This active and developing research group carries out practice-led research in Creative Writing leading to both commercial and scholarly publication.
The group’s research interests are wide-ranging and involve writing across genres including the novel and short fiction, memoir and creative non-fiction, drama, and poetry, including the verse novel. Interests range from children’s and YA fiction to the historical novel, and environmental memoir to contemporary pastoral. Individual members engage with black British history, medieval writing practices, ghosts and the archive, dystopias and the fantastic, imperialism, (post)colonialism and commemoration but across this diversity emerge strong themes of engagement with the historical, the environmental and the political. Our creative outputs have won prizes, seen national and international publication and production, and been adapted into other media.
Members of the group are also active in theorising creative writing research, with a particular emphasis on the voices and modes of scholarly reflection on practice. Their publications in this area play a significant role in leading this aspect of the discipline. The group shares a commitment to rethinking the nature and significance of practice-led research and research-led teaching, including the relationship between creative writing practice and research. Our research is enhanced by a strategic partnership with the regional writing agency New Writing North, giving the group strong links to the writing industries.
The group has strong links to other research groups at Northumbria, particularly the Practice Research group and the Environmental Humanities group.
Members of the group regularly give lectures, seminars and readings both nationally and internationally, take up residencies, engage with literary tourism, and participate in public art projects. We believe passionately in the role of creative writing in the broader community. Our research has been disseminated through conferences in the UK and abroad, public workshops, media interviews, guided walks, talks, readings and documentary film.
Staff and postgraduate students work with various other organisations, including participating in readings at the Newcastle Literary & Philosophical Society and the Durham and Hexham Book Festivals. Creative Writing hosts readings by prestigious visiting writers, is involved with the Institute of Humanities research seminar series, and hosts its own staff and postgraduate reading and workshop group. Our students edit and publish their own magazine, OnEdge.
The group supervises a strong PhD programme, with many students already established authors in their fields and others achieving publication during the course of their research.
Membership
Dr Elizabeth-Jane Burnett
Dr Andrew Crumey
Prof Michael Green
Dr Richard O’Brien
Dr Fiona Shaw
May Sumbwanyambe
Dr Tony Williams
