I'm skeptical of this book's claims that it's meant to accompany a course in creative writing - it's not practical enough. Then again, as an academic approach to the topic, why shouldn't we expect it to be found in a classroom?



Flipping through this book, I always expect to get more out of it than I actually end up gleaning from its pages. The organization is not particularly helpful; the ten chapters are as follows:



1: Introducing creative writing

2: Creative writing in the world

3: Challenges of creative writing

4: Composition and creative writing

5: Processes of creative writing

5: The practice of fiction

7: Creative nonfiction

8: Writing poetry

9: Performing writing

10: Writing in the community and academy



These categories give little indication of where to find what, and the index is not particularly helpful in finding information, either. For instance, why is the section "On Titles" buried in the "Processes" chapter? It's useful; Morley writes:



"Like it or not, [the title] may tip the balance between your work being read or not, and it might form part of what is graded within a writing course. You must make your title work as hard as all the words in your piece - harder, in fact, for the title is a door for the reader to open, or a little window through which they peep at the interior, an intrigue making them question whether they should enter or take part. A lazy or imprecise title can damn an entire book" (132).



This quote exemplifies the book's value as well as its pitfalls. It's not so much about writing for the sake of being a writer, but a guide to academic success in a creative writing course. Even at that, the poor organization makes it difficult to exploit the book fully, and the majority of the writing exercises fall flat. And it is a wordy philosophical treatise more than an eager guide. Still, the book is packed with useful information, quotations, and even a few cartoons. If you're willing to put in the time and effort to decipher Morley's work, your writing will improve. But it's not the easiest way to go about it.