Course description
Trinity's MA in Creative Writing is designed for committed writers who wish to complete significant pieces of work and generally broadened their experience as writers.
The workshop programme is run by one of Wales’ leading writers, Menna Elfyn. It draws upon a number of adjunct writing staff, and the support of academics experienced in the teaching of all aspects of creative writing.
In addition to the course itself the College supports a number of reading and social events in which you would be able to participate, as well as the publication of a course anthology showcasing students' work.
Study can either be full-time over one year, or part-time over two.
Writing Directors
* Menna Elfyn, Course Co-Director (Welsh language poet, playwright, scriptwriter essayist)
Tutors
* Helen Carey (fiction)
* Robert Nisbet (short-story writer, editor, critic, teacher)
Examples of past visiting writers
* Catrin Collier
* Owen Sheers
* Dannie Abse
* Gillian Clarke
* Niall Griffiths
* Mererid Hopwood
Academic Staff
* Paul Wright (Course Director)
* Michele Ryan
* Jeni Williams
* Susan Finney
Course Content
1. Introduction to Genre
Tutor lead discussion of a broad range of genres and writing techniques, including characterisation and narrative voice in fiction, poetic form, imagery, monologue and dialogue, scripting. Theoretical discussion will be focused around practical writing activities. Assessment will be by means of a portfolio of your best pieces of work arising from these writing exercises.
2. The Writers' World
A seminar programme which covers issues of publishing and opportunities for the writer. Areas covered might include: writers' organisations, support funding, agents, publishers, translation, writing for children, journalism, writing for radio and TV. Discussion will be tutor led, but will lead to specified writing tasks to broaden your own understanding of the writers' world. Assessment will be by means of a portfolio of your best pieces of work.
3. Writing Workshop 1
Run by internationally acclaimed writers, this workshop is designed to introduce and put into practice the research skills necessary to the creative writer. It will focus on the production of a piece of sustained work, in a genre of your choice, around a central theme. This will be supported by a research log.
4. Writing Workshop 2
Run by internationally acclaimed writers, this workshop is designed to build on your workshop skills and to develop an awareness of issues of audience and market. It will focus on the production of a piece of sustained work, in a genre of your choice, around a central theme. This will be supplemented with a series of short reviews of recently published material.
5. Creative Project
The creative project will be a significant piece of creative writing which you will produce under the supervision of a tutor with experience of the genre of your choice. Regular individual tutorials will be held with the writer to discuss your work in progress. The final project will be submitted, with a supporting reflective essay, in which you will be encouraged to reflect critically on the nature of your own practice.
* Designed for committed writers
* Providing the opportunity to complete a significant piece of writing under expert tuition
* The opportunity to work through the medium of Welsh or English, or both
* Access to internationally acclaimed writers
* A concentration upon practical activities underpinned by theoretical rigour
* Access to publishers and other organisations supporting writers
* Opportunity to study either full or part time
* Optional residential writers' weekend
* Publication of course anthology
* Visiting readers and public reading opportunities for students
