The Road to Somewhere A Creative Writing Companion

by Graham, Robert; Singleton, John; Newall, Helen; Armstrong, Julie; Leach, Heather

• ISBN13: 9781403916402
• ISBN10: 1403916403
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-02
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

The Writing Student's Companionis designed to provide students with a comprehensive, lively and interesting guide to the writer's life. It examines the contemporary experience of the learner-writer, deals with elements of craft and explores the skills and knowledge needed to develop as a writer. It is written by a team of published writers, who all have wide experience of teaching creative writing in higher education.

Author Biography

Robert Graham is Head of the writing course at Edge Hill College of Higher Education.

Helen Newall is a professional playwright and teaches part-time on the Drama and Writing courses at Edge Hill College of Higher Education.

Heather Leach is lecturer in the Department of Contemporary Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Julie Armstrong teaches in the Department of Contemporary Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University.

John Singleton was Head of the degree in Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Table of Contents

Editors' Acknowledgements	viii
Notes on Contributors	ix
Introduction: Imaginary Roads
Heather Leach	1	(2)
I GETTING GOING	3	(52)
1 Becoming a Writer
Heather Leach	5	(9)
2 A Writer's Territory
Julie Armstrong	14	(4)
Agony Aunt: The Origin of Ideas	17	(1)
3 Creativity
Heather Leach	18	(10)
4 The Necessity of Mess
John Singleton	28	(8)
5 The Blank Screen: Developing Writing Routines and Reading Habits
Julie Armstrong	36	(12)
Agony Aunt: Diversionary Tactics	44	(4)
6 Dreams and Visions
Julie Armstrong	48	(9)
Agony Aunt: I Might Fail...	54	(1)
II JOURNEY ESSENTIALS	55	(48)
7 Journals and Notebooks
Robert Graham	57	(10)
8 Reading as a Writer
Heather Leach	67	(13)
9 Looking Your Words in the Face: Reflection
Robert Graham and Heather Leach	80	(9)
Agony Aunt: Writer's Block	87	(2)
10 Writing Together: Groups and Workshops
Heather Leach	89	(17)
Agony Aunt: No More Ideas...	101	(2)
III KEEPING GOING	103	(138)
Basics: Layout for Fiction	105	(1)
11 Narrators: Whose Story Is It Anyway?
Robert Graham	106	(7)
Style: Syntax	112	(1)
12 Your Travelling Companions: Characters
Robert Graham	113	(11)
Agony Aunt: The Trouble with Adjectives...	123	(1)
13 Setting
Helen Newall	124	(10)
14 White Space: Page Design
Robert Graham	134	(4)
Style: Plain and Simple	137	(1)
15 Your Vehicle: Plot
Robert Graham	138	(8)
Agony Aunt: Scaffolding	143	(2)
Style: Verbs (and Adverbs)	145	(1)
16 Scriptwriting For Nervous Beginners
Helen Newall	146	(10)
Basics: Speech Marks	154	(1)
Style: Directness	155	(1)
17 Dialogue in Prose Fiction
John Singleton	156	(12)
Basics: Paragraphing	167	(1)
18 It's Showtime: Immediacy
Robert Graham	168	(15)
Basics: Apostrophes	179	(2)
Agony Aunt: Size Matters...	181	(2)
19 Cut it Out, Put it In: Revision
Robert Graham	183	(10)
20 Poetry for People Who Don't Like Poetry
Heather Leach	193	(6)
21 Words and Images
John Singleton	199	(8)
22 Trying Something Else: Poetry Writing
Robert Sheppard and Scott Thurston	207	(10)
23 Writing Play: On and Off the Page
Heather Leach	217	(11)
Style: Subject, Verb, Object	227	(1)
24 The Polyphonic Spree: Other Narrative Strategies
Robert Graham	228	(7)
Basics: Colons and Semi-Colons	234	(1)
25 Narrative Design: Pattern, Plant and Pay-off
Robert Graham	235	(6)
IV GOING WHERE?	241	(32)
Agony Aunt: It's Finished. What Now?	243	(2)
26 Getting Published
John Singleton	245	(12)
Agony Aunt: Almost Famous	255
27 Writing As Self-Invention
Julie Armstrong	257	(5)
28 How Not Being Published Can Change Your Life
Heather Leach	262	(11)
V GOING FURTHER	273	(9)
Writers' Websites	275	(4)
A Writer's Bookshelf	279	(3)
Appendix: Examples of Student Reflection	282	(9)
Notes	291	(11)
Index	302