Creative Writing

All writers conduct research. For some this means poring over records and combing, archives but for many creative writers research happens in the everyday world--when they scribble an observation on the subway, when they travel to get the feel for a city, or when they strike up a conversation with an interesting stranger. The Art of Creative Research helps writers take this natural inclination to explore and observe and turn it into a workable--and enjoyable--research plan. It shows that research shouldn't be seen as a dry, plodding aspect of writing. Instead, it's an art that all writers can master, one that unearths surprises and fuels imagination. This lends authenticity to fiction and poetry as well as nonfiction. Philip Gerard distills the process into fundamental questions: How do you conduct research? And what can you do with the information you gather? He covers both in-person research and work in archives and illustrates how the different types of research can be incorporated into stories, poems, and essays using examples from a wide range of writers in addition to those from his own projects. Throughout, Gerard brings knowledge from his seasoned background into play, drawing on his experiences as a reporter and a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. His enthusiasm for adventure is infectious and will inspire writers to step away from the keyboard and into the world. "Research can take you to that golden intersection where the personal meets the public, the private crosses the universal, where the best literature lives," Gerard writes. With his masterly guidance, anyone can become an expert in artful investigation.

Revised and updated throughout, this 10th-anniversary edition of Can Creative Writing Really Be Taught? is a significantly expanded guide to key issues and practices in creative writing teaching today.Challenging the myths of creative writing teaching, experienced and up-and-coming teachers explore what works in the classroom and workshop and what does not. Now brought up-to-date with new issues that have emerged with the explosion of creative writing courses in higher education, the new edition includes:· Guides to and case studies of workshop practice· Discussions on grading and the myth of "the easy A"· Explorations of the relationship between reading and writing· A new chapter on creative writing research· A new chapter on games, fan-fiction and genre writing· New chapters on identity and activism

Jen Webb is Distinguished Professor, Creative Practice, at the University of Canberra. Her research focuses on the politics and social location of art, and on the process and practice of creative writing. Her creative work includes the poetry collection, Proverbs from Sierre Leone (2004, Five Islands Press) and the short story collection, Ways of Getting By (2006, Ginninderra Press).

This is a compelling look at the current state and future direction of creative writing by a preeminent scholar in the field. Explores the practice of creative writing, its place in the world, and its impact on individuals and communities Considers the process of creative writing as an art form and as a mode of communication Examines how new technology, notably the internet and cell phones, is changing the ways in which creative work is undertaken and produced Addresses such topics as writing as a cultural production, the education of a creative writer, the changing nature of communication, and different attitudes to empowerment

A COMPANION TO CREATIVE WRITING A Companion to Creative Writing is a comprehensive collection covering myriad aspects of the practice and profession of creative writing in the contemporary world. The book features contributions from an international cast of creative writers, publishers and editors, critics, translators, literary prize judges, and many other top professionals. Chapters not only consider the practice of creative writing in terms of how it is "done," but also in terms of what occurs in and around creative writing practice. Chapters address a wide range of topics including the writing of poetry and fiction; playwriting and screenwriting; writing for digital media; editing; creative writing and its engagement with language, spirituality, politics, education, and heritage. Other chapters explore the role of literary critics and ideas around authorship, as well as translation and creative writing, the teaching of creative writing, and the histories and character of the marketplace, prizes, awards, and literary events. With its unprecedented breadth of coverage, A Companion to Creative Writing is an indispensable resource for those who are undertaking creative writing, studying creative writing at any level, or considering studying creative writing.

Creative Nonfiction reads like fiction, but stays loyal to the Truth. It's a fine line that Philip Gerard walks in his own work with confidence, style and utter zeal. Here, with the same clarity and passion, Gerard offers instruction and advice to help writers create compelling, unforgettable pieces. -- covers everything from finding an original subject to conducting a stirring interview to working with an editor -- Gerard takes the reader with him on assignment to show, step by step, how one of his own pieces came together -- includes inspiration from some of today's greatest nonfiction writers -- such as Terry Tempest Williams, Annie Dillard, Barry Lopez and Ron Powers

Newly revised and expanded, the sixth edition of this collection features stories, memoir, and poems by award-winning faculty, visiting writers, and alumni of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. An essential guide for novice writers and readers, Show & Tell has wide application in the classroom as well as for personal study, as a point of entry for beginning writers or a useful review for the more experienced."

This book show how by distilling out the elusive ingredients that make a work memorable, one that changes lives.

Taking off from The Creative Writer's Survival Guide, John McNally'srelentlessly blunt, bracingly cheerful, and immensely helpful map to being a writer, Vivid and Continuousis an equally blunt, cheerful, and helpful map to learning to be a writer. While acknowledging that many fine books cover such essentials of fiction writing as point of view, characterization, and setting, McNally sets out in this new book--intended as a supplement to beginning fiction-writing classes or as the sole text for upper-level or graduate courses--to solve the tricky second-tier problems that those books cover only in footnotes. Vivid and Continuous takes its inspiration from John Gardner, whose essential truths in On Becoming a Novelist clarified McNally's goal of communicating a "vivid and continuous dream" with his own writing. In fifteen concise, energizing chapters, he dispenses advice gained from almost thirty years of studying, writing, and teaching. How do you avoid the pitfalls inherent in the most common subjects for stories? How do you create memorable minor characters? What about managing references to pop culture without distracting your readers, revising a story to bring its subtext into focus, or exploring the twenty most common craft-related quirks that lessen immediacy for your readers? How do you keep from overdosing on similes and metaphors or relying on too many flashbacks to provide necessary backstory? How do you learn to listen when your story tries to talk to you? Finally, how can you resist "John McNally's Sure-Fire Formula for Becoming Funnier in 30 Days"? McNally cites many novels and short stories as examples that best illustrate the lessons he wants to impart, the writer's life, or the writer's craft, as well as his own favorite authors' novels and short story collections. Exercises at the end of each chapter reinforce its point and serve as practical catalysts for new writings and directions. Just blunt enough to get your attention but not blunt enough to crush you, challenging but not discouraging, personal but not ego-ridden, snarky but not mean, John McNally will prompt you to think more deeply about a variety of issues that will push you toward writing more meaningful, more accomplished work.