In this edition of our Graduate Spotlight series we meet Nina Starner. A graduate of our Creative Writing Master’s programme in Paris, Nina’s current position as a Digital Content Producer for Static Media began during her time at our Paris School. Discover how her time in Paris, even during the difficult era of COVID, was transformative for her in our interview with her below.
Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?
I’m from Philadelphia, and before enrolling at PSAC I had visited Paris three times. One of my closest friends and I came up with a scheme to move abroad in 2018 or so, and ultimately, we both found graduate programmes in fields we wanted to study in Paris (my friend studied at Institut Français de la Mode and now works in fashion). Thankfully, I was accepted into PSAC’s programme and began my time there in January of 2020 (what timing!).
What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?
Paris – no question! I had always wanted to live in Paris, and the history of PSAC’s space (I loved Reid Hall) as well as its Montparnasse location drew me in. I looked at other creative writing programmes in other cities but applied to PSAC first before even finishing the other applications, as it was my clear first choice.
What were some of the highlights of your experience?
I may have been seriously impacted by COVID during my time at PSAC, but I still made friends I am still close with to this day. My very first Fiction class, taught by Amy Sackville and Yelena Moscovitch, was a real highlight, as the chemistry during workshops was fantastic. Graduating at Canterbury Cathedral in 2022 was also an unbelievable, unforgettable experience!
What are you currently doing and how did that come about?
I moved back to Philadelphia and work for a company called Static Media in one of their companies called Looper, where I’m a digital content producer. I appear in and help write a show called Okay, So Basically, where a colleague and I use cartoons and snark to explain pop culture properties to each other. I was working part-time as a freelancer for Static during my time at PSAC and was offered a full time position after I completed my thesis.
Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career or creative endeavours?
The big reason I wanted to study creative writing was to learn more discipline about writing and take time for myself to be required to write creatively; since I write for a living, it can be hard to get creative projects going after the workday ends. The creative writing program at PSAC definitely taught me a lot about my own writing process, and it also helped me seriously grow as a writer, since I was able to pinpoint specific issues and hurdles in my writing and work to overcome them. I left PSAC as a better writer without a doubt.
Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?
Don’t hesitate: apply right now. The opportunity to study writing in what is, in my opinion, the best city on the planet is absolutely incredible. Despite COVID and crazy visa issues and the normal adjustment of moving to a foreign country, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. Even if moving to Paris feels impossible, it isn’t — I moved back and forth several times with my dog in tow, and if I can do that while surviving on an initially rough French skillset, you can too. Also, living in Paris is not at all like Emily in Paris. That show is not realistic in the slightest… to say the absolute least.
Merci beaucoup, Nina!
If you would like to get in touch with Nina or learn more about her work, see her website
www.ninastarner.com or follow her on
Twitter.
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