Profile in Success magazine [Nii Ayikwei Parkes]

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Success Issue six Autumn 2009 www.mmu.ac.uk

R.R.P £3.50

How to be a winner SIR ALEX FERGUSON PAGE 12

Forward thinking HOW GRADUATES CAN BEAT THE DOWNTURN PAGE 6

Creative spark MMU’S WRITING TALENTS PAGE 16

p16-19 Creative writing

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CREATIVE WRITING

David Oates photography

Food for thought You wouldn’t think a degree in Food Manufacturing Management would lend itself to writing novels, but Nii Parkes has proved otherwise.

After graduating in 1998 from MMU he went into the food industry, but didn’t stay long.

Now, 11 years later, he has released his first novel.

Parkes decided that although he enjoyed working in the food industry it wasn’t what he wanted to do long-term. This change in career path saw him hire his own literary agent and he had already

“The best writers are true to themselves and do not deviate from their own unique style.” published some of his poetry when he signed up to do a Masters degree in Creative Writing at Birkbeck College, London.

However 35-year-old Parkes, who lives in Manchester, stresses that an MA doesn’t teach people how to write. “Students should regard creative writing courses as a springboard for their writing careers. They are a fast track to life in literature.”

Parkes believes the recession has made publishers more cautious. However in an increasingly competitive market he has managed to break through

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p16-19 Creative writing

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Charlie Hedley photography

CREATIVE WRITING

a work about power and faith. He

A change of direction

describes it as a detective story

An intensive creative writing

which frames a story of abuse

degree at MMU has propelled

within a family. He isn’t scared to

Andrew Forster to his second

throw in some of his own Ghanaian

published poetry collection,

language, which adds to the

Territory, which will be published at

lyricism and authenticity of the

the end of 2009.

with his novel Tail of the Blue Bird,

novel which is set in Ghana where he grew up.

The Creative Writing MA, which he did online while in full-time

His advice for writers is not to

employment, gave Andrew a boost

lose sight of who they are, and that

at a time when, in his own words,

to succeed in writing you need

he was “struggling to find

discipline and a willingness to

direction”.

improve.

“You have to have a good idea of what you want to learn.”

Forster is currently the literature

Forster was already a published

working in social care, but his aspirations gradually shifted towards writing.

Online courses are proving increasingly popular for mature students like Forster who have daytime jobs. When he did his online MA he was living in a remote part of Scotland so access to a local university was difficult.

As he says: “The online course was ideal because you can work

officer for The Wordsworth Trust in

from home. Work is submitted via

writer when he started the degree

Grasmere in the Lake District, a

e-mail while internet chat rooms

sometimes produce work that is

in 2005, aged 41. Fear of Thunder,

role he fills while also finding time

are a substitute for seminars and

formulaic and written in a

his first poetry collection, is a

to write his own poems. His job

you talk to tutors over the phone.”

predictable fashion. The best

largely autobiographical work,

involves organising workshops

Forster has some simple but

writers are true to themselves and

drawing on relationships and

and poetry readings, while also

sound advice for graduates. “You

do not deviate from their own

childhood memories, whereas

working with poet-in-residence

have to have a good idea of what

unique style.”

Territory focuses on landscapes

Emma Jones.

you want to learn and avoid vague

“Creative writing students can

Parkes is currently working on a

such as South West Scotland.

Forster began his career

second novel about a UN soldier.

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ideas,” he says.

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