Do You Need to Study a Master of Creative Writing to Become a Good Writer?
The Beginning of the Journey
At the start of 2026, I embarked on a new chapter, beginning my Master of Creative Writing online at Macquarie University. As a lifelong learner who has studied extensively—both formally and independently—over many decades, completing a master's degree had always been one of my goals.
It was both exciting and daunting to return to the student seat after many years as a high school English and History teacher and a sessional university lecturer. On paper, the decision may have seemed ludicrous given the cost, the workload, and the current state of the publishing industry. But I was following a deep desire, and I am so glad I took the leap.
Do You Have to Study a Master of Creative Writing to Be a Good Writer?
Let's answer this straight away: No, absolutely not.
There are countless wonderful courses and resources available to help you develop your writing craft (Check out my blog ‘What’s On My Bookshelf?’ about the many writing craft books that fill my shelves!). However, half the battle is knowing which techniques to focus on.
Below are the concepts and writing techniques I found most valuable during my master's studies last semester. You could certainly study and apply many of these in your own time for very little cost.
That said, while postgraduate study isn't necessary to become a good writer, it was necessary for my goals. Because I want to teach the craft of writing and mentor authors, I felt I needed the depth of knowledge that formal study provides. Even as a former high school English teacher and university lecturer, I don't believe I could have been as effective as a writing teacher without postgraduate study.
I realised very quickly that I would have felt like a charlatan taking money for workshops and mentoring without first learning many of the concepts I've encountered in just one semester alone.
Does that mean every writing coach or teacher should complete a master's degree? No. But for me, personally, wanting to become the best teacher and mentor I can possibly be, it was essential.
Key Takeaways from the Unit on Narrative Fundamentals
Having studied the craft of writing for many years, I already had a solid understanding of much of the material covered in this unit. However, several concepts and techniques were genuine game changers in terms of producing high-quality writing.
Techniques and concepts I loved learning about:
The singular effect
Patterning
Escalation
Zigzagging
Microplotting
Focalisation
My favourite readings from the unit:
Fiction
Short story The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe (1843)
Short story Magpie by John Morrissey (2026)
Non-fiction
Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern (1991)
‘The Art of Fiction’ by Lorrie Moore, in The Paris Review, no. 167 (2001)
‘Grace Paley's Six Lies to Help with Editing’, in essay Some Notes on Teaching (1970)
Key Takeaways from the Unit on Writing Literary Fiction
As a literary fiction writer, I was especially excited to choose this unit from the list on offer. I absolutely loved every aspect of it, and much of that was due to the wonderful professor, award-winning author Hsu-Ming Teo.
The most valuable concept I learned was the use of negative space. The gaps in a story often tell us just as much as what appears on the page. What isn't the character saying? What has the author deliberately withheld? Which events happen off the page, and why?
These ideas stem from Ernest Hemingway's famous Iceberg Theory, also known as the Theory of Omission. Above the surface sits the visible story—setting, dialogue, action, and narrative. Beneath the surface lies the unseen: backstory, emotion, psychology, motivation, and subtext.
Further, one of the greatest joys of this unit was studying one of my favourite novels, Persuasion by Jane Austen. I learned that much of the novel's emotional power comes from Austen's restraint in withholding information from the reader. Nearly 200 pages pass before Anne Elliot finally reads Captain Wentworth's famous declaration of love. This deliberate withholding perfectly demonstrates the Theory of Omission. This is also seen in Anne’s ‘articulate silence’, as stated by my lecturer. The story would not resonate as much if Anne was an opinionated chatterbox. Anne’s meek silence creates the conditions for justice and redemption.
Finally, although I generally avoid reading emotionally confronting books about the Holocaust, I was required to read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I'm so grateful I did. What a gem of a book this is! My reluctance to read difficult subject matter had prevented me from discovering this remarkable work of art. Last year, I actually had the privilege of meeting Markus Zusak at the Byron Bay Writers Festival. He was such a lovely, down-to-earth person. There is far too much to say about his wonderful novel here, so keep an eye out for my upcoming review of The Book Thief.
Techniques and concepts I loved learning about:
The Theory of Omission (Iceberg Theory)
Negative space, interiority and exteriority (Iceberg Theory)
Indirection of image
Objective correlative
Purple prose
Free indirect discourse
Characteristics of postmodernist texts
My favourite readings from the unit:
Fiction
Persuasion by Jane Austen (1817)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
Non-fiction
The Writing Experiment: Strategies for Innovative Creative Writing by Hazel Smith (2005)
‘George Orwell's Six Rules for Writing’, in essay Politics and the English Language (1946)
Cons to Consider When Deciding Whether to Study a Master of Creative Writing
You'll read texts you would never normally choose. Some readings stretched me well beyond my comfort zone, and a few crossed personal boundaries regarding what I choose to expose my mind to. That's simply part of studying literature at postgraduate level.
It's a significant financial investment. Given the current state of the publishing industry, publication can feel like chasing a unicorn. Even for published authors, income from book sales and royalties is rarely enough to fund an overseas holiday, let alone a master's degree. However, if the qualification is an important stepping stone towards your goals—or you simply love learning and find joy in it—I believe it is worth every penny.
The workload is substantial. A Master of Creative Writing is a postgraduate qualification, requiring advanced academic rigour and intellectual maturity. I studied only two units part-time, yet I was still studying most days of the week. Lecturers commented that full-time students would likely need to revisit the material after graduating to fully absorb and apply everything they had learned. Don't let this discourage you—just be aware of the commitment involved. Also be aware that there are certain prerequisites needed to apply to complete a master’s course, normally a bachelor degree in a related field.
Your creative work will be critiqued. In this particular master’s course I'm undertaking, every assessment is your own creative writing—meaning no essays. Because creative writing is deeply personal, you'll need thick skin. Lecturers will critique your work, identify weaknesses, and suggest changes. At the same time, writing is highly subjective. I can't tell you how many times fellow students praised particular passages during workshops, only for the lecturers to flatly tell me the passages didn’t work and should be cut altogether! Just prepare yourself for your work to be pulled apart. It can be confronting, but it is also one of the fastest ways to grow. Personally, I'm a huge believer in the value of workshopping. The insights you gain from writing peers are simply priceless.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it—my reflections on the first semester of my Master of Creative Writing.
I hope this has been helpful. I remember disappearing down countless internet rabbit holes, searching for honest accounts of what studying a Master of Creative Writing was really like. I wanted to know whether formal study was worth it or whether I could simply teach myself.
For me, the answer has been clear: I'm incredibly glad I chose this path. But it's certainly not the only one. As a graduate of the Australian Writers' Centre (AWC), I highly recommend its courses. They gave me a strong foundation in the fundamentals of writing before I began my master’s course. With both tutor-led, workshopped courses and self-paced options available, they offer excellent value and are far less demanding than postgraduate study. My tip: Wait for the self-paced courses to go on sale—they're discounted several times throughout the year.
Stay tuned for the next instalment on my master’s journey, where I'll be sharing key takeaways from my semester two study on writing genre fiction.
Until then, keep writing!
xo