Beyond Craft
- 240 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Simultaneously a handbook and a critique, this text offers a fresh perspective on creative writing, merging practical advice and exercises with insightful commentary on the challenges of craft pedagogy. It serves as an alternative to traditional guides by teaching composition while highlighting significant cultural concerns that often accompany these techniques. The authors engage emerging writers in broader conversations within the field, encouraging them to contextualize their writing practices and educational experiences against the backdrop of creative writing's academic history. They prompt students to consider how New Critical ideas and Romantic myths might distort their perceptions of literary production, and to critically assess their views on authorship, collaboration, and invention in light of contemporary literary and rhetorical theories. The book also addresses the economic, social, political, and professional hurdles that creative writers face today, urging an analysis of the literary marketplace to understand the impact of diversity and bias on writing communities. Additionally, it invites reflection on how rapid technological advancements may influence their writing and the future of literature. Throughout, the text fosters a self-aware approach, inducting new writers into the field while enriching their understanding of the larger dialogue surrounding their craft.


