Creative Writing

The MA Creative Writing course at Sheffield Hallam University takes your ambition and creativity seriously. You’ll focus on your craft in a rewarding community within Sheffield’s rich creative networks. You’ll develop advanced drafting and editing skills, plus the knowledge you need to take your writing into the world.

How you learn Throughout the course you’ll consider, review and reflect on your ambitions and your place in the contemporary literary marketplace. Modules will develop your skills and technique, while exploring some of the most innovative, successful and exciting prose, poetry and script. You’ll also learn the expectations of publishers and agents, and how to present your work, and yourself, professionally.

You’ll learn from practising writers with an incredible diversity of experience, styles and approaches. Sheffield has a thriving literary community with plenty of opportunities to engage with local writers and poets. The city's mix of urban and natural landscapes – including the nearby Peak District – provides a unique backdrop for creative work. You learn through:

Key themes When you join the course, our Contemporary Writing module provides a framework for understanding current trends in literature and publishing. We’ll discuss a selection of contemporary literary texts and you’ll contextualise your own interests within the contemporary scene.

Alongside this, the Short Form Workshop introduces a range of poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and hybrid short forms, such as flash fiction. You’ll explore the theory and craft of these forms, responding to texts with your own writing and developing your own styles and concerns.

In trimester two, the Long Form Workshop asks you to read and discuss a range of novels, scripts and creative non-fiction. We’ll examine key elements such as plot, pacing and narrative arc – putting them into practice through creative exercises and workshops.

Our Professional Writer module prepares you for the world of work by exploring industry-standard redrafting and editing processes. You’ll put together a ‘query package’ for a literary agent or publisher, receiving individual feedback from one of our visiting industry professionals.

Then in trimester three you’ll focus on The Manuscript, an extended piece of creative writing in the form and genre of your choice. You’ll work one-to-one with a supervisor – as well as workshopping in small groups – to produce a professional portfolio of industry-ready work.

Applied learning Live projects In The Professional Writer module, you’re allocated a specific agent or publisher and challenged to address a cover letter to that individual, having researched their agency and personal profile. The agent/publisher then visits, discusses the packages in general, and provides written and verbal individual feedback in class.