Teaching Creative Writing in the Twenty-First Century: Addressing All the Genres.

N

27

Creative Writing; Curriculum Development; Drama; Fiction; Higher Education; Playwriting; Poetry; Writing Assignments; Writing for Publication; Writing Instruction; Writing Skills

An argument can be made for an expansion in the creative writing curriculum to cover all genres. The essential principles of writing in all genres, poetry, fiction, drama, TV, and film can be taught, with the positive effect of saving a serious writing student years of stumbling in the dark. A responsible creative writing course of the present and future must be sensitive to serious writing students' needs by preparing them for writing for radio, film, and TV, without ignoring the important, traditional genres. A course could be developed that might not contribute only to upgrading writing in the media but also afford the professionally bent student writer the best preparation by linking the genres, demonstrating, for example, how poetry and film must both move audiences a long distance in a relatively short space of time by shared techniques, such as controlling images, and a powerful, emotional closure. The course offers the more casual student a greater appreciation of writing, while it develops a greater awareness of self and life. Good writing offers the greatest opportunity to communicate trust and the courage to confront, even to initiate, conflict that inspires the change necessary for growth and development. Suggestions for classroom instruction are provided for the genres of fiction, poetry, drama, film and TV. (Twenty references are attached.) (MG)

1991

ED322513