uea creative writing department

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BA (Hons) English Literature with Creative Writing with a Placement Year

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Course Overview

Do you love to write as much as you love to read? Do the books you read spark your imagination and inspire you to be creative? At UEA, we believe that good readers make good writers. It’s for this reason that we combine the study of English Literature and Creative Writing at all levels of this innovative course.  

You’ll immerse yourself in a thriving community of writers and thinkers. Learning from practicing writers and passionate teachers, you’ll sharpen your ability to sculpt language into stories, scenes and images. You’ll build worlds, develop your voice and find ways to express the inexpressible. Alongside this, you’ll study literatures from around the world, past and present. You’ll discover how writers and thinkers have expanded literary possibilities, made art out of lived experience and shown us, in myriad ways, what it means to be human. In the process, you will become a more discerning and attentive reader and writer.  

On this course, you’ll spend a third of your time on Creative Writing and two thirds on English Literature in your first two years of study. In your third year, you may increase the amount of Creative Writing that you do or focus more fully on Literature. Either way, you’ll develop a balance between the two that best suits you. Your creative and literary training will go hand-in-hand, each enhancing the other, as you explore and experiment with diverse genres, forms and subjects, from creative non-fiction, to podcasting, to the fiction of the apocalypse. 

You’ll be based in the UK’s longest-established and most prestigious Creative Writing department, which is part of UEA’s vibrant School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing ( you can follow our activities on Instagram !). You’ll also have access to world-leading facilities and resources, from the technological delights of the Media Suite to the opportunities of our student-run publishing project Egg Box , from the riches of the B ritish Archive for Contemporary Writing to the Sainsbury Centre . What’s more, you’ll live and work in the beautiful city of Norwich , a UNESCO City of Literature, and home to the National Centre for Writing . 

After the course, you'll have a wealth of skills that will open doors to fulfilling careers to you, whether you want to work in the creative or cultural industries, or in business, marketing or social media management. Events such as Working with Words will give you the chance to meet and network with creative industry professionals and UEA graduates working in journalism, publishing or as freelance writers. If you want to join their ranks, this is the course for you! 

On BA English Literature with Creative Writing with a Placement Year, you’ll normally spend 9-12 months of your third year in a placement, gaining invaluable working experience and employability skills in a relevant area of your choice.   

Placement Year and Study Abroad

Want to graduate with professional experience? On this version of the course, you’ll spend 9-12 months of your third year gaining practical skills and valuable work experience on a placement year. You’ll ultimately be responsible for securing a placement, but you’ll be supported throughout the process (beginning early in your first year) by the UEA Career Central Service and your own School. 

Your placement’s specific field will depend on your own interests, and you’ll do some preparatory sessions to help you narrow down what you want to get out of the placement. English Literature with Creative Writing graduates go into a wide range of sectors, and so placements can be done in fields such as heritage, business, the public sector, creative industries and many more. Our main requirement in this area is that the tasks you complete in your placement meet learning objectives and have the complexity to nurture skills which will take you through your final year and beyond.     

*Placements may be shorter on some occasions, or take place during different years of the degree, but this has to be agreed by the Placement Director and Learning and Teaching Services.     

Have a business idea? If you have an idea for a great business, you may be able to turn your Placement Year into a ‘Year in Enterprise’*. Your business proposal, motivation and academic record will be assessed by our team. Should you be given the go-ahead, you could use the year to start your business in a structured and supportive environment, accessing numerous training courses and extensive mentoring.  

*Note that if you’re studying with us on a Student Visa, you can’t currently undertake a Year in Enterprise due to Visa rules.

Study and Modules

During your first year, you’ll take two bespoke Creative Writing modules. This combination will provide you with a bedrock of craft skills and theoretical understanding on which you’ll build during your English Literature and Creative Writing degree.  

In the first semester, you’ll be guided through the principles of prose fiction, poetry and scriptwriting. You’ll read texts by some of the best contemporary writers. In seminars, you’ll try out different forms and techniques, both in discussion and through writing exercises. In the second semester, you'll experiment with avant-garde techniques and explore genre, taking risks and pushing your own boundaries as a writer, while developing the ability to critically reflect on your own creative practice. 

On the literature side, you’ll explore the breadth of English Literature across history. You’ll immerse yourself in the global history of English, from its origins in multilingual medieval society to the extraordinary literatures still being forged today from the legacies of colonialism and its resistance. Meanwhile, you’ll experience the thrill of paying close attention to texts, growing your analytical skills as a reader. You’ll discover first-hand how the two parts of your degree work together as your writing develops alongside your critical understanding. 

Compulsory Modules

Creative writing: beginnings, reading literature in history, reading now, slow reading, creative writing: experiments with genre, writing across borders.

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching 

The bulk of your teaching will occur in the seminar room. Working with fellow creative writing students, you’ll experience the thrill of bringing your craft into alignment with your imagination. One week you might burrow deep into the psyche of a particular character, the next you might pursue the perfect image for desire, fear or hope. You’ll be guided all the way by a tutor for whom this business of putting words on a page is as captivating as it is for you. 

Meanwhile, lectures on literature will surprise you with new ideas, and seminar discussions will shape your thinking about what you've read that week. If you’d like to get a sense of what sorts of books you might read in your first year, take a look at our list of suggested (but entirely optional) reading for incoming Creative Writing students! 

At the start of your course, you'll also meet your academic adviser who'll support you throughout your degree with everything from choice of modules to launching your career.  

Independent Learning 

You’ll spend time working on your own writing and reading some extraordinary books, with a framework of guided tasks to help you get the most out of them. You'll explore the library and the Sainsbury Centre , discovering a wealth of resources and inspiration. You'll throw yourself into the whirlwind of extra-curricular creative writing events and activities. Sometimes, you might just sit and think, finding a still space to take it all in. By the end of this year, you'll be equipped with the fundamental skills you’ll need for your literary and creative journey. 

Assessment 

Throughout your degree, all modules in English Literature and Creative Writing have no exams – we believe that the best way to express your thoughts about literature and to show off your creative development is through carefully crafted pieces of written coursework. On the creative side, you'll start by writing your own stories and poems, developing fundamental skills in drafting, keeping a writer's notebook, and submitting to deadlines, before embarking on more experimental exercises, which invite you to take greater risks. In your studies of literature, you'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays. You’ll also get to express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, from reviews to personal reflective writing.    

Feedback 

You'll receive feedback on your writing (creative and critical) from your tutors (in one-to-one tutorials) and your peers. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days, after it has been carefully marked and moderated. As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect moment to experiment and take risks.  

Building on the skills you developed in the first year, you’ll begin to focus your creative writing on a particular form (or two), choosing from prose, poetry, creative non-fiction and scriptwriting modules, as well as options in publishing and journalism.  

In the classroom, you’ll continue to discuss and analyse superb exemplary works of literature. Now, however, you’ll start sharing your writing with your peers and a published author in our creative writing workshops. You’ll receive feedback and learn how to give constructive criticism to your peers, too. It’s a defining moment in your UEA career, when your writing starts to come out of the shadows and into the light. As a literary critic, you’ll be able to choose from all the available literature modules, gaining a grounding in a variety of literary periods. You might also choose to experiment with our innovative creative-critical modules, where the reading and writing of literature go hand-in-hand.  

Over the course of this year and the next, you’ll also take at least two modules in literature written before 1789. This ensures you graduate as a writer who has a real awareness of how your work emerges from and responds to the traditions that precede it. 

Optional A Modules

Shakespeare (pre-1789), romantic transformations: 1740-1830, early modern writing 1600-1740: the making of english literature (pre-1789), critical theory and practice, medieval writing: quest, fable and romance (pre-1789), contemporary fiction, literature studies semester abroad (spring), victorian writing, european literature, optional b modules, the short story (aut), making it public: publishing, audience, & creative enterprise, the writing of journalism (aut), reading and writing contemporary poetry, reading and writing in elizabethan england (pre-1789), arts and humanities placement module, optional c modules, creative writing: poetry (aut), writing life: the writer's world through creative non-fiction, scriptwriting: stage/audio, creative writing: prose fiction (spr), scriptwriting: tv/film, scriptwriting: screen and stage, creative writing: prose fiction (aut), optional d modules, feminist theatres, intermediate french ii - b1 cefr, the writing of history, intermediate spanish ii b1 cefr, transatlantic literatures, intermediate german ii - b1 cefr, lgbt and beyond: sexual cultures, queer identities, and the politics of desire, literature and philosophy.

Your writing will be taken to the next level through the 'workshopping' process (pioneered in the UK by UEA). You'll become accustomed to putting your work out into the world and getting feedback from your peers and your tutors. You’ll learn the art of constructive critique, helping your fellow writers to grow as they help you. Lectures and seminars will immerse you in particular eras of literature, and you'll also have the chance to take seminars in more vocational areas, such as journalism or publishing (using our state-of-the-art Media Suite). Or you might take a short-term placement as part of a humanities-wide module.    

You'll continue to read widely, pursuing your own passions or discovering new ones. You’ll become adept at journaling, at looking at the world for inspiration. And you’ll work on your stories and poems and scripts, revising them towards submission. You'll finish the year with a real sense of how your degree might open out into future careers.  

You'll continue to submit written coursework for all your creative writing and literature modules. Your creative writing will flourish as you produce more substantial pieces of prose (a 1250-word short story or longer 2000-word narrative), portfolios of poetry, or scripts for stage or screen (20-30 minutes in length). You’ll write reflective pieces to better understand your own creative processes. You'll take your critical essay writing to new heights in projects of around 2500 words, and you might experiment with creative criticism, for instance by writing a short story which reveals your critical understanding of that form. You may take one module from another discipline this year, which might lead you to take an exam, but the majority of our students are assessed by 100% written coursework. 

You'll continue to have the support and feedback of all your tutors. Your creative work will be deepened by your immersion in the workshop environment, where you receive feedback from your peers and learn to give feedback on their work, an enormously valuable skill in many careers.  

Your third year will be spent on your placement, providing you with the opportunity to experience the world of work while applying some of the skills and knowledge you’ve developed during your first two years of study.

HUM PLACEMENT YEAR

You’ll spend your third year on a placement. You will be responsible for securing the placement, with the advantage of UEA’s well-established connections throughout the UK and beyond. During your placement, you’ll regularly review your progress with your placement mentor, and you’ll be able to access remote support from UEA as well to ensure your placement goes smoothly. 

You’ll be asked to reflect on your placement by, for instance, offering a self-appraisal of what you have learnt and demonstrating your broader commercial awareness of your placement’s sector.

CREATIVE WRITING: PROSE (AUT)

Writing television drama, creative writing: scriptwriting, creative writing: prose, literature dissertation: (pre-1789) (aut), literature dissertation: (pre-1789) (spr), creative writing dissertation (aut), literature dissertation: post-1789 (spr), creative writing dissertation (spr), literature dissertation: post-1789 (aut), the business of books (pre-1789), mythos: rewriting the classics (pre-1789), nervous narratives, the birth of the gothic: romance, revolution, empire, monsters, marvels and creative medieval heritage (pre-1789), women's writing in early-modern britain: the emergence of female authorship (pre-1789), shakespeare's dramatic worlds (pre-1789), reading modern japanese fiction: translation and canonisation, banned books, ghosts, haunting and spectrality, culture and performance, children's literature, the art of emotion: literature, writing and feeling, imaginary endings: british fiction and the apocalypse, the art of murder, feminist writing, entry requirements.

UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.

We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we  accept for entry.   

You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.  

All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.  

In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.

We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.

UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our  contextual admissions schemes .

AAB including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below.

Contextual offer:  BBB including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below:

English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law. 

Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDD plus A-Level grade B in English Literature or one of the subjects listed below. 

Contextual offer: DDM plus A-Level grade B in English Literature or one of the subjects listed below:

English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Combinations of BTEC and A levels

Diploma: DD plus B at A-Level in English Literature or one of the above subjects.

Extended Certificate: D plus AB at A-Level including English Literature or one of the above subjects.

BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers.

Access to HE Diploma  

Access to Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway. Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 36 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 9 credits at Level 3.

T levels  

Not accepted  

Foundation Year options:

If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as BA English Literature with Creative Writing with a Foundation Year 

International Baccalaureate

33 points overall including 5 in HL English, History, Global Politics or Psychology.

Irish Leaving Certificate

4 subjects at H2, 2 subjects at H3 including English Literature or one of the following subjects: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Scottish Highers

AAAAA including English Literature, or one of the following subjects: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

Scottish Advanced Highers

BBC, including English Literature or one of the following subjects: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.

Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to provide a sample of their creative writing:  we ask for around 3-5 pages of work, which can be on any subject and in any genre of the candidate's choice. Most choose to send poetry, prose, or a mixture of the two.  

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year.  We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application. 

Our  Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.

International Baccalaureate  

We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. for specific details about your country, view our information for  international students ..

If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):   

IELTS:  6.5  overall (minimum 5.5 in all components) 

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review  our English Language Equivalencies  for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.  

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date. 

  If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees   

View our information for Tuition Fees .  

Scholarships and Bursaries  

We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates. 

Course Related Costs

Please see  Additional Course Fees  for details of course-related costs.  

How to Apply

UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom. 

Your application does not have to be completed all at once.  Register or sign in to UCAS  to get started.  

Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges. 

The Institution code for the  University of East Anglia  is  E14. 

View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: 

How to apply through UCAS  

Employability

After the course.

You’ll graduate as a first-rate writer, an advanced critical reader and thinker with an independent cast of mind. You’ll know how to manage your time, how to work as part of a team, how to state your position and how to defend it. With the support of our award-winning Careers Service throughout your degree, you’ll have honed your CV and sought out internships. You’ll have attended Working with Words, an annual event in which you get to meet UEA alumni working in the creative industries. You might have gotten involved with the UEA Publishing Project, or its student arm, Egg Box , or undertaken independent research in UEA’s British Archive for Contemporary Writing . In an increasingly text-based world these skills and experiences are highly valued by employers. 

You could go on to work as a novelist or scriptwriter, or in many careers in arts, media, publishing, politics, charities and NGOs, teaching or the commercial sector. You’ll also be well placed to study for a postgraduate degree, including our world-famous Creative Writing MAs . Regardless of the direction you choose, you’ll be superbly placed to start writing your own story.   

Examples of careers you could enter include: 

• Freelance writer  
• Publishing  
• Journalist  
• Media  
• Marketing  
• Teaching  

Discover more on our Careers webpages .

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CreativeUEA

• University of East Anglia
• Email [email protected]
• Website http://www.uea.ac.uk/creative
• Last Name (descending)

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Stephen Ashworth

• Physics - Professor of Chemical Physics and Science Communication
• School of Natural Sciences - Senior Adviser
• Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences - Member
• CreativeUEA - Steering Committee Member

Person: Member, Academic, Teaching & Scholarship, Research Group Member

Laura Bowater

• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement
• Norwich Medical School - Honorary Professorial Fellow
• Research in Mathematics Education - Member

Person: Honorary, Academic, Teaching & Scholarship, Research Group Member, Research Centre Member

Alexander Bratt

• Research and Innovation Services - Strategic Research Theme Executive Officer (CreativeUEA)
• CreativeUEA - Executive Officer

Person: Deputy, Administrative, Library & Computing

Robert Carson

• School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing - Associate Professor
• Creative Writing Research Group - Member

Person: Research Group Member, Research Centre Member, Academic, Teaching & Research

Katherine Deane

• School of Health Sciences - Associate Professor
• Institute for Volunteering Research - Member
• Lifespan Health - Member
• Volunteering and Health and Social Care - Member
• Dementia & Complexity in Later Life - Member

Colin Dowding

• School of Engineering - Associate Professor

Person: Research Centre Member, Academic, Teaching & Research

Sarah Garland

• School of Art, Media and American Studies - Associate Professor in American Literature & Visual Culture
• Area Studies - Member
• Legible / Visible - Member
• American Studies - Member

Jelena Gavrilovic

• School of Biological Sciences - Associate Professor
• Cells and Tissues - Member

Person: Research Group Member, Academic, Teaching & Research

John Gordon

• School of Education & Lifelong Learning - Professor, CreativeUEA Academic Chair
• Language in Education - Member
• EdTech Teacher Agency - Member
• Literacy and Development Group - Member
• Developing Resilience through Climate Narratives - Member
• CreativeUEA - Academic Chair
• ClimateUEA - Member

Person: Member, Group Lead, Research Group Member, Academic, Teaching & Research

Sally Hardy

• School of Health Sciences - Professor
• Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging - Professor of Mental Health and Practice Innovation

Person: Academic, Teaching & Scholarship, Research Centre Member

Keith M Johnston

• School of Art, Media and American Studies - Professor of Film & Television Studies
• Comics Studies Research Group - Member
• British Cinema & Television - Member
• Film, Television and Media - Member

Robert Jones

• Norwich Business School - Professor of Brand Leadership
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Person: Academic, Teaching & Scholarship, Research Group Member, Research Centre Member

Fiona Lettice

• Norwich Business School - Emeritus Professor
• Innovation, Technology and Operations Management - Member
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Person: Honorary, Research Group Member, Research Centre Member

Kate Mattocks

• School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies - Lecturer in Political Communications
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• Political, Social and International Studies - Member

Jean McNeil

• School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing - Professor of Creative Writing

Person: Member, Research Group Member, Research Centre Member, Academic, Teaching & Research

Samantha Rajasingham

• Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing - Brand & Content Campaigns Manager

Person: Research Centre Member, Administrative, Library & Computing

Steve Waters

• School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing - Professor of Scriptwriting

Celebrating 50 Years of Creative Writing at UEA

A message from Director of Creative Writing at UEA, Henry Sutton.

Posted on 1 October 2020

Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia is 50 years old!

We are excited to share with you our programme to celebrate the UK’s oldest and most prestigious degree in creative writing.  Beginning on October 1 st we launch a series of innovative events to celebrate the past and look forward to the future – not only of our writing programme, but of imaginative writing.

View the celebratory booklet which outlines our plans for this anniversary year.

Our plans include:

Our new International Chair of Creative Writing and Global Voices Scholarship programme, which celebrates leading writers from around the globe while continuing UEA’s tradition of nurturing the world’s most promising emerging writers. Its first chair will be the internationally acclaimed Zimbabwean novelist, playwright and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga , whose novel This Mournable Body has just been shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.

A suite of specially-commissioned videos celebrating the incredible accomplishments of graduates of our courses and casting forward to the future. Made entirely during the strict lockdown period that prevailed from March to June of this year, this is a personal look at the course and its literary legacy from Ian McEwan, Tracy Chevalier, Louise Doughty, Tash Aw and Ayanna Gillian Lloyd .

See our CW50 video at: https://tinyurl.com/y373k78o

As well as looking back to our impressive legacy, UEA is looking forward to the future of imaginative writing. With Arts Council England funding and backing from regional cultural and educational organisations, we are pleased to announce our Future and Form project. Over nine months, six emerging and established writers – Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Mona Arshi, Tash Aw, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Mitch Johnson and James McDermott – will work alongside creative technologists, local young people, schools and cultural organisations to find new ways to create, share and experience literature and storytelling through immersive and interactive technologies. The works will be displayed online and in a region-wide exhibition in Norwich in spring 2021.

UEA Live is the new name and direction of the renowned UEA Literary Festival. Our CW50 year line-up offers inclusive, challenging and engaging voices. Its autumn 2020 event series is launched online, featuring literary legends Lee Child, Ian McEwan, Diana Evans and Bernardine Evaristo .

Finally, we recognise the challenges we are all experiencing this year, across the literary and cultural sectors and indeed society at large, and we thank you for your support and interest in our birthday celebrations under difficult circumstances. We hope to see you online at one of these stimulating and thought-provoking events soon, and look forward to being in touch into the future.

Henry Sutton

Director of Creative Writing

Header Image: Malcolm Bradbury (left), Angus Wilson (right) | Credit: Archant Library

Middle Image:

Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (top left) | Credit: Cannongate

Mona Arhsi (top middle) | Credit: Amanda Pepper Photography

Tash Aw (top right) | Credit: Tara Sosrowardoyo

Imogen Hermes Gowar (bottom left) | Credit: Lee Jandrell

Mitch Johnson (bottom middle) | Credit: Harriet Johnson

James McDermott (bottom right) | Credit: Abi Bansal

If you have a query which you cannot find the answer to on our website, please feel free to contact us.

[email protected]

UEA Live Public Events & Engagement University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park NR4 7TJ

+44(0) 1603 592130

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• Last Updated: Mar 10, 2024 10:27 PM
• URL: https://uea-uk.libguides.com/literature

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Creative Writing

Maybe you’re a novelist.

You sit, for hours every day, pouring over your laptop screen, your keyboard struggling to keep up with the velocity of your fingers. It’s your second instalment of a seven-book series, and your fans are waiting eagerly. It’s three am. You’ve been writing for weeks.

Or perhaps you’re a poet.

After your lectures, you sit leisurely in a café, tea at the ready, articulating your weekly musings. The spine of the notebook groans, you’ve written so much, it can hold no more. The paper awaits your contemplations, your handwriting speeds up.

You could be a scriptwriter. A short-story enthusiast. You might be a writer of haikus, on bits of napkin, or letters to your granny in the highlands – or perhaps you’ve only ever written inside birthday cards. Even if you’ve only ever considered putting pen to paper, we’re asking you: do you want to write?

UEA’s Creative Writing Society is proud to exist in one of the UK’s most vibrant scenes for writing and literature. The city of Norwich is brimming with writers’ events: poetry open mics, famous authors, independent publishing houses, and we’re right in the heart of it!

Of course, we don’t just sit silently and scribble. Most of our writing workshops round off with a drink in the union bar or café, and we also collaborate with other societies, like Litsoc, Eggbox Publishing and Headucate.

But most we’re famous at UEA for our open mics, when three or four times a semester, we head out to a venue in town. Members bring friends and flatmates, grab a drink, and then get behind a mic to read, shout, sing, whisper, perform, pour water over their heads (yes, we had that once) by way of sharing their work! It’s always an amazing variation of talent, and an inspiration to see what you come up with.

If any of this has roused your interest, please get in touch with us! We're always more than happy to meet new members...

CWS Committee 2023/2024

President: Michael Baker

Vice President: Helena Keys

Social Secretary & Treasurer: Lily Glenn

Welfare: Nathan Rodney-Jones

Equality & Diversity: Klara Sher

Health & Safety Officer: Eli Wilkinson

Union Representative: Ann Johansen

William Ryan

The website of author William Ryan

A House Of Ghosts

Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives. At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons who were lost in the conflict. But as his guests begin to arrive, it gradually becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends on the island, the guests will find themselves trapped. Soon one of their number will die. For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . . Read More

The Constant Soldier

1944. Paul Brandt, a soldier in the German army, returns ed and ashamed from the bloody chaos of the Eastern front to find his village home much changed and existing in the dark shadow of an SS rest hut – a luxurious retreat for those who manage the concentration camps, run with the help of a small group of female prisoners who – against all odds – have so far survived the war. Read More

The Holy Thief

Captain Alexei Korolev of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Moscow Militia, is asked to investigate. But when he discovers that the victim is an American citizen, the NKVD – the most feared organisation in Russia – becomes involved.

Read more and download the first chapter>>

The Bloody Meadow (US: The Darkening Field)

The Twelfth Department

It soon emerges that the victim, a man who it appears would stop at nothing to fulfil his ambitions, was engaged in research of great interest to those at the very top ranks of Soviet power. When another scientist is brutally murdered, and evidence of the professors’ dark experiments is hastily removed, Korolev begins to realise that, along with having a difficult case to solve, he’s caught in a dangerous battle between two warring factions of the NKVD.

And then his son Yuri goes missing . . . Read More

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CREEES Professional Resources Forum

Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin

Grad Program: MA in Creative Writing in Russian (Moscow)

Application opens February 2019

For fiction/non-fiction writers in Russian.

MA “Creative Writing”  is:

• Practical and theoretical/historical courses, such as  Creative Writing Workshop ,  Storytelling in Different Media ,  Literary Editing , Poetics of Novel and Screenwriting ;
• Unique professors and teachers, among them famous Russian writers, screenwriters and critics –  Marina Stepnova ,  Lyudmila Ulitskaya ,  Lev Danilkin ,  Sergey Gandlevsky  and  Maya Kucherskaya  as well as prominent philologists, authors of academic and non-fiction books  Oleg Lekmanov ,  Ekaterina Lyamina  and  Alexey Vdovin ;
• Participation in open readings, discussions and  literary expeditions ,  publications in students’ projects ;
• International exchange  – lectures and workshops of the leading specialists in Creative Writing, students’ exchange in the best world universities;
•  Help and support in the process of  employment  in various publishing houses, editorials, Mass Media, high schools and universities and PR;
• Creation and participation in  cultural projects ;
• Flexible timetable  enabling students to work while studying.

Our graduates already work in the best publishing houses, universities and schools in Moscow. Their writing is published in the authoritative literary magazines. Their projects (such as prize  “_Litblog”  for the best literary blogger and first Creative Writing Internet resource in Russian  “Mnogobukv” and collections of prose) have gained much attention.

Language of instruction: Russian

You can apply to non-paid place as a foreign student in February. Looking forward to seeing you at Higher School of Economics!

More information about the programme:  https://www.hse.ru/en/ma/litmaster

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College of Arts & Sciences

Congratulations to the 2024 Creative Writing Awards Finalists!

Posted in Announcement  |  Tagged Award , Department of English , News

Students, faculty, and staff gathered on April 30, 2024 in Copley Formal Lounge to celebrate our Creative Writing Awards finalists. We’d like to share their names here as well as feature the digital publication, New Points North 2024 , their prize-winning works!

2024 Creative Writing Award Winners

Bernard M. Wagner Medal 

Winner: Genevieve Jobson for “Sunday”

Runners Up:

Caroline Chou for “elegy for a neon rooftop”

Alison Karki for “Language Lessons from my Grandmother”

Annabelle Bonner Medal 

Winner: Josephine Wu for “Shark Body”

Honorable Mentions:

Cassandra Leahy for “The Jonathans”

Ollie Shirley for “My Brothers Keeper”

Lynch Pendergast Medal

Winner: Maya Kominsky for “History Repeating”

Second Place: Kirit Minhas for “Contrasting Derivations of Sovereignty”

Ora Mary Pelham Poetry Prize  

Winner:  Clayton Kincade for “A Sonnet to my Scottish Forefathers”, in “Other boys”

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English and Creative Writing

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Spring events in the department of english and creative writing.

View upcoming events in the Department of English and Creative Writing this fall! All events are free and open to the public.

Upcoming Events :

Creative Writing Prize Award Ceremony Thursday, May 9, 2024 4:30 p.m. Sanborn Library Learn more about the creative writing prizes

Honors Presentations

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 12:30 - 2:00 pm Sanborn Library

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 1:00 - 3:00 pm Sanborn Library

Thursday, May 30, 2024 10:00 - 12:00 pm Sanborn Library

Past Events :

Robert Frost Sesquicentennial

March 25 and 26 4:30 p.m. Sanborn Library More information to come

International Writers in Conversation April 11, 2024 4:30 pm Sanborn Library

Translation Symposium in honor of Monika Otter April 12 and 13, 2024 Sanborn Library More details to come. Email Veronika Fuechtner with questions.

CANCELED: Lecture with Christina Sharpe The Black Life and Letters Lecture Series in honor of William W. Cook Tuesday, May 7, 2024 7:15 pm Location TBA Learn more about Christina Sharpe's lecture

• Post published: May 8, 2024

Three Graduating Seniors Honored as Louis B. Sudler Prize Winners

Three graduating seniors were awarded this year’s Louis B. Sudler Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the performing and creative arts, including fine arts, music, creative writing, theatre, and electronic/photographic arts. 

Presented each year by the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, recipients of the Louis B. Sudler Prize must be members of the senior graduating class and demonstrate outstanding achievement in the performing or creative arts and show promise for future achievement.

The 2024 Louis B. Sudler Prize recipients are:

Meleah Acuff

Jasmine brocks-matthews.

This year’s recipients were recognized during the Spring 2024 College of Arts & Letters commencement ceremony.

Meleah Acuff graduated in Spring 2024 from Michigan State University with a BFA in Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media and a minor in Musical Theater. Throughout her academic journey, Acuff demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication to her craft, leaving a lasting impact on both her peers and the broader community.

As a versatile performer, Acuff excels in both dramatic and comedic roles, captivating audiences with her depth of emotion and range. Her recent portrayal of the lead role in What if Wilhelmina received high praise for its neurodiverse perspective and progressive cultural themes, further solidifying her reputation as a standout talent in the field.

In addition to her artistic achievements, Acuff is a dedicated student and supportive peer. Her commitment to community outreach and inclusion is evident in her involvement with organizations such as DIGGIN’, where she works to create a supportive space for African American women in the arts.

“Meleah’s passion for the arts is infectious, and she has a natural ability to inspire those around her,” wrote Brad Willcuts , Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre, in his nomination letter. “She approaches every project with a positive attitude and a willingness to collaborate with her fellow students and faculty. Her professionalism and work ethic are exemplary, and she is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure the success of a production.”

“Meleah’s passion for the arts is infectious, and she has a natural ability to inspire those around her…Her professionalism and work ethic are exemplary, and she is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure the success of a production.” Brad Willcuts, Associate Professor of Theatre

Looking ahead, Acuff plans to pursue a career in the performing arts, focusing on youth education through theater. Inspired by her experiences growing up, she aims to establish a non-profit organization that provides arts education opportunities for youth in marginalized communities. Through her passion for the arts and dedication to fostering community and inclusivity, Acuff is poised to make a meaningful impact in both the artistic and social spheres.

Jasmine Brocks-Matthews graduated in Spring 2024 with a BFA in Studio Art, specializing in Painting. Her passion for art ignited at the age of 5, and with unwavering encouragement from her family, she has chased her dreams.

During her sophomore year, Jasmine recognized that she had suppressed her voice in her artwork due to fear of vulnerability and judgment. Overcoming these challenges, she found solace and empowerment in art, using it to amplify her voice and shed light on the experiences of herself and others who share her identity as a Black female artist.

“In a competitive field with many worthy nominees, Jasmine stands out for the intelligence of her work, her commitment to the discipline of painting, and her potential to make a significant impact on visual culture in the United States,” wrote Tani Hartman , Chairperson of the Department of Art, Art History and Design, in her nomination letter. “Her trajectory as an artist seems clear and feasible in that we expect her to be admitted to and to attend a prestigious MFA Program and then to teach, exhibit nationally and internationally, and bring her insights regarding African American personhood within the conflicted culture and tortured history of the United States into prominent dialogue.”

“In a competitive field with many worthy nominees, Jasmine stands out for the intelligence of her work, her commitment to the discipline of painting, and her potential to make a significant impact on visual culture in the United States.” Tani Hartman, Chairperson of the Department of Art, Art History and Design

Recognized for her exceptional talent and dedication to painting, Brocks-Matthews already has received numerous awards and accolades for her work. Brocks-Matthews commitment to her craft and ambition to challenge herself also made her a standout candidate for the Ralph Henrickson Award, an honor bestowed upon the top senior painting student.

Following graduation, Brocks-Matthews is now taking a gap year to continue her artistic journey and is applying to MFA graduate programs. She aims to further explore and amplify the untold stories of Black individuals. She aspires for her art to bring about positive change and healing within her community, believing that vulnerability holds its own beauty.

Doug Mains, a nontraditional student in his mid-30s, plans to graduate from Michigan State University in December 2024 with a B.A. in English, focusing on Creative Writing, and a minor in Linguistics. Despite the challenges of balancing family responsibilities and financial obligations, Mains decided to return to school to pursue his passion for writing, a journey fueled by his lifelong dedication to the written word.

From a young age, Mains found solace and expression through songwriting. At age 18, he began performing, recording albums, and touring the country. In 2013, he entered and was selected for the finals of a songwriting contest in Decatur, Georgia, and won second place next to the now-famous Tyler Childers.

However, his true calling emerged when he rediscovered his love for writing. Mains honed his craft through self-study, participation in writer’s groups, and freelance writing before embarking on his academic journey at MSU.

“Doug is an exemplary nonfiction writer. He is an avid reader and deft literary critic who is able to analyze the structures and rhetorical turns in a piece of writing and then try them out in his work,” wrote Department of English faculty Professor Robin Silbergleid , Assistant Professor Tim Conrad , and Associate Professor and Director of Creative Writing Divya Victor in Mains’ nomination letter. “This is not to say that his writing is derivative; rather, that he’s the rare student among the creative writing concentration who understands the centrality of literary history to the production of original creative work.”

“Doug is an exemplary nonfiction writer. He is an avid reader and deft literary critic who is able to analyze the structures and rhetorical turns in a piece of writing and then try them out in his work.” Robin Silbergleid, Tim Conrad, and Divya Victor, Department of English faculty

Beyond his academic achievements, Mains is a central figure in the creative writing community at MSU. His participation in Live Lit, an undergraduate reading series, showcases his multifaceted artistic talents, including his musical prowess and lyrical depth.

As he prepares to graduate, Mains is poised to make a significant impact in the literary world. His dedication to his craft, intellectual curiosity, and artistic vision set him apart as a leader and innovator in creative writing. With aspirations to pursue an MFA and a career in teaching and publishing, Mains’ journey is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the art of storytelling.

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Louis Armstrong House Museum Fellowship Reading – 5/25

• Post author By John Rice (he/Them)
• Post date May 8, 2024

05/25/2024 – 1:00 pm The Louis Armstrong House Museum 34-56 107th Street Queens, NY 11368

Each year, the Queens College MFA Program partners with the Louis Armstrong House Museum to create a residency for two of our students. During this time, each writer conducts research on any aspect of the materials in the archives that relate to or revolve around Louis Armstrong’s larger-than-life story and magnificent musical career, with the intention of developing their own creative work. This reading , in Louis’ own garden, is the culmination of their work.

This year fellows Nina DalleyHood and Danielle Gutkovich will read from the creative works they developed in conjunction with their time in the archives. Afterward, a small reception will take place, featuring tours of Louis Armstrong’s actual house.

The Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) sustains and promotes the cultural, historical, and humanitarian legacy of Louis Armstrong by preserving and interpreting Armstrong’s house and grounds, collecting and sharing archival materials that document Armstrong’s life and legacy, developing programs for the public that educate and inspire, and engaging with contemporary artists to create performances and new works.

https://www.facebook.com/events/724256969909242

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