[samegreeneyes]

Hey guys,

Don't know if there's a thread of this already, but I'm writing my Personal statement for English/Creative writing course and I'm a bit wary about which books to mention.

I know that I should mention books i've studied on the curriculum, but what about wider reading? I'm worried that the books I've read won't be impressive enough. Just wondering what everyone else has read?

Thanks

[greeneyedgirl]

(Original post by samegreeneyes)
Hey guys,

Don't know if there's a thread of this already, but I'm writing my Personal statement for English/Creative writing course and I'm a bit wary about what books to mention.

I know that I should mention books i've studied on the curriculum, but what about wider reading? I'm worried that the books I've read won't be impressive enough. Just wondering what everyone else has read?

Thanks

Talk about books you've studied but also outside reading too.

Remember though, you're not just listing books you're being analytical and showing your skills and interests and what you've gained from reading them.

[Muffinz]

Whatever books you enjoy and can comment on intelligently. Try not to be too cliche, but also try to talk about a range of genres.

[SillyRodent]

I wouldn't say you have to talk about a range of genres, I explained what my favourite genre was and why. Also one trick I used was to say, 'after studying x at school I explored the idea of (something like social exclusion or whatever) further by reading y, which examined these ideas in a more contemporary setting'... or something along those lines. It had been recommended by a speaker at an open day to demonstrate that you showed some independence in developing on ideas explored in school.

[Aeschylus]

Here's how I did mine:

When I wrote my personal statement I'd say (paraphrasing: "A personal interest is the use of ancient mythology in modern poetry. In particular the appearance of characters such as Tiresias in T.S Eliot's the wasteland, and the development and reshaping of myth in works like Ted Hughes' Tales from Ovid and Christopher Logue's War Music" (obviously it was a bit more formal than this). So showing that you've 'read around' in the genre so to speak

[Meat is Murder]

Don't list books. If you mention an author or a book in your PS make sure it is relevant and explain yourself sufficiently enough. It won't impress a uni if you name drop or mention a book for the sake of it.

[Obsidian]

(Original post by Meat is Murder)
Don't list books. If you mention an author or a book in your PS make sure it is relevant and explain yourself sufficiently enough. It won't impress a uni if you name drop or mention a book for the sake of it.

This. Give a personal response to your Literary interests, not a book list.

Best of luck with your application!

[carnationlilyrose]

Allow me to plug my sticky. (Not a sentence I ever expected to write....)

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show....php?t=2012563

[matthewoingram]

Yeah it's not really about what books, it's all about how the books reflect you and your interests and ideas.

...Having said that, imma focus on poetry and drama in my statement, just to try and mark me out

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-S5830