“Preston College Course Led to the Greatest Change of My Life”
Joining Preston College in 2010, John enrolled onto the Creative Writing short course, a programme which, although he didn’t know it at the time, would lead to a totally new direction in his life.
Having just left a senior management role in the construction industry and unsure which path to take next, John researched his options and discovered the Creative Writing short course at Preston College. Wanting to do something creative, after spending a career writing business documents, John found the evening study option fitted well with the part-time consultancy work he was doing, leading him to enrolment.
Joining the programme John found the cohort to be a mixture of experienced writers who wanted to develop their craft to novices, with people of all ages attending.
Commenting on his time on the course, John said:
“I learned basic ideas about writing in a practical way and progressed well enough that I had the confidence to apply to Lancaster University to study a full-time degree. The course tutor, Chris, was encouraging to each of us, whatever type of writing we were doing and whatever our level. I felt confident to take my studies further because I had a solid basic grounding and the belief that I could write.”
Upon completing his MA studies in Lancaster, John produced a range of published stories before progressing onto PhD level study at Edge Hill University, where he has also since taught Creative Writing.
Winning the Northbound Book Award in 2020 with his first novel, Approval, John now share his time between writing and teaching, two careers he hadn’t imagined when he enrolled upon the short course in 2010.
Concluding, John commented:
“There is no doubt that the Creative Writing short course, and the encouragement it gave me, has led to one of the most fulfilling periods of my life.”
To follow in John’s footsteps, register now to attend our first Adult Open Event of the academic year. Taking place on Wednesday 24th November 2021, 5:00pm-7:30pm, the event is registration only, with bookings made by clicking here.
