It began way back in 2019. And anything pre-covid feels even longer than seven years ago – it feels like a different century sometimes! But that is when my creative writing degree journey began. After being inspired, encouraged and supported by my wife I started an academic trip that I would never have thought possible for me, or even had the courage or the belief to undertake at any other point in my life. But now the final part of this long and arduous and sometimes seemingly endless, but extremely fulfilling journey is about to begin.

This week I will enrol onto the third and final level of my creative writing degree course with the Open College of the Arts (OCA). The OCA is a distance learning college and was merged with the Open University (OU) in 2022. This level will be made up of three modules, each one taking up to a year each to complete. Although I have discussed the nature of this part of the course with tutors I have yet to see the course content, but I know that my focus will be on a single writing project. I am really excited about this.

Following my last assessment result for level 2 (2.3) I have enjoyed a break from formal studies knowing that I had time to spare before commencing this last part of the course. I needed to have a rest from working on reflective commentaries, word counts and assignment deadlines. I have not been idle though – far from it. Over the last eight months or so I have been working on a medieval fantasy writing project aimed at a middle-grade/young adult readership. Without all the study deadlines it has been a joy to have the freedom to write freely.

This work in progress has a working title, a full cast of characters with detailed biographies, a fully scoped geography with maps and images, and arguably most importantly, a main plot and subplots and themes, and a magic system I am still trying to understand. The world in which my story is set has a rich, and to me, believable history. The story focuses on a small group that will be led by the protagonist that sets out on what they think will be a trip of a few days to discover a specific truth. Of course, it will not go as planned!

Throughout my years of writing, this is the project I have been most excited about. It is the most detailed world I have ever built, and this, along with the characters inhabit a place in my head they refuse to leave. I guess they will remain there until I get their story down. The drafting process has begun, but the journey, the story and mine, has a long way to go. But, with plenty of pens, ideas, and of course – coffee, I fully prepared for the bumpy ride ahead.

Header Photo by bristol2brighton.com