Creative Writing

Creative writing is the discipline that asks you to develop your own voice and craft as a writer, working across fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, drama and other forms. It is both a practice and a subject of study, drawing on the history and theory of literature to inform and deepen your own creative work. Learning to write well is a demanding and cumulative process that requires wide reading, sustained practice, honest self-criticism and the capacity to receive and give feedback constructively.

At its best, a creative writing degree produces graduates who are not only better writers but sharper and more perceptive readers and thinkers.

At the University of Plymouth, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year in professional placement, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you both practical industry experience and an international perspective on literary culture. The programme is grounded in the history of literature, from the earliest written texts that underpin the Western tradition through to contemporary forms, giving you the historical and literary context in which your own writing sits. You will work across genres and forms, experimenting with voice, structure and technique, while also developing the critical understanding to analyse what makes writing succeed or fail and to discuss your work and that of others with precision.

Graduates from creative writing programmes pursue careers in writing, publishing, journalism, copywriting, content creation, education, broadcasting, the screen industries and the cultural sector. Many become novelists, poets, screenwriters, journalists and editors, while others apply their writing skills in communications, public relations, digital media and brand content. Teaching, community writing and arts administration are also well-established pathways.

Postgraduate study in creative writing, literary studies or publishing is a natural next step for those who want to develop their craft further or move into academic teaching and research.