Victoria Loftus

Continuing my studies at the same University that I did my undergraduate degree has been a bonus. It has allowed me to re-connect and further my networks with academics, students and external individuals and businesses. After completing my undergraduate degree in BA (Hons) English Literature and Creative Writing at Edge Hill, this was the natural choice of Masters programme for me.

I always knew that I wanted to do a Masters in Creative Writing. I felt that my writing could develop even further and studying a postgraduate course seemed like the perfect option and a great way to hone my skills so that I could eventually pursue writing as a career.

It took me a while after graduating from my undergraduate degree to apply for a Masters. I had a few years to think and it was during the early lockdowns that I realised I wasn’t doing as much writing as I wanted to be, so that seemed like the perfect time and reason to apply for the Masters that I’d always wanted to pursue. Now that I’m a significant way through my MA in Creative Writing, I can say that deciding to apply has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

It has been even more collaborative than on the undergraduate programme which has been really important. This is mainly due to the group size being smaller. From my experience as a mature student, knowing exactly what I wanted to do and what I wanted to pursue, the difference between undergraduate and postgraduate study is that it gave me a deeper understanding of myself in regard to my writing as well as being able to explore and expand my knowledge and skills in what I was good at.

I applied for the Masters through the University’s website via an online form. You can fill it in your own time and by logging in, you can save it and return to it at another time, so you don’t have to complete it all in one go. This took away a lot of the stress as the application process was straight-forward and allowed me to take my time and ensure I had filled everything in correctly before sending it off.

For the creative writing course you have to provide an example of your writing and attach it to the online form. I sent in some poems I had written over the last few years as well as some pieces I had written during my undergraduate degree. Your potential in writing is a key aspect of the selection process.

Studying on the MA in Creative Writing at Edge Hill has been such a valuable experience. It has really helped me grow, so much so that I am already in employment as a Content Writer which I absolutely love, especially as it relates directly to both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

I highly recommend a pursuing a Masters programme, especially if you’re thinking about it already. The MA Creative Writing programme has really allowed me to mature, become more confident in my writing and make so many connections with so many different, influential people.