A REAL HONOUR AND A BOOST

Elizabeth Macneal (LDC16) received the Malcolm Bradbury Memorial Scholarship for an MA in Creative Writing (Prose Fiction).

Following the publication of her novels

The Doll Factory and Circus of Wonders, Elizabeth has generously decided to fund her own scholarship at UEA.

How was your life changed by coming to UEA?

The simple answer is that the MA was utterly pivotal to my writing.

Over the year, I began to understand writing as a careful craft, that power which a single word could have in a sentence, and how to control pace, character and plot. I also met a fantastic group of other writers with whom I still share work.

Why did you choose UEA?

It was a major decision to take a year out of work. I decided that, if I was going to do it, then I wanted to study at the university with the best reputation for creative writing. I knew this would attract other students who loved writing, reading and words as much as I did, and I was eager to experiment and improve alongside them.

What would you say to those who funded your scholarship?

The scholarship made a huge difference to me and enabled me to do the course. It was a real honour and a boost to carry a scholarship bearing the name of Malcolm Bradbury, the co-founder of the Creative Writing programme at the University. Without it, I don’t believe I could have developed the skills to write the book I did, or at least not for several years. I had the chance to meet Malcolm Bradbury’s sons, who were so warm and generous. It meant a lot to be able to thank them in person.

Why were you inspired to fund the new Bourne Scholarship?

I am so proud that I’ve had a book published and can now give someone else the same opportunity I received –someone with the hunger to make it as a writer, who just needs that support to get there. I believe that the writing industry needs more diverse voices. Scholarships are key to achieving this.