The practice of creative writing : a guide for students

When it comes to writing, The Practice of Creative Writing has a simple message: you can do this, and it’s worthwhile to try. Designed for students in the introductory course, The Practice of Creative Writing teaches writers how to trust their own voice, experiment with form, and develop a writing process that allows them to spend more productive time at the desk. Rather than locking into one genre early, writers are encouraged to work among and in between genres and to focus on creating a writing practice that privileges close observation, patience, and techniques of pattern, energy, and shape. Heather Sellers, who writes in multiple genres herself, has developed a lively, welcoming, student-centered approach that teaches creative concentration, close reading, and generating pages. She provides opportunities to be playful and to experiment at the same time that she teaches students the importance of discipline, form, and craft. Heather Sellers is a certified online instructor, and The Practice of Creative Writing is designed to be used in traditional face-to-face classrooms or in online education. Each chapter begins with objectives for that module. Prompts and writing practices are carefully sequenced. Every chapter ends with both genre-specific writing projects alongside hybrid and experimental prompts. The readings included in this new edition invite students to experience an even wider range of innovative and new literatures. A new chapter on creative ways to approach revision as a shaping practice engaged throughout the writing process helps students work harder on their writing. About this Book Cover Page Inside Front Cover Title Page Copyright Page Preface for Instructors About the Author Contents Introduction: How Creative Writing Works How The Practice Of Creative Writing Work Asking Generative Questions Part One: Foundations Chapter One: Finding Focus The Mind’s Eye Write What You See Moving Images Subject as Focus Write What You Know Developing Focus The Writing Habit Writing Rituals Flow Lack of Focus Writer’s Block Distraction Procrastination Judgment Writing Projects Readings Chapter Two: Reading as a Writer Tips for Reading as a Writer Be Curious Read Widely Explore Genres, Question Boundaries Embrace Discomfort To Read is to Travel Strategies for Close Reading Read Multiple Times, Take Notes Read Aloud Experiment with Copywork Memorize Annotate Genres: An Overview Hybrids and Experiments Poetry Creative Nonfiction: Memoir and Literary Essay Fiction Drama: Spoken Word, Monologue, Play, and Screenplay Closely Reading Your Own Work Reading Work by Peers Reading to Write Inspiration Imitation Writing Projects Readings Chapter Three: Creating From Components Core Components of Creative Writing Words Metaphor Polarity Genre-Specific Components Components of Narrative: Memoir, Creative Nonfiction, Fiction Components of Poetry Plays Components of Plays Writing Projects Components Workshop Readings Part Two: Strategies Chapter Four: Images The Principles of Images Images Are Active Reading Is Image Viewing Images Are the Opposite of Thought and Feeling Generating Images Creating with Images Focus on People in Action Think from within Images Use Specifics Move Around in Images One Sentence, One Action Summary Images Sliding A Word on Ideas Writing Projects Images Workshop Readings Chapter Five: Energy The Principles of Energy Subject: Focus on What’s Fascinating Leaps: The Energetic Power of Gaps Sparky Word Choices Super-Specifics Filters Manipulating Energy Pace Camera Work Too Much Energy? Troubleshooting Energy Writing Projects Energy Workshop Readings Chapter Six: Tension The Principles of Tension Tension = Yearning + Obstacles Tension, Stakes, and Cause/Effect Maintaining Tension Work with at Least Two Characters/Elements Match Your Opponents Tension in Poetry Manipulating Tension Creating Oppositions Thermostat Control: Adjusting the Temperature Layers: Adding Dimension Façade Writing Projects Tension Workshop Readings Chapter Seven: Pattern Pattern by Ear Rhymes and Other Echoes Word Order Rhythm Pattern by Eye Object Patterns Gesture Patterns Pattern on the Page Writing Projects Pattern Workshop Readings Chapter Eight: Insight Reading for Insight Principles of Insight Accuracy Generosity Practicing Insight Reflect on Your Personal Experience Ask Questions Reverse Expectations Create Deep Context Surprise Yourself Create Subtext Rely on Form Three Pitfalls Writing Projects Insight Workshop Readings Chapter Nine: Shape Principles Of Shape Shaping, Editing, and Proofreading Revision = Seeing Again Shaping by Strategy Additional Techniques For Shaping Your Work Look Closer Work by Hand Be Bold: Let Go Sketch Cut Pitfalls Perfectionism Anxiety and Fear Overwhelm Darlings Shaping A Story: A Writer At Work Letting Go Applying the Wheel of Strategies Getting Feedback Sketching Not Drafting Building a Personal Process Editing And Proofreading Writing projects Shape Workshop Part Three: Forms Chapter Ten: Finding Form Forms: Recipes For Writers Writing in the Genres How to Create with Form A Note on Poetry Creating A Portfolio Of Forms Fourteen Forms Abecedarius Reading the Abecedarius Further Reading Writing an Abecedarius Anaphora Reading Anaphora Further Reading Writing an Anaphora Braid Reading Braids Further Reading Writing a Braid Comics And Graphic Narratives Reading Comics and Graphic Narratives Further Reading Writing a Comic or Graphic Narrative Flash Reading Flash Fiction and Micro-Memoir Further Reading Writing Flash Fiction Writing Micro-Memoir Ghazal Reading Ghazals Further Reading Writing a Ghazal Journey Reading Journeys Further Reading Writing a Journey List Reading Lists Further Reading Writing a List Monologue Reading Monologues Further Reading/Listening Writing a Monologue Pantoum Reading Pantoums Further Reading Writing a Pantoum Play/Screenplay Reading Plays and Screenplays Further Reading Writing a Play Sestina Reading Sestinas Further Reading Writing a Sestina Sonnet Reading Sonnets Further Reading Writing a Sonnet Villanelle Reading Villanelles Further Reading Writing a Villanelle Part Four: The Writing Life Chapter Eleven: Reaching Readers Preparing To Publish Live Readings Attending a Live Reading Giving a Live Reading Literary Magazines: Print And Digital Rely on Guides and Directories Research a Wide Range of Publications Submit Your Work Get Rejected Portfolios And Chapbooks Portfolios Chapbooks Artist Statements Chapter Twelve: Writing Resources Smart Searching Social Media Hashtags Twitter Resources Creativity and Inspiration Images: Seeing More Closely Self-Expression and Personal Writing Literary News The Business of Writing: Agents, Freelancing, Book Proposals, and Publishing Notes Appendix: Terminology for Creative Writers Acknowledgements Index Inside Back Cover Back Cover "When it comes to writing, The Practice of Creative Writing has a simple message: you can do this, and it's worthwhile to try. Designed for students in the introductory course, The Practice of Creative Writing teaches writers how to trust their own voice, experiment with form, and develop a writing process that allows them to spend more productive time at the desk. Rather than locking into one genre early, writers are encouraged to work among and in between genres and to focus on creating a writing practice that privileges close observation, patience, and techniques of pattern, energy, and shape. Each chapter begins with objectives for that module. Prompts and writing practices are carefully sequenced. Every chapter ends with both genre-specific writing projects alongside hybrid and experimental prompts. The readings included in this new edition invite students to experience an even wider range of innovative and new literatures. A new chapter on creative ways to approach revision as a shaping practice engaged throughout the writing process helps students work harder on their writing."-- Publisher description