I’ve been fascinated by storytelling for as long as I can remember. I was the kind of daydreamer child who had fictitious narratives continuously playing in their head, who regularly forced their reluctant cousins to help them put on “original” plays at Christmas (the retelling of Cinderella featuring Spider-Man was a memorable family favourite). Later in life, this fascination would transfer into my studies as I trained as a professional actor. Unbeknownst to me, this training would create the building blocks for my scriptwriting passion.
Studying character, I would examine thought patterns and motives as indicated by speech and stage directions. This instilled in me a keen interest in dialogue and its relationship with subtext, along with an interest in the impact of rhythm and pacing. During my studies, I would often go to London venues like the Park Theatre and the Old Red Lion, where I would find myself progressively drawn to the craft of writing when watching new plays. From that time onwards, my desire to write only grew stronger.
My creative process often begins with a question. Sometimes it’s a question circulating within my unspoken thoughts; others, it’s a product of a two-hour coffee date with a friend. Questions could be as specific as ‘How might a wall of physical separation inform the conversational dynamic between two strangers?’ or as broad as ‘What does it mean to be a “bad person”?’ Often the concept will naturally steer away from the question once I begin writing it. This is something I embrace and believe to be a healthy and interesting part of the process, especially when directed by the organic development of characters.
An alternative approach I sometimes take is to fictionalise experiences from my own life. Typically, this involves including a fictional representation of myself in the hope of emulating emotional truth. Interestingly, the more I have used this approach, the more I have found beneficial insights when diminishing this element of myself within the work, and instead, focusing on what surrounds it.
Although I came to AUB with the presumption that scriptwriting would become my speciality, the BA (Hons) Creative Writing course has given me the freedom to explore an extensive range of writing mediums. Assignments have challenged me to try out my voice in poetry, spoken word, creative non-fiction, short-form prose, alongside deepening my understanding of script. This versatility has allowed me to comprehend the breadth and depth of creative possibilities, whilst supporting my journey into discovering the kind of writer I want to be.
The course has also encouraged me to consider the wider impact of creative writing. In a recent unit, that challenged me to produce an interactive project tailored to a specific community. In response, I designed and delivered a writing workshop for students and creatives who struggle with perfectionism. I also coordinated an accompanying multimedia installation entitled The Imperfection Collection, a space in which students’ “imperfect” work could be displayed and celebrated.
Outside my course, I have been fortunate to partake in various collaborative projects. These have included co-hosting monthly open mic nights, performing a self-written duologue at Dorchester Scriptwriting Festival, and producing a short film with Bournemouth University students. AUB’s partnership with BU has also enabled me to continue with other creative passions such as acting, through the joint drama society PARTS, where this year I have extended my knowledge of theatrical production through the role of stage manager. Access to practice rooms on campus has also fed my ongoing development in songwriting, a skill I recently exercised when writing and performing a standalone musical theatre duet entitled, We Should Do This Again.
Looking to the near future, I hope to make my debut as a playwright in intimate venues such as fringe festivals or off-West End spaces. I will also be looking to acquire agent representation to pave the way to screenwriting commissions. Aside from these initial aims, I am extremely open to seeing the natural trajectory of my writing life play out.
For me, the most important thing is to keep creating – to keep creating and to keep exploring. I will always aspire to remain curious about the world around me, and to allow that curiosity to inform my work.
