Holly has previously worked on Coronation Street and is currently working as a storyliner on Waterloo Road, a role she admits she had never even heard of while at school.

“There’s no right or wrong way in. I’ve worked with loads of different people, all of whom had completely different routes. There are endless different jobs in TV, across all kinds of departments, and it’s always worth being open to them. You never know what you’re going to enjoy, or what you could learn from something you’d never even considered before.”

A storyliner works on continuing dramas such as soaps, and their role sits just before the scriptwriting stage. Storyliners work collaboratively to plan storylines, map out episodes, and develop character arcs across a series before scripts are written.

“I wanted to be a writer, sitting at a desk by myself writing scripts. But I’m currently a storyliner, which is basically the step before script writing. We talk through story ideas, plot out episodes and character arcs, then write an episode storyline in prose for a writer to turn into a script.”

Holly explains that the collaborative nature of the role has been one of the biggest and most enjoyable surprises.

“It’s so much fun. I’ve learnt far more collaborating with other people and thinking about the big picture than I ever would have on my own. I still want to write, but now I kind of want to do it all.”

Getting a Foot in the Door

Holly’s first step into the industry came through applying for the Northern Writers’ Awards while she was still at school. Although she didn’t win, being shortlisted proved crucial.

“I didn’t win, but I was shortlisted, which meant I was invited to a storylining workshop and interview. That led to a couple of weeks of unpaid work experience, which then turned into a paid trial and eventually a year-long contract.”

At that point, Holly made the difficult decision to choose work over university and committed fully to her role.

Setbacks, Rejection and Resilience

Like many creative industries, television is competitive, and Holly is refreshingly honest about the challenges.

“There are a lot of very qualified people going for not many jobs at the moment. I had several interviews I didn’t get. Rejection is part of it.”

Her advice to students is clear:

“Definitely get used to rejection. Don’t be scared of it and don’t let it stop you putting yourself forward. It’s a setback, but that’s all it is.”

What Really Makes a Difference

Holly emphasises that at 18, she didn’t have an impressive list of skills or experience.

“The game changer wasn’t my CV. It was how I made the most of the work experience opportunity once I was there.”

She credits her work ethic, initiative and desire to succeed as the things that stood out.

“I took the initiative, went the extra mile and genuinely cared about doing a good job. That mattered.”

Holly’s Advice for Students

Holly’s advice for our students now is simple - apply for and take advantage of all the opportunities you can! All experience is good experience, and it may just take you in a direction which you didn’t expect, but that’s perfect for you.

“Apply for things. Apply for competitions, but also apply for jobs, even if they’re not exactly what you think you want to do. Be a team player, learn from the people around you, and go above and beyond in whatever role you’re given.”

If you specifically want to work in TV like Holly, she recommends applying for a range of roles and being open to trying whatever you can, as you never know where it might lead. Roles such as researchers, assistant script editors, editorial assistants etc – those kind of jobs are all useful stepping stones, and they’re also really cool and interesting in their own right.

And finally:

“Whatever it is you want to do, do it. Practise. If you want to be a writer, write. Then write some more. It really is the only way to get better.”

We’re incredibly grateful to Holly for sharing her journey so openly. Her story is a brilliant example of how curiosity, resilience and openness to all opportunities can lead to a fulfilling and unexpected career path! We also can’t wait to watch the new series of Waterloo Road, knowing that the storylines were dreamed up by one of our former students.