Creative Writing | MA | University of Lincoln

Daniele Pantano - Programme Leader

Daniele Pantano is a poet, essayist, literary translator, artist, critic, editor, and scholar. His individual poems, essays, translations, and reviews have appeared or are forthcoming in numerous magazines, journals, and anthologies worldwide. Pantano is the author or translator of over thirty books, and his poetry has been translated into several languages. His most recent works include Home for Difficult Children (Broken Sleep Books, 2022), Robert Walser: The Poems (Seagull Books, 2022), Ten Million and One Silences (edition taberna kritika, 2021), Chiens dans des champs en friche (editions d’en bas, 2020), Kindertotenlieder: Collected Early Essays & Letters & Confessions (Hesterglock Press, 2019), Robert Walser: Comedies (Seagull Books, 2018), ORAKL (Black Lawrence Press, 2017), Robert Walser's Fairy Tales: Dramolettes (New Directions, 2015), and Dogs in Untended Fields: Selected Poems by Daniele Pantano (Wolfbach Verla

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Welcome to MA Creative Writing

Join our international community of writers and artists at the University of Lincoln.

Our MA in Creative Writing is an innovative and exciting course that provides opportunities to work closely with practising creative writers and professionals from the publishing and creative industries. It is designed to encourage you to improve your craft as a writer, develop your philosophy of composition, and explore contemporary forms of literature, and the creative industries. The course has a strong focus on employability and aims to prepare you for a professional writing or publishing career.

You will have the opportunity to learn from an enthusiastic team of professional writers whose work has been widely published, broadcast, and staged. Our academic team includes award-winning poet, essayist, and literary translator Daniele Pantano; award-winning science fiction writer Chris Dows; award-winning novelists Sarah Stovell, Guy Mankowski, and Amy Lilwall; award-winning playwright and short story writer Sue Healy; and award-winning YA author Robert Weston.

There is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working on The Lincoln Review, an international literary journal edited exclusively by postgraduate students.

Students may benefit from the experience of a range of writers, editors, dramaturges, producers, and directors who visit the University of Lincoln to deliver inspirational talks or masterclasses. Previous speakers include Patience Agbabi, Ann Cleeves, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Visiting Professor Chris Packham CBE, and the former Poet Laureate Dame Carol Ann Duffy, who became a Visiting Artist at the University in 2015. Robert Shearman is a Visiting Senior Fellow and regularly visits Lincoln to engage with students.

If you would like to discuss the MA Creative Writing in more detail, please contact the programme leader.

How You Study

This course offers the opportunity to work across different genres and formats, including, but not limited to, fiction, poetry, scriptwriting, creative nonfiction, the graphic novel, writing for video games and roleplaying games, conceptual literature, writing for performance, and installation literature. Teaching takes place in lectures, seminars, and workshops.

A programme of guest lectures and masterclasses gives students the opportunity to learn from published writers and hear from professionals such as literary agents, editors, and publishers.

Termly symposia and reading series enable students to read their work to an audience. There may also be the option to have work published and receive feedback from readers outside of the University.

Modules aim to develop the skills required to become a successful writer and to provide the creative freedom to become proficient through practice in your favoured genre or form. Please refer to the Modules tab for more detailed information.

An Introduction to Your Modules

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

Poetics & Contemporary Literature 2023-24CRW9007MLevel 72023-24This reflective module is designed to allow students of Creative Writing to study reading as a writer as a way of investigating literariness from a writerly perspective and poetics by practising writers as a speculative discourse. Student writers have the opportunity to develop their knowledge of the field of literary production in lecture and seminar situations, studying a range of contemporary literary works across genres.CorePublishing & Editing 2023-24CRW9008MLevel 72023-24This module offers student writers the opportunity of a professional editorship with The Lincoln Review, the University of Lincolns international literary journal. Students have the opportunity to learn about issues, principles, and practices related to the management of publishing organisations; editing, marketing, solicitation of work, design, layout, copyright and ethical issues; as well as the process of editing, designing, and publishing a professional literary journal.CoreThe Business of Writing 2023-24CRW9009MLevel 72023-24This module is designed to introduce student writers to, and further their knowledge of, various publishing industries (commercial, trade, and independent), fields of contemporary literary production, and the role(s) of the creative writer within the publishing world, and other creative and cultural environments. Students can engage in both professional research and professional practice, which will be developed and encouraged via lectures, seminars, and workshops.CoreThe Manuscript 2023-24CRW9010MLevel 72023-24During this practice-led module, student writers concentrate on the production of an extended creative writing manuscript, which is ultimately intended for publication as part of their ongoing professional development. This is contextualised by a reflection, as well as a statement of poetics, which will articulate the student writers own aesthetic practice and writerly philosophy, and situate their own writing in the field of literary production.CoreThe Writers' Workshop 2023-24CRW9011MLevel 72023-24This practice-led module is designed to enable student writers to further their creative writing via individual practice and group workshop discussions, and through the production of poetics as a speculative discourse to accompany the specific writing produced.Core

Days Taught

This programme is taught on Wednesdays.

How you are assessed

Student writers will be continuously assessed through a variety of exercises. These range from writing prose fiction, poetry, and drama, adapting work from one genre to another, editing, writing within the conventions of a specific genre, or undertaking a piece of creative nonfiction. The final piece of work required is a 15,000-word creative project. Submitted works are collated into portfolios, with evaluations on style and technique.

The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to you promptly - usually within 15 working days after the submission date.

Entry Requirements 2023-24

First or upper second class honours degree in a relevant subject.

If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.

Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.

If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/ . These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

Fees and Funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.

Programme Fees

Programme-Specific Additional Costs

For each course you may find that there are additional costs. These may be with regard to the specific clothing, materials or equipment required, depending on your course. Some courses provide opportunities for you to undertake field work or field trips. Where these are compulsory, the cost for the travel, accommodation and your meals may be covered by the University and so is included in your fee. Where these are optional you will normally (unless stated otherwise) be required to pay your own transportation, accommodation and meal costs.

With regards to text books, the University provides students who enrol with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read. However, you may prefer to purchase some of these for yourself and you will be responsible for this cost.

Image of MA Creative Writing student Fee Griffin

"The course hits a great balance between inspiring and supporting creative work and giving practical advice on getting all sorts of things published. I've really got a lot from the knowledge and experience of my tutors and leave with a focused portfolio."

Fee Griffin, MA Creative Writing graduate, winner of the Amsterdam Open Book Prize, and author of For Work / For TV (Versal, 2020)

Research Areas and Topics

The MA Creative Writing hosts the Poetry, Poetics, and Literary Translation Research Group; the Refugee Poetry Project; and the International Poetry Refugee Network.

Gain Experience

Students have the opportunity to serve as editors for The Lincoln Review, an international literary journal edited exclusively by undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Find out more at www.lincolnreview.org

Career and Personal Development

This programme is designed to provide training for a career in writing, from fiction to screen and radio adaptation. You have the opportunity to develop advanced communication skills which can open up career opportunities across the creative industries in publishing, research, teaching and the media. Some graduates choose to continue their studies at doctoral level.

The University Careers and Employability Team offer qualified advisors who can work with you to provide tailored, individual support and careers advice during your time at the University. As a member of our alumni we also offer one-to-one support in the first year after completing your course, including access to events, vacancy information and website resources; with access to online vacancies and virtual and website resources for the following two years.

This service can include one-to-one coaching, CV advice and interview preparation to help you maximise your future opportunities.
The service works closely with local, national and international employers, acting as a gateway to the business world.

Postgraduate Events

Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.

Find out More

Key Information

MA Creative Writing