Advice Needed!

[Gobbledegeek]

Due to an unexpected turn of events I am now able to have a go at a bit of a lifelong ambition and start writing. I have a literature PhD but didn't do much with it after becoming a mum and doing other work which was not related to my early academic career. Fifteen years down the line, I have some time to 'set on' and get writing!

The problem is that I feel I always work best with structure, deadlines and an audience but I don't really want to go down the route of a creative writing MA/PhD as I already have both of those in literature.

Has anyone else been in this predicament? What did you do? I've looked at Arvon and, while it offers brilliant courses, I feel I need some kind of assessment to guage how I'm doing and whether it is worth carrying on.

Has anyone got any recommendations?

Thank you!

I haven't done either of these things but it sounds as if you might benefit from a writing group and/or a shortish online course (as opposed to an Arvon retreat - Curtis Brown Creative, Faber Academy etc). These would focus you and give you feedback so you could assess whether you were going in the right direction.

Thank you so much everythingcrossed! I have had a look at Faber but not really looked up Curtis Brown. I think they are just what I need.

There are no writing groups near me (I'm quite rural - the nearest one is over the moors!). However, I might have a go at setting one up. I can but try!

Honestly, as someone from a similar academic background who now writes novels while teaching writing, I think you need to lose the ‘university’/getting good marks in assessments etc mindset. Fine if you were interested in doing an MA/MFA, obviously, but I understand why you’re not, and I think that, if this is really something you want to do enough, you need to just get stuck in and move beyond the need for external validation and imposed structure. You can find online writing groups for critiques, but this is a situation where you can’t rely on other people’s judgement.

What about Writers' Summer School at Swanwick?

Is there someone you know who could be a writing buddy?

@Gobbledegeek I am from a very different background, no uni at all.
As @Logainm says you are writing for yourself now. It is not a test. Do you have a chapter written or even the first two pages?
First you write? Then work out where it goes next.
PM if you would like me to read anything.