Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

I’ve come to an interesting time in my life. I applied for a PhD at the University of Canberra for 2016 and was successful. I’ll be studying full time from 2016. Not bad for a girl who left school at 15 without a year 10 leaving certificate.

That might sound boastful but the process of applying raised all kinds of anxieties and insecurities. Who did I think I was daring to apply for a higher degree? I felt inadequate, challenged and also anxious. This was a really, really big thing I was considering.

I earn a very good salary and I like my work most of the time. Contemplating giving up that salary scared me on every level. I’ve been poor in the past. I didn’t like it and yet here I was considering going there again. Except well, I would not be that poor. Not like I used to be. I would and will need to curtail my spending drastically. My friends who despair of my spending habits doubt me. I’m not all that confident either but we will have to see. That will be my biggest challenge. Being poor and keeping up my spirits. I won’t be destitute and I do have the option of working for a day in a bookshop or something like that for pocket money. So I tell myself.

Matthew thinks I can make money selling hats. Maybe, I can fund my craft habit doing that. Maybe I won’t.

So what am I doing in this higher research degree?

Well I’m going to look at Feminism in Popular Romance. I’ll be doing some research and a short exegesis and also a creative work. It’s a creative practice led PhD. I’m excited. I’m also still abit in the work headspace and I’ve just finished NaNoWriMo and I have some writing to get finished over January so I’m free to march forward on the research in February. It’s a huge change for me : a total refocusing of my life. Scary yet exhilarating.

I’ll be posting here from time to time so stay tuned.

Me wearing one of my hats.