creative writing masters programs

creative writing masters programs

The Benefits of Pursuing a Creative Writing Masters Program

1. Introduction

When you think about writing, what comes to mind? Do you think about expressing yourself through fiction, poetry, or drama? Writing does not just happen by writing. Some of the best writing follows a process, a process that when done correctly can lead the writer to discover new information (Friedmann 38). Writing is a complex and recursive process; it can also be distressing. As one who has gone through the stresses of writing an essay for a professor or applying for a grant, this statement is understood. At the same time, all that is needed to become a better writer is to always write in a development process, never editing a piece only once and continuing to write more drafts until the piece is the best that it can be. The best way to improve a writer’s status is to continue to write and seek ways to improve the process. A master’s program can be the perfect way to build improvement.

2. Enhancing Writing Skills

If a crime novelist suddenly has an idea for a science fiction epic, he may be hesitant to follow through with that idea due to his lack of experience in that genre. With education in writing, the writer will always have a safety net of knowledge to fall back on. This can be achieved as simply getting a better understanding of what constitutes good writing can make it easier to identify errors and areas for improvement in one’s own work.

By studying various forms and techniques, writing education can open doors to different writing styles. The key to this benefit is discovery and exploration. Often, many writers get stuck on a simple level of prose due to a desire to always write what they know.

By exploring how education enhances writing, it’s possible to acquire a better understanding of the ways writing can be developed. There are many sparks that can ignite the flame for writing. For some, it’s through brief, intricate poetry. It could potentially be a single well-composed sentence on a particular topic. For other people, it’s full documentation on a subject that has proven to be tangible and viable. Writing is essentially an art form, and like all art forms, it requires constant effort and practice to even maintain a mediocre level of success. With writing being as varied and diverse as it is, it’s hard to say what exactly constitutes good writing. For example, some people value Charles Dickens as a premier author for his usage of prose. Others may view him as tedious and convoluted. Herein lies the first benefit of pursuing a higher education in writing.

3. Expanding Creative Horizons

It’s one thing to have an imagination, and another to be able to put it down on paper. Too often, people’s ideas and thoughts are often wasted, simply because they were never able to exploit them. To explore the biology degree program at a deeper level, click here. This is where the creative writer steps in to fill this void. An excellent benefit to the creative writing masters is that you will better your craft. Writers are constantly growing and changing, that is, if they’re any good. The creative writing masters will help foster a better knowledge of writing conventions and styles. This is something that will make you a more disciplined and proficient writer. By actually practicing the things the instructors are teaching, you will see a much more rapid improvement in your writing, an undergraduate degree often neglected aspect of the field. The creativity within your writing will evolve and you’ll be getting closer to mastering your craft. Further, this is an excellent opportunity to network with other writers, share ideas and gain valuable experience which will help drive your career. The mastery of postgraduate study will leave you the confidence and the skills to carry on writing.

4. Building a Professional Network

Having a creative writer’s network is extremely valuable to a writer. A good network will help a writer in their individual projects and in the freelance environment. Within writing projects, it can be beneficial to get feedback from other writers whether it is about character development, setting or an opinion on a particular topic which is to be written. A network can provide a writer with proofreading services at a reasonable cost, in comparison with professional proofreading rates. A writer can exchange proofreading favors with other members of their network, and this can reduce errors, which a writer might overlook. In the freelance environment, a writer with a good network is more likely to find work. I have had many private writing jobs by word of mouth from other contacts, and members of a writing network are likely to recommend jobs, which they are too busy to take on themselves. Writing contacts can provide a writer with high paying work such as technical writing for a software manual, rather than sifting through freelance job sites, and competing for jobs which pay very little. A network can alert a writer about freelance jobs, which are not advertised online, and it is easier to get freelance work by showing a portfolio to a contact, than it is by applying for advertised jobs.

5. Career Opportunities

Students are being provided with more opportunities to make use of their free time to engage in extra work and gain experience. For instance, many students are more inclined to work hard at their studies when they are aware that there is the possibility of a travel bursary as a reward. The Institute of Creative and Critical Writing at the University of Gloucestershire has recently introduced this incentive for their MA and PhD students. Other students want to get an idea of the publications that they will be able to mark on their CV after the course, and Christiane, a student at UEA, notes that “there have been students who have got jobs with local publishers and The Independent on completion of their course”. Publications range between a class anthology or a small pamphlet right up to a fully fledged book. This can be all important for giving students experience as an editor, a literary agent, or a publisher. Overall, there are several opportunities and potentially good jobs that MA graduates could look forward to.

Graduates of creative writing programs are highly skilled in communication, and this can translate into a career in any sector. Students are often asked, “What can you do with a master’s in creative writing?” Answering the question will more often than not quickly lead to a discussion on career opportunities. People hope that once they are armed with a shiny new degree, doors will fly open and fields that were previously out of reach will become accessible. This can be a reality for some, but it takes place in different ways depending on a person’s circumstances.