Colors of a Different Horse: Rethinking Creative Writing Theory and Pedagogy
by Wendy Bishop, Hans A. Ostrom
Category: Creative writing

In considering exactly what takes place in creative writing classrooms, this collection of 22 essays reexamines the profession of writing teacher and ponders why certain practices and contexts prevail. The essays and their authors are as follows: "Introduction: Of Radishes and Shadows, Theory and Pedagogy" (Hans Ostrom); (1) "The Workshop and Its Discontents" (Francois Camoin); (2) "Reflections on the Teaching of Creative Writing: A Correspondence" (Eugene Garber and Jan Ramjerdi); (3) "The Body of My Work Is Not Just a Metaphor" (Lynn Domina); (4) "Life in the Trenches: Perspectives from Five Writing Programs" (Ann Turkle and others); (5) "Theory, Creative Writing, and the Impertinence of History" (R. M. Berry); (6) "Teaching Creative Writing if the Shoe Fits" (Katharine Haake); (7) "Pedagogy in Penumbra: Teaching, Writing, and Feminism in the Fiction Workshop" (Gayle Elliott); (8) "Literary Theory and the Writer" (Jay Parini); (9) "Creativity Research and Classroom Practice" (Linda Sarbo and Joseph M. Moxley); (10) "On Seeing the Green Parrot and the Green Salad" (Alice G. Brand); (11) "It Is Ourselves That We Remake: Teaching Creative Writing in Prison" (Diane Kendig); (12) "Voice(s) in Writing: Symphony and/or Cacophony" (Carl Leggo); (13) "Crossing the Lines: On Creative Composition and Composing Creative Writing" (Wendy Bishop); (14) "Voices from the Writing Center: Risky Business/Safe Places" (Julie Neff); (15) "Voices from the Writing Center: Storytelling in the Writing Center" (Beverly Conner); (16) "Voices from the Writing Center: It's Okay To Be Creative--A Role for the Imagination in Basic-Writing Courses" (Lea Masiello); (17) "Oral Literature in the Teaching of Creative Writing" (Maxine Clair); (18) "Without a Net: Collaborative Writing" (Linda Tomol Pennisi and Patrick Lawler); (19) "Reading the Creative Writing Course: The Teacher's Many Selves" (Patrick Bizzaro); (20) "The MFA Graduate as Composition Instructor: A Self-Analysis" (David Starkey); (21) "The End of Books" (Robert Coover); (22) "Riding the Bus in Silicon Valley: Building Virtual Worlds" (Sarah Jane Sloane); and "Afterword--Colors of a Different Horse: On Learning to Like Teaching Creative Writing" (Wendy Bishop). A comprehensive selected bibliography of resources for teaching creative writing is appended. (NKA)