Rethinking Creative Writing

Rethinking Creative Writing

by

Stephanie Vanderslice

“ Thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and [an] altogether important book”- Erika Dreifus in Practicing Writing

“A brave, serious, passionate and entertaining book”- Dr Steve May, Head of Department

of Creative Writing, Bath Spa University

Abstract

Creative writing as a discipline is a victim of its own success. The discipline needs now to demythogize and revitalize itself. Undergraduate and graduate programs need to be further differentiated. Programs over-reliant on the traditional creative writing workshop, with its focus on craft and on building community, are ill equipped to prepare students for the new realities of the creative economy

Programs need not only to improve the workshop experience of students, but also employ a more diverse, outward-looking, outcomes-oriented pedagogy and to make a more direct contribution to the development of a literate society. Much can be learnt from good practice - including distinctive and visionary programs - developed on both sides of the Atlantic and in Australia.

Key terms

Creative writing

Literacy

Pedagogy

Programs

Reflective

Reform

Teaching

Visionary

Workshop

ContentsForeword by Dr Steve May Chapter One: Creative Writing in Higher Education: Reflection, Innovation, AccountabilityNotes from the Field: Storming the Garret Chapter Two: Undergraduate Creative Writing ProgramsNotes from the Field: Grasping Ariadne’s Thread: Wendy Bishop’s Stories and My Own Chapter Three: Graduate Creative Writing Programs: Creative Writing Comes of AgeNotes from the Field: Once More to the Workshop: A Myth Caught in Time Chapter Four: Workshopping the WorkshopNotes from the Field: A Place to Start Chapter Five: Creative Writing Programs in the WorldAfterword: Looking Inward and Outward Appendix

Stephanie Vanderslice

Associate Professor of Writing, University of Central Arkansas and co-editor of Can It Really Be Taught?: Resisting Lore in Creative Writing Pedagogy (Heinemann).

Creative Writing Studies:forthcoming titles in the series

Teaching creative writing by Elaine Walker (ed.)

Creative writing: writers on writing by Amal Chatterjee (ed.)

Researching creative writing by Jen Webb

Studying creative writing by Sharon Norris (ed.)

Bibliographical dataPublication date: 2012

(print), 2011 (e-book)Imprint: Creative

Writing StudiesPlace of publication:

Ely (UK)Classification: Dewey

no. 808; BISAC subject code LAN005000; BIC subject category CBV

ISBNs:• ePub edition: 978-

1-907076-10-7 • PDF edition: 978-1-

907076-18-3 • Hardback: 978-1-

907076-13-8• Softback: 978-1-

907076-31-2

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Acquire translation rightsEnquiries concerning acquisition of

translation rights should be addressed to our rights representatives, Harriman House: www.harrimanhouse.com ; foreign.rights@harriman-house.com .

The imprint: Creative Writing Studies

The publisher: The Professional and Higher Partnership Ltd