Creative Writing

Creative writing as a subject takes seriously the craft of making literature, treating storytelling, poetry, fiction, memoir, screenwriting and other forms as disciplines that can be studied, practised and developed with rigour. At its best it combines imaginative freedom with careful attention to form, voice, structure and the precise use of language. Writers need both the technical understanding of how literary effects are achieved and the creative courage to experiment and take risks.

At York St John University, you will work with an award-winning team of practising writers in a community that is genuinely committed to developing your voice and your range. The programme runs over three years and includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, a work placement and a year abroad. The foundation year supports your entry into degree-level work, giving you time to develop confidence and explore different forms and genres.

The sandwich and placement elements offer structured professional experience, which might involve working in publishing, theatre, journalism, education or the arts sector. The year abroad allows you to write in a different cultural and linguistic environment, which tends to sharpen perspective and expand range.

You will study writing across multiple forms, analyse how skilled writers achieve their effects, and receive close feedback on your own work through workshops and tutorials. You will experiment with genre, voice and structure, developing the self-critical awareness that distinguishes writers who keep developing from those who plateau. The programme also addresses the professional realities of a writing career, including publishing, editing, commissioning and the relationship between writers and their audiences.

Graduates go on to careers in writing, publishing, journalism, theatre, television and film production, education, arts administration and content creation. Many continue to postgraduate study in creative writing or related disciplines. The communication, critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills developed through the programme are valued across many sectors beyond the arts.