ART OF CREATIVE WRITING

What is the art of creative writing?

Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics. Due to the looseness of the definition, it is possible for writing such as feature stories to be considered creative writing, even though they fall under journalism, because the content of features is specifically focused on narrative and character development. Both fictional and non-fictional works fall into this category, including such forms as novels, biographies, short stories, and poems. In the academic setting, creative writing is typically separated into fiction and poetry classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, as opposed to imitating pre-existing genres such as crime or horror. Writing for the screen and stage—screenwriting and playwriting—are often taught separately, but fit under the creative writing category as well.

Creative writing can technically be considered any writing of original composition. In this sense, creative writing is a more contemporary and process-oriented name for what has been traditionally called literature, including the variety of its genres. In her work, Foundations of Creativity, Mary Lee Marksberry references Paul Witty and Lou LaBrant's Teaching the People's Language to define creative writing. Marksberry notes:

Witty and LaBrant…[say creative writing] is a composition of any type of writing at any time primarily in the service of such needs as

1. the need for keeping records of significant experience,

2. the need for sharing experience with an interested group, and

3. the need for free individual expression which contributes to mental and physical health.[1]

Is writing a form of art?

Not surprisingly, creative writing is most commonly considered an art form. The creative arc of a plot line and narrative voice draws a natural link between this pleasurable pastime and the artistic world. ... While it's easy to see the art in creative writing, it's important to note there is craft as well.

What writing means?

1 : the act or process of one who writes: such as. a : the act or art of forming visible letters or characters specifically : handwriting sense 1. b : the act or practice of literary or musical composition.

2: something written: such as, a: letters or characters that serve as visible signs of ideas, words, or symbols. b: a letter, note, or notice used to communicate or record. c: a written composition. d: inscription 3: a style or form of composition 4: the occupation of a writer especially: the profession of authorship writing on the wall: an omen or sign of one's unpleasant fate No one told him he was going to be fired, but he could see the writing on the wall. [=he could see that he was going to be fired soon]

Examples of writing in a Sentence Writing usually isn't a lucrative career, but it has been very fulfilling for me.

He teaches creative writing at the university.

Few people nowadays care about the art of letter writing.

The novel's plot is okay, but the writing is horrible.

I asked a friend to critique my writing.

Her essay was a wonderful piece of writing.

She has a unique writing style.

Much of the best Japanese writing has not been translated into English.

the writings of Benjamin Franklin

a book of selected writings on moral philosophy

What are the 7 steps of the writing process?

Time in a primary classroom is at a premium: there are so many things to try to fit in. Even under the umbrella of English there is handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation, composition, reading, and more. It’s so difficult to make sure that everything is covered. And there are certain parts of the writing process which are either misunderstood or don’t always get a look in because of time constraints. The 7 stages of the writing process The writing process, according to the EEF’s ​‘Improving Literacy In Key Stage 2’ guidance report, can be broken down into 7 stages: Planning, Drafting, Sharing, Evaluating,Revising, Editing and Publishing. In a recent training session, when I asked a group of school leaders and teachers to write down elements of current practice in their own schools for the teaching of writing, we found that most of the time was spent on planning, drafting and editing. In fact, there were very few examples of how the other stages were being taught. Actually, the stages that are commonly focused on are important. The IES’s practice guide​‘Teaching Elementary School Students To Be Effective Writers’ has this to say about planning: ​“Writing well… is a process that requires that the writer think carefully about the purpose for writing, plan what to say, plan how to say it, and understand what the reader needs to know.” But there is a word that perhaps isn’t always considered at the teachers’ planning stage, a word which is very important when it comes to developing those parts of the writing process that perhaps aren’t being given the time they need. The word is purpose. Audience and purpose When planning a unit of writing, and when children are planning their own writing, a purpose for the writing should be identified. Start with the end point in mind is a useful maxim. Teachers should be asking themselves: What will children write? What is the intended purpose of their writing? Who is the intended audience for their writing? Identifying a motivating audience and purpose is the key to good writing – knowing what the publishing stage is going to look like will inform all the other elements of writing process. And when it comes to identifying audience and purpose, be creative, don’t rely on same things all he time and try to make it real as possible. Writing: from modelling to independence “Teachers can help students become effective writers by teaching a variety of strategies for carrying out each component of the writing process and by supporting students in applying the strategies until they are able to do so independently. (Page12, Teaching Elementary School Students To Be Effective Writers) The best way to teach writing is to model it. During the planning process, once the audience and purpose has been identified, teachers should decide what the finished piece of writing should look like – the one that children will complete at the Publishing stage. There are multiple benefits to teachers then completing the task themselves, going through the writing process themselves to come up with a final piece: the writing can serve as an example (or a WAGOLL) which children can refer to and the process of writing it is a great insight into the potential difficulties children might have when writing – it’s not easy! Teachers, having completed the task themselves, will then be better prepared for another staple of writing teaching: live modelling. Live modelling takes a bit of practice and a healthy amount of confidence but it is an absolute must – teachers shouldn’t expect good writing if they haven’t modelled it. During live modelling it is very useful for the children if teachers think aloud about how to write: Am I using the best word here? Could I rewrite that in fewer words? What impression will this phrase give? The I/​We/​You sequence is a useful model for teaching writing:

• I – teacher models how to do it

• We – teacher leads guided/​shared session with children

• You – children complete own example

The ​‘I’ stage is often missed out during live modelling as teachers too quickly take ideas from the children. It’s often a result of teachers asking questions of themselves out loud – children naturally want to answer them and contribute with their own ideas. Teachers should take time to just write in front of the children without their input before moving on to a shared piece. But, it is not just the drafting stage of the writing process that should be modelled: all stages should be modelled, preferably using the I/​We/​You approach. Have children been shown how to plan? Has this come from deconstructing an existing text? Have teachers developed routines for sharing so that it isn’t hectic? Do children know who they can share with and get feedback from? Have children been shown how to edit using some anonymised work or a deliberately written bad example? Has the teacher created an example of the final published piece to share? Too often we expect children to become independent in tasks without showing them how to become independent. The EEF guidance report advocates a gradual release of responsibility which can be applied to each stage of the writing process:

1. an explicit description of the strategy and when and how it should be used;

2. modelling of the strategy in action by teachers and/​or pupils;

3. collaborative use of the strategy in action;

4. guided practice using the strategy with gradual release of responsibility; and

5. independent use of the strategy.

The Evaluating stage Without knowledge of who the audience are and what the purpose of the writing is, children (and teachers) will have very little to evaluate the writing against. It will be possible to evaluate it in terms of spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting, but not in terms of its composition,structure and overall effectiveness as a piece of writing. In order to make the evaluating stage easier for children they need to have developed a set of goals in the planning stage. These goals should guide them at each stage but care should be taken that these goals don’t become just a box ticking, writing-by-numbers activity. The evaluating stage is the gateway to the sharing stage when peers and adults will also use the same set of goals to evaluate the work they are having shared with them. When modelling the evaluating stage teachers are actually giving children writing-specific strategies for self-regulation and metacognition (see EEF’s Metacognition and Self-Regulation guidance report for more). Children should be shown how to read their work, and the work of others,critically, asking themselves such as questions as: Is there enough detail? Do I say too much? Is it clear or confusing? DidI miss bits out? The Revising stage The most important thing for teachers and children to remember at this stage is that it is totally different to editing. The EEF’s guidance report summarises revising as ​‘making changes to the content of writing in light of feedback and self-evaluation’ whereas editing is ​‘making changes to ensure the text is accurate and coherent’. The report clarifies editing by saying that ​‘at this stage, spelling and grammar assume greater importance and pupils will need to recognise that their work will need to be accurate if readers are to engage with it and extract the intended information from it.’ Revisions should be made to work to ensure that it is achieving the goals set at the beginning of the writing sequence – the audience and purpose should be taken into consideration. This stage should be what the children are naturally read for as the next step after evaluating and sharing their work. Remember that in order to revise their work successfully children will also need to have received feedback from the teacher on their planning and their first draft. The children should once again be asking the kinds of questions they asked of themselves in the Evaluating stage but this time they should be acting upon their evaluations by making changes and additions to their work. It is worth explicitly modelling how children might go about making changes and additions to their work, for example, using numbered stars and then writing the revised parts at the end of the draft. Schools could develop a‘house style’ to ensure consistency and no confusion. Flexible use of the stages of the writing process When writers are fluent in the seven stages of the writing process they will find that they flit back and forth between the different stages. This too can be modelled and signposted to children as teachers require them to complete different tasks during the teaching sequence that leads up to the final piece of writing. ‘The writing process is the means through which a writer composes text. Writing is not a linear process, like following a recipe to bake a cake. It is flexible; writers should learn to move easily back and forth between components of the writing process, often altering their plans and revising their text along the way.’(Page 14, Teaching Elementary School Students To Be Effective Writers) The flexibility and fluidity is exemplified below (taken from Teaching Elementary School Students To Be Effective Writers): In summary

• Set a clear purpose and audience before beginning the writing process;

• Teachers complete the task themselves;

• Allow children to work at each of the seven stages of the writing process as they work towards a final piece;

• Model each of the seven stages to the children using the I/​We/​You approach at each stage; and

• Evaluate,share and revise by checking the writing fulfils its purpose.

Contents

• 1 In academia

  • 1.1 Programs of study

• 2 In the classroom

  • 2.1 Controversy in academia

• 3 In Prisons

• 4 Elements

• 5 Forms and genres of literature

• 6 See also

• 7 References

• 8 Further reading

• 9 External links

In academia [edit]

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Unlike its academic counterpart of writing classes that teach students to compose work based on the rules of the language, creative writing is believed to focus on students’ self-expression.[2] While creative writing as an educational subject is often available at some stages, if not throughout, K–12 education, perhaps the most refined form of creative writing as an educational focus is in universities. Following a reworking of university education in the post-war era, creative writing has progressively gained prominence in the university setting. In the UK, the first formal creative writing program was established as a Master of Arts degree at the University of East Anglia in 1970 [3] by the novelists Malcolm Bradbury and Angus Wilson. With the beginning of formal creative writing programs:

For the first time in the sad and enchanting history of literature, for the first time in the glorious and dreadful history of the world, the writer was welcome in the academic place. If the mind could be honored there, why not the imagination?[4]

Programs of study [edit]

Creative Writing programs are typically available to writers from the high school level all the way through graduate school/university and adult education. Traditionally these programs are associated with the English departments in the respective schools, but this notion has been challenged in recent time as more creative writing programs have spun off into their own department. Most Creative Writing degrees for undergraduates in college are Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees (BFA).[citation needed] Some continue to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, the terminal degree in the field. At one time rare, PhD. programs are becoming more prevalent in the field, as more writers attempt to bridge the gap between academic study and artistic pursuit.

Creative writers typically decide an emphasis in either fiction or poetry, and they usually start with short stories or simple poems.[citation needed] They then make a schedule based on this emphasis including literature classes, education classes and workshop classes to strengthen their skills and techniques. Though they have their own programs of study in the fields of film and theatre, screenwriting and playwriting have become more popular in creative writing programs, since creative writing programs attempt to work more closely with film and theatre programs as well as English programs. Creative writing students are encouraged to get involved in extracurricular writing-based activities, such as publishing clubs, school-based literary magazines or newspapers, writing contests, writing colonies or conventions, and extended education classes.

In the classroom [edit]

Creative writing is usually taught in a workshop format rather than seminar style. In workshops, students usually submit original work for peer critique. Students also format a writing method through the process of writing and re-writing. Some courses teach the means to exploit or access latent creativity or more technical issues such as editing, structural techniques, genres, random idea generating or unblocking writer's block . Some noted authors, such as Michael Chabon, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, Kevin Brockmeier, Ian McEwan, Karl Kirchwey,[5] Dame Rose Tremain and reputed screenwriters, such as David Benioff, Darren Star and Peter Farrelly, have graduated from university creative writing programs.

Controversy in academia [edit]

Creative writing is considered by some academics (mostly in the USA) to be an extension of the English discipline, even though it is taught around the world in many languages. The English discipline is traditionally seen as the critical study of literary forms, not the creation of literary forms. Some academics see creative writing as a challenge to this tradition. In the UK and Australia, as well as increasingly in the US and the rest of the world, creative writing is considered a discipline in its own right, not an offshoot of any other discipline.

To say that the creative has no part in education is to argue that a university is not universal.[6]

Those who support creative writing programs either as part or separate from the English discipline, argue for the academic worth of the creative writing experience. They argue that creative writing hones the students’ abilities to clearly express their thoughts and that creative writing entails an in-depth study of literary terms and mechanisms so they can be applied to the writer's work to foster improvement. These critical analysis skills are further used in other literary studies outside the creative writing sphere. Indeed, the process of creative writing, the crafting of a thought-out and original piece, is considered by some to constitute experience in creative problem-solving.

Despite a large number of academic creative writing programs throughout the world, many people argue that creative writing cannot be taught. Essayist Louis Menand explores the issue in an article for the New Yorker in which he quotes Kay Boyle, the director of the creative writing program at San Francisco State University for sixteen years, who said, “all creative-writing programs ought to be abolished by law.”[7] Contemporary discussions of creative writing at the university level vary widely; some people value MFA programs and regard them with great respect, whereas many MFA candidates and hopefuls lament their chosen programs' lack of both diversity and genre awareness.

In Prisons [edit]

In the late 1960s, American prisons began implementing creative writing programs due to the prisoner rights movement that stemmed from events such as the Attica Prison riot.[8] The creative writing programs are among many art programs that aim to benefit prisoners during and after their time in prison. Programs such as these provide education, structure, and a creative outlet to encourage rehabilitation. These programs' continuation relies heavily on volunteers and outside financial support from sources such as authors and activist groups.[9]

The Poets Playwrights Essayists Editors and Novelists, known as PEN, were among the most significant contributors to creative writing programs in America. In 1971, PEN established the Prison Writing Committee to implement and advocate for creative writing programs in prisons throughout the U.S. The PEN Writing Committee improved prison libraries, inspired volunteer writers to teach prisoners, persuaded authors to host workshops, and founded an annual literary competition for prisoners. Workshops and classes help prisoners build self-esteem, make healthy social connections, and learn new skills, which can ease prisoner reentry.[10]

Creative writing programs offered in juvenile correction facilities have also proved beneficial. In Alabama, Writing Our Stories began in 1997 as an anti-violence initiative to encourage positive self-expression among incarcerated youths. The program found that the participants gained confidence, the ability to empathize and see their peers in a more positive light, and motivation to want to return to society and live a more productive life.[11]

One California study of prison fine arts programs found art education increased emotional control and decreased disciplinary reports. Participation in creative writing and other art programs result in significant positive outcomes for the inmates' mental health, relationship with their families, and the facility's environment. The study evidenced improved writing skills enhanced one's ability in other academic areas of study, portraying writing as a fundamental tool for building one's intellect.[12] Teaching prisoners creative writing can encourage literacy, teach necessary life skills, and provide prisoners with an outlet to express regret, accountability, responsibility, and a kind of restorative justice.[13]

Elements [edit]

• Action

• Character

• Conflict

• Dialogue

• Genre

• Narration

• Pace

• Plot

• Point of View

• Scene

• Setting

• Style

• Suspense

• Theme and Motif

• Tone

• Voice

Forms and genres of literature [edit]

• Autobiography/Memoir

• Creative non-fiction (Personal & Journalistic Essays)

• Children's books

• Drama

• Epic

• Flash fiction

• Graphic novels/Comics

• Novel

• Novella

• Play

• Poetry

• Screenplay

• Short story

• Dialogues

• Blogs

References [edit]

1. ^ Marksberry, Mary Lee. Foundation of Creativity. Harper's Series on Teaching. (New York ; London: Harper & Row, 1963), 39.

2. ^ Johnson, Burges and Syracuse University. "Creative Writing", 3.

3. ^ "Creative Writing - UEA". www.uea.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-14.

4. ^ Engle, Paul (1999). "The Writer and the Place". In Dana, Robert (ed.). A Community of Writers: Paul Engle and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. p. 2. ISBN 0-87745-668-2.

5. ^ John Swansburg (April 29, 2001). "At Yale, Lessons in Writing and in Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2010-10-15. Karl Kirchwey, who graduated from Yale in 1979, recently became the director of creative writing at Bryn Mawr College, after having run the Unterberg Poetry Center at the 92nd Street Y for over a decade.

6. ^ Engle, Paul (1999). "The Writer and the Place". In Dana, Robert (ed.). A Community of Writers: Paul Engle and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. p. 3. ISBN 0-87745-668-2.

7. ^ Menand, Louis (June 8, 2009). "Show or Tell - Should Creative Writing be Taught?". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on August 30, 2009.

8. ^ Encyclopedia of prisons & correctional facilities. Bosworth, Mary. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. 2005. ISBN 0-7619-2731-X. OCLC 56608161.

9. ^ Encyclopedia of prisons & correctional facilities. Bosworth, Mary. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. 2005. ISBN 0-7619-2731-X. OCLC 56608161.

10. ^ Encyclopedia of prisons & correctional facilities. Bosworth, Mary. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. 2005. ISBN 0-7619-2731-X. OCLC 56608161.

11. ^ "Autobardolatry:", The Program Era, Harvard University Press, pp. 77–126, 2009-08-30, ISBN 978-0-674-05424-0, retrieved 2020-11-06

12. ^ Lahm, Karen F. (2007-12-04). "Inmate-On-Inmate Assault". Criminal Justice and Behavior. 35 (1): 120–137. doi:10.1177/0093854807308730. ISSN 0093-8548.

13. ^ Appleman, Deborah (2013). "Teaching in the Dark: The Promise and Pedagogy of Creative Writing in Prison". The English Journal. 102 (4): 24–30. ISSN 0013-8274.

Further reading [edit]

• Brewer, R. L., ed. (2013). 2014 Writer's Market. Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books.

• Cox, M. (2010). A Dictionary of Writers and Their Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Everett, Nick (2005). "Creative Writing and English". The Cambridge Quarterly. 34 (3): 231–242. doi:10.1093/camqtly/bfi026.

• Fenza, D. (2004). The AWP Official Guide To Writing Programs. Fairfax, Va: Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

• McGurl, Mark (2009). The Program Era: Postwar Fiction and the Rise of Creative Writing. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-67-403319-1.

• Mitchell, S (2020). "Writing the Way to Regeneration: How the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop (MPWW) is instilling hope in incarcerated inmates". Corrections Today. 82 (2): 44–47.

• Myers, D. G. (2006). The Elephants Teach: Creative Writing since 1880. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

• Palmer, A. J. (2010). Writing and Imagery - How to Deepen Your Creativity and Improve Your Writing. Aber Books. Republished as Writing and Imagery - How to Avoid Writer's Block (How to Become an Author). Aber Books. 2013.

• Roy, Pinaki (2014). "Reflections on the Art of Producing Travelogues". In Mullick, S. (ed.). Images of Life: Creative and Other Forms of Writing. Kolkata: The Book World. pp. 111–129. ISBN 978-93-81231-03-6.

External links [edit]

Wikiversity has learning resources about Collaborative play writing

• Creative Writing Guide - The University of Vermont

• Writing in the disciplines: Creative Writing - Kelsey Shields, Writing Center, University of Richmond