Q&A with Miguel Guerreiro Lourenço from Portugal, who graduated with a first class degree in Creative Writing and Screenwriting in 2019. Miguel is currently working as a Narrative Designer in the games industry, and his forthcoming collection of poetry, Writing the Truth, has been accepted for publication by Selcouth Station Press.

Why did you choose the University of Worcester?

Not only is Worcester gorgeous as a city in itself, the university’s campuses and services are super accessible and inspiring. The content of the curriculum and the opportunity to have a joint honours that heavily focused on writing was a big factor in my choice as well!

What is it like living in the city of Worcester?

Worcester was my first home in the UK and I felt very comfortable! I’m a countryside sort of folk, so I was bit anxious about moving to a city, but Worcester’s looks, infrastructure and its people made me feel at home!

What makes the University of Worcester the right choice for a creative writing student?

I have a lot of love for what I have learned at Worcester. As a creative writing student, I found that my lecturers were not only knowledgeable, they were incredibly inspiring and caring for my progress. I came in wanting to focus on scriptwriting, and I left as a published poet and author on top of all the work I did. The resources are super useful!

How has studying Creative Writing helped your employability?

The creative writing course and lecturers gave me the confidence to look at my work, improve it and pitch it without second guessing myself. I’m using all that I have learned and more in my career, as a Narrative Designer in the games industry. From genre writing to poetry to research, so much of what was taught guided me professionally.

How much writing do you get to do on the course?

As a creative writing student, I found myself writing more in the three years that I was at Worcester University, than I ever did before. Every genre, every style… I experimented with it all throughout the fascinating modules I was given a chance to sign up for!

Do you feel supported by lecturers and other students?

I felt at home among my peers and lecturers; our shared experiences and interests and love for writing were fundamental for that feeling to blossom into admiration! I was part of a group of peers that met weekly to go over assignments, lessons and projects as well; the tutorials with lecturers were also very helpful to clear up any confusion, as well as find inspiration to tackle assignments differently!

What is it like to study Creative Writing: what is a typical day?

In a run-of-the-mill sort of day, I would have a day filled with lectures and seminars—we would often hold discussions or do exercises to truly drive home the theme and subject of these lessons. At times I would have tutorials with my lecturers in preparation for an assignment or to clarify something about a personal project, and meet with some of my peers so we could do some reviewing and give each other feedbacks!

Is it easy to settle in as a student from another country?

I think it really varies from person to person. I quickly found somewhere to call home here, including a partner which I married on my last year at Uni. That doesn’t happen to everywhere, obviously, but it just goes to show that every international student has a different experience. I struggled with missing my friends and family back home often, but I knew why I was here in the first place, and wanted to  make this dream come true. There are a lot of resources and services at the University that make it all easier, and the fact that I could count on other international students for support if I needed it, made me feel less alone as well.

To get in touch with Miguel and find our more about his work please visit his website: https://www.miguelguerreirolourenco.com/

To find out more about studying at the University of Worcester as an international student please get in touch via the website: https://www.worcester.ac.uk/study/international-students/