In this week’s instalment of Dissertation Corner, MA Creative Writing student Lucy Hurst shares her experience on writing a creative dissertation. Her poetry explores chronic illness and internalised ableism.
What is your dissertation about?
I’m writing a collection of stylised poetry exploring chronic illness and internalised ableism.
What inspired your story/poem/script?
I’ve been influenced a lot by Karen Havelin’s ‘Please Read This Leaflet Carefully’ and Heather Christle’s ‘The Crying Book’. For poetic inspirations, Daniel Sluman and Bhanu Kapil played a big role.
How did you choose the texts for the project?
I took up lots of book suggestions from friends, and kept up to date on twitter with new pieces coming out. I think reading around the subject is very helpful, and I asked tutors of what they think I should read next.
Has your dissertation changed much since submitting your proposal?
Not massively so. I have a few ideas that have been cropped out, but generally it’s the same concept.
What interests you about this topic/style/theme?
I love experimental poetry, I think there is something exciting and fresh about it. The style I’m using is beginning to show up a lot in contemporary poetry, and so I enjoy working out where I can place my work within the literary world too.
What have you enjoyed most and what have you struggled most with?
I have enjoyed doing the reading and finding new poets. The struggle is probably just having to make myself write more before I start editing.
What has it been like working closely with an academic supervisor?
Academic tutors are super helpful, you should bombard them with questions.
