Am I no longer a writer? ‘Universal’ tenets and the writing/teaching self

ABSTRACT

The tension between the artist finding their own unique voice and the use of other artists as exemplars which, effectively, negates the notion of unique-ness and relies on rules and general tenets, is highly evident in the teaching of emerging writers in university creative writing programmes. This paper seeks to unpack elements of this tension by considering the ways in which teaching identities intersect with pedagogical practice, particularly around the rules which govern writing schedules and engagement with creative content making. I consider two opposing notions of creative practice – the strict, worker-like ideal versus Muse-driven, inspired artistry – to challenge some of the ‘self-evident’ tools of creative writing teaching. In particular, I look at the ubiquitous nature of the ‘write every day’ and ‘keep a journal’ mantras which have permeated both my student and teaching experiences in the academy. I argue that if we acknowledge creative writing practices as ‘personal and cultural’ then we must be wary, as creative writing instructors, of insisting on fixed notions of what a writer looks like.

KEYWORDS:

• creativity
• Muse
• industry
• inspiration

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 I say ‘often’ because it must be acknowledged that some creative writing undergraduate students are already professional writers who have, for different reasons, returned to the academy.

2 The difference between the teaching of fiction and screenwriting is an easy example to provide here. As pointed out to me by Dr Radha O’Meara, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne, the advice to ‘write every day’ is never given to screenwriters. Although there is an obvious need for a strong work ethic, the notion of writing daily is not a mantra given to those writing for the screen. Nor, during my time as a playwright and dramaturg in professional theatre, did I ever hear it given to playwrights.

3 In relation to the examples referred to earlier, Maxine Beneba Clark would classify as ‘Expert Practitioner’ whilst Wayne Macauley, who also tutored in the course, would, I believe, fall into the category of ‘Teacher/Artist’.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachel Hennessy

Dr Rachel Hennessy is a Lecturer in the Department of English and Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, Australia.