Student Placement Reflection

I was still in first year when a friend who was ahead of me on the degree gave me advice about the Work Placement module I would be undertaking in third year. She said it was never too early to start looking for a good placement, and that I should find one that would allow me to explore an aspect of Creative Writing or Publishing I hadn’t had the chance to focus on in my other modules.

I have to admit I waited another full year before I started looking. Before I knew it, I was a third-year student, and it was time to find a placement (time really does fly when you’re having fun- and stressing about assessments). When I first reached out to SBWN, I didn’t expect a reply. I felt a bit like a door-to-door salesperson, trying to convince them to “hire” me despite having very limited professional experience and being located all the way up in the Highlands.

Then I got an email back. 

They wanted to have a meeting to discuss it but seemed keen on the idea. I remember feeling like a total fraud; they would see my CV and think, why on earth would we trust any part of the work our Network does to this random person? So I sent them a portfolio of my unpublished writing – as in, all of my writing is unpublished so far, so I had plenty to choose from- and my CV – in which I can’t exactly say “hey, sorry there isn’t much there from the past six years, I was busy having kids”, or even include “meal prepping like a champ” and “mediate my daughters arguments like a top tier hostage negotiator” under my list of skills.

I was then met with two lovely interviewers- who later would be my placement leads- and was asked a question that I thought I would never face in a professional environment: “what can we do for you?”.

I explained I wanted to try a bit of everything, to see what’s behind the curtain, to add as much to my very sparse CV as possible because I was afraid this would be my one shot at working in a professional environment that revolved around writing and publishing. I’m sure by now you’re sensing a theme, I was – and sometimes still am- navigating a big case of impostor syndrome as someone who was raised on hustle culture expectations.

A few weeks passed between that meeting and the start of my placement. With the new year, the last preparations began and before I knew it, I was being introduced to a very welcoming team, and shown the ropes of what my role would entail. To my surprise, a lot of time and effort had been put into designing a placement that would culminate and me leaving with a much more substantial CV, having engaged with all the things I had said I had interest in, back at that first meeting.

I’ll admit that during those first few weeks, I approached every task with a degree of panic. Whenever I didn’t know how to do something, I assumed it was because I simply wasn’t prepared for the professional world. However, my placement mentors, Nailah King and Kelly Kanayama, met every question with patience, encouragement, and genuine support. It took some time, but I eventually began to believe them whenever I received positive feedback- and asking for help became far less daunting.

These might seem like small challenges, but if you’re an overthinker or someone who struggles with anxiety, I hope you find some encouragement in this reflection. Because by the end of my placement, I began to feel like part of the team. I felt capable. And, perhaps most importantly, I felt less afraid of life after graduation.

At the start of the module, my lecturer asked us to write a list of goals for our placement. Mine had only two: to expand my CV, and to do a good job.

The first, I have definitely achieved – and beyond my expectations- thanks to the support of SBWN and everyone who took the time to train me, guide me, and encourage me. As for the second, past me would have been too afraid to make that judgement. But if this placement has taught me anything, it’s that the world is already demanding enough – we owe ourselves the same kindness we extend to others. So yes, I did do a good job.

But here’s the thing about lists, I am a Virgo, which means I adore making them, and that original two-items-only list won’t do anymore. So, on the last day of my placement, here’s a list of things I have gained or learned after being a student intern at SBWN:

• There are countless paths into writing, editing, and publishing. I am not too old, too busy being a mum, or too inexperienced to find my place.
• Writing does not have to be lonely—not when you surround yourself with people who encourage your craft, exchange ideas, and even share something as simple as a funny video after a long day with your draft.
• There is life after graduation. Not every professional experience will be like this one, but this placement showed me that professionalism and kindness can absolutely coexist.
• Just a few weeks can change everything. I started with a two-item list and gained far more than I ever expected.
• I don’t have to have everything figured out yet. I was often asked what kind of writer I am or want to be, and while I don’t have a clear answer, discovering that feels like an exciting next step.
• I need to make space for myself, because the world might not do it for me. For me, that may mean exploring self-publishing in the near future.

Finally, thank you to the Scottish BPOC Writers Network for welcoming me into this placement. It has been an encouraging, supportive, and genuinely joyful experience, and I will always be grateful for it.