Professional Development
NAWE actively supports the professional development of teachers and students of creative writing. Initiatives include:
Events
NAWE has collaborated with the Higher Education Academy on a number of seminars for creative writing lecturers. You can read about past seminars focusing on creative writing and employability, and part-time teaching, on the HEA events archive.
We also regularly take part in student careers fairs, act as guest speakers and can deliver professional development planning sessions on an individual and group basis. Contact Philippa Johnston if you’d like us to contribute to your creative writing programme.
NAWE is also involved in organizing events for graduates of Scotland’s Creative Writing Masters and PhD Programmes, working in partnership with the Scottish Book Trust (funded by Creative Scotland). Resources commissioned can be downloaded here.
Resources
The growth of Creative Writing programmes means that more teaching opportunities are available but getting that all-important first job can be difficult so we’re compiling some tips for aspiring creative writing lecturers.
For current creative writing students (prospective and current), we’ve commissioned some illuminating case studies about Studying Creative Writing at university and Life after Graduation. If you’d be interested in writing about your experiences, contact us for details.
We’re also working on resource materials around finding the perfect day job for you and your writing; deciding on what’s the next step after graduation; and the realities of the writer’s life (facts and figures on author earnings etc.)
Future Plans
Building on our research into professional development provision within Creative Writing programmes (conducted in 2005/6), we plan to:
- Compile information on particular areas of professional development such as external relationships with agents, publishers, the literary world etc.; placements; after care etc.
- Undertake action research into ways of tracking the career paths of creative writing graduates.
Watch this space for further information on this and all our work supporting professional development within Writing at University, or contact us if you’d like to get involved in some way.