Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft (Penguin Academics Series)

by Burroway, Janet

• ISBN13: 9780321357403
• ISBN10: 032135740X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

Written by best-selling author Janet Burroway, Imaginative Writing discusses the elements of craft-image, voice, character, setting, and story-from a multigenre perspective. This popular introduction to creative writing explores the craft common to all forms of imaginative writing before individually examining creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama. Compelling readings from renowned writers illustrate the chapter topics. Unique "Try This" exercises-updated and expanded for this second edition-help students develop specific writing skills, while new "Working Toward a Draft" exercises encourage students to think ahead about the direction of their work. This second edition also provides an increased emphasis on creative nonfiction as a broader representation of the essay form, with special attention to memoir and the personal essay. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Indtractor	xv
INVITATION TO THE WRITER	xxi
You...	xxi
...and writing...	xxii
...and reading...	xxiii
...and this book...	xxiii
...and your journal...	xxiv
...and your workshop	xxvii
PART I THE ELEMENTS OF CRAFT
CHAPTER 1 IMAGE	3	(34)
Image and Imagination	3	(4)
Concrete, Significant Details	7	(4)
Figures of Speech	11	(4)
READINGS	15	(22)
Creative Nonfiction	15	(5)
ANNIE DILLARD
The Giant Water Bug"	15	(1)
E.B. WHIIE
"The Ring of Time"	16	(4)
Fiction	20	(6)
NADINE GORDIMER
"The Diamond Mine"	20	(6)
Poems	26	(4)
TED HUGHES
"The Hawk in the Rain"	26	(1)
BILLY COLLINS
"Snow Day"	27	(1)
YUSEF KOMUNYAKAA
"Facing It"	28	(1)
HENRY REED
"Naming of Parts"	29	(1)
Drama	30	(20)
JIM QUINN
Her Deer Story	30	(7)
CHAPTER 2 VOICE	37	(42)
Your Voice	38	(1)
Persona	39	(3)
Character Voice	42	(2)
Point of View	44	(6)
READINGS	50	(29)
Creative Nonfiction	50	(8)
ALICE WALKER
"Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self'	50	(6)
KLUX CHERRY
"A Note About Allen Tate"	56	(2)
Fiction	58	(10)
WILLIAM TREVOR
"Sitting With the Dead"	58	(10)
Poems	68	(6)
GARY SOTO
"Black Hair"	68	(1)
TOM CRAWFORD
"Ginkgo Tree"	69	(1)
WILLIAM TROWBRIDOE
"Kong Looks Back on His Tryout With the Bears"	70	(1)
HILDA RAZ
"Father"	71	(1)
BARBARA HAMBY
"The Language of Bees"	72	(2)
Drama	74	(19)
JANE MARTIN
French Fries	74	(5)
CHAPTER 3 CHARACTER	79	(52)
As Desire	80	(2)
As Image	82	(1)
As Voice	83	(4)
As Action	87	(2)
As Thought	89	(1)
As Presented by the Author	90	(1)
As Conflict	91	(1)
Stock and Flat Characters	92	(1)
READINGS	93	(38)
Creative Nonfiction	93	(7)
SCOTT RUSSELL SANDERS
"The Inheritance of Tools"	93	(7)
Fiction	100	(17)
JHUMPA LAHIRI
"Interpreter of Maladies"	100	(17)
Poems	117	(5)
THEODORE ROETHKE
"I Knew a Woman"	117	(1)
CAROLE SIMMONS OLES
"Stonecarver"	118	(1)
ALLEN GINSBERG
"To Aunt Rose"	119	(1)
ELIZABETH JENNINGS
"One Flesh"	120	(1)
HOWARD NEMEROV
"Life Cycle of Common Man"	121	(1)
Drama	122	(21)
MARY GALLAGHER
Brother	122	(9)
CHAPTER 4 SETTING	131	(32)
As the World	132	(4)
As a Camera	136	(3)
As Mood and Symbol	139	(2)
As Action	141	(2)
READINGS	143	(20)
Creative Nonfiction	143	(3)
JOAN DIDION
"At the Dam"	143	(2)
BILL CAPOSSERE
"A Wind from the North"	145	(1)
Fiction	146	(3)
DONALD BARTHELEME
"The School"	146	(3)
Poems	149	(4)
SHERMAN ALEXIE
"At Navajo Monument Valley Tribal school"	149	(1)
HEATHER MCHUGH
"Earthmoving Malediction"	150	(1)
ANNE TIBBLE
"Trials of a Tourist"	151	(1)
YUSEF KOMUNYAKAA
Nude Interrogation"	152	(1)
Drama	153	(20)
DAVID IVES
The Philadelphia	153	(10)
CHAPTER 5 STORY	163	(44)
As a Journey	163	(2)
As a Power Struggle	165	(3)
As Connection and Disconnection	168	(5)
READINGS	173	(34)
Creative Nonfiction	173	(3)
PATRICIA HAMPL
"Red Sky in the Morning"	173	(3)
Fiction	176	(15)
ROBERT OLEN BUTLER
"Missing"	176	(7)
AMY BLOOM
"The Story"	183	(8)
Poems	191	(5)
ROBERT HASS
"A Story About the Body"	191	(1)
ALBERT GOLDBARTH
"Columbine High School/Littleton, CO"	192	(1)
ELLEN BRYANT VOIGT
"Short Story"	193	(1)
MAXINE KUMIN
"Woodchucks"	194	(1)
LI-YOUNG LEE
"The Hammock"	195	(1)
Drama	196	(26)
CAROLE REAL
The Battle of Bull Run Always Makes Me Cry	196	(11)
CHAPTER 6 DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION	207	(30)
Developing a Draft	208	(2)
Structuring	210	(3)
Research	213	(1)
Revision	214	(4)
Editing	218	(2)
The Workshop	220	(2)
EXAMPLES	222	(15)
Elizabeth Bishop: First and final drafts of "One Art"	222	(3)
Janet Burroway: The Opening of Indian Dancer: A Revision Narrative	225	(6)
James Kimbrell: Growing "Four Tangerines"	231	(6)
PART II THE GENRES
CHAPTER 7 CREATIVE NONFICTION	237	(36)
The Essay and Creative Nonfiction	237	(1)
Memoir and the Personal Essay	238	(3)
Techniques of Creative Nonfiction	241	(5)
Fact and Truth	246	(3)
READINGS	249	(24)
MARGARET ATWOOD
"The Female Body"	249	(3)
GAYLE PEMBERTON
"Do He Have Your Number, Mr. Jeffrey?"	252	(9)
WILLIAM KITTREDGE
"Interlude"	261	(1)
RICHARD SELZER
"The Knife"	262	(7)
Creative Nonfiction Format	269	(4)
CHAPTER 8 FICTION	273	(36)
Story and Plot	273	(4)
Scene and Summary	277	(3)
Backstory and Flashback	280	(2)
Text and Subtext	282	(2)
READINGS	284	(25)
CHARLES BAXTER
"Snow"	284	(9)
LYDIA DAVIS
"Story"	293	(3)
ERNEST HEMINGWAY
"A Clean, Well-lighted Place"	296	(4)
RON CARLSON
"Bigfoot Stole My Wife"	300	(4)
Fiction Format	304	(5)
CHAPTER 9 POETRY	309	(28)
Free Verse and Formal Verse	310	(2)
Imagery, Connotation, and Metaphor	312	(3)
Density and Intensity	315	(5)
Prosody, -Rhythm, and Rhyme	320	(6)
READINGS	326	(7)
SYLVIA PLATH
"Stillborn"	326	(1)
STEVE KOWIT
"The Grammar Lesson"	326	(1)
PHILIP LARKIN
"Annus Mirabilis	327	(1)
GRACE PALEY
"Fathers"	328	(1)
DAVE SMITH
"Black Silhouettes of Shrimpers"	329	(1)
RICHARD WILBUR
"The Pardon"	330	(1)
SHARON OLDS
"The Language of the Brag"	331	(1)
JOHN BERRYMAN
"Dream Song 14"	332	(1)
Poetry Format	333	(4)
CHAPTER 10 DRAMA	337	(38)
The Difference Between Drama and Fiction	337	(3)
Sight: Sets, Action, Costumes, Props	340	(3)
Sound: Verbal and Nonverbal	343	(5)
Some Notes on Screenwriting	348	(2)
READINGS	350	(19)
SYBIL ROSEN
Duet for Bear and Dog	350	(6)
JOSÉ RIVERA
Gas	356	(4)
JOSH BEN FRIEDMAN
Removing the Head	360	(4)
LANFORD WILSON
Eukiah	364	(5)
Drama Format	369	(6)
APPENDIX A Basic Prosody	375	(8)
Glossary	383	(9)
Credits	392	(4)
Index	396