A lesson in teaching writing

cobsie

Here's a link to a good article in the Guardian on the question of whether creative writing can really be taught.

The author suggests a series of classic and modern books that can be taken as examples of the most important elements of creative writing, under such headings as 'narrative economy', 'pace', 'dialogue', etc.

I thought it was a really good primer, Anyway, I definitely subscribe to the theory that 'if you want to write, read.'


http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/21/teaching-creative-writing-classic-fiction

jackthelad321

cobsie wrote: »

Here's a link to a good article in the Guardian on the question of whether creative writing can really be taught.

The author suggests a series of classic and modern books that can be taken as examples of the most important elements of creative writing, under such headings as 'narrative economy', 'pace', 'dialogue', etc.

I thought it was a really good primer, Anyway, I definitely subscribe to the theory that 'if you want to write, read.'


http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/21/teaching-creative-writing-classic-fiction

aboy the Cobsie.

kickarykee

I believe that you can learn to do all arts but you can not learn to master any of them.
Take drawing. You can learn all the techniques and facts about perspective and so on without the talent for choosing the right colours, motives and what not the drawings will never truely touch people.

I guess it's the same with writing - you can write stories, anyone can, but only a few manage to write stories that really touch people and stay in their memories and hearts even years after they've read them.

bigsmokewriting

You absolutely need to read. Also need to know what to look for when you're reading, which is where classes can come in handy - at least part of any introductory writing class should include getting people to think 'like a writer' when they're reading!

cobsie

I agree...there's a great line in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues where the aspiring writer Eugene asks his nerdy friend Arnold what he should read if he wants to be a great writer. Arnold deadpans "The entire second floor of the New York Public Library."

That always stayed with me