Finding my tribe: Why I chose to study creative writing online
25 January 2022
This piece was written by BA Creative Writing (Online) student Jax Purchase.
BA Creative Writing (Online) student Jax Purchase lets us into her experience on the course, and her reasons for choosing an online degree in the first place.
“I was previously studying for a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing with another online learning provider. I initially chose to study online as it was convenient as a part-time student to manage my workload and save on travel time.
The content of the other degree didn’t align with my ambition to focus on creative writing, and there was also a lack of engagement and guidance. I transferred to the Falmouth online Creative Writing course, which covered what I wanted to learn without having to compromise on the benefit of learning online.
We started writing from day one, and each week the learnings are new and inspiring.
Falmouth has always been on my radar for the arts. The content of the degree, the University ethos, the teaching, and the online delivery all played a part in me choosing to transfer to Falmouth.
We started writing from day one, and each week the learnings are new and inspiring. There is so much to absorb, and I love how we are taken on a journey of engagement through the activities, readings, and webinars. Our teachers’ knowledge and passion are infectious, and this contributes to my ambition to learn.
It’s such a delight to be studying an online degree that has the set-up to support the studying. The online platform has everything laid out concisely, allowing us to engage through forums with our cohort and take part in the weekly learning activities. It is a centralised hub which is current in its digital layout and makes learning online fun.
We are about to start our Post Digital module. In preparation for this, I have been working on one of my short stories to combine it with some photography and videography. I’m giving the piece a digital spin to experiment with mixing the arts, to see what impact this may have on a reader.
I have found my tribe with my tutors and cohort. Being in a group of diverse creatives and working together to learn our craft has been amazing.
Everything I have learnt so far has been valuable - particularly the planning and structuring side of writing - and learning that the creative part of our brain needs oiling and nurturing, like any other muscle in our bodies.
I would recommend the degree to anyone looking to study creative writing online, because it is by far the best option out there. The online interaction and engagement with your cohort, the learnings, the tutors, and the online platform really make this course.
The highlight of my studies so far has been the amount I have learnt in such a short time. I have found my tribe with my tutors and cohort. Being in a group of diverse creatives and working together to learn our craft has been amazing.
My ambition for the future is to have a career in creative writing. I am not sure which avenue yet - maybe all of them!
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