Essential Background: Creative Writing
What is Creative Writing?
- Creative writing, in general, is defined as people creating their own works
- These works are typically defined as works of fiction, poetry, drama, etc.
- Used to create a variety of media, including advertisements, plays, magazines, movies, television scripts, blogs, books, etc.
- Extremely versatile medium that offers a lot of freedom and options for potential writers
- Creative writing, in general, is defined as people creating their own works
- These works are typically defined as works of fiction, poetry, drama, etc.
- Used to create a variety of media, including advertisements, plays, magazines, movies, television scripts, blogs, books, etc.
- Extremely versatile medium that offers a lot of freedom and options for potential writers
Importance of Writing
- Helps college graduates find good, well-paying jobs in the future (writing reports or proposals for a business, writing speeches if involved in politics or public relations, etc.) - Helps citizens participate in civic life - Opens up many jobs to people who can effectively use creative writing |
Decrease in Writing Ability
- Majority of children not at expected writing level for their age - Half of all high school graduates are unprepared for college level writing - Effects can cost businesses billions as they pay for writing remediation - Laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act and Common Core partially to blame, as they focus more on standardized testing than learning to write effectively |
Neglect of Creative Writing
- Especially neglected in English classrooms, which focus more on essay writing
- If taught at all, usually taught as an elective or a unit
- Many teachers see creative writing as an important skill, but do not teach it often
- Many objections to teaching creative writing -- belief that those who take course want to be writers, that they might struggle to earn a job, and that creative writing should not be taught as an academic course
- Especially neglected in English classrooms, which focus more on essay writing
- If taught at all, usually taught as an elective or a unit
- Many teachers see creative writing as an important skill, but do not teach it often
- Many objections to teaching creative writing -- belief that those who take course want to be writers, that they might struggle to earn a job, and that creative writing should not be taught as an academic course