Wallace Said:

I have a BTEC national diploma in art and design but I want to study creative writing and jornalism at uni?

We Answered:

If you have a BTEC national diploma, it can take you to uni and yes you can definitely do a journalism course. Art and design as in computer design and all that stuff right? (Photoshop, indesign...etc)? If so then definitely. Im guessing you want to work in a magazine or newspaper and those are the right qualifications to take you there. To go to university for an undergraduate course you'll need at least 2 a levels and 3 GCSE's. The best school that will probably take you is the University of arts London - London college of communication. Where abouts do you live?

Mae Said:

What jobs can you get with a buisness admin. certificate? How about a creative writing diploma?

We Answered:

Business administration jobs are endless. Think of an office job, and you probably qualify. Doesn't necessarily mean big bucks... that depends on your experience. But job possibilities vary greatly.

Creative writing diploma, however? Unless you get a Masters degree in it (and even that does not guarantee anything), you are likely looking at gas station attendant.

Michele Said:

advice on creative writing; thanx?

We Answered:

Try a parable...something that tells a story about the experience you're trying to convey, but does it in a peripheral way...as far as whether it's a good idea, when you defend your thesis, will having such an additional work detract from the thesis points? If you don't think it will add to it, it might be best to leave it out.

Thomas Said:

Should i get a GED or High School Diploma?

We Answered:

A high school diploma is better than a GED. This last summer the Social Sciences Research Network published a paper that concluded that people with GEDs do little better financially than high school dropouts. The paper attributed this result to a lack of "soft skills" among people who had only GEDs. Soft skills include attending regularly, being punctual, working well with others, following the rules, and completing assigned tasks.

Very few people are able to make a living writing books. Aspiring writers usually need to have a day job. Some writers have worked at other jobs and then written about their work. The high school English curriculum includes some creative writing, and you also could use a bit of work on your sentence structure.

You can begin writing now. You could write for the school newspaper. If your school has a creative writing club, you could join it. If not, maybe you could organize one.

Writers have to know about more than writing. Writers have to be able to do research whether they are writing fiction or nonfiction. You have to know about something to write about it.

Adam Said:

Which uni in England is good for Creative Writing and Journalism?

We Answered:

The University of East Anglia is I think considered to be the best place in the UK to study creative writing - I believe that Ian McEwan teaches on the course.

I think that Bath University also has a good creative writing course.

I'm not sure about journalism; I know that the Southampton Institute is considered to be a great place to do it, but I don't think they will do creative writing as well.

Your best starting point might be to search on http://www.ucas.ac.uk for Creative Writing and Journalism to find out where you can actually do that degree, then look at the websites for those unis and courses and see if you like the look of them. If you're still concerned about rankings, you could try looking at The Times Good University Guide (it should be on The Times' website somewhere, on the education bit, or you can get a copy from your local library), which contains league tables. Good luck with your applications!

Neil Said:

Creative Writing Assginment - Help?

We Answered:

to find inspiration...

try a mind-map or brainstorm or whatever you're supposed to call them...the one that looks like a spiderweb

think of things that have happened in your life - if you know it well, it'll be easier to write about. think of ways you could twist the events, ways the events could have gone differently.

then, for characters. take aspects of people you know...not the whole personality! just take, say, one person's creativity, another's airheadedness, and a third's trouble with alcholoism; mix them up and you have a character

if you brainstorm a little, and develop the random ideas that come up, you will find inspiration. then the key is to keep writing a little bit of the story every day until it's finished. don't edit until you've finished the first version.

Margie Said:

Creative Writing studies, suggestions for Universities?

We Answered:

No offense, but that's a terrible major to have a degree in. What are you going to do with it? May I suggest journalism (and write for money while being able to be creative on your own time)?

I'm not trying to be rude, just being realistic because I was in your exact same boat a decade ago.