reasons for studying creative writing

Why Learn Creative Writing?

Sean Glatch | November 1, 2022 | 5 Comments

Why learn creative writing? Truthfully, creative writing is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the 21st century. When people think of a creative writing course, they often imagine a group of lofty, out-of-touch people who wear argyle sweater vests and have unproductive conversations about abstract concepts.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth: the best writing classes remain engaged with the real world, and the skills gained in a creative writing course apply to nearly every facet of daily life.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth picking up a course in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, we have five reasons to learn creative writing. But first, let’s talk about what actually happens in a creative writing course.

The Basics of a Writing Workshop

Whether you’re enrolled in a poetry, fiction, or nonfiction writing class, you can expect the following writing process – at least in a quality writing course like the ones at Writers.com.

Weekly prompts and writing exercises to sharpen the precision and necessity of each word you use.
Constructive critiques from a community of writers who are each growing their writing skills alongside you.
A creative space to explore new ideas, experiment with language, and arrange words in new and exciting ways.
Focused writing instruction from a master of the craft.

The benefits of creative writing come from engaging with the course material, the writing prompts, and the other class members. These elements help you become a better writer, both in creative realms and in everyday life. How? No matter what form of writing, a creative writing class pushes you to connect ideas and create effective narratives using the best words – and that skill translates into real world success.

The Benefits of Creative Writing

1. why learn creative writing: improved self-expression.

Improving your writing skills leads to stronger communication. When you practice finding the right word in a story or poem, you engage the same parts of your brain that are active in everyday writing and speaking. A creative writing course subconsciously turns you into a more effective communicator.

The importance of precise language and self-advocacy translates well into both interpersonal relationships and working environments. Take it from this expert on how writing and self-advocacy results in career and leadership success.

2. Why Learn Creative Writing: Job Success

This brings us to our next point: great writing leads to job success. Of course, your boss probably isn’t expecting you to write emails in the form of a short story or a sonnet – though if they are expecting this, you have a pretty cool boss.

In reality, almost every job requires some sort of written work, whether that’s simple written communication or something more elaborate, like publishing data or marketing materials. In a creative writing class, you practice the style and grammar rules necessary for effective writing, both within the realms of literature and in career-related writing. Sharpening your writing and creativity skills might just land you your next promotion.

3. Why Learn Creative Writing: Improved Thinking Skills

Strong writing leads to strong thinking. No matter what type of writing you pursue, learning how to write is another form of learning how to think.

That might seem like a bold claim, so think about it this way. Without language, our thoughts wouldn’t have form. We might not need language to think “I’m hungry” or “I like cats,” but when it comes to more abstract concepts, language is key. How would you think about things like justice, revenge, or equality without the words to express them?

When you hone in on your ability to find choice, specific words, and when you work on the skills of effective storytelling and rhetoric , you improve your ability to think in general. Good writing yields great thinking!

4. Why Learn Creative Writing: Empathy

Reading and writing both rely on empathy, especially when it comes to being an effective workshop participant. When we read and write stories, we situate ourselves in the shoes of other people; when we read and write poetry, we let language navigate us through emotion.

The importance of creative writing relies on empathy. We practice empathy whenever we listen to another person’s life story, when someone tells us about their day, and when we sit down with a client or work partner. When we write, we practice the ability to listen as well as to speak, making us more effective communicators and more compassionate human beings.

5. Why Learn Creative Writing: It’s Fun!

In case you’re not convinced that a writing course is right for you, let’s clarify one more fact: creative writing is fun. Whether you’re in a fiction writing course, starting a memoir, crafting a poem, or writing for the silver screen, you’re creating new worlds and characters. In the sandbox of literature, you’re in control, and when you invest yourself into the craft of writing, something beautiful emerges.

The Importance of Creative Writing

Simply put, creative writing helps us preserve our humanity. What better medium to explore the human experience?

To learn creative writing, like any art form, requires compassion, contemplation, and curiosity. Writers preserve the world as they observe it in stories and poetry, and they imagine a better world by creating it in their works.

Through the decades, literature has explored society’s profound changes. Literary eons like the Naturalist movement and the Beat poets responded to the increase in Western Industrialization. Confessional poets like Virginia Woolf helped transform poetry into a medium for emotional exploration and excavation. And, genre movements like the cyberpunk writers of science fiction helped popularize the idea of an “information economy.”

Thus, the importance of creative writing lies in its ability to describe the world through an honest and unfiltered lens. Anyone who engages in creative writing, no matter the genre or style, helps us explore the human experience, share new ideas, and advocate for a better society. Whether you write your stories for yourself or share them with a wide audience, creative writing makes the world a better place.

Jobs for Creative Writers

Because creative writing isn’t a STEM discipline, many people don’t think that learning it will help their job prospects. Why learn creative writing if it doesn’t make any money?

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Creative writing skills are much sought after on resumes, since both creativity and the ability to write are soft skills in decline. Additionally, if you’re considering a career change—or ready to start one!—these are some popular jobs for creative writers.

Average Starting Salary: $51,000
Demand: High
Skills needed: creativity, grammar, timeliness

Copywriters help companies put their branding into words. A copywriter might write emails, blogs, website content, or ad copy that encompasses the company’s voice and purpose. Copywriting requires you to write in a mix of styles and forms, flexing your writing muscles in new and exciting ways.

Grant Writer

Average Starting Salary: $50,000
Skills needed: storytelling, research, argumentation

Nonprofits and research facilities rely on local and national grants to fund their projects. Grant writers help secure that funding, writing engaging grants that tell the organization’s story in an engaging, tailored, and convincing way. Creative writers will enjoy the opportunity to tell a meaningful story and create positive community change through this career.

Communications/Public Relations Specialist

Skills needed: creativity, communications, social media

A communications specialist helps drive a company’s image through various social channels. They may help create a positive narrative for their company through blogs, journalist outreach, social media, and other public-facing avenues. Much like copywriting, a PR specialist helps weave an effective story for a company.

Average Starting Salary: $55,000
Demand: Medium/High
Skills needed: creativity, storytelling, organization, self-reliance

The dream job for many writers is to write and sell books. Being a novelist is an admirable career choice—and also requires the most work. Not only do you have to write your stories, but you also have to market yourself in the literary industry and maintain a social presence so that publishers and readers actually read your work. It’s a tough business, but also incredibly rewarding!

Reasons to Learn Creative Writing: Finding a Writing Community

Finally, creative writing communities make the writing struggle worth it. The relationships you foster with other creative writers can last a lifetime, as no other group of people has the same appreciation for the written word. Creative writing communities create transformative experiences and encourage growth in your writing; if there’s one reason to study creative writing craft, it’s the friendships you make in the process.

You don’t need a class to start writing, but it’s never a waste of time to learn the tools of the trade. Creative writing requires the skills that can help you in everyday life, and a creative writing course can help.

At Writers.com, we believe that creative writing can transform both individual lives and the world at large. See the importance of creative writing for yourself: check out what makes our creative writing courses different , then take a look at our upcoming course calendar today.

Sean Glatch

Would like to apply for a course to write a novel.

I’d be happy to help! Please email [email protected] with any questions, and we’ll find the right course for your writing.

[…] Sean. “Why Learn Creative Writing.” writers.com. June 7, 2020. https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing . Accessed November 7, […]

[…] And last of all it’s fun! I hope to live my life doing the things I love, with like-minded creative people who I love. I have many exciting things upcoming as I continue with the process of completing my first novel, Les Année Folles, such as publishing to my first magazine, journal, and working on the millions of short story ideas I have stored in my head. Stay tuned! References: Glatch, S. (2020, June 7). WHY LEARN CREATIVE WRITING? Retrieved from Writers.com: https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing […]

What to Know About Creative Writing Degrees

Many creative writing degree recipients pursue careers as authors while others work as copywriters or ghostwriters.

Tips on Creative Writing Degrees

A student sitting beside the bed in bedroom with her coffee cup and writing on the note pad.

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Prospective writing students should think about their goals and figure out if a creative writing degree will help them achieve those goals.

Many people see something magical in a beautiful work of art, and artists of all kinds often take pride in their craftsmanship. Creative writers say they find fulfillment in the writing process.

"I believe that making art is a human need, and so to get to do that is amazing," says Andrea Lawlor, an author who this year received a Whiting Award – a national $50,000 prize that recognizes 10 excellent emerging authors each year – and who is also the Clara Willis Phillips Assistant Professor of English at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

"We all are seeing more and more of the way that writing can help us understand perspectives we don't share," says Lawlor, whose recent novel "Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl" addresses the issue of gender identity.

"Writing can help us cope with hard situations," Lawlor says. "We can find people who we have something in common with even if there's nobody around us who shares our experience through writing. It's a really powerful tool for connection and social change and understanding."

Creative writing faculty, many of whom are acclaimed published authors, say that people are well-suited toward degrees in creative writing if they are highly verbal and enjoy expressing themselves.

"Creative imaginative types who have stories burning inside them and who gravitate toward stories and language might want to pursue a degree in creative writing," Jessica Bane Robert, who teaches Introduction to Creative Writing at Clark University in Massachusetts, wrote in an email. "Through formal study you will hone your voice, gain confidence, find a support system for what can otherwise be a lonely endeavor."

Read the guide below to gain more insight into what it means to pursue a creative writing education, how writing impacts society and whether it is prudent to invest in a creative writing degree. Learn about the difference between degree-based and non-degree creative writing programs, how to craft a solid application to a top-notch creative writing program and how to figure out which program is the best fit.

Why Creative Writing Matters and Reasons to Study It

Creative writers say a common misconception about their job is that their work is frivolous and impractical, but they emphasize that creative writing is an extremely effective way to convey messages that are hard to share in any other way.

Kelly Caldwell, dean of faculty at Gotham Writers Workshop in New York City, says prospective writing students are often discouraged from taking writing courses because of concerns about whether a writing life is somehow unattainable or "unrealistic."

Although creative writers are sometimes unable to financially support themselves entirely on the basis of their creative projects, Caldwell says, they often juggle that work with other types of jobs and lead successful careers.

She says that many students in her introductory creative writing class were previously forbidden by parents to study creative writing. "You have to give yourself permission for the simple reason that you want to do it," she suggests.

Creative writing faculty acknowledge that a formal academic credential in creative writing is not needed in order to get writing published. However, they suggest, creative writing programs help aspiring authors develop their writing skills and allow space and time to complete long-term writing projects.

Working writers often juggle multiple projects at once and sometimes have more than one gig, which can make it difficult to finish an especially ambitious undertaking such as a novel, a play for the screen or stage, or a well-assembled collection of poems, short stories or essays. Grants and fellowships for authors are often designed to ensure that those authors can afford to concentrate on their writing.

Samuel Ace, a published poet and a visiting lecturer in poetry at Mount Holyoke, says his goal is to show students how to write in an authentic way that conveys real feeling. "It helps students to become more direct, not to bury their thoughts under a cascade of academic language, to be more forthright," he says.

Tips on Choosing Between a Non-Degree or Degree-Based Creative Writing Program

Experts note that someone needs to be ready to get immersed in the writing process and devote significant time to writing projects before pursuing a creative writing degree. Prospective writing students should not sign up for a degree program until they have reached that sense of preparedness, warns Kim Todd, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts and director of its creative writing program.

She says prospective writing students need to think about their personal goals and figure out if a creative writing degree will help them achieve those goals.

Aspiring writers who are not ready to invest in a creative writing degree program may want to sign up for a one-off writing class or begin participating in an informal writing workshop so they can test their level of interest in the field, Todd suggests.

How to Choose and Apply to a Creative Writing Program

In many cases, the most important component of an application to a writing program is the writing portfolio, writing program experts say. Prospective writing students need to think about which pieces of writing they include in their portfolio and need to be especially mindful about which item they put at the beginning of their portfolio. They should have a trusted mentor critique the portfolio before they submit it, experts suggest.

Because creative writing often involves self-expression, it is important for aspiring writing students to find a program where they feel comfortable expressing their true identity.

This is particularly pertinent to aspiring authors who are members of minority groups, including people of color or LGBTQ individuals, says Lawlor, who identifies as queer, transgender and nonbinary.

How to Use a Creative Writing Degree

Creative writing program professors and alumni say creative writing programs cultivate a variety of in-demand skills, including the ability to communicate effectively.

"While yes, many creative writers are idealists and dreamers, these are also typically highly flexible and competent people with a range of personal strengths. And a good creative writing program helps them understand their particular strengths and marketability and translate these for potential employers, alongside the more traditional craft development work," Melissa Ridley Elmes, an assistant professor of English at Lindenwood University in Missouri, wrote in an email.

Elmes – an author who writes poetry, fiction and nonfiction – says creative writing programs force students to develop personal discipline because they have to consistently produce a significant amount of writing. In addition, participating in writing workshops requires writing students "to give and receive constructive feedback," Elmes says.

Cindy Childress, who has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana—Lafayatte and did a creative writing dissertation where she submitted poetry, says creative writing grads are well-equipped for good-paying positions as advertising and marketing copywriters, speechwriters, grant writers and ghostwriters.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual compensation for writers and authors was $63,200 as of May 2019.

"I think the Internet, and writing communities online and in social media, have been very helpful for debunking the idea that if you publish a New York Times Bestseller you will have 'made it' and can quit your day job and write full time," Elmes explains. "Unless you are independently wealthy, the odds are very much against you in this regard."

Childress emphasizes that creative writing degree recipients have "skills that are absolutely transferable to the real world." For example, the same storytelling techniques that copywriters use to shape public perceptions about a commercial brand are often taught in introductory creative writing courses, she says. The ability to tell a good story does not necessarily come easily to people who haven't been trained on how to do it, she explains.

Childress says she was able to translate her creative writing education into a lucrative career and start her own ghostwriting and book editing company, where she earns a six-figure salary. She says her background in poetry taught her how to be pithy.

"Anything that we want to write nowadays, particularly for social media, is going to have to be immediately understood, so there is a sense of immediacy," she says."The language has to be crisp and direct and exact, and really those are exactly the same kind of ways you would describe a successful poem."

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Creative Writing: What It Is and Why It Matters

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: January 13, 2023 - Last updated: January 15, 2023

Categories Writing

Writing can be intimidating for many people, but creative writing doesn’t have to be. Creative writing is a form of self-expression that allows writers to create stories, characters, and unique settings. But what exactly is creative writing? And why is it important in today’s society? Let’s explore this further.

How We Define Creative Writing

Creative writing is any form where writers can express their thoughts and feelings imaginatively. This type of writing allows authors to draw on their imagination when creating stories and characters and play with language and structure. While there are no boundaries in creative writing, most pieces will contain dialogue, description, and narrative elements.

The Importance of Creative Writing

Creative writing is important because:

It helps us express ourselves in ways we may not be able to do with other forms of communication.
It allows us to explore our creativity and think outside the box.
It can help us better understand our emotions by exploring them through storytelling or poetry.
Writing creatively can also provide much-needed escapism from everyday life, allowing us to escape into a world of our creation.
Creative writing helps us connect with others by sharing our experiences through stories or poems they can relate to. This way, we can gain insight into other people’s lives while giving them insight into ours.

Creative Writing: A Path to Mental and Emotional Wellness

Writing is more than just a way to express your thoughts on paper. It’s a powerful tool that can be used as a form of therapy. Creative writing has been shown to improve emotional and mental well-being.

Through creative writing, we can gain insight into our emotions, develop self-expression and communication skills, cultivate empathy and understanding of others, and boost our imagination and creativity.

Let’s examine how creative writing can relieve stress and emotional catharsis.

Stress Relief and Emotional Catharsis

Writing has the power to reduce stress levels significantly. Writing about our experiences or about things that are causing us anxiety or distress helps us to release those complicated feelings constructively. By expressing ourselves through creative writing, we can work through the emotions associated with stressful situations without having to confront them directly.

This is especially helpful for people who struggle to share their emotions verbally or in person.

Improved Communication and Self-Expression

Creative writing is also beneficial for improving communication skills. Through creative writing, we can explore our thoughts and feelings more intensely than by speaking them aloud. This allows us to think more clearly about what we want to say before actually saying it out loud or in written form, which leads to improved self-expression overall.

Additionally, writing out our thoughts before speaking aloud allows us to articulate ourselves better when communicating with others—which is essential for healthy personal and professional relationships.

Increased Empathy and Understanding of Others

Through creative writing, we can also increase our empathy towards others by exploring different perspectives on various topics that may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable for us—such as racism, homophobia, sexism, etc.—and allowing ourselves the opportunity to see the situation from someone else’s point of view without judgment or bias. This helps us become better communicators and more understanding individuals overall.

The Professional Benefits of Creative Writing

Creative writing is a powerful tool that can help you communicate better and more effectively in the professional world. It can also help you develop various skills that prove invaluable in many industries. Whether you’re looking to build your résumé or improve your communication, creative writing can effectively achieve both.

Let’s take a closer look at how creative writing can benefit your career.

Preparing Students for Careers in Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Creative writing is the perfect foundation for anyone interested in pursuing a career in writing, editing, or publishing. It teaches students the basics of grammar and composition while allowing them to express their ideas in imaginative ways.

Creative writing classes also allow students to learn from professionals who have experience as editors, agents, and publishers. They can use this knowledge to learn creative writing, refine their craft and gain valuable experience before entering the job market.

Improving Skills in Storytelling and Marketing for Various Careers

Creative writing teaches students to think critically about stories and craft compelling narratives that draw readers in. This skill is precious for those who wish to pursue careers outside traditional writing roles—such as marketing or advertising—where storytelling is key.

People who understand the fundamentals of creative writing will be able to create persuasive copy that resonates with readers and effectively conveys a message.

Enhancing Team Collaboration and Leadership Skills

Creative writing isn’t just about expressing yourself through words; it also provides an opportunity to practice working collaboratively with others on projects. Many creative writing classes require students to work together on group projects, which helps them develop essential teamwork skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.

As they work together on these projects, they will also gain confidence in their ability to lead teams effectively—an invaluable asset no matter what industry they pursue after graduation.

Uncovering the Power of Creative Writing

Creative writing has become an increasingly powerful force in shaping our society. Creative writing has many uses, from preserving cultural heritage to promoting social change.

Preserving Cultural Heritage with Creative Writing

Creative writing has long been used to preserve and share cultural heritage stories. This is done through fictional stories or poetry that explore a particular culture or group’s history, values, and beliefs. By weaving these stories in an engaging way, writers can bring a culture’s history and traditions to life for readers worldwide. This helps bridge cultural gaps by providing insight into what makes each culture unique.

Promoting Social Change & Activism with Creative Writing

Creative writing can also be used for activism and social change. Writers can craft stories that help promote awareness about important issues such as poverty, race relations, gender equality, climate change, and more.

With the power of words, writers can inspire readers to take action on these issues and work towards creating positive change in their communities.

Through creative writing, writers can raise awareness about important topics while fostering empathy toward individuals who may be facing difficult or challenging situations.

Fostering Creativity & Innovation with Creative Writing

Finally, creative writing can foster creativity and innovation in various fields. For example, businesses can use creative copywriting techniques to create compelling content that captures the attention of customers or potential investors.

Aspiring entrepreneurs can use storytelling techniques when pitching their ideas or products to potential partners or investors to make their cases more persuasive and memorable.

By harnessing the power of words through creative writing techniques, businesses can create content that resonates with their target audience while inspiring them to take action on whatever message they’re trying to convey. It often aids the overall creative process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of creative writing.

Creative writing has many benefits, both for the writer and the reader. For the writer, it can be therapeutic, helping them to explore their emotions and better understand themselves. It can also be used as entertainment or communication, allowing them to share their ideas with the world. For the reader, creative writing can provide enjoyment, escapism, and insights into the human condition.

How can I improve my creative writing skills?

There are several ways you can improve your creative writing skills. Firstly, make sure you allow yourself time to write regularly. Use a writing prompt to inspire a short story. Secondly, read as much as you can; great writers are also great readers. Thirdly, experiment with different styles and genres to find one that suits you best. Fourthly, join a writers’ group, writing workshop, or creative writing program to get feedback from other writers. Finally, keep a journal to track your progress and reflect on your work as a creative writer.

What is the importance of imagery in creative writing?

Imagery is an important element of creative writing, as it helps to create a more vivid picture for the reader. By using sensory and descriptive language, writers can transport readers into their stories and help them relate to their characters or themes. Imagery can bring a scene alive with detail and evoke emotion by helping readers create strong visual images in their minds. Furthermore, imagery can help make stories more memorable by giving readers a deeper connection with the characters or setting.

What are the elements of creative writing?

The elements of creative writing include plot, character, dialogue, setting, theme, and point of view. The plot is the structure or main storyline, while the character is the personage involved in this story. Dialogue includes conversations between characters to give insight into their emotions and relationships. Setting refers to the place or time in which a story takes place, while theme explores deeper meanings behind a story’s narrative. Finally, point of view defines how readers experience a story through first-person or third-person omniscient narration.

What’s the difference between creative writing and other types of writing?

The main difference between creative writing and other types of writing is that it allows the writer to create their own story, characters, settings, and themes. Creative writing also encourages writers to be inventive with their style and use descriptive language to evoke emotion or bring stories alive in readers’ minds. Other academic or technical writing types typically involve more research-based information and are usually more objective in their presentation. Additionally, most forms of non-creative writing will have stricter rules regarding grammar, structure, and syntax.

What is the golden rule of creative writing?

The golden rule of creative writing is to show, not tell. It’s the core creative writing skill. When it comes to creative writing, it’s essential to use descriptive language that immerses readers in the story and allows them to experience the events through their emotions and imaginations. This can be done through metaphors, similes, sensory language, and vivid imagery.

How important is creativity in writing?

Creativity is essential in writing as it allows writers to craft a unique story and evoke emotion from the reader. Creativity can bring stories alive with fresh perspectives and exciting plot lines while creating an escape for readers and giving them more profound insights into the human condition. Writers who combine creativity with technical aspects such as grammar, structure, language usage, and flow will create pieces that capture their audience’s attention and provide an enjoyable reading experience.

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8 Good Reasons to Study Creative Writing

Whether or not people are aware, writing is a huge part of everyday life and can be found in almost every facet of communication. Reading a book or poem is quite literally where words are creatively telling a story, but creative writing exists in film, theatre, television, social media, almost anywhere something is communicated. So if it’s so ubiquitous, why study it? The answer lies in the quality of what we read and what we listen to and watch. Anyone with basic levels of literacy can write, but only a few write well. The reason for this has as much to do with skill as it does with talent; and this is where a creative writing course is invaluable.

Here are 8 fundamental reasons why studying creative writing is an absolute necessity for anyone eager to improve their writing.

1. Enhancing Writing Skills

In order to enhance writing skills, the writer must push themselves out of their comfort zone and test their mettle. A tutor will task students to write a variety of different assignments and by experimenting with different genres, a writer will expose themself to an inner voice they may never have otherwise known existed. If you enjoy writing fiction, write a memoir. If you love poetry, write an article. Try a screenplay, a crime story, a blog! Whatever it is, make sure it’s new to you. It should at first feel a little clumsy and awkward, but with the guidance of a tutor, you will soon discover that you have perhaps a broader range of writing skills than you originally believed.

2. Encouraging Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that is taught and should not be mistaken for finding fault or simply comparing work. It is analysis and story dissection. In order for a writer to accurately evaluate a story structure or understand pace or character development, they first need informed guidance to understand how to approach such intelligent critique. These skills are invaluable, not just in writing, but in everyday problem-solving and decision-making.

3. Fostering a Sense of Community

There are those who want to write but are not at all comfortable with the solitary nature of the craft. However, writing does not need to be a solo endeavour. Creative writing courses offer a supportive community of like-minded individuals where students will share their work, receive feedback, and engage in constructive criticism. This is a vital part of your development as a writer and is a truly interactive experience.

4. Providing Access to Experienced Instructors

This is gold! One of the greatest assets of a creative writing course is the access to experienced and knowledgeable instructors. Professional writers can provide guidance, share industry insights, and offer invaluable feedback to help refine your writing.

5. Building a Writing Routine

As a writer, you will be dependent on self governance and self discipline. Again, these are skills that are taught and with a little practice, can indeed become a daily routine of life. The nature of a structured course will naturally encourage consistency and direction, helping writers develop a writing schedule. Writing is a job and involves commitment and continuous effort. A creative writing course can introduce this mindset to a budding writer, without them even realising it is happening.

6. Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Through storytelling and character development, writers must learn to empathise and to look at the world from different perspectives. Characters can be fictional or nonfiction, fantastical or mundane but one thing they cannot be is the same as each other. In order to create stories and characters with depth and humanity, a writer must delve into areas unfamiliar to them. Characters cannot always have the same opinions, outlook and desires as the writer. This exploration will, almost by osmosis, enhance emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.

7. Boosting Confidence

An enormous benefit of studying creative writing is the confidence a writer will earn as they progress through a course . Feedback from peers and from a tutor will help a writer to see where they can improve and where they are succeeding. It can be very difficult for a writer to critically analyse their own work, they are simply too close to it. This boosted self-esteem can extend beyond writing and can positively impact other areas of life.

8. Offering a Creative Outlet

A creative writing course provides a structured outlet for self-expression. Students can channel their thoughts, feelings, and ideas into their work and feel the freedom and encouragement to take some risks and to truly express themselves. Attending a course can provide a sense of catharsis and a great sense of personal fulfilment.

Whether you're looking to improve your writing skills, connect with a community of writers, or simply find a creative outlet, our creative writing course offers a wealth of benefits. Our tutors are professional writers with experience across numerous genres. If you have a story you want to tell but are not sure how to channel it, our courses are where you’ll find that path. Perhaps you are already a published author or a writer interested in broadening their skillset, then we have just the course for you. With experienced instructors, a supportive environment, and a focus on critical thinking and emotional intelligence, these courses provide a comprehensive experience that can significantly enhance both your writing and your personal development.

Enrol today and find your writing voice.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, should you really be a creative writing major.

College Info

So you’re thinking about majoring in creative writing! Completing an undergraduate creative writing program can be a great way to explore your love of fiction or poetry and hone your craft.

As edifying as a creative writing major can be, it may not be what you expect. Dedicated creative writing majors are also quite uncommon, so if you're committed to getting your degree in that subject, you'll have a narrower pool of possible colleges. This post will help you decide whether a creative writing major is right for you.

Feature Image: Nilufer Gadgieva /Flickr

Many Great Schools (with Awesome Writing Classes) Don't Have a Creative Writing Major

As I mentioned above, creative writing is a relatively rare major, so if you're solely focused on schools with a dedicated creative writing degree, you might miss out on schools that could be a great fit for you.

Keep in mind that a lot of school that don’t offer specific majors still have great opportunities to pursue creative writing, whether by completing a minor, contributing to the campus literary journal, or simply taking classes.

Even if you know you want to study creative writing, try researching the opportunities available at different schools with an open mind . You might be surprised by what you find!

You're Going to Have to Read — A Lot

I once had a friend who loved writing ;but hated reading—especially if he had to analyze the text. If you tend to agree with him, and would rather be submerged in a vat of ants than write a paper about Virginia Woolf's use of symbolism to comment on World War I in The Waves , this course of study isn't right for you. Most creative writing majors are run by the English department, and, in fact, many are special tracks within the English major. As such, they involve a lot of reading of all kinds , including fiction, plays, poetry, and literary theory.

I was an English major in undergrad, and we were expected to read a roughly book a week in each class . Some were long (I had one professor assign the longest single volume novel in the English language ) and some were short, but it added up to a lot of books! You’ll also have to write critical essays analyzing these works of literature—if you really only want to write your own fiction or poetry, consider majoring in something else and taking creative writing classes as electives.

You Don't Need a Specific Major to Be a Writer

Writing isn't like engineering: you don't need a specific degree to pursue it professionally. The only thing that you need to do to be a writer is to write.

Most writing jobs, whether in publishing, journalism or teaching, don’t require or even expect you to have majored in creative writing. For the few positions that do require a writing degree, which are almost exclusively in academia, you'll actually need a graduate degree (generally an MFA).

Studying writing in school is a great way to motivate you to work on your writing and to get constructive feedback (more on this below), but it’s not the only way. A lot of great writers studied something totally unrelated to writing or didn’t go to college at all.

You Can Learn A Lot From Really Focusing on Writing

So far I've focused mostly on reasons you might not want or need to major in creative writing, but there's one very good reason to do so: you'll spend a lot of time writing, talking about writing, and reading your peers' writing.

One of the key features of any creative writing major is the workshop —a small class where students closely read and dissect each other’s work. Workshops can be very productive, since they offer the opportunity for lots of revision and rewriting. However, they also involve a lot of criticism and can be challenging for very sensitive people. Consider how you'll react to someone not liking your writing or suggesting ways to improve it.

Many creative writing majors also require a capstone project or creative BA thesis, which requires you to complete a substantive piece of work that's at or near publication ready. For students who are genuinely committed to publishing their writing, this project is an invaluable stepping stone.

Some Schools Have Special Opportunities for Creative Writing Majors

At schools with particularly strong writing programs, majors may have the opportunity to attend special readings or meetings with authors that aren't open to non-majors. They may also have priority for activities like working at the literary journal or university press.

These kinds of perks are completely dependent on the school, however, so make sure to research the specific programs that you're interested in.

Final Thoughts

Creative writing majors offer a unique opportunity to focus on the craft of writing, but they aren't right for everyone. If the following statements apply to you, a creative writing major could be a great fit:

You love to read and write.
You take criticism well and don't mind other people reading your work.
You want to pursue writing outside of the classroom as well as in it.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

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6 Ways Studying Literature Can Improve Your Creative Writing Skills

You wouldn’t think much of a film director who’d never watched a movie, or a stand-up comedian who’d never been to a comedy show. But there are still some aspiring writers out there who are under the impression that studying literature, or even just reading widely , will somehow dilute their own voice and work to the detriment of their own writing. That couldn’t be more mistaken. Reading and studying the writing of others – from the greats of literature to pulp fiction – helps to expand the range of your imagination, gives you new ideas, frees you from tired old tropes and lets you write something original and readable.

1. Studying literature helps you imitate the style of others – and develop a style of your own

When you read something you love, especially if it’s written in a distinctive voice, it’s natural to end up echoing it in your own writing – even your own speech – for a while. Nearly any fan of PG Wodehouse will have found themselves inadvertently thinking that something might be a jolly good lark, what ! And reading Jane Austen can have a similar effect, until you end up writing sentences that note, in an ironical tone, that your writing might become quite accomplished, should you only put aside dancing in order to have time and leisure to improve it . And even reading the works writers whose style is less immediately identifiable can lead to their particular quirks and turns of phrase appearing, unconsciously, in your own work. This is one of the tendencies that makes writers shy away from reading the works of others, so that they can retain their own ‘voice’ and not end up picking up the style of the writers they admire. The problem is that this doesn’t help you improve. Mastery as a writer comes when you reach the point that you can choose consciously to switch from one style to another; when you think of great writers with a distinctive style, it isn’t usually the case that they can only write in that style – it’s that they choose to. While you might notice that a writer’s earlier works sound derivative and their later works more original, that’s not typically something that’s achieved by purging all other influences from their surroundings. Instead, this flexibility of style is achieved by consciously studying both your own writing style and that of others. A good warm-up exercise for a writer is to write a scene in the style of different writers – for instance, you could try the spelling-it-all-out approach typically taken by young adult writers, the minimalist style of Ernest Hemingway, the heavy interiority of Virginia Woolf or the clipped short sentence of thriller writers like Lee Child. Some will seem right for one storyline but completely wrong for another. Once you can do this sort of exercise, you’ll be better equipped to figure out what’s right for the story that you want to tell.

2. It introduces you to interesting techniques for telling stories and describing characters

What you might read for fun and what you might read in when studying literature can be quite different. The formal study of literature teaches us about how literature has changed and evolved over time, and why authors in each period adopted particular techniques. For instance, the ponderous description used by many Victorian authors was often motivated by being paid by the word, with characters repeatedly re-introduced because the story might have been serialised over weeks or months, so that all but the keenest readers might have forgotten an early character by the time the story reached its end. Other decisions might have been motivated by something more high-minded, such as the belief by some Modernist writers that fragmented, non-chronological storylines and unreliable narrators better reflected how we really experience the world – seldom knowing everything that’s going on around us – than the fuller explanations and neater resolutions of earlier fiction. As a modern-day writer, you’ll probably draw on these different traditions even if you’re not aware of it; for instance, you might create tension in your storyline with a main character whose perspective is clearly incomplete and flawed, even as you enjoy using a lavish descriptive style to bring a historical setting to life. Studying the works of other writers helps you to understand how these techniques can be used to greatest effect; there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. You might love the way a writer gives you a first impression of a character, and then slowly reveals how mistaken your initial conclusions about them were – borrowing their technique for your own writing isn’t plagiarism, but instead how writers usually learn and develop. And if you do feel concerned about plagiarism, it’s a good idea to have at least some grasp of the history of literature, as it can be very embarrassing to come up with what you think is an astonishingly original idea only to discover that someone very famous already wrote much the same thing, over a hundred years ago.

3. It helps to spark original ideas

Reading widely doesn’t lead to you copying other writers’ ideas. More often, it leads to you having more interesting ideas of your own. Think about the classic format of an elevator pitch for a movie : it’s x meets y . It’s classic fantasy meets a boarding school novel (that’s Harry Potter ); 1984 meets reality TV (that’s The Hunger Games ), Pride and Prejudice meets zombies (that’s – unsurprisingly – Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ). TV Tropes has a whole page of these kind of examples for works of literature. None of these lack originality despite wearing their influences on their sleeve. Instead, they benefit from the traditions that they draw on, whether those of the traditions of boarding school novels, of dystopian fiction, or of tongue-in-cheek zombie fiction. Reading more widely and studying literature can help spark similar ideas in you. You might find yourself studying Gothic novels and wondering what it might be like to change some of the variables, whether that’s setting them in the modern day, telling the story from an unusual perspective that’s normally neglected in the genre (such as a parental figure, or a servant), or introducing elements from other compatible genres such as modern horror, high fantasy or science fiction. That’s just one example of a genre, but you can do the same with pretty much any field of literature that you find yourself interested in. There’s also a world out there of works that are consciously derived from classic literature and use that as a springboard for something interesting and fun. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is one example at the lowbrow end of the market, but there are plenty of highbrow examples, from Jean Rhys’s 1966 Wide Sargasso Sea , a response to Jane Eyre , to Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed , a modern retelling of The Tempest . There’s not much difference between setting your story in another author’s existing world and setting in a historical period, and such works can still be hugely meaningful; Wide Sargasso Sea , for instance, uses the context of Jane Eyre for a searing examination of colonialism.

4. It teaches you ways to succeed and pitfalls to avoid

Half the time, when studying literature from the perspective of a writer, you’ll find yourself thinking, “wow, that was great. I’d like to write like that”. The other half of the time, you’ll think, “that was dreadful. I hope I never write anything like that.” The two responses can be equally educational. What seems like a good idea can quickly sour when you see it in practice in someone else’s work; this is particularly true of gimmicks like writing a novel in second person – and it’s much better to discover that when reading someone else’s writing than halfway through producing your own 150,000 word novel, containing many hundreds of pronouns that you’ll now need to revise. One of the questions that the study of literature encourages us to answer is “why is this work good?” or in some cases, “why is it bad?” There’s a lot more to it than this, of course – studying a novel isn’t the same as writing a book review – but the question of what makes great literature great is nonetheless a central one. The answer might be, “it’s great because it explores the interior life of a kind of character who never usually gets this treatment in fiction”, or “it’s great because it’s a story that’s truly inspiring and makes me want to do more with my life”. Once you’ve worked out how it explores that interior life, or what makes it so inspiring, you can apply that understanding to your own work.

5. It helps you avoid misconceptions about what great writers are really like

From a distance, the world of great literature can seem remarkably intimidating – whether that’s leather-bound copies of the Complete Works of Shakespeare, or elegant Penguin Classics of the works of the Brontë sisters, or simply Les Misérables clocking in at four times the length of anything else on your Kindle. And if you never read any of them, then you’ll never lose this mistaken impression, and might well think you’ll never write anything of such weight and importance. But these ideas seldom surviving reading classics of literature, and almost never survive actually studying them. You’ll soon learn to recognise the jokes that Shakespeare crammed into his plays just as much as you’ll admire his use of iambic pentameter, spot the times that Alexandre Dumas wrote a long stretch of dialogue to make the most of being paid by the line, and see where Dickens played up to the sentimentality of Victorian readers. In other words, all of these great writers were human beings dealing with the difficulty of pleasing their audiences and keeping a roof over their heads just like modern writers do. Sometimes that went well; Dumas’ dialogue now reads as enjoyably modern and snappy – and sometimes not so much; as Oscar Wilde said, “One must have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without laughing.” If you’re prone to feeling depressed that you’ll never write as well as the greats did, reading more widely can help. Instead of Hamlet , try Titus Andronicus , a play so dreadful that some critics insist Shakespeare couldn’t have written it, or try reading the juvenilia of great writers, produced before they hit their stride. Comparing yourself to the best of the best is often disheartening, but it’s useful to remember that even they weren’t that good all the time.

6. It reminds you that reading and writing should be enjoyable

When you’re deep into writing something that’s important to you, it can feel like pressure or work rather than like something that’s fun to do – even more so if you’re not so much writing as struggling to overcome writer’s block. Taking the time to step away from obsessing over your own work to enjoy the work of others can make all the difference in reminding you why the world of literature was something you chose to embrace in the first place. This might be in the form of indulging in a favourite book that you’ve read a dozen times, having a strident debate with your book club about the merits of that week’s pick, or sitting down to read a classic novel and analyse it critically. Whichever way you engage with literature, ensuring that you make time to do that rather than sitting in an echo chamber of your own writing is vital. Ignoring all writing but your own is a sure route to literary cabin fever, not to producing something outstanding. And studying literature is especially rewarding when you have something crucial in common with your literary heroes: that you’re a writer too.

Image credit: Jane Austen ; Charles Dickens ; happy reader ; writer ; leather-bound books ; second happy reader ; reader by candlelight .

A Look Into Creative Writing | Oxford Summer Courses

Exploring the magic of creative writing with oxford summer courses.

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Defining Creative Writing

Creative writing , as taught at Oxford Summer Courses, is the process of crafting original and imaginative works of literature, poetry, prose, or scripts. It transcends conventional writing, encouraging individuals to explore language, structure, and narrative. Whether it's a heartfelt poem, a captivating short story, or a thought-provoking novel, creative writing allows us to communicate our unique perspectives and experiences with the world.

The Magic of Imagination

Creative Writing is a catalyst that sparks our creativity and empowers us to breathe life into our ideas on the page. With Oxford Summer Courses, aspiring writers aged 16-24 can embark on an extraordinary journey of creative expression and growth. Immerse yourself in the captivating realms of Oxford and Cambridge as you explore our inspiring creative writing programs. Teleport readers to distant lands, realms of fantasy and creation, introduce them to captivating characters, and craft new worlds through the transformative art of storytelling. Discover more about our creative writing course here . Unleash your imagination and unlock the writer within.

What Are the Different Types of Creative Writing?

Creative Writing comes in many forms, encompassing a range of genres and styles. There are lots of different types of Creative Writing, which can be categorised as fiction or non-fiction. Some of the most popular being:

Biographies
Fiction: novels, novellas, short stories, etc.
Poetry and Spoken word
Playwriting/Scriptwriting
Personal essays

At Oxford Summer Courses, students have the opportunity to delve into these various types of Creative Writing during the Summer School.

The Benefits of Creative Writing with Oxford Summer Courses

Engaging in Creative Writing with Oxford Summer Courses offers numerous benefits beyond self-expression. By joining our dedicated Creative Writing summer school programme, you would:

Foster self-discovery and gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences.
Improve your communication skills, honing your ability to express yourself effectively and engage readers through refined language and storytelling abilities.
Enhance empathy by exploring diverse perspectives and stepping into the shoes of different characters, broadening your understanding of the world around you.
Gain new skills for further education or work, expanding your repertoire of writing techniques and abilities to enhance your academic or professional pursuits.
Nurture your creativity, encouraging you to think outside the box, embrace unconventional ideas, and challenge the status quo, fostering a life-long mindset of innovation and originality.

Embracing the Journey

To embark on a journey of creative writing, embrace curiosity, take risks, and surrender to the flow of imagination. Write regularly, read widely, embrace feedback from tutors and peers at Oxford Summer Courses. Begin to experiment with styles and genres, and stay persistent in your course of action. The path of creative writing requires dedication, practice, and an open mind. Join us as we provide tips to help you start your creative writing journey and unleash your full creative potential under the guidance of industry professionals.

Creative Writing is a remarkable voyage that invites us to unleash our imagination, share our stories, and inspire others. It offers countless personal and professional benefits, nurturing self-expression, empathy, and creativity. So, grab a pen, open your mind, and embark on this enchanting journey of creative writing with Oxford Summer Courses. Let your words paint a vivid tapestry that captivates hearts and minds under the guidance of experienced tutors from Oxford and Cambridge. Join us as we explore the magic of creative writing and discover the transformative power it holds within through the renowned Oxford Summer Courses summer school.

Ready to study Creative Writing? Apply now to Oxford Summer Courses and join a community of motivated learners from around the world. Apply here .

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Study Creative Writing, why & how to study

A degree in creative writing will develop your imagination and storytelling skills to help you find your voice..

What’s Creative Writing?

What creative writing degrees can you study, what do you need to get onto a creative writing degree, what topics does a creative writing degree cover, how will you be assessed, why study creative writing, are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a creative writing degree, what are the postgraduate opportunities, similar subjects to creative writing, have any questions.

Creative Writing degrees cover all aspects of writing from fiction to non-fiction and poetry to scriptwriting. You’ll develop a portfolio of work and explore the many career options available to you.

Take a look at the university league table for Creative Writing.

Undergraduate degrees in Creative Writing can be studied as a single subject or combined with other areas like literature, film and drama. Some examples include:

Creative Writing BA

Develop your creative and critical writing skills and expand your range and capabilities as a writer. Topics typically cover approaches to literature and cultural history, critical thinking and literary theory among others.

Search for Creative Writing courses.

American Literature with Creative Writing BA

If you are a lover of American literature, indulge your passion by developing your creative practice, knowledge of American literature, and your industry links. This option often includes a year studying abroad.

Explore American Literature with Creative Writing Courses.

English with Creative Writing BA

A programme that allows students to focus on creating their own texts, alongside studying the work of other writers.

Look for English with Creative Writing courses.

Journalism and Creative Writing BA

A Journalism with Creative Writing BA will teach you core journalistic techniques and help you develop writing skills to deliver effective content across multiple platforms, while also encouraging your creative side.

Discover Journalism and Creative Writing courses.

Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance BA

Develop keen critical analysis skills alongside your practical work in acting, directing and playwriting, and explore a broad range of plays and productions covering theatre’s many pasts and presents.

Find Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance courses.

Other options

Options may include an integrated foundation year or placement in the UK or abroad.

Find a Creative Writing undergraduate course
Types of undergraduate degrees

Must have

Entry requirements for a Creative Writing degree at a university range from 80–160 UCAS points. This could include:

A Levels: AAA–CCE
BTECs: DDD–MMP (may also require an English Literature A Level)
Scottish Highers: AAAAB–BBBB (Advanced Highers: AAB–ABB)
International Baccalaureate: 38–26
Universities usually ask for English or English literature at A Level (or equivalent) and a sample of your own writing

Good to have

If you’re doing a combined degree, an A Level of equivalent in the additional subject
Evidence of extensive reading and your influences
Evidence of your love of writing e.g., involvement with writing group, entering writing competition, going to author talks and literary festivals
Relevant work experience or volunteering e.g., supporting communications for a charity, office work at a publisher, shadowing a copywriter
Portfolio of work, e.g., your own blog or contributing articles to magazines
Entry requirements
About UCAS points
Alternatives to A Levels

Typical modules for courses in this subject include:

Adventures in literature and the history of ideas
Composition and creative writing
Creative writing drama
Epic into novel
Future directions
Imagine this: prompts for creative writing
Writing for publication
Writing for short form media
Writing poetry and fiction

Assessments are mainly coursework based, and may include the following methods:

Presentation
Reflective writing
A dissertation is usually a final year option

Career-specific skills

Skills in creative writing to the standards required by the industry – whether publishing, film and TV, or for web content online
Editing, redrafting and proofreading

Transferable skills

Communication
Creative thinking and analysis
Digital skills
Negotiation
Prioritising and time management
Problem solving
Research and analysis
Self-discipline

Professional accreditation

While there are no general professional accreditations for creative writing degrees, there may be some associated with it, for example, the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

Professional organisations

There are many different professional organisations relating to the different genres of creative writing, here are some places to start:

Publishers Association
National Centre for Writing
Society of Authors
The Writer’s Guild of Great Britain

The course appealed to me because of the course structure and syllabus. It is one of the only ones offering creative writing, English literature, and a dedicated publishing module. On a personal level, the lecturers have constantly pushed me to take more risks with my writing, to experiment and have fun with language and structure. Daniel, London Met

Read more about Daniel's story
Reasons to study Creative Writing

Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Creative Writing degree?

Some universities offer students an arts scholarship, bursary or grant. It’s worth seeing if you are eligible, how to apply and what it covers e.g., materials, tuition fees or living costs.

What do Creative Writing graduates earn?

Entry-level salaries start from around £16,700–£22,000 with many areas to go into. For example, an editorial assistant could earn between £18,000–£23,000, increasing to an average of £37,000 for a managing editor and make anything between £45,000–£65,000 as an editorial director.

See what students do and earn after graduation

What jobs can you get as a Creative Writing graduate?

There are lots of possible career paths, some obvious, some less so including:

Brand consultant
Digital marketing executive
Editorial assistant
English teacher
Games writer
Press officer
Scriptwriter
Social media manager
Social worker
Travel writer
Web content manager
Writer in residence in prisons

Examples of postgraduate courses include:

Creative Writing PG/Dip/MA/MSt/MSc/MLitt/PhD
Crime and Thriller Writing MSt
Comedy Studies PhD
English Literary Studies with Creative Writing MA
Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA/MLitt
Find postgraduate courses for Creative Writing
Types of postgraduate degrees

If you enjoy a good story, you might also consider:

Drama, Dance & Cinematics

Search undergraduate Creative Writing courses now!

Ask our experts! You can email [email protected] with your question about studying Creative Writing – we’ll be happy to hear from you.

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Looking for more in Learning or Creative writing for schools ?

Why is Creative Writing important?

Read our evidence review citing new and relevant research supporting the importance of creative writing in school

Why is creative writing important? And what is the research behind it? These are key questions when thinking about establishing creative writing in your class or school. Scottish Book Trust has pulled together this evidence review for you, citing all the relevant research to support creative writing in schools. This review will help you ensure your practice is research-informed and grounded in evidence.

The review explores evidence into the benefits of creative writing by splitting the research into four key areas:

Raising attainment through creativity.
Boosting confidence and imagination.
Nurturing and supporting wellbeing.
Improving skills.

All sources are listed at the end of the review, so you can go and read the original resources for yourself too.

Download the evidence review

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Creative writing evidence review (PDF) (this link will open in a new window) 459.8 kb

Why Does It Matter How Creative Writing Is Taught?

First Online: 28 July 2019

Cite this chapter

Zoe Charalambous 4

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture ((PASCC))

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Charalambous provides a comprehensive review of Creative Writing pedagogies to date with the objective of allowing the reader to consider the assumptions behind the Creative Writing courses they have been taught and pointing to the scarce qualitative research about students’ Creative Writing texts and Creative Writing exercises currently in the field. Three distinct strands in the literature of Creative Writing are discussed: Creative Writing in relation to Literature, to the self (or shift of self) and to research. The first section deals with the conceptual bases of Creative Writing, referring to its relationship to Romanticism, New Criticism, Theory and the workshop. Next follows an analytical account of the literary, the therapeutic, the political and the research conceptions of Creative Writing.

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The study of Creative Writing as a subject is interlinked with its scholarship and the ideologies espoused about writing (studies). By “writing ideologies,” I mean here a particular line of logic followed with regard to the function of writing: for example, we might say that our practice is informed by the ideology that writing is an art form that can be used for raising political awareness or that writing is an art that does not have to have a specific purpose.

Interestingly, the concept of ‘creativity accessible to all’ became the symbol for democracy and ‘ capitalist productivity ,’ during the 1920s and 1930s. Similarly, in a post-industrial narrative, the ethos of a creative class is an argued ‘force for economic growth’ (Dawson 2005 , p. 46; see also Webb 2012 on a further critique). This aspect of “artistic spirit,” then, by the name of “creativity,” might be perceived both as a mode of social expression and suppression.

The Ancient Greek connotations to ‘mimesis’ are a matter of debate, however.

Attesting to the complex interstices of links in literary theory, New Criticism, which arose in the middle decades of the twentieth century, is connected to Formalism, defined as the study of the literary text concerned with the purposes of the text focusing on form, not external influences (Waugh, 2006 , see pp. 212–22, and pp. 165–75). It arose as a reaction to Romanticist theories of the individual writer and genius, originating from Russian formalism, and afterward Anglo-American New Criticism (ibid.).

It is (ironically) defined as ‘a building in which manual labour took place’ (Dawson 2005 , p. 81).

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Charalambous, Z. (2019). Why Does It Matter How Creative Writing Is Taught?. In: Writing Fantasy and the Identity of the Writer. Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20263-7_2

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Why the teaching of creative writing matters

Lecturer in Creative Writing, University of Bolton

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For the last 30 years or so the rise of creative writing programmes in universities has been met with seemingly unending howls of derision from all quarters. Hanif Kureishi, novelist, screenwriter – and professor of creative writing at Kingston University – described them as a “waste of time”. But universities around the world beg to differ, as the increasing number of courses and students testify.

The recent Sunday Times league tables for universities ranked the quality of teaching in creative writing at The University of Bolton as the best in the country. The programme there also boasts the highest ranking in terms of student experience.

Given that I am the only full-time lecturer in creative writing at Bolton – and also led the programme for two of the three years the recent figures cover – I should be able easily to explain our success, and why our students rate our teaching so highly. I say “should”, because I’m not sure of the answer.

There are easy ways to get students to rate teaching highly. We can tailor the classes to their personal needs and wants, and give them all high marks. Or we can teach them at a lower level than we should so that they feel a greater sense of achievement. But at Bolton we do none of these. So what’s the secret?

The measure of a mark

How you actually go about judging the quality of teaching – particularly with a subject like creative writing – is tricky. There are the normal ways that universities use: peer-assessment, student feedback, the evaluation of staff by professionals who specialise in methods of teaching and learning and staff development programmes. And as Bolton is a teaching intensive, research informed university we do a lot of these things, and I think we do them very well.

But I wonder whether what is being measured or evaluated in these assessments is more the style of the teacher, rather than the content. Most assessors are experts in teaching methods and practices – and it’s unreasonable to expect them to have detailed knowledge of every subject.

As non-specialists they are able to measure the levels of student engagement, of academic challenge, of whether the “learning outcomes” which plague university teaching in creative writing are being met. And if you measure it this way, then it’s quite possible that detractors such as Kureishi are right.

A place for play

Except that the teaching of creative writing, when done well, is about more than the skills and craft and technique, important as these things are. And as the writer and lecturer Liam Murray Bell describes, writers must find and use a consistency of tone, style and voice.

It’s also about encouraging students to play, to move beyond their normal styles and subjects of writing, beyond their use of traditional structural, narrative and poetic forms – and to ask them to see what happens. In this sense university is a place for play . Teacher and game designer Eric Zimmerman has defined play as:

The free space of movement within a more rigid structure. Play exists both because of and also despite the more rigid structures of a system.

If students are not actively encouraged to play then we are simply encouraging them to remain as static as they were when they entered higher education – even if they are more adept at using “writerly” skills and techniques.

The secret of success

To me it seems there is no “secret” to good teaching. You do the basics, and you do them as well as you possibly can. You limit class numbers. You give student-writers the individual attention they crave. You make sure that your teachers are good writers and that your writers are good teachers, so that expertise can be shared effectively.

And you make students read widely. They should read the classics, I suppose, but they should also read the “non-classics” – what many academics see as trash fiction. And they should read their peers and contemporaries too.

Importantly, they should read things such as advertising billboards and street signs, the shapes of buildings, the colour of the pavement, the weather, the look in people’s faces. Writers need to breathe in so that they can breathe out their own individual reactions and responses. At Bolton we spend time reading and breathing, and that helps students find voices and interactions which can blend with the craft of writing to produce work which means something to them.

Very few students will earn a living as a writer. But writing is about more than that, and the ability to communicate effectively is a rare and precious thing. Good teaching should not be measured in the texts which students produce, then, but in the knowledge gained through the actions of writing – knowledge which lasts forever.

In the end, if students enjoy their studies, and believe that they’re gaining skills which are transferable in the workplace and will last them well beyond university, then perhaps that is what they see as ‘good teaching’. And perhaps too they’re the best ones to judge.

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Creative Writing: What It Is and Why It Matters

How We Define Creative Writing

The Importance of Creative Writing

Creative Writing: A Path to Mental and Emotional Wellness

Stress Relief and Emotional Catharsis

Improved Communication and Self-Expression

Increased Empathy and Understanding of Others

The Professional Benefits of Creative Writing

Preparing Students for Careers in Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Improving Skills in Storytelling and Marketing for Various Careers

Enhancing Team Collaboration and Leadership Skills

Uncovering the Power of Creative Writing

Preserving Cultural Heritage with Creative Writing

Promoting Social Change & Activism with Creative Writing

Fostering Creativity & Innovation with Creative Writing

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I improve my creative writing skills?

What is the importance of imagery in creative writing?

What are the elements of creative writing?

What’s the difference between creative writing and other types of writing?

What is the golden rule of creative writing?

How important is creativity in writing?

8 Good Reasons to Study Creative Writing

1. Enhancing Writing Skills

2. Encouraging Critical Thinking

3. Fostering a Sense of Community

4. Providing Access to Experienced Instructors

5. Building a Writing Routine

6. Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

7. Boosting Confidence

8. Offering a Creative Outlet

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Many Great Schools (with Awesome Writing Classes) Don't Have a Creative Writing Major

You're Going to Have to Read — A Lot

You Don't Need a Specific Major to Be a Writer

You Can Learn A Lot From Really Focusing on Writing

Some Schools Have Special Opportunities for Creative Writing Majors

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