Edinburgh Napier University

Pim’s Major Project novel, ‘The Moon Represents My Heart’, follows the generations of a British-Chinese family of time travellers. After graduating, Pim secured a literary agent at top agency Mushens Entertainment. The Moon Represents My Heart was then acquired by UK publisher Oneworld in a two-book deal, which will be published as the super-lead title in spring 2023. Italian rights have also been sold to publisher Keller Editore, while screen rights have been optioned by Netflix and 21Laps, with Gemma Chan (Actress in Crazy Rich Asians & Captain Marvel) attached to executive produce and star in the adaptation.

Can you sum up your student experience in a few words?

Life-changing. Knowledgeable. Creative.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, and ever since I was young, I’ve been very interested in literature and writing. Growing up in Thailand, the arts aren’t taught much in schools, but I was fortunate enough to study literature during my high school years and had the opportunity to read English at King’s College London for my undergrad. Before coming to Edinburgh Napier, my writing experience consisted of writing marketing content, freelance articles (on culture, cinema and tv shows), poetry, essays and fanfiction.

What made you decide to study MA Creative Writing?

I decided to study MA Creative Writing because I wanted to improve my writing skills and fulfil my lifelong dream of becoming a published author. Despite having experience in getting articles published online and in literary journals, I’d never finished a full-length project and had no idea where to start in regard to crafting a novel. Plus, I wanted the experience of living abroad in the UK again and having the chance to connect with writers from all around the world.

What made you choose Edinburgh Napier University?

I chose Edinburgh Napier because I’ve always loved the city of Edinburgh and the Creative Writing program was different from most Creative Writing programmes in the UK. Unlike other courses, there’s no peer-review in class, and the application process at Edinburgh Napier didn’t require me to send a writing portfolio. Having applicants tackle a writing assignment instead really gave the impression that the lecturers were more interested in how applicants approach storytelling and criticising their own work, and how much attention-to-detail they gave to the writing process itself. The program was also more inventive in offering more genre-based modules, and therefore appeared more receptive of the stories someone like me hoped to tell. 

What were your standout moments of studying at Edinburgh Napier University?

My biggest standout moment at Edinburgh Napier was forming lifelong friendships with my classmates and dorm-mates, and having that support system from then on, both on a professional and personal level. Other great moments included the fun writing activities and the one-on-one mentoring sessions, which proved very beneficial for my novel-writing process.

How did you find the facilities?

I found the facilities at Edinburgh Napier to be great overall. Most of my time was spent with classmates in the Writer’s Room, which was our favourite spot on the Merchiston campus. It was really nice for us to have a space where we could just hangout and write together as a group.

What key skills have you learned from your university experience?

The most valuable skills I’ve learned from my time at Edinburgh Napier were writing skills, such as character-building, world-building, creating thematic architecture and plotting.

What advice would you give to anyone considering a Creative Writing course?

My advice would be to make sure that you’re actually passionate about the subject. Don’t worry about how much experience you have, especially compared to your classmates, but believe in your own voice and the stories you want to tell. Most importantly, be willing to fully embrace the experience: living in Scotland, challenging yourself creatively, and forming connections with writer friends.

How did you find the teaching on your course?

I really enjoyed the genre-based modules and the Creating Narrative module. But I found the one-on-one mentoring session more helpful when it came to crafting and writing my novel. The writing activities our lecturer, David Bishop, made us do as a class were also very fun and really helped us bond as friends.

What have you gone on to do after your studies?

I was fortunate enough to have time to finish my novel, get a literary agent and a publishing deal, and later had my novel optioned for TV rights.

What support was available to you from Edinburgh Napier University as an International Student?

Whenever we had to deal with our visas, the international student support team were very friendly and performative.