Creative Writing

Creative writing is the practice of using language with intention and craft to produce fiction, poetry, narrative nonfiction, screenwriting, and other forms that engage readers imaginatively and emotionally. It is both a discipline with its own history of technique and theory, and a living practice shaped by the world writers inhabit. At the University of Sussex, this three-year full-time degree takes seriously the idea that creative writing has a role in making sense of the world, articulating experiences that matter, and imagining alternatives to what exists.

You will develop your writing across multiple forms, experimenting with voice, structure, character, image, and language under the guidance of experienced writer-tutors. You will also study the craft of writing critically, reading widely and thinking about how literary and creative choices produce effects on readers. The degree includes a foundation year for those who need to build confidence before the main programme, a placement year that connects your writing practice with professional or community contexts, and a year abroad that exposes you to different literary cultures and working environments.

Work placement opportunities are embedded in the programme, helping you see how creative and communication skills translate into professional life.

A degree in creative writing develops capacities that are useful far beyond literary careers: the ability to find the right words, shape a narrative, understand an audience, and sustain long-form concentration. Graduates work in publishing, journalism, advertising, education, screen and theatre, the third sector, and arts organisations. Some go on to write professionally, combining creative work with other employment in the way that most professional writers do.

Postgraduate study in creative writing, publishing, or related areas is a natural continuation for those seeking to deepen their practice or move into teaching.