MA Creative Writing

The MA in Creative Writing at Bristol is designed for writers who would like to begin publishing their work. Supportive workshops will help you improve your writing, and lectures and seminars will increase your understanding of the industrial and critical contexts of contemporary literature. You will be taught by experienced published writers in extended workshop sessions, where you will be supported to experiment, innovate, and improve your work. This is the heart of the degree, where you develop your understanding of readership and how to create immersive writing that is engaging and memorable. A special unit introduces you to issues in contemporary publishing, where guest writers and experts from the industry bring up-to-date knowledge and expertise to the programme. This unit is tailored to student needs and designed to help you understand exactly how to begin trying to publish your work. Welcomed into the University's prestigious Department of English, you'll learn about contemporary critical issues that influence the world of literature. You will be encouraged to read widely, and books will be suggested for you by the faculty. Over the summer, you'll work with a professional writer to develop your manuscript, just as you would with an agent or editor. By the end of the programme, you should understand a great deal about the critical and commercial context of your writing. You should be able to speak confidently and intelligently about your work and where it belongs. Twilight teaching allows people with working or caring responsibilities to study – as do the part-time options. Times of classes will be announced well in advance, so that students can accommodate study in their busy lives. These elements make for diverse, exciting classroom experiences.

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in English Literature, Drama, or Creative Writing.Nonstandard routes are considered as places are primarily offered on the basis of a portfolio of writing. We are looking for writers with potential to soon begin publishing their work.It is helpful, but not essential, for the applicant to have some idea of the project they hope to undertake during the course of the degree. Evidence of prior study in the area, a long-standing writing practice, workshop experience, and extensive reading can also strengthen the application. However, the most essential element of the application is the writing itself.We are currently only accepting submissions for fiction, or creative non-fiction (for example, memoir). The portfolio should be no longer than 10 pages of fiction or creative non-fiction (double spaced, 12-point font).If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date. We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree. Specific module requirements would still apply.We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.We will likely invite you to talk about your work via Zoom, but this will be informal and will not form part of the application assessment.