Creative Writing

Develop your confidence and your craft; join a vibrant community of supportive and accomplished writers.

Creative writing can take many forms. Whether you write poetry, short stories, drama, or even creative non-fiction, it is a skill which underpins many creative and commercial roles.

By undertaking postgraduate studies at the University of Reading, you will learn from award-winning authors and poets who will support, mentor, and challenge you to become a published writer.

The Department of English Literature is home to creative writing experts, who will deliver teaching through seminars, workshops, and guest lectures, as well as in-depth, individual supervision. We’re in the top 150 universities in the world for this subject (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024). The University of Reading is 6th in the UK for research outputs in English Language and Literature (Times Higher Education analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework 2021 – English Language and Literature, when scoring by GPA Output).

With seminars focusing on topics such as dialogue, form, and character development, you will gain a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of poetry and prose. Workshops will give you a chance to share work with your peers, allowing you to give feedback and learn from each other. You will apply the knowledge you gain from these sessions to the research, planning, and production of your own mid-length dissertation project.

A master’s in creative writing will allow you not only to build on your skills, but also your professional network.

The recently launched creative arts magazine, The Canvas, is curated and edited by our own students, and encourages community and collaboration between staff, students, and other creatives local to Reading.

Careers in industries such as journalism, publishing, marketing and teaching are just a few of the routes that creative writing at Reading could take you.