Creative Writing: Can it/Should it be Taught?

(From: Lodge, D. (199 ! The Practice of Writing. "ardmon#$orth: %enguin! &n '(ril 199) the *o+al So,iet+ o- Literature held a one.da+ #eminar on the #ub/e,t, 0Creative Writing.,an it be taught?1 The idea -or the event originall+ ,ame -rom "ilar+ 2antel, and it $a# ,haired b+ 1 D. 3ame#. The audien,e ,on#i#ted o- a mi4ture o- $riter#, a#(irant $riter# and tea,her# o- $riting Thi# $a# m+ ,ontribution (#lightl+ e4(anded here! to the o(ening (anel di#,u##ion.

CREATIVE WRITING
1 1 7ou told me earlier $hat & $a# doing $rong. & under#tand that, & thin8. 6o$ & $ant to 8no$ ho$ to do it right.
%5667

L59 (slowly) 7ou $ant me to tell +ou ho$ to (rodu,e literar+ $or8# o- enduring value?
%5667 %lea#e. L59 #ha8e# hi# head. %5667 & 8no$ it:# not L59

a #im(le matter.

7ou bet +our #$eet . bet +our li-e it i#n:t. ;ut +ou are a tea,her o- ,reative $riting. & o--er ,riti,i#m. What m+ #tudent# do $ith it i# u( to them.

%5667 L59

The, Writing Game, ',t & S,ene )

"o$ doe# one be,ome a $riter? 9ne thing i# ,ertain: nobod+ ever $rote a boo8 $ithout having read at lea#t one . and more (robabl+ hundred# . o- a((ro4imatel+ the #ame 8ind. 2o#t $riter#, $hether the+ ta8e ,our#e# in ,reative $riting or not, are 8i,8.#tarted . that i#, the+ begin b+ imitating and emulating the literature that give# them the bigge#t 8i,8#. The (lea#ure and the enhan,ed #en#e o- realit+ that +ou get -rom reading give# +ou the urge to tr+ and (rodu,e that e--e,t on other#. 'nd it i# -rom reading that +ou a,<uire ba#i, 8no$ledge o- the #tru,tural and rhetori,al devi,e# that belong to a (arti,ular genre or -orm o- $riting. To a large e4tent thi# learning (ro,e## i# intuitive and un,on#,iou#, li8e learning the mother tongue. Three $riter# $ho & believe had a -ormative in-luen,e on me $hen & #tarted to tr+ and $rite (ro#e -i,tion $ere 3ame# 3o+,e, =raham =reene and 5vel+n Waugh. 6o doubt the -a,t that all three $ere Catholi,#, and $rote, in ver+ di--erent $a+#, about Catholi, #ub/e,t#, $a# one rea#on $h+ & $a# dra$n to their $or8 in late adole#,en,e, -or & $a# brought u( in that -aith 1 > T"5 %*'CT&C5 9F W*&T&6= m+#el-. & al#o read them a# a #tudent o- modern 5ngli#h Literature, $ith e4am# to (a## and degree# to get. ;ut -rom m+ immer#ion in their $or8 & ab#orbed man+ le##on#

about the te,hni<ue# o- -i,tion, #ome o- $hi,h & did not (ut into (ra,ti,e until man+ +ear# later. For e4am(le: -rom =reene, ho$ to u#e a -e$ #ele,ted detail#, heightened b+ meta(hor and #imile, to evo8e ,hara,ter or the #en#e o- (la,e? -rom Waugh, ho$ to generate ,omed+ b+ a ,ombination o- logi, and #ur(ri#e, o- the -amiliar and the in,ongruou#? -rom 3o+,e, ho$ to ma8e a modern #tor+ re.ena,t, e,ho or (arod+ a m+thi,al or literar+ (re,ur#or.narrative. & learned man+ other thing# -rom the#e $riter# a# $ell . above all, & $ould li8e to thin8, a ,ra-t#manli8e a((roa,h to the bu#ine## o- $riting, a $illingne## to ta8e (ain#, a ,ommitment to ma8ing the $or8 a# good a# +ou ,an (o##ibl+ ma8e it. . Can #u,h thing# be taught, #+#temati,all+, rather than (er#onall+ di#,overed and intuitivel+ a##imilated? "enr+ 3ame# thought the+ ,ouldn:t, and #aid #o in a -amou# e##a+ ,alled 0The 'rt o- Fi,tion1. Thi# $a# $ritten in 1@@A a# a ri(o#te to a le,ture $ith the #ame title, delivered in that +ear to the *o+al &n#titution b+ Walter ;e#ant. 5ver+bod+ intere#ted in the #ub/e,t 8no$# 3ame#:# e##a+, but not man+ have read the te4t $hi,h (rovo8ed it, -or it i# <uite di--i,ult to obtain. ;e#ant $a# a (roli-i, and ver#atile man o- letter#, t+(i,all+ Bi,torian in hi# energ+ and indu#tr+. "e boa#ted ohaving $ritten 1@ novel# in 1@ +ear#, and al#o $rote on and tran#lated Fren,h literature, and (ubli#hed boo8# and /ournali#m on man+ other #ub/e,t#. "e $a# a tirele## (hilanthro(i#t, and a 8e+ -igure in the (ro-e##ionaliCation o- author#hi( in the late nineteenth ,entur+. &n the #ame +ear that he (ubli#hed hi# 0'rt o- Fi,tion1, ;e#ant -ounded the So,iet+ o- 'uthor#, and it i# ,lear in retro#(e,t that the le,ture $a# (art ohi# mi##ion to rai#e the (ro-e##ional #tatu# o- $riter#. "e begin# b+ arguing that noveli#t# are not ta8en #eriou#l+ a# arti#t# be,au#e, unli8e (ainter#, #,ul(tor# and mu#i,ian#, the+ re,eive no national honour# and a$ard#, the+ 0hold no annual e4hibition#, dinner# or ,onver#aCione? the+ (ut no letter# a-ter their name? the+ have no 0%re#ident or ',adem+1, and the+ do not attem(t to tea,h their art to a#(irant (ra,tioner#:

CREATIVE WRITING 1 D "o$ ,an that be an 'rt . . . $hi,h ha# no le,turer# or tea,her#, no #,hool or ,ollege or ',adem+, no re,ogniCed rule#, no te4t.boo8#, and i# not taught in an+ Eniver#it+? 5ven =erman univer#itie#, $hi,h tea,h ever+thing el#e, do not have %ro-e##or# o- -i,tion, and not one #ingle noveli#t, #o -ar a# & 8no$, ha# ever (retended to tea,h hi# m+#ter+. 'll the#e thing# have ,ome to (a##, -or good or ill, and ;e#ant ,an ta8e #ome o- the ,redit -or that. Certainl+, i- an+one de#erve# the title 0Father o- Creative Writing Cour#e#1 it i# he. To t+ro# $ho lightl+ a##ume that 0an+one ,an $rite a novel,1 he #ternl+ re,ommend# 0that -rom the ver+ beginning their mind# #hould be -ull+ (o##e##ed $ith the 8no$ledge that Fi,tion i# an 'rt, and, li8e all other 'rt#, that it i# governed b+ ,ertain la$#, method# and rule#, $hi,h it i# their -ir#t bu#ine## to learn.1 "enr+ 3ame# $el,omed ;e#ant:# in#i#ten,e that the novel i# a $or8 o- art, $hi,h might be anal+#ed and di#,u##ed, ,ountera,ting the 0,om-ortable good.humoured -eeling1 more ,ommon in 5ngland, that 0a novel i# a novel a# a (udding i# a (udding, and that our onl+ bu#ine##FWith it ,ould be to #$allo$ it.1 9n the other hand he $a#

#,e(ti,al o- ;e#ant:# ,laim that 0the la$# o- -i,tion ma+ be laid do$n and taught $ith a# mu,h (re,i#ion a# the la$# o- harmon+, (er#(e,tive, and (ro(ortion1: The (ainter is able to tea,h the rudiment# o- hi# (ra,ti,e and it i# (o##ible, -rom the #tud+ o- good $or8 (granted the a(titude!, both to learn ho$ to (aint and ho$ to $rite. 7et it remain# true . . . that the literar+ arti#t $ould be obliged to #a+ to hi# (u(il mu,h more than the other, 0'h $ell, +ou mu#t do it a# +ou ,anG1 &- there are e4a,t #,ien,e#, there are al#o e4a,t art#, and the grammar o- (ainting i# #o mu,h more de-inite that it ma8e# the di--eren,e. The e##en,e o- 3ame#:# argument, elo<uentl+ develo(ed later in the e##a+, i# that the novel i# an organi, -orm: & ,annot imagine ,om(o#ition e4i#ting in a #erie# o- blo,8#, nor ,on,eive, in an+ novel $orth di#,u##ing at all, a (a##age o- dialogue that i# not in it# intention de#,ri(tive, a tou,h o- trum o- an+ #ort that doe# not (arta8e o- the nature o- in,ident, or an in,ident that derive# it# intere#t -rom an+ 1 A T"5 %*'CT&C5 9F W*&T&6=

other #our,e than the general and onl+ #our,e o- the #u,,e## o- a $or8 o- art . that obeing illu#trative. ' novel i# a living thing, all one and ,ontinuou#, li8e an+ other organi#m, and in (ro(ortion a# it live# $ill it be -ound, & thin8, that in ea,h o- the (art# there i# #omething o- ea,h o- the other (art#. Sin,e +ou ,annot i#olate and identi-+ the variou# ,om(onent# o- a novel, 3ame# #eem# to be #a+ing, it -ollo$# that +ou ,annot tea,h (eo(le ho$ to u#e them. Wa# he right? Well, one he#itate# to di#agree $ith "enr+ 3ame#, but & thin8 he over#tate# hi# ,a#e. Let me invo8e another great modern $riter, T.S. 5liot. &n hi# e##a+ 0The Fun,tion o- Criti,i#m1 5liot #aid: 0the larger (art o- the labour o- an author in ,om(o#ing hi# $or8 i# ,riti,al labour, the labour o- #i-ting, ,ombining, ,on#tru,ting, e4(unging, ,orre,ting, te#ting: thi# -right-ul toil i# a# mu,h ,riti,al a# ,reative.1 That i# (re,i#el+ $hat & mean b+ the $illingne## to ta8e (ain#. &t ,an be done intuitivel+ . but it ,an al#o be done ,on#,iou#l+ and anal+ti,all+. anal+ti,all+ We learn our mother tongue $ithout learning grammar -ir#t, but $e need the metalanguage ogrammar to under#tand and e4(lain (e4(lain to our#elve# a# $ell a# to other#! ho$ a language $or8# . $hat are it# rule# and (o##ibilitie#, and $h+ #ome utteran,e# -ail in their ,ommuni,ative (ur(o#e. (ur(o#e & don:t #a+ it i# essential -or a $riter to have #u,h a metalanguage at hi# -ingerti(# . /u#t a# 2oliere:# 2. 3ourdain -ound he had been #(ea8ing (ro#e all hi# li-e $ithout 8no$ing it, a noveli#t ma+ u#e, -or e4am(le, -ree indire,t #t+le $ithout 8no$ing $hat it i# ,alled or being ,on#,iou#l+ a$are o- $hat it# rule# and ,on#traint# are . but & don:t thin8 it doe# an+ harm, either, to a,<uire the metalanguage, and it ma+ hel( in that e##ential (ro,e## o- #el-.,riti,i#m $hi,h 5liot de#,ribe# #o $ell. &n #hort, & #ee no in,om(atibilit+ bet$een the -ormali#ti, ,riti,al #tud+ o- literature and the e--ort to (rodu,e ne$ $riting o- one:# o$n. Walter ;e#ant:# mi#ta8e $a# to ba#e hi# (ro(o#al# not on rhetori,, $hi,h ,an be taught (that e--e,t i# (rodu,ed b+ this te,hni<ue!, but on general ae#theti, 0rule#1 or 0la$#1 $hi,h are either matter# o- #ub/e,tive o(inion or #o vague a# to be u#ele## -or (edagogi, (ur(o#e#. "e #um# them u( a# -ollo$#: The 'rt o- Fi,tion re<uire# -ir#t o- all the (o$er o-

CREATIVE WRITING 1 ) de#,ri(tion, truth and -idelit+, ob#ervation, #ele,tion, ,learne## o- ,on,e(tion and ooutline, dramati, grou(ing, dire,tne## o- (ur(o#e, a (ro-ound belie- on the (art o- the #tor+.teller in the realit+ o- hi# #tor+, and beaut+ o- $or8man#hi(. Well, +e# . but $ho#e truth, $ho#e beaut+? 'nd $hat ma8e# one de#,ri(tion more (o$er-ul than another? 9n $hat (rin,i(le# i# 0#ele,tion1 ba#ed, and $hat e4a,tl+ do the term# 0outline1 and 0dramati,1 mean in the ,onte4t o- narrative (ro#e? ;e#ant never tell# u#, and he never illu#trate# hi# ma4im# $ith <uotation . an ab#tention that be,ome# almo#t ,omi,all+ -ru#trating at time#. 9ne $ould dearl+ li8e to 8no$ ho$ in #ome $ell.8no$n #,ene# $hi,h & ,ould <uote, mere i# not a #ingle $ord to em(ha#iCe or e4(lain the attitude, manner and loo8 o- the #(ea8er#, +et the+ are a# intelligible a# i- the+ $ere $ritten do$n and de#,ribed. &n #hort, ;e#ant:# 0rule#1 and 0la$#1 o- the art o- -i,tion amount to little more iF-an vague invo,ation# o- die ,onventional literar+ ta#te o- hi# time. '# "enr+ 3ame# ob#erved, $ith hi# u#ual #uave ,ourte#+, 0The+ are #ugge#tive, the+ are even in#(iring, but the+ are not e4a,t, though the+ are doubtle## a# mu,h #o a# the ,a#e admit# o-.1 Creative $riting ,our#e# ,an hel( the a#(irant $riter to a,<uire a de#,ri(tive vo,abular+ -or and e4(li,it a$arene## o- #u,h te,hni,al matter# a# (in (ro#e -i,tion, -or in#tan,e! (oint o- vie$, narrative voi,e, -rame.brea8ing, time.#hi-ting, et,., et,., to entertain a $ider range o- (o##ibilitie# in the#e re#(e,t# than the $riter might have di#,overed inde(endentl+, and to a((re,iate ho$ im(ortant are the ,hoi,e# made in the#e ,ategorie# to the -inal e--e,t o- a narrative te4t. The#e thing# ,an be 0taught1 in a variet+ o- $a+#: b+ #+#temati, e4(o#ition, b+ (ra,ti,al ,riti,i#m o- model te4t#, b+ #et $riting e4er,i#e#, and b+ $or8#ho( or tutorial di#,u##ion o- the #tudent:# o$n #(ontaneou#l+ generated $or8. Tho#e $ord#, 0o$n1 and 0#(ontaneou#l+1, ho$ever, bring u# to the (roblemati, heart o- the matter. & have #ugge#ted that the tea,hing o- ,reative $riting i# be#t #een a# a #(e,ial 1 H T"5 %*'CT&C5 9F W*&T&6= a((li,ation o- -ormali#t ,riti,i#m. ,riti,i#m ;ut it i# a (e,uliar -eature o- ,riti,i#m, and e#(e,iall+ o- literar+ ,riti,i#m, that the li,en,e to ,riti,iCe doe# not ,arr+ $ith it an obligation to e4(lain ho$ the -ault ,om(lained o- might have been avoided or ho$ it might be re(aired. The revie$er o- a novel ma+ ,om(lain that a ,ertain (hra#e i# a ,li,he $ithout being obliged to (rodu,e a -re#her one? ma+ (rote#t that a ,ertain ,hara,ter:# a,tion# are im(lau#ible $ithout having to #ugge#t more ,redible behaviour. &ndeed, -or a ,riti, to (ro(o#e #u,h emendation# $ould be regarded a# out o- order. The rea#on i# ver+ #im(le and ver+ obviou#: on,e +ou #tart tr+ing to re$rite #omebod+ el#e:# $or8, +ou ta8e it a$a+ -rom them and ma8e it +our o$n. To that e4tent 3ame# $a# right: ,reative $riting ,annot be 0taught1 .a#, #a+, (er#(e,tive ,an be taught to an a#(iring arti#t . b+ ,orre,ting the #tudent:# $or8 or #ho$ing him ho$ it #hould be done. &ndeed a ,reative $riter $ho trie# to ma8e hi# #tudent# ,lone# ohim#el- i# doing them the $or#t (o##ible #ervi,e.

& believe an+one:# e4(re##ive and ,ommuni,ative #8ill# ,an be im(roved b+ (ra,ti,e and ,riti,i#m. &- the tea,her i# ,om(etent, an+one $ho ta8e# a ,reative $riting ,our#e ought to be (rodu,ing or ,a(able o- (rodu,ing better $or8 at the end o- it than at the beginning. 'nd ,ertainl+ the e4(erien,e o- tr+ing to $rite under #+#temati, guidan,e $ill enhan,e the #tudent:# under#tanding and a((re,iation o- literature a# a reader. For that rea#on & believe there #hould be a ,reative $riting ,om(onent o- the #et.e4er,i#e t+(e in all 5ngli#h edu,ation u( to and in,luding the tertiar+ level. ;ut no ,our#e ,an tea,h +ou ho$ to (rodu,e a te4t other (eo(le $ill $illingl+ give u( their time . and (erha(# their mone+ . to read, although it ha# no utilitarian (ur(o#e or value. Thi# rai#e# another 8ind o- (roblem a# regard# ,our#e# $hi,h are o--ered to #tudent# $ith #eriou# a#(iration# to be,ome (ro-e##ional $riter#. Sin,e +ou ,annot guarantee that an+ o- them $ill #u,,eed in thi# ambition, i# it ethi,al to ta8e their mone+ to tea,h them? *e#(on#ibl+ taught ,our#e# do their be#t to mitigate, thi# (roblem b+ ,are-ul #ele,tion o- #tudent#. ;ut ultimatel+ #u,,e## ,annot be guaranteed and thi# #hould be made ,lear to ever+bod+ involved. &n one #en#e, literature i# not di--erentl+ (la,ed -rom an+ o- the other art# in thi# re#(e,t. 7ou ,an be taught to dra$ and (aint ,om(etentl+ but +ou ,annot be

CREATIVE WRITING 1 taught to (rodu,e (ainting# o- enduring value. ;ut there i# a di--eren,e too: +ou ,an dra$ and (aint -or +our o$n (lea#ure, but, to be #ati#-+ing, $riting need# an audien,e and a (ermanent e4i#ten,e in (rint. &t need# to be (ubli#hed. 'nd a# $e 8no$, ,ro##ing that thre#hold i# ver+ di--i,ult. There i# no #u,h thing a# an 0amateur1 noveli#t, or a 0Sunda+ noveli#t1 . or i- there i#, it i# not a #tatu# that an+one $ould ta8e mu,h (ride or #ati#-a,tion in, & thin8. 9ne ,ommon argument in -avour o,reative $riting ,our#e#, e#(e,iall+ long.term one#, i# that the+ (rovide a #u((ortive +et ,riti,al ,ommunit+ in $hi,h the budding $riter ,an develo( and te#t hi# or her talent. Certainl+ man+ graduate# o- #u,h ,our#e# have te#ti-ied that thi# $a# their e4(erien,e. 9ther# -ind the ,om(etitivene## and #el-.e4(o#ure o- the #ituation intimidating and inhibiting. But in either case, the community of the course is a small and artificial one. Sooner or later the #tudent# mu#t #ubmit their $or8 to the /udgement o- reader# . (ubli#her#, agent#, editor#, #,avenger# o- the #lu#h.(ile . $ho don:t 8no$ them (er#onall+, and thi# ,an be a dee(l+ di#,ouraging e4(erien,e. The more advan,ed the ,our#e, the more heartbreak i# li8el+ to be a##o,iated $ith it. 0The onl+ obligation to $hi,h in advan,e $e ma+ hold a novel, $ithout in,urring the a,,u#ation o- being arbitrar+,1 #aid "enr+ 3ame# in hi# e##a+, 0i# that it be intere#ting.1 &t goe# $ithout #a+ing that not ever+ #u,,e##-ul novel ,an be intere#ting to ever+ (otential reader. ;ut there are novel# $hi,h are intere#ting to nobod+ e4,e(t the author and (erha(# hi# or her -amil+ and -riend#, and it i# inevitable that a great man+, (erha(# the ma/orit+, o- $or8# (rodu,ed in ,reative $riting ,la##e# $ill -all into thi# ,ategor+. What ma8e# a novel 0intere#ting1, ho$ever, i# a# di--i,ult to de-ine a# an+ o- Walter ;e#ant:# ,ategorie#? though $e all re,ogniCe the <ualit+ $hen $e:en,ounter it and are a$are o- it# ab#en,e $hen it i# mi##ing. &t i# not #ub/e,t.matter, a# 3ame#

Walter ;e#ant:# advi,e -or dealing $ith re/e,tion i# brutall+ blunt: 0i- a noveli#t -ail at -ir#t, let him be $ell a##ured it i# hi# o$n -ault? and i- on hi# #e,ond attem(t, he ,annot amend, let him -or the -uture be #ilent.1 &n an a((endi4 to the (rinted le,ture he relented #ome$hat: 0(er#evere, i- +ou -eel that the root o- the matter i# in +ou, till +our $or8 i# a,,e(ted? and never, 65B5*, 65B5* (a+ -or (ubli#hing a novel.1

1 @ THE PRACTICE OF WRITING him#el- $a# an4iou# to a--irm: 0We mu#t grant the arti#t hi# #ub/e,t, hi# idea, hi# donnee: our ,riti,i#m i# a((lied onl+ to $hat he ma8e# o- it.1 ;ut it i# not /u#t a matter o- te,hni<ue either. &t i# li8e a ,hemi,al, or al,hemi,al, rea,tion bet$een -orm and ,ontent. So man+ -a,tor# are involved in the (rodu,tion o- a literar+ te4t: the $riter:# li-e.e4(erien,e, hi# geneti, inheritan,e, hi# hi#tori,al ,onte4t, hi# reading, hi# (o$er# o- re,all, hi# ,a(a,it+ -or intro#(e,tion, hi# -anta#+ li-e, hi# under#tanding othe #(ring# o- narrative, hi# re#(on#ivene## to language . it# rh+thm#, #ound#, regi#ter#, nuan,e# o- meaning, and #o on. 5ven a #ingle #enten,e in a novel i# the ,om(le4 (rodu,t o- innumerable ,hain# o- ,au#e and e--e,t $hi,h rea,h dee( into the $riter:# li-e and (#+,he. To di#tingui#h, anal+#e and retra,e them all $ould be im(o##ible. 5ven the mo#t #o(hi#ti,ated literar+ ,riti,i#m onl+ #,rat,he# the #ur-a,e othe m+#teriou# (ro,e## o- ,reativit+? and #o, b+ the #ame to8en, doe# even the be#t ,our#e in ,reative $riting.