myself about writing regularly (god knows I need a deadline!) I would say, if you want to do it, do it now! With a small child it will be difficult (not impossible I wrote a fair bit when my daughter was 2/3 but I wasn't working then) the more you can get into the process now the better it will be when you pick it up again iykwim.

Short stories are for competitions, OP! If you've got some good to go, polish them up, pay the fiver and go for it. Smaller ones/local ones at first, and then take on the Fish and the BBC! Agents and editors love it when you have even a handful of Honourable Mentions because it shows that other people like your writing, too.

(mumbles under breath: don't give it anything away for free, don't give anything away for free, don't...)

Doctorwhosit you are 100 per cent right, if I don't value my writing, noone else will. I sat up last night writing. I realised that's part of the problem, I like writing at night, around bedtime, for an hour or two, as I used to when I was a teen/at uni. Need to get into the habit of writing anytime. I've pencilled in a couple of hours this evening.

For those of you working as full time writers, do you now only work on your own writing, or do you do free lance writing stuff? Do any of you make a reasonable living? I'm not in this for the money, but would like to envisage a time when perhaps an average wage could be achieved through some forms of writing.

OvarinaFlash. Depends what your definition of a reasonable living is.

I make a reasonable living (by which I mean I don't have to do any other kind of work other than writing) but I work in more than one genre and most of my earnings come from television rather than books. It's extremely hard to make a living from novels (though obviously some manage it). It's definitely do-able to make a living but your income can be erratic and in my experience at least it takes years to get to the point of being able to give up other kinds of work. It's better not to go into it thinking about money otherwise you can find yourself trying to write for the market and that's usually a hopeless cause. If you write what you're passionate about writing you're much more likely to have financial as well as artistic success in any case.

cowgirls sorry yes I should have been clearer. In this context I mean replace what I earn now, with income from writing, which would be just above the average UK income so somewhere betwen £25 - 30 000.

Likeawolf I completely agree, writing for money isn't and shouldn't be my motivation, I was thinking more in terms of being able to go from it being a rewarding way to spend time to a viable full-time employment scenario.

Sorry I'm just trying to ask my questions all in one place rather than starting numerous threads!

No need to apologise. I think that you'd be doing really well with your writing if you earned £25,000 to £30,000 pa. A lot of writers won't make that much.

Yes, it's a great thread I didn't mean to sound like you shouldn't have asked the question it's a natural thought and question to ask!

I agree with cowgirls you'd be doing well to make 2530K pa. I have made that much some years but other years it's half that (or even less). That's the main issue with being a freelance writer -- it's not consistent. (But I still wouldn't trade my job for anything else.)

Thanks for starting the thread by the way -- it's full of great suggestions so will be really useful to bookmark.

A friend did a course via Curtis Brown Agency - it gave him direct access to Agents. He and the other writers all still meet up once a month and support one another. He thought it was v.good value, though apparently it's competitive to get a place. www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk

I make a very comfortable living from my novel writing.

But I write commercial fiction which is translated into lots of different languages, plus I'm prolific. I often put out a book a year.

I also write for telly/radio/theatre but money here is slower to build. That said, I earned a very decent amount from a US production company for a series that never saw an actual camera .

I don't make as much as £25k, but I am relatively new and things are trending upwards for me. My kids are small anyway, so It suits me to be part time. Many writers keep their day job then go part-time before being able to survive on writing alone.
I write for children so I also get income from school visits. I am also planning to teach creative writing.
I am interested in the screenwriting side. Do those of you who write for tv have any tips for breaking in?

Have a look at the BBCs Writersroom website scmalex. That's a great first port of call. If you have an agent ask them to look out for opportunities with Cbeebies, assuming that you also want to write children's television.

schmalex I write for children too!

If you're interested in writing for TV, I recommend getting a second agent specifically for scriptwriting -- my book agent is great but doesn't have the contacts in the right areas to get me script work (and vice versa for my scriptwriting agent). If you have a spec script, you can send it directly to production companies but they also often have open calls for submissions which tend to go through agents. Also, as cowgirls already said, BBC Writersroom is a good first call. Long-running soaps like Doctors are open to new writers. BAFTA Rocliffe also run a yearly competition for children's scriptwriting (and other scriptwriting if you're not just interested in writing for children's telly): www.rocliffe.com/competitions.php

Just to add that the continuing drama shows, like Doctors recruit their new.writers through shadow schemes so ask your agent to put you forward for those.

Thank you both (and sorry for thread highjack OP!)
I think I need an additional agent as mine is strictly books and I'm not sure she'd have the contacts. I will investigate Rocliffe. I probably need a couple more spec scripts up my sleeve.
I find a lot of the BBC writers room opportunities are for plays, and that's yet another slightly different way of writing to master.

I wonder if I know you wolf!

Place marking!

Just to add that I think the C4 new writers initiative is coming up soon ( it might not be called exactly that - but you get the idea - C4 run a scheme for new writers. It'll be on their website I suspect).

GetAHaircutCarl -- yes, brilliant thought. The initiative is open now and deadline is 1st October so anyone interested needs to hurry! Link is:

4talent.channel4.com/get-involved/work-programmes/4-new-writers/4-screenwriting

schmalex Wouldn't it be funny if we do know each other in RL?!