Let's silence the creative writing course snobs

These days, it is normal for authors to go to writing workshops – or teach them. So why does the idea they produce derivative writers persist?What makes a writer? How do you become one? When I was younger, even asking those questions seemed to disqualify me: a writer isn’t something one becomes, I thought, a writer just is. Despite writing, rewriting and reading all through my 20s, I was no closer to completing, let alone publishing, a novel. I realised I would need help if I was going to succeed, and I applied to several creative writing MAs.This was, depending on who you ask, either a decision that condemned my writing to being forever derivative and tired, or, an important step on the path towards the publication of my first book. The debate about the value of a degree in creative writing has been done, one might think, to death – good writing depends on an innate facility that cannot be taught, versus good writing depends on devoted time, support, and elements of craft that can be studied – yet it continues to rage. This week, a much-lauded debut novel was criticised in a review by an author for its “MA creative writing-speak” and “oh so tediously writing workshop description”. For some, “writing workshop” is shorthand for bad. But why?'One must have in mind between 68 and 73% of the ending' before starting a story, my teacher once advised Related: Buy a cat, stay up late, don't drink: top 10 writers’ tips on writing Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #creative writing #writing workshops #writing workshop #important step

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Let's silence the creative writing course snobs'


Let's silence the creative writing course snobs

These days, it is normal for authors to go to writing workshops – or teach them. So why does the idea they produce derivative writers persist?What makes a writer? How do you become one? When I was younger, even asking those questions seemed to disqualify me: a writer isn’t something one becomes,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative writing #writing workshops #writing workshop #important step


Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books Open Submissions for the 2024 Creative Writing Awards

The awards partnership between Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books will award $60,000 in scholarships. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-18 18:22:57 UTC ]
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Coding and Creative Writing Have More in Common Than You Think

While other future novelists were discussing iambic pentameter and leitmotifs, Gina Chen immersed herself in computer science. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-08-25 09:00:11 UTC ]
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Dangarembga made UEA international chair of creative writing

The University of East Anglia has appointed Booker-shortlisted Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga as its new international chair of creative writing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-28 17:24:43 UTC ]
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Okojie to open Comma's Creative Writing Conference

Irenosen Okojie is to open Comma Press' National Creative Writing Industry Day, which will be held as a week-long online conference this year.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-02 04:57:04 UTC ]
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University of East Anglia launches 50th anniversary creative writing project

The University of East Anglia (UEA) has announced a major strand of its ambitious CW50 anniversary campaign, which celebrates 50 years of creative writing at UEA.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-01 15:44:04 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown Creative launches TV serial writing course

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-04 05:09:41 UTC ]
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Why are we squeezing creative writing out of schools?

Publicist and debut children's author Liz Hyder calls on publishers to be more vocal about the negative impacts of creative writing being sidelined by the current education system. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-08 17:32:31 UTC ]
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Sharlene Teo to deliver National Creative Writing Industry Day keynote

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-01 16:03:30 UTC ]
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In Mona Awad’s ‘Bunny,’ squad goals include Pinkberry, creative writing and murder

“We call them Bunnies because that is what they call each other,” explains Samantha Heather Mackey, the narrator of Mona Awad’s new novel, “Bunny.” “Seriously. Bunny. … Bunny, I love you. I love you, Bunny.” Awad does so many things right in “Bunny,” her follow-up to her 2016 debut novel,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-06-11 15:00:00 UTC ]
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Creative writing is an essential skill for our children, not a nice-to-have

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-21 06:24:35 UTC ]
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ICM Partners join forces with Curtis Brown Creative for writing course

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dear Will… creative writing courses matter more than ever (but not for the reasons you think)

After Will Self lambasted creative writing courses for failing to provide their students with a living, MA Creative Writing course director Julia Bell pens her response. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Creative writing graduates will 'never make a living as novelists', says Self

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Eley Williams keynotes at National Creative Writing Graduate Fair

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aitken Alexander launches creative writing scholarship with Birkbeck

Literary agency Aitken Alexander Associates is to create a new scholarship in Creative Writing for students at Birkbeck, University of London, in a bid to "find and nurture" literary talent from groups underrepresented in publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marina Kemp launches creative writing masterclasses

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[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Society of Authors Scotland to host writing event with Creative Scotland funding

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[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NEA Announces 2017 Creative Writing Fellowships, Grants

The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the recipients of its Creative Writing Fellowships for fiscal year 2017, as well as its grants to nonprofit organizations for literary publishing projects. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Creative writing and Open Access

Academics Susan Greenberg [pictured] and Emma Venables say developments in Open Access may affect the draft novels produced on creative writing courses.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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