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Convention

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by
WriterAtTheSea
, 05-19-2007 at 03:36 PM (1246 Views)
With creative writing course springing up in so many of our academic institutions in the US, there might be an underlying stream of discouragment, devaluation and discrimination that marginalizes works of literature fashioned outside of convention. As contradictory as it may seem, creative writing often functions visibly as a noteworthy part of academia, but remains invisible as a part of the discipline. While creative writing should be widely accepted as a literary art form that confirms the richness of culture, and establishes a voice that is worthy of an audience, the rigidity within so much of the academic approach often strangles out the voice of cultural expression, greatly reducing the importance of such works of art. Do you think Academia in America has opened a can of worms with their attempts to market creative writing programs? Is the blending of convention and unconvention something attainable within the two worlds?
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  1. Virgil's Avatar
    You are voicing a common camplaint about creative writing classes. On balance though (there are pluses and negatives to everything) I think they have inspired more than discouraged. It's up to a individual writer to take what they learn at the classes and break out on his own. Now I do think they have a large influence at what gets published.
  2. WriterAtTheSea's Avatar
    (Excuse the time gap here...I thought no one was paying attention...)

    Yes, you are correct. It is a common complaint, but I do believe it is one that should be addressed. One of the things I have personally seen (especially with younger writers) is being very overwhelmed by the standards applied to their "creative writing" within academia. While those standards are highly important, I believe the manner in way they are presented can squelch creativity. I don't know about whether or not writer's have found inspiration within the academic world, because inspiration can come from so many externals and internal thoughts...I do believe if they can hang in there, the restrictions placed on them will far better equip them for much stronger and polished writing in the end. Thanks for your comment Virgil!