What it's Like to Get a Master's Degree in Creative Writing

Hey everyone! This video is all about my experience in the Creative Writing MSc at the University of Edinburgh. The specifics on classes may not apply to a program you're looking at, but hopefully this gives you an idea of what to expect in a creative writing degree. Anyone out there considering an MFA in the states? I got my bachelor's in English/Literature at the University of South Florida, so it felt like the natural thing to move on to focusing my studies around my own writing. Hope this helps! Drop your questions down below. :)
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[@Jestfoster]

I recent got accepted to a creative writing MA that would let me study in Paris and the UK for one year. Watching your videos makes me to pursue my creative inclinations, but I definitely feel conflicted. I was also accepted for programs in computer science, and feel the societal pressure to go in that direction. Writing does feel like my ‘calling’, though. It’s what people have always praised me for, and what I have taken the most pride in.

[@nicholasstanaitis857]

What did you end up choosing and why?

[@thefullshelf2029]

Thank you for posting this! I have been considering getting an MFA in creative writing, so this is perfect timing.

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Oh that's great! If you do it, I hope you have a wonderful experience :)

[@Mavakor]

Thank you for this. I'm considering going for a Master's in creative writing so it's great to get an insider's perspective. Plus, I'm also foreign (Australian) so that's also a useful point of view

[@RebeccaFaye]

It was neat hearing about your experience! I also had a different experience with grading when I was abroad and one thing that surprised me- when they read our midterm exam grades ALOUD in class... Oof! I hope the rest of your program goes well and congrats on being almost done :)

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Definitely so many academic and cultural differences! Still thinking about whether or not I want to do a PhD here. Thanks, I'm very excited to be handing in my dissertation tomorrow!

[@josephhill2868]

@@SaoirsesShelf Hope all goes well 📚👍📖

[@BazColne]

Very interesting indeed. You put it across beautifully.

[@Consciousbreathyoga]

Thank you for this :) I am just trying to decided what I want to do for my masters. Super helpful, Thank you. 😘

[@amiyeyo]

thank you for the information! i appreciated your honesty hahah. i'm a bit uncertain about a potential future in academia so this was really helpful to hear

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you! Good luck!!

[@sanyajain22]

Hi Saoirse! Would you mind making a video about the format of a portfolio? Awesome content btw!

[@josephhill2868]

Are you planning on writing a book and potentially a series in the near future after uni? Perhaps you could produce your own piece set in Yorkshire, Victorian England period. Would be a great read I'm sure. I prefer the old style and words we no longer use in the modern era.

[@zoeymiller8796]

Very helpful video! I know this is 4 years old, but I saw that you replied to some somewhat-recent comments, so I figured I'd ask. I'm actually about to attend the very same Creative Writing Msc at University of Edinburgh as an American international student this September, and I was wondering what the general age range for students in this program was? I just finished undergrad in June, and I'll be freshly 22 when I arrive in Edinburgh in a few weeks. I'd expect some variation in the ages of Master's students, so I thought it might be useful to be aware of the different perspectives/life experience of my peers who will be critiquing my work. I took a few fiction workshops in college, but all of my classmates were my age, and I expect this might be different. Thanks!

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Luckily I think you’ll get much more varied perspectives here than in undergrad because not only is it an incredibly international university, but students were anywhere from your age up to their 70s ✨ I’d say MOST were mid 20s-30s. Of course it could be different every year. Join societies, meet people from all over, and explore as much as you can in and out of the city! Take advantage of all that public transport 👏

[@kaseyvarner3790]

Hey! This was really helpful to hear about this university specifically -- I applied to UoE in February and I'm waiting on hearing back but I wanted to ask about your cat! I'm wanting to bring my cat overseas to the UK when I study there (if at UoE or Univ. of Aber) -- did you have any issues with finding pet accommodation or issues in general of transporting your cat from the US to the UK (if you did transport!)

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Hey! Tbh it was a hell of a process getting my cats over there! I don’t know if anything has changed so you’ll have to look into it, but at the time there was a lot of paperwork required for bringing them into the UK. In order to have them in the main cabin with me and not under the plane, they had to be certified as emotional support animals by my therapist. That was because the UK doesn’t allow animals in the cabin but it was a weird loophole since we were flying from USA to UK, not within UK. I had to do updated rabies shots and one of my cats needed a different type of microchip. When we landed, the person we’d been in contact with (I think from DEFRA?) met us at the plane and scanned the microchips and then we could enter the UK. As far as accommodation, it was VERY hard finding a flat that allowed pets but I finally managed it. You’re gonna have to do lots of searching but I promise it’s so worth it. It meant everything to me to have my babies with me!

[@autumnmccomas5657]

Thank you for this video! I’m a writing and rhetoric graduate from UCF (I’ll let it pass we are natural enemies lol) and I am halfway through my app for this masters. I was on the fence between this masters and another one but your video actually made me realize I probably don’t want to do this masters 😆

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Haha which program did you decide on? Tbh this university felt like a massive scam. Charging so much for international students (definitely how they make their money), semesters are super short, and no refunds when an entire semester was canceled due to strikes and the pandemic. I learned a bit, but what I really enjoyed was the non-academic part of university life. So many clubs and societies. And it’s a beautiful city to explore.

[@autumnmccomas5657]

@@SaoirsesShelf I almost finished my app for the ‘creative industries’ masters but I chickened out because it’s a new program and I wasn’t sure I wanted to experiment with a new program in a different country & spend lot of money doing so. The city and clubs and festivals were the biggest selling point for me though, so it’s good to hear that you love that part too! Unfortunately, it’s like that across all of the UK (I think I’ve searched every university at this point haha!).

[@nicholasstanaitis857]

@@SaoirsesShelf what do you wish you studied instead?

[@chimeiamv]

I relate to you in the fact that I love going to school and learning new things, but I hated the tedium and monotony of writing essays comprised solely of others' ideas (plus the never ending nightmare of worrying about plaigiarism and Works Cited pages, especially so with my paranoia and OCD). I just want to write from my own brain. I have my BA in Japanese right now and I'm looking into working as a translator part time while also pursuing a MFA in creative writing, since I want to write my own novel and have good skills to back it up with. Do you think that it would be hard to be accepted into a master's program if I am not coming from an English/writing background in my BA? My BA was still in the humanities, though. I just learned Japanese and studied linguistics because I absolutely love those fields, but I really want writing to be a big part of my life, too, and i want to have a formal, academic background in it, if for no other reason than to have my own knowledge in-depth of it.

[@SaoirsesShelf]

That’s a good question! I haven’t asked any school admissions people, but honestly I would think that what matters most is the strength of your application. For a creative writing program you’ll likely be asked for a writing sample. If that’s strong, and you write a persuasive letter for why you want to study that subject at that school, you have a good chance. You already studied language and that’s a green flag to me. I’d say this is simpler than doing an English degree and then trying to get a masters in some kind of science. Go for what you want! And good luck 😄 (and always remember that academia is a construct, and it’s not a reflection of how talented you actually are.)

[@chimeiamv]

@@SaoirsesShelf Thank you for your confidence! :D I will try my best in the end; that's all we can do! The main reason I want to get a master's in writing is specifically so that I can learn how books are structured and how to be a more concise writer. Edit: I mean by that, I just want to learn how to make a story flow, how to make it palatable to others, and other things like that. Sometimes I read my stuff back and I just can't seem to get through it. I think writing for others in a degree program would really help it be better.

[@il9493]

Were there any non-native English-speaking students in your master’s program class? Or is the program only open to native English speakers?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

TONS of students who were non-native English speakers. I believe you just take a language test with your application ✨

[@AlexTheFox2001]

Was there already the devision between Fiction and Poetry? And do you know how much the courses and especialy the reading amount depends on what you choose to apply for?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

You have to choose either prose or poetry when you apply. As far as the amount of coursework, I’d guess it’s similar but I don’t know what the poetry people were reading. On the prose track, we had to read a LOT of novels each semester.

[@nefelic.2021]

Would something like that be possible for people who don't have English as their mother tongue?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Lots of people in my program learned English as their second language. I believe there is just an English proficiency test to get into this particular program!

[@nefelic.2021]

@SaoirsesShelf, you give me hope. The language barrier can be scary, but I hope to overcome this insecurity and focus on my writing. I have proficiency in English and would love the chance to participate in a program like this. I studied Spanish philology instead of English, which I now regret because I feel more comfortable expressing myself in English. (I'm Greek, by the way) I would prefer to spend more time improving my English so I can use a richer vocabulary rather than writing very simply. I'll apply for a master's online since I currently live in Spain and can't move. I know you prefer in-person programs, but that's the best I can do for now. I hope to improve both my writing and language skills and get some constructive feedback. Fingers crossed! I read all the comments you did and they were very helpful. Thanks for all the info 😊. *If you think I have chances to get into a master like this that's all I need for now

[@rippingjeans7232]

What kind of career would you expect from creative writing? Are you a writer now?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

I do freelance writing and editing, and a lot of the people in my program are writing professionally or pursuing PhDs. I tend to think being able to write well is useful for so many areas of life and work. It’s definitely not a limiting degree to have.

[@limmuykim443]

I am glad that I found this video. Actually, I am interested in taking a Master Degree in creative writing, but I don’t know a lot about it. Can you share with me what I should prepare or know before pursuing MFA?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

If you have the resources and you really love writing, then I say go for it! Check out the requirements for different universities and their programs. I was surprised by the amount of reading vs. writing we did, so it would have been nice to do a program that focused more heavily on writing and didn't stress us out with reading SO many giant books. If you're going to apply for a program, just have a sample of your writing that you're proud of. They'll probably ask for between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Good luck!

[@tattybojangles]

I'm about to start an MA in creative writing at Napier, but sounds like there are some big differences between the course there and the one at edinburgh uni. napier doesn't do poetry and has a major writing project instead of a dissertation (that i'm aware of, and praying it stays that way), and doesn't do peer reviews in class. I'm genuinely scared by the amount of reading though, the classes haven't even started and i've got to read a dozen fiction and non fiction books/short stories/excerpts. I really, really hoping we aren't forced to read a whole book every week on top of writing. thanks for making this video, i feel less alone knowing i'm not the only one stressing about the reading x

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Hey! Congrats on starting your MA soon! The dissertation really was a big writing project. There was no research involved. Just 15-20,000 words of prose (fiction or creative non-fiction). You really won't have workshops? I'm sure you'll get close to other people in your program and you can give each other feedback! Ugh I reeeeally don't get all the reading involved (and obviously I'm a big reader). I just think at a postgrad level, that's stuff we've already done and really need to focus on our own writing with maybe a FEW examples of novels and short stories that show us different writing styles. In any case, I'm sure you can handle whatever they throw at you and you'll learn a lot. Best of luck!!

[@tattybojangles]

@@SaoirsesShelf i'm glad you didn't have to do research, was having flashbacks to my dissertation from my undergrad lol. And the course says it has not one peer review workshop in their classes, although apparently we can share our thoughts on our own work? And thank you! If you've finished this year or are about to, congrats/good luck too! :D

[@sanyajain22]

Hi there! I am applying to a creative writing program too. Could you please tell me what should I include in the portfolio? Besides sample writing, should I add a reflective statement and a cover letter?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

@@sanyajain22 Ahh sorry I'm just seeing this. I think it depends on the program. For mine, it was specifically requested that we include a personal statement and a statement about why we would be good in the program, along with a sample of creative writing (4000 words I think).

[@tattybojangles]

@@sanyajain22 Just noticed this too. For my application I had to write a short story beginning with one of three sentences they sent me. And I had to write my personal statement before that, writing why I wanted to be on the course and why I wanted to go that specific uni/course.

[@MariaG127]

Please do perks of being a wallflower!!!

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Promise I will soonish! It's my favorite so I get nervous thinking about it haha. Waiting til I move in a few weeks and have all my editions of it with me :)

[@snehitakothari1555]

what were your career opportunities after the course?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Since I graduated during Covid in 2020, it was tough. But I started writing articles for a backpacking website. And I was asked to do editing work for a few projects. As a writer, I really exist in the gig economy, finding odd jobs here and there. I haven’t made what you could call a standard “career” out of solely writing. But it feels like it’s not out of reach.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Honestly, these days, you’re almost better without those letters after your name if you want to stand out to agents. The field (teaching too) is flooded with writing grads. Social media numbers help, though. No joke. They just want to see that you can self-promote your book. Guarantees a certain amount of sales. That said, if you want to be forced to read and write a lot (and have the money and time to spend), it’ll be a fun two years of your life. But unless you’re going to move to a major city and fall into one of a few “writing” jobs, it’s most likely not going to pay your bills. Nonetheless, I’d hate to tell anyone who wanted to write not to do it. Just go for it!

[@eleanormaudsley7253]

What was your submission piece like for the application for the course?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

If I'm remembering correctly, we could submit 4000 words, so I chose an excerpt of that length from one of my novels. It was a piece that I thought showcased my particular style without needing to be a complete story. This was before I was really writing short stories. Nowadays, I'd probably use one of those.

[@qonitachairunnisa9227]

​@@SaoirsesShelf Is there a chance for someone who hasn't written a novel before? My current career is in SEO Content Writing, and my educational background is in Communication and Journalism, but I want to learn about creative writing professionally. Also, is the submission piece always required to be a novel? Hope you can answer my comment, thank you!!

[@angelartamesia2]

Wow only having to participate and not having to really worry about assignments until the end sounds nice...?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

It’s definitely a good setup for some people! I personally was freaked out by it because I’m so used to knowing how I’m doing in the class throughout the semester, and whether or not I’ll have to work a miracle to pull my grade up. With this system, you only get one chance. So the pressure actually felt worse 😭

[@sarvene1798]

Hi Saoirse! I was wondering if you had any experience with being a TA? I am going to start my MFA next fall and will be a TA as well but don't know what to expect!

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Hi! Forgive my ignorance, but does this mean teacher’s assistant? I never had to do that for my program, so unfortunately I don’t have any advice. Is that a normal thing to have to do where you’re getting your degree? Are you in the states? I got my degree in Scotland and I think only the PhD candidates did any teaching. Good luck!!! 😄

[@sarvene1798]

@@SaoirsesShelf yes, I meant teaching assistantship, and yes, in the states. Thank you for your reply anyway :)

[@aurorablanchard5981]

I also prefer smaller cities after being on the Appalachian Trail

[@leenthelnah]

ohh god, its real funny teachers strike, thought strike are for india only. by the way, i am also very interested in the CW... its nice to hear from you

[@herbdeanisthegoldstandard8293]

And the award for my KZbin crush of the week goes to.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Wow, sounds like you had a horrible experience. I’ve said it would suck if you were in college during the lockdowns. Seems like money should have been returned.

[@jadebethj]

So pretty

[@kimanddariel]

How did you fund your program?

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Whoops so sorry I'm just getting to this!! I was lucky to be able to privately fund in this case, but there are lots of resources if you're looking for funding. Not sure if you're interested in my university in particular, but here's a link with info about their resources: www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international :)

[@poklahoma]

Hi, Saoirse! I know hope you see this. Just wondering... how long did it take you to hear back from the University? I applied to the exact same program back in January and I know it hasn’t been thaaaaat long but I’M DYING (checking the portal several times a day and having literal nightmares about getting rejected, it’s embarrassing). Thanks! I love your videos 💖

[@SaoirsesShelf]

Hello! I believe it was about six weeks before I heard anything. I totally understand how you feel, I was so dejected thinking they wouldn’t accept me. Try not to focus on it (easier said than done!) Good luck 😄😄

[@poklahoma]

@@SaoirsesShelf Thank you! Believe it or not, this helps a lot 💜