The Elements of Style​

​

The poem, or any writing that is a work of art, must find its way as it goes, and can’t always be consciously constructed or planned in advance. Much of what happens in a creative writing classroom is a venture at looking at how poems emerge: to see how the meticulous and rigorous craft, and spontaneous and inspired moments of provocation and inspiration, come together to form a true work. In discussing the formal choices of a work of art in the classroom, we can approach concrete ways of talking about the unpredictable and provisional nature of the writing process and find a variety of ways into poetic composition. I will talk about a few specific forms of “reading like a writer” as models for teaching creative writing students close reading skills, craft techniques, and the art of revision. I will touch upon how the teaching of creative writing methodologically unites practice and theory.