Write your first novel in a year with the supervision of industry experts. Two evenings a week full or part time
Why study Creative Writing: First Novel?
Our Creative Writing: First Novel Master's degree works with a very small cohort. This means you'll receive one-to-one tuition on a far more regular basis compared to many other Creative Writing postgraduate courses. Here, you will be personally guided through the journey of your first draft, rather than being another student at the back of a large class. No short stories, no poetry, no screenplay, just your novel. Your novel deserves a tutor that understands all - not just some of its parts - and you deserve a tutor who will coach not just the first draft of your novel, but also the development of your creative process.
Why St Mary's?
Our tutors are practising writers, and have between them written best-selling novels and won major literary awards. Drawing on our connections with the industry you'll also have seminars with some of the most sought-after agents and publishers in London. When you have finished the degree, you can choose to continue workshopping and drafting with the dedicated cohorts we establish every year. We are passionate about our craft and about your craft too. That's why our first PhD student in Creative Writing struck a major two-book deal with Canongate and sales in multiple foreign territories.
Current students are receiving visits from high profile industry experts from the publishing world throughout this semester. These include visits, Q&As and masterclasses from Conville and Walsh, Canongate, Bookouture, Janklow and Nesbit, Little Brown, Corsair and Atom and Picador, and pitching opportunities to top agents and publishers: Hellie Ogden, Jo Unwin, Francesca Main, James Gurbutt, Natalie Butlin, Jessie Botterill, Sophie Lambert.
We want to hear about your novel – the one you know you have to write. Pick up the phone or email the Programme Director: jonathan.gibbs@stmarys.ac.uk or call 020 8240 4380.
Teaching methods
We run the course on two evenings a week, enabling those with other commitments the opportunity to study with us. You will study individually and as part of a group. At the beginning of the course, you will be allocated a personal supervisor who will oversee the development of your draft through tutorials. The supportive and committed nature of our cohort is important to us, and we seek to put together the best possible people, for the best possible learning experience. The course takes you from the exploratory phase of writing through to re-drafting, in five modules, across three semesters and a lecture series.
Assessment methods
Each module produces a creative element of your draft which will be assessed. In the seminar modules, you will also be assessed by presentation to the group.
One-to-one tutorial feedback and support is essential for the writer aiming to complete a productive draft in just one year.
In formal assessment, each module will produce a mixture of creative submission to deadline, workshop engagement, critical reflection and seminar presentation. The weight of marking always rests with creative submission and the aim is to complete a draft of a novel through continuous assessment.
Key facts
- Award-winning, bestselling faculty of practising writers
- Guest visits, seminars and masterclasses from agents and publishers
- Draft your novel in a year
- Full time places can be studied over two evenings a week
- Friendly tutors offering regular one to one tutorials to help shape your novels