Judith Carrichner
Student spotlight details
Having dreamed of becoming a writer since she was 6 years old, Judith joined our Getting Started in Creative Writing online course before progressing onto the Diploma in Creative Writing online pathway. She has since started a master's programme at the University of Cambridge.
'Prior to the course, I was working as a Branch Manager for Bank of the West in the Reno-Tahoe area of Northern Nevada, USA. I spent most of my time working while raising my youngest son as a single parent.
'I was inspired to pursue the Diploma in Creative Writing as I have dreamed of becoming an accomplished writer since I was six years old. I would carry home a stack of books from the library each week that weighed more than I did, fantasizing about creating adventures that would transport me from my reality into a world where anything was possible. As I got older, conversations with my children about who and what they wanted to become inevitably reverted to my passion for the written word and my lifelong desire to write. My oldest son attends the University of Oxford and will be graduating 6 August 2022 with his D.Phil. in Anthropology. He receives the emails through the University that highlight different course programs. He forwarded me the information for Getting Started in Creative Writing, which I attended in early 2020. Because of the positive effect its structured learning had on my development, when he received the email for the Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing online course, he sent me the link with a message along the lines of THIS IS SO YOU! After reading the course description, I realized that this program is what I needed to turn my childhood dreams into reality.
'I believe that the course is designed to challenge our capabilities, to push us past the external and internal boundaries we place on ourselves. The expectation is not that we become experts within every aspect of Prose, Drama, Reading for Writers, or Poetry, but rather that we learn to draw from each form, exploring their different perspectives to hone our craft. With that in mind, the biggest difficulty for me is to accept that I will both fail and excel in my efforts while understanding that it is a vital part of the process.
'The interactions with both my fellow cohorts and the tutors during the weekly experiments is the most rewarding and enjoyable part of the course. The forums are a safe environment that allows us to post our work with confidence. The feedback given is constructive, supporting the uniqueness of our own voice while encouraging us to take creative risks.
'I am excited to share that, after the course, I will be attending the University of Cambridge Master’s in Crime and Thriller Writing course. The next two years will be spent exploring both genre’s while developing my writing, editing, and analytical skills. I hope to publish and teach afterwards.
'If you are considering taking the course my advice would be: apply today! Your confidence in your ability to write will be solidified through the framework of this course. Your creative voice will be heard, and its distinctiveness celebrated. Your perspectives will change, and your literary citizenship will grow. You will build a network of writers that share your passion and support your efforts. And then there is Summer School…You will thrive!'
Photo above: Judith at our March 2023 Award Ceremony.
