In this edition of our Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC) Alumni Spotlight series we connect with writer and novelist Jessica Andrews, a graduate of our Creative Writing Master’s Programme. Her debut novel, Saltwater, won the Portico Prize 2020 and has been translated in five languages. Her writing has been published in The Guardian, Stylist, Radio 4, The Independent, ELLE, among others. Discover how Jessica’s time at PSAC helped advance her career and hone her craft in our interview with her below.
Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?
I grew up in Sunderland and moved to London to study for a BA in English Literature at King’s College London. I spent a year in London after graduation and then decided to apply for an MA in Creative Writing. I really liked the MA course offered by Kent and Paris seemed like an exciting place to live, study and work.
What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?
I wanted to study a Creative Writing course that combined both poetry and fiction. The MA in Paris seemed like an immersive way to learn about another culture. Paris has a lot of literary history and so felt like a good place to study writing.
What were some of the highlights of your experience?
The workshops were small and intimate and I learned a lot from my tutors and peers. I was particularly inspired by visiting lecturers such as Lauren Elkin and Adam Biles. I loved attending literary events at Shakespeare and Company bookshop and the occasional literature and music event at Reid Hall. At the end of the week, my course used to go to La Rotonde bar together to talk about books and ideas and it was exciting to be in a place with so much literary history. Learning French also gave me a new perspective on language which helped improve my writing. The MA gave me permission to take my writing seriously and space to experiment and develop my voice. I spent the summer living in Paris after my course, where I learned a lot about forging my own way in the world.
What are you currently doing and how did that opportunity come about?
My debut novel, Saltwater, was published in 2019. I began writing a novel at Kent and knew it was something I wanted to continue after graduation. I was working lots of jobs and struggling to find time to write, so when my grandfather in Ireland died and left a small house in the mountains of Donegal, I decided to go and live there for a few months and write. While I was at Kent, I had a short story published in the Kent Anthology. An agent read my story in the anthology and contacted me while I was writing my novel. When it was finished, I sent it to him and he helped me to find a publisher. I was offered a two-book deal so I am currently working on my second novel, which will hopefully be published in 2022.
I also co-edit The Grapevine, a literary and arts magazine, with Catherine Madden, whom I met on my MA and who also studies at Kent. I recently set up a literary podcast, Tender Buttons, with my partner, in collaboration with Storysmith Books in Bristol.
Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career prospects?
Definitely. Prior to my MA, I had never really met a professional writer before. The brilliant tutors and writers at Kent were generous with their knowledge and were always very invested in my work, which helped build my confidence. They made me feel like writing a novel was something I might be able to do one day. The workshop setting gave me space to experiment and develop my voice. I kept in touch with my tutors and they continue to give me advice about the publishing world. I also made close friends on the course and set up The Grapevine with them.
Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?
Yes – studying, living and working in Paris gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the cultural history. It gives you access to the vibrant literary scene in Paris and the brilliant events run by Shakespeare and Company bookshop. The tutors are very knowledgeable and insightful and it gives you the time and space to build your confidence as a writer or academic and to develop your skills and voice.
Merci beaucoup Jessica!
Connect with Jessica:
Website: www.jessica-andrews.com
Instagram: @itbeginswiththebody
Twitter: @jessicacandrews
