Creative

Fourth Time Lucky…

0 156

By Ian Peek

We’re often told perseverance and tenacity are necessary attributes for aspiring writers to cultivate. I couldn’t have wished for a better object lesson in this than with my own application to the MA Creative Writing!

I’d become more serious about my own writing in early summer, and was quietly confident of securing a place on the MA Creative Writing course. I received my rejection letter with due devastation.

Yet, upon contacting the course tutors I learned there were still a few weeks to apply and assembled an entirely new portfolio. This earned me a phone interview where I avoided my second rejection; persuading an initial “no” to turn “yes”.

…This transpired to only be a conditional offer! I spent the weekend fulfilling the condition, attended a Welcome event for the course, and spoke enthusiastically with tutors and students alike.

The following week I sat in my first lesson, accepted the day the course began. I’d learned one lesson along the way already.
– Perseverance pays!

Ian is an MA Creative Writing Student. He loves words and trying to arrange them into an agreeable order. You can follow him on Twitter @IanPeek_Write

About the author / 

aAh!

aAh! Magazine is Manchester Metropolitan University's arts and culture magazine.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • Kaytranada @ Co-Op Live review – a timeless performance

    Featured image and gallery: Jack Oliver After eight packed out performances across Europe Kaytranada arrives at Co-Op Live for his largest show on the European leg of his ‘Timeless Tour’. The 23,000 capacity venue is filled with excited fans who eagerly anticipate the start of the show after energetic performances from Pomo, Lou Phelps and…

  • From Feed to Feet: How gorpcore fashion has boosted communities of young men to walk and talk

    Featured image: Olivia Taberner and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas From Arc’teryx raincoats to mud-clogged Salomons, we explore how outdoor garments have evolved from fashion trends to functional wear – bringing together communities of young men in the process. What began as a Patagonia jacket and a sunrise ambition soon turned into getting “battered at 3am by…

  • The Success of Moss Side filmmaker Baka Bah: “Whenever I do say where I’m from, I automatically see labels pinging over my head”

    Featured image: Yas Lucia Mascarenhas and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas Manchester’s inner-city neighbourhood of Moss Side is often portrayed in the media as a dangerous area, plagued by knife crime and shootings. However, one resident and Manchester Met student – Baka Bah – believes this one-sided story doesn’t reflect the true spirit of his community. While…

  • Queer Lit: Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ bookstore on building a legacy in Manchester

    Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…