Click for Source Image By Pamela Banayoti
The debate for the legitimacy of Creative Writing courses sweeps the internet and newspapers as the course comes under scrutiny. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect, right? The debate exists as to pin point whether Creative Writing courses are useful, or whether writers in themselves have the talent that is able to finish a piece without the aid for a degree that will now cost thousands to pay back.
The debate for the legitimacy of Creative Writing courses sweeps the internet and newspapers as the course comes under scrutiny. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect, right? The debate exists as to pin point whether Creative Writing courses are useful, or whether writers in themselves have the talent that is able to finish a piece without the aid for a degree that will now cost thousands to pay back.
Click for Source Image The trigger to this debate began when Hanif Kureishi, himself a Creative Writing teacher, stated that ‘A lot of my students just can't tell a story. They can write sentences but they don't know how to make a story go from there all the way through to the end without people dying of boredom in between.’ Therefore, the question this poses is a vital one when we take into account the magnificent careers our writers’ possess. Can you teach creative writing? Kureishi doesn’t seem to think so, yet this begs the question as to why he would state such a thing, yet neglect his position as a creative writing teacher. Although hypocrisy is not the main issue here, we are dealing with a suggestion that pokes at the credibility of courses or potential post graduate study that may equip someone with the necessary tools to follow their dreams, accomplish that goal, touch the rainbow. One would agree. Perhaps you may not be able to teach someone how to look at the world, but as Tim Clare points out, practical writing lessons teach the writer about the ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing which in turn allows one to view their work critically, mercilessly cutting and perfecting their art. Thus, we can deduce that the craft of writing is the element that can be taught as with any other skill; certain practices will advance the doer into a higher level of their chosen art.
Can we claim that writers must also be in possession of some talent? Yes, we can claim this. Just as a child may have an ear for music, taking lessons and eventually reaching grade 8 piano, this child would have succeeded in learning to play the instrument. However, this does not mean that a child without an ear for music or rhythm is unable to reach grade 8. The opposite is true, with lessons, practise, diligence and a determination; the child is able to maintain the skill needed to play. While creative writing looks easy, it certainly is not. The power to make language read easy is a skill that could ultimately take years, and so it is not out of place that a writer may undertake a few courses in order to perfect their craft. We learn from each other and each experience aids to another’s perception of the world, which then in turn influences the way someone writes.
The internet is infiltrated with Creative Writing courses, amd daily tips. There are blogs dedicated to aiding a personal writer’s journey. For years, books have been hitting the shelves dealing with everything from starting a short story, to completing a novel, to consulting the directory for all agents and publishers to get your best-seller out there (see Writers and Artists Yearbook for more information). These books are not just encouragement, but helpful and connects us to the wider literary world, of those past and present. We learn from the greats, just as the greats taught us; both through their teaching, and the physical copies of their success. Carver; renowned short story writer, poet, was also a creative writing tutor.
As a post graduate student of Creative Writing myself, I can definitely vouch for the course and all its glories. All my tutors were published authors, poets, or playwrights. The course opened up my eyes to the writing world; a conclusion I never would have necessarily come to on my own. It taught me to take my writing seriously, with the added discipline of writing every day. Creative Writing does not teach you talent. It teaches you how to harness it, nurture it, watch it grow and allows one to develop a strong sense of style, instilling a confidence to communicate what it is one wants to comment one through their writing.
While having an MA in Creative Writing is not a pre-requisite or by any means a sure warrant of success in a precarious publishing world, it does equip, encourage and stimulate a reality for all those wishing to make it as a writer.
Can we claim that writers must also be in possession of some talent? Yes, we can claim this. Just as a child may have an ear for music, taking lessons and eventually reaching grade 8 piano, this child would have succeeded in learning to play the instrument. However, this does not mean that a child without an ear for music or rhythm is unable to reach grade 8. The opposite is true, with lessons, practise, diligence and a determination; the child is able to maintain the skill needed to play. While creative writing looks easy, it certainly is not. The power to make language read easy is a skill that could ultimately take years, and so it is not out of place that a writer may undertake a few courses in order to perfect their craft. We learn from each other and each experience aids to another’s perception of the world, which then in turn influences the way someone writes.
The internet is infiltrated with Creative Writing courses, amd daily tips. There are blogs dedicated to aiding a personal writer’s journey. For years, books have been hitting the shelves dealing with everything from starting a short story, to completing a novel, to consulting the directory for all agents and publishers to get your best-seller out there (see Writers and Artists Yearbook for more information). These books are not just encouragement, but helpful and connects us to the wider literary world, of those past and present. We learn from the greats, just as the greats taught us; both through their teaching, and the physical copies of their success. Carver; renowned short story writer, poet, was also a creative writing tutor.
As a post graduate student of Creative Writing myself, I can definitely vouch for the course and all its glories. All my tutors were published authors, poets, or playwrights. The course opened up my eyes to the writing world; a conclusion I never would have necessarily come to on my own. It taught me to take my writing seriously, with the added discipline of writing every day. Creative Writing does not teach you talent. It teaches you how to harness it, nurture it, watch it grow and allows one to develop a strong sense of style, instilling a confidence to communicate what it is one wants to comment one through their writing.
While having an MA in Creative Writing is not a pre-requisite or by any means a sure warrant of success in a precarious publishing world, it does equip, encourage and stimulate a reality for all those wishing to make it as a writer.
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