Why I chose to study Creative Writing at Birmingham

Choosing a postgraduate course isn’t as simple as ticking a box on a form. At least, it wasn’t for me. It felt more like standing at a crossroads with a backpack full of passions, anxieties, half-written ideas, and the occasional existential crisis, and trying to decide which road might lead somewhere meaningful. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that the real question wasn’t what I wanted to study, it was why.

For me, the “why” started years before I submitted my application. I’ve always gravitated toward storytelling. Whether I was on stage, scribbling in a notebook, or working on a film project, I knew that stories were where I felt most alive. They’re where I made sense of the world and where I hoped I might contribute something to it. But like many people, I didn’t follow that instinct straight away. I took the sensible route first. The safe route. The “don’t worry, you can still get a proper job” route.

But the thing about passion is that it doesn’t stay quiet. It taps you on the shoulder while you’re sitting in lectures, at work, or on the bus home. Eventually, it becomes loud enough that ignoring it feels far scarier than following it. My “why” was that tap on the shoulder.

I chose my Masters in Creative Writing because it allowed me to take storytelling seriously. Not as a hobby squeezed into evenings, not as a guilty pleasure, but as a craft worth dedicating time to. I wanted space to grow, experiment, and fail without the pressure of pretending I already had everything figured out. I wanted the challenge of learning from people who had walked the path before me, and the inspiration of being surrounded by peers who were equally obsessed with creating something meaningful.

The course also offered something I didn’t know I needed: clarity, not just about technique, but about voice, purpose, and the kind of stories I wanted to tell. Coming from a different academic background, I knew I’d be bringing a different lens to the table: a unique blend of political awareness, lived experience, and artistic curiosity. I didn’t want to abandon that; I wanted a course that encouraged it. And that’s exactly what I found.

Another part of my “why” was representation. As someone from a background not always centred in mainstream narratives, I wanted to write stories that felt honest, stories that push back against stereotypes rather than reinforce them. Studying my course wasn’t just about developing my skillset; it was about giving myself permission to take up space in a field where voices like mine are still fighting to be heard.

Ultimately, I chose this course because it aligned with the person I wanted to become. Not the version of myself that played it safe, but the one who dared to follow the thing that mattered most. And every day, through the challenges and the small wins, I’m reminded that I made the right choice.