Tamsin Rees
Tamsin is a freelance playwright and creative writing tutor who completed both their BA and MA at Newcastle University. Tamsin is currently pursuing a PhD in Playwriting, supported by a scholarship from the Northern Bridge Consortium.
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About Tamsin's career
Describe your current role:
I am currently in my final year of an AHRC-funded PhD in Creative Writing. Alongside this, I work freelance as a playwright, script reader, writing mentor and creative writing tutor.
Above all, studying at Newcastle has given me the time and space to write, alongside the incredible support and encouragement from my supervisor.
How did you get into this field after studying Creative Writing at Newcastle?
I started working as a professional playwright towards the end of my undergraduate degree. Through the encouragement of my supervisor, I started to send out short plays to new writing nights across the country which developed my confidence, network, and reputation. The dissertation part of the degree was a creative portfolio. I wrote my first full-length play Cheer Up Slug, while I was a member of the first Royal Court Writer’s Group North. Since then, Cheer Up Slug has gone on to be produced at Live Theatre for a three-week run, received 4 stars in The Guardian and is published with Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.
Studying Creative Writing at Newcastle University
How has studying Creative Writing at Newcastle helped you in your career?
Without a doubt, I would have not even started to write plays, let alone be now putting “Writer” on my tax return, without the support and encouragement of Dr Zoe Cooper in my second year of undergraduate study when I chose, on a slight whim, to do a Creative Writing in Script module.
I received the school's Master's scholarship to study the MA in Creative Writing. This allowed me to work fewer hours in my part-time job in a bakery and to focus on my writing. I wanted to develop my craft further, so was supported to apply for the AHRC Northern Bridge PhD in Creative Writing. Above all, studying at Newcastle has given me the time and space to write, alongside the incredible support and encouragement from my supervisor.
What advice would you give to a student interested in studying Creative Writing?
Be open to new forms of writing, new techniques, and new writers. Take the time to learn the craft, read as much as you can, find the right people you can trust with your voice and your words. Take yourself seriously as a writer.
What was the best thing about studying Creative Writing at Newcastle?
The flexibility, the tutors, the people. A friend I met in my undergraduate script class is still one of my closest friends and also a professional writer, and we continue to share our work with each other for feedback and advice.