It's all about perspective isn't it? For instance, to those of you from Ohio, this constant down pouring of white, fluffy hell must seem pretty mild and normal for the time of year, while to me, it feels like I've moved to a hostile, alien environment that I have to navigate without the aid of sidewalks. This difference in our perspective also impacts how we view writing.
As I read Menand's Show or Tell (The New Yorker, June 8 & 15, 2009), my thoughts meandered around wildly. The first problem I had with this article was with the term "creative writing". I've used the phrase for years, but as I think of it now, isn't all writing creative? Anything I write comes from my unique mind and is, therefore, creative. As I write this blog, I am creatively writing. So who defines "good" creative writing? As an aside, week-by-week I've come to the conclusion that "good" is possibly the most ambiguous word in the English language!
Reading on, I began to consider whether writing is an art or a craft, or indeed both, and whether "good" writing is a skill or a gift; your perspective on these questions will effect the way you teach writing. On page 111 Menand explains that "what is usually said is that you can't teach inspiration, but you can teach craft" (p. 111), and I agree with this. You really can't teach someone to be creative, but you can teach people different ways of writing so they have a larger writing repertoire.
While Menand then goes on to argue that craft has changed dramatically over the years, and "there is no 'craft of fiction' as such", I do believe that learning to write in different genres, using different techniques, and developing the craft of writing can help people to develop as writers. I was asked recently how I developed my own "voice" in writing, and as I wondered about this, I concluded it was simply through practice. If I don't write for a long time, I forget how to write effectively and my "voice" gets more than a little hoarse (as with today's posting I fear!).
One other idea from this article really stood out for me, and that was that "teachers are the books that students read most closely..." (p. 112).
If we consider teachers as books to be read by students it can inform our work as writing teachers at all levels of education. A teacher with a passion for writing is often more effective than one who has no love for the subject. With this comment, Menand reminds us that we each may not be the best writers of fiction, or we may not have the time to write much outside of making shopping lists and lesson plans, but we should still strive to write regularly in order to keep our creative and writing muscles flexed. If we can model a passion for writing (most easily done by actually writing), then when our students "read" us, they will hopefully alter their perspective on writing and endeavour to become better writers themselves in one form or another.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Couldn't agree with you more :-) I guess I use the term 'creative' writing to separate the writing of fiction and poetry from that of exposition. There is the term 'creative' nonfiction that is so popular now as opposed to the dry and hackneyed formal expository writing of the past using the impersonal objective 'one would think,' blah...blah...blah..., in which you could not use personal pronouns. My 24 year old daughter was actually taught to write in that old-fashioned way and it bothered me to no end!
ReplyDeleteI believe that creativity can be taught to some extent. That is why I teach prewriting activities. Brainstorming can help students open their minds to new possibilities and to new perspectives. Hopefully, this is an exercise that stretches them to think outside the box. I do agree that in putting it altogether, creative writing does emerge. However, the enigma of what "good" means remains. I guess it would be in the eyes of the reader. I recently read that writing is not good unless it elicits a response! Guess your writing is good!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point that "you really can't teach someone to be creative, but you can teach people different ways of writing so they have a larger writing repertoire," and I think that teaching people the different forms writing takes is a good way to encourage...or create a space for creativity to flow into this world. However, I feel that is just one piece of the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking off the top of my head here...but for me, at least two other components are needed as well: risk taking and experimentation. Let me draw from my art background for a moment to give an example. I can show someone tons of techniques for printmaking and show them a very, very long history of different ways printmakers have tackled the issue of printing. But, the environment I create as an instructor MUST allow the creator to take charge of ideas. As an artist, I find myself brimming with creativity, imagination, and inspiration when I'm in an environment that allows me to experience the processing of doing that includes taking risks as well as experimenting with ideas and techniques.