The Cambridge Companion to Creative Writing

Creative writing has become a highly professionalised academic discipline, with popular courses and prestigious degree programmes worldwide. This book is a must for all students and teachers of creative writing, indeed for anyone who aspires to be a published writer. It engages with a complex art in an accessible manner, addressing concepts important to the rapidly growing field of creative writing, while maintaining a strong craft emphasis, analysing exemplary models of writing and providing related writing exercises. Written by professional writers and teachers of writing, the chapters deal with specific genres or forms - ranging from the novel to new media - or with significant topics that explore the cutting edge state of creative writing internationally (including creative writing and science, contemporary publishing and new workshop approaches).

This Companion is designed for aspiring writers and teachers of creative writing. It engages with a complex art in an accessible manner, addressing concepts important to the rapidly growing discipline of creative writing, while maintaining a strong craft emphasis, analysing exemplary models of writing and providing related writing exercises.

Foreword: on criticism and creativity Jonathan Bate; 1. Introduction David Morley and Philip Neilsen; Part I. Genres and Types: 2. A writing lesson: the Three Flat Tires and the outer story Ron Carlson; 3. In conversation: a new approach to teaching long fiction Maureen Freely; 4. Genre and speculative fiction Kim Wilkins; 5. Writing drama Michelene Wandor; 6. Poetics and poetry Bronwyn Lea; 7. Travel writing Kári Gislason; 8. Creative writing and new media Hazel Smith; 9. Creative translation Fiona Sampson; 10. Life writing Philip Neilsen; Part II. Topics: 11. Serious play: creative writing and science David Morley; 12. Outside the academy Richard Beard; 13. Contemporary publishing Christopher Hamilton-Emery; 14. Imaginative crossings: transglobal and transcultural narratives Jewell Parker Rhodes; 15. Does that make sense? Approaches to the creative writing workshop A. L. Kennedy; Further reading; Index.

A lively, practical guide to creative writing as discipline and craft, ideal for students and teachers.