Knowledge is Great

Knowledge is Great is a cool caption of the British Council campaign.

This is my post for the blogging contest organized by British Council and Indiblogger

In my belief, knowledge is great because it makes one powerful, learned and skillful. And no age is old enough to prevent one from going back to school and college. The thought of books, notes, assignments, friends and fun itself brings along breath of fresh air. Here comes a superlative chance to actually explore a course in one of the colleges in UK and access it for all good reasons. The excitement to choose in the best one is enough to make me happy…I have been wanting to pack my bags and go back to books…

To add to the zing, I have two of my friends already studying in UK, one in Leeds and another in London School of Economics. Wow! wouldn’t it be a gala time to be around them!….. And I want that big break too when I can quit my job and get over the unavoidable questions of people…‘What are you doing? Why are you not working? What happened to the book that you were planning to write?’ etc etc….

Thus I Google for my favorite subject. My research turns up a few tasty-looking courses at various colleges around the kingdom. And the best catches my eye. I have known Oxford since introduced with Oxford’s dictionary in school. And I find a course too on the curriculum that makes me want to enroll right away.  I am in love with Oxford University’s Master of Studies (MSt) in Creative Writing course.

For the LOVE of writing….

I love language. I love writing. I love to create stories. I nurse a dream to author a book one fine day. The urge to write my piece that could be published for the world to read does not let me be in peace. However, my mantra says quality is anytime better than quantity. Offering gibberish is not my idea of entertainment and thus I want to hone my skills and churn out the best. I wish to learn and explore the art of writing poetry and other literary figments too.

After school, engineering happened because that seemed the best option available to a science (PCM) student and the professional degree helped to seek a good job. But at the end of the day, it only reduces to a daily rut, a monotonous living. For the liberation of both heart and mind, someday I definitely wish to return to college.

There is a desire in me to acquire knowledge, imbibe the art, create something new and win over the readers.

One day, I mentioned to a friend, I wanna take a ‘Creative Writing Course’.… I didn’t blabber, I genuinely wish to go for one. But pat came a reply, Writing cannot be taught. How can someone teach you to be creative? Isn’t it about being spontaneous, artistic, imaginative…and why would someone published share the writing mantras….and the unpublished make a school to teach… blah blah blah… she uttered some useless literary jargon.

Of course I was prepared to give her back….. You may be right that creativity is a virtue and no writing can be taught. But you will all agree that a single sentence could be written in more than one way and each one had its own impact to make. Thus, there was always scope for improvement. Writing can be finessed. 

The help of the right tutors, the right peers and the right atmosphere prepares one for the best. Lessons definitely give deeper and more fundamental insight into the nuances that one generally misses out when done on its own.

I wish to take up this course to really focus on my writing and critical development. Things look attractive about the course and it would be a dream come true to be a part of this vibrating writing community. We all know Oxford is the best…and whats best about the course is…

* Its a 15-person cohort and receives applications from around the globe. Makes it a sought after and a prestigious course. Provides for global exposure too.

* Its a part time course, 2 years extensively delved into writing and critical analysis.

* Its a unique course that teaches genre specialization, cross cultural and cross genre.

* It also provides for hands-on experience of writing in the real world.

* Macmillan New Writing, Initialize Films, Random House, the BBC, the Literary Review, AM Heath, Pegasus Theatre, the Poetry Society, and Carcanet are some of the placement organizations coming around here.

* The course boasts to engage top agents and publishers to meet our students and share their views of contemporary issues in writing and publishing.

* The course focuses around a series of Residences and Guided Retreats, encompassing workshops, seminars, one-to-one tutorials, and input by visiting readers and speakers.

Prajwal Parajuly, an alumnus left Oxford with a two-book contract. He recommends the course, calls its really useful but does point out that its expensive. I read his article.