Creative Writing: Teaching Theory & Practice
ISSN 2040-3356
Creative Writing:Teaching Theory & Practice
Volume 1 Number 1 March 2009 ISSN 2040-3356
Below are six substantial new peer reviewed articles on the theory and practice of Creative Writing pedagogy chosen from those received through the first call for papers. It is hoped that they will stimulate further debate within their respective areas and that articles in answer to them may follow as a result of our call for papers for the second and subsequent generations of this website.
Writing Wrongs pages 1-14
This article looks at the current explosion in creative writing, and attempts to understand its popularity. It also examines the ‘creative writing industry’ which has mushroomed in recent years, while looking at the teaching of the subject in a university setting, and asking whether writing can – and should – be taught, and learned.
Teaching Poetry to Undergraduates: Notes Towards A Pedagogy pages 15-30
This essay looks at the obstacles many students face when attempting to write poetry. It offers teaching ideas that aim to overcome these problems, and encourage the writing of effective verse.
Are Writers Really There When They Are Writing About Their Writing? pages 31-47
If Creative writing in universities needs ‘theory, it doesn’t need reader and text theories created by academic readers for academic readers, but something altogether different ...
The Undergraduate Creative Writing Workshop pages 48-62
Workshoppping in Creative Writing needs to be planned carefully to be successful at undergraduate level. One university describes its practice and discusses the benefits and problems associated with this work.
Finding a Fit: University Writing Courses and the Publishing Sector pages 63-84
Students, universities and publishers often seem to have different expectations of writing courses. How might intellectual, technical and professional imperatives come together to shape writing courses that satisfy these needs?
Trance, Text & The Creative State pages 85-99
This paper aims to explore one aspect of creativity described by many writers, artists, psychologists, neurologists and philosophers - the 'splitting' of consciousness whilst in the state of creative absorption. This creative state essentially 'opens' us to an experience where the subject/object dichotomy inherent in normal consciousness is undermined.
