In this dynamic exploration of the discipline of creative writing, Graeme Harper departs from the established 'how-to' model in a personal manifesto which analyses why human beings are, and have long been, passionate about writing. Illuminating the five essential keys to creative writing, directly related to the desire to undertake it, Harper analyses creative writing's past and ponders its future, drawing on theories of the self, cultural interaction, consumption and communication.
Blending practice-based critical context with contemporary creative writing theory, this book is an ideal companion for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Creative Writing and Literature. Lively and thought-provoking, it is an invaluable tool for all aspiring and established writers who wish to harness the positive effects of their craft.

Introduction: So You Want to be a Creative Writer
1. Intention
2. Action
3. Emotion
4. Imagination
5. Pleasure
Conclusion: Being a Creative Writer

Graeme Harper is Professor of Creative Writing and Dean of The Honors College at Oakland University, Michigan, USA. He is Director of the Great Writing International Creative Writing Conference, Editor-in-Chief of New Writing: The International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing and series editor of Palgrave's Approaches to Writing series. He has been an examiner for Creative Writing BA, MA and PhD degrees at over 40 institutions across the world since 2001. He is author of The Companion to Creative Writing (Wiley Blackwell, 2013)and Inside Creative Writing (Palgrave, 2012) and co-author of Research Methods in Creative Writing (Palgrave, 2012), amongst many other titles.