5 Need to Know Questions Answered for our new BA English with Creative Writing

 

We’re very excited about our new programme BA English with Creative Writing launching in September 2017. See below for answers to 5 key questions about the course.


Register your interest in studying BA English with Creative Writing

 

1. Why should I do English with Creative Writing at QM?

Studying English with Creative Writing will help you to develop your command of both written and spoken language in a way that is useful beyond the academic contexts of literary studies. It is a degree that focuses on the communicative power of language, with a wide range of audiences and readerships in mind. Queen Mary has a strong presence in the field of contemporary writing, with particular expertise in contemporary fiction and experimental writing. We are also committed to new and emerging contexts for creative expression, including new media, the creative industries and non-fictional writing.

 

2. What sort of jobs are available for graduates with a BA in English with Creative Writing ? How will Creative Writing help in the job market?

Some graduates from English with Creative Writing will succeed as published writers. But Creative Writing graduates are also sought by employers for their skills in effective communication. Creative Writing modules require high levels of collaboration, including responses to and editing of the written output of others. Many Creative Writing graduates will progress to careers in creative industries such as publishing, journalism, advertising and the new media industries. More generally, English with Creative Writing graduates can present high level information and analytical skills to employers, including the ability to interpret, evaluate, synthesise and organise material, to formulate independent and critical judgements, creative solutions and articulate reasoned arguments.

 

3. Can you make a living as a writer?

Many people make a living as a writer. It is true that those who make a living as novelists is relatively small, but many writers combine literary production with other forms of employment, such as journalism, academic teaching or professional writing. In broader terms, the need for effective writers and communicators is at an all time high, because of the dependence of businesses on the internet, where sophisticated writing and editing skills are prized. A degree in Creative Writing prepares the graduate for both independent and collaborative textual production.

 

4. What can I tell my parents about why I plan to do English with Creative Writing

Doing English with Creative Writing will give me a knowledge of literary traditions, genres and conventions, but it will, more than ordinarily, train me in the production as well as the critical analysis of cultural artefacts. English with Creative Writing is like doing an English degree, but with a greater emphasis on the transferable writing skills that employers often seek in English graduates.

 

5. How likely am I to make it as a writer of fiction?

If you do have your heart set on writing fiction, this programme offers you invaluable contact with, and advice from those with a track record in publishing fiction. The programme helps you to make contact with literary agents,  and addresses all aspects of the contemporary literary marketplace, the relationship between literary and genre fiction, and the way to present work to publishers. The programme aims to provide you with the information that you need about the workings of the industry, the ability to set goals, self-manage and meet deadlines. These are the things that a writer needs to succeed in the marketplace.

 

Register your interest in studying BA English with Creative Writing

Published by

Markman Ellis

I am the Head of the School of English and Drama and also Professor of Eighteenth-Century Studies. I have published extensively on eighteenth-century literature and culture in English.