James Pantefedwyn Foundation

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Joanna Jones

Studying an MA in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University helped to improve my technical skills and gave me an overview of the publishing industry. I had the opportunity to meet a number of industry professionals and apply their wisdom to my own work; to workshop short stories and poetry with my classmates; and to complete a short, research-based novella under one-on-one supervision. I was also able to participate in a group tour and talk in the National Library of Wales archive, and to order specialised texts for my research through the Hugh Owen library. These opportunities would have been both scarce and prohibitively expensive if not for the course and the James Pantyfedwen scholarship.

Beyond the particular activities of my MA, a further year in full time education allowed me more time to build up my CV, holding a casual job in a bookshop and another as a student mentor. I was also able to use my free time to work on additional writing projects, and as such was lucky enough to secure a place on the Literature Wales mentoring scheme for 2018. The year spent on my MA was truly transformative.

Following submission of my final writing assignment, I have secured a role with the Civil Service’s Surge and Rapid Response Team in Cardiff. Alongside my new employment, I plan to continue working on my writing. I would like to thank the James Pantyfedwen Foundation for their generous scholarship: the additional skills and experience gained over the course were essential in securing my ideal job and made for an incredibly rewarding year.