Year after year, more and more people are entering higher education, and the inevitable result is that the competition for degree-level employment has intensified.
This, in turn, enhances the value of postgraduate study - if you aspire to reach the highest level in your chosen field, further study is a powerful way to demonstrate your level of commitment and skill.
But while the practical benefits of some types of graduate programs are obvious, for others, they're a bit more nebulous. Creative writing is a good example. Given the general unpredictability of the wider creative industry, and the inconsistency of available jobs, it's reasonable to wonder what you can accomplish with a graduate creative writing program - so let's take a look.
Find Your Writing Niche
One of the main differences between undergraduate and graduate creative writing studies is the degree to which your workload and direction can be personalized. At the undergraduate level, you are deepening your understanding of broad principles rather than delving into anything specific. At postgraduate level you have the opportunity to specialise in the genre and style of your choice and receive relevant support along the way. This is very valuable for your long-term career prospects as it can help you start building your personal brand. What makes you different? How will you market your service? Approach the course in the right way and you'll have a clear plan.
Build a Compelling Portfolio
Taking a graduate creative writing course will teach you the theory and understand the business of writing, but that's not the bulk of your work. For the most part, you'll write properly - write, rewrite, edit, proofread and produce high-quality work. This job is not only useful for developing your skills. It can also be used by itself as material for an advanced portfolio that showcases your abilities. Make no mistake: Portfolio work is a big deal in the creative world. Experience may give you a head start in other fields, but a creative position is less about the position you hold and more about what you have accomplished. By the end of your graduate creative writing program, you'll have plenty of work done to show potential employers what you can do.
Networking with other creatives
Personal networking is important in just about any industry you can mention, but it's especially important in the creative world, where many art projects are largely collaborative. When you work with someone, you need to feel comfortable in their company and be able to understand the point of view they want to make. Other things being equal, people you know are always more popular than people you don't know. When you're in a postgraduate creative writing program, you'll be surrounded by other people determined to succeed in the creative world, which will make valuable connections for you. You can then supplement these peer connections with mentoring—for example, one of Jericho's online writing courses offers custom instruction from novelist Darren King. Over time, you can develop a network of connections throughout the creative world, giving you all the support you need for a near-endless source of inspiration and growth.
Aiming for the publishing industry
With a high-level creative writing degree, you are better positioned to enter all corners of the creative world, but publishing is especially well-suited. This is because the skills you develop in the course will give you a keen understanding of how genres work, and publishers will always need people who can categorize literature effectively. Why are you going this way? Getting a foothold in the publishing industry gives you plenty of plausible prospects. Of course, you can use your skills to help other authors succeed, but you can also continue working on your own projects knowing that you'll have relevant connections when you're done drafting. You can even contact other inexperienced authors for collaboration proposals. This is one of the best niches for new writers to enter.
To sum it up
Of course, earning a graduate degree in creative writing won't guarantee you a place as a screenwriter in Hollywood, but it will help you grow as a writer, collect an extensive portfolio, make valuable connections, and set you foot in Hollywood. The screenwriter's ladder, publishing industry. The opportunity is present - the rest is up to you.
