Works in Progress — Kristen Britt

It’s been close to 2 years since I last posted here.

I’ve been busy writing and tutoring and dog sitting and moving to a new country.

This week, I caught up with a friend I met in an acting class in Chicago over 10 years ago. She and I are both studying master’s degrees in London and even though we haven’t seen each other in person in a very long time it was amazing to see a familiar face.

To catch you up, a bit like I caught her up, since 2023 I’ve been making money by tutoring and dog sitting (both of which I love) while trying to find a job and figure out how to also pursue a career as a writer. Yeah, it’s a lot, but I’ve never known how to choose just one thing.

I decided earlier this year to apply to graduate schools in the UK and Ireland for writing. I applied to several programs in creative writing and playwriting. I got into two of them. I decided on the one in London. My student visa was approved about 3 weeks before I needed to arrive. I found a friend to crash with for my first week and another for the next 2 weeks. Then I found a woman looking for a lodger and I’ve been here since. Unfortunately, it’s not permanent so one of my works in progress is finding a place to live.

In that time, I also started my course in creative writing. So I’ve been reading and writing a lot. I’ve got fiction, playwriting and a class about the writing business. Oh, and I’m working on a student literary magazine and learning how to be an editor (but not for pay). Oh oh, and I rewrote the magazine’s website (well, most of it because I’m not quite finished). So my school work works in progress are a short play, 3 short stories, the magazine, the website and a presentation.

You might think that would be plenty.

But I also have been job searching. I’m legally allowed to work 20 hours a week and I have experience in writing, marketing, theatre and retail. The trouble is that finding any job is a challenge and a part time one isn’t much easier. So getting a job is (I think) my last work in progress. For now.

I’m also trying to maintain my friendships and build new ones. And adjust to living in a new country.

I’ve lived in the UK before but I was 5 years old when I left and it’s only been 2 years since I was last here visiting, but trying to make a life and not just exist in a place is a bit different. So maybe that’s my last work in progress. To make a life here. And I don’t think that one will end any time soon.