On the Teaching of Creative Writing: Responses to a Series of Questions

One of America's finest writers talks about the difficulties, rewards, and importance of teaching creative writing. Wallace Stegner writes ". . . the language itself is an inheritance, a shared wealth. It may be played with, stretched, forced, bent; but I, as a writer or teacher, must never assume that it is mine. It is ours, the living core, as well as the instrument, of the culture I derive from, resist, challenge, and--ultimately--serve. . . . nobody can teach anyone else to have a talent. All a teacher can do is set high goals for students--or get them to set them for themselves--and, then, try to help them reach those goals." A half-century's wisdom on teaching and learning creative writing is distilled in this brief discussion by one of America's pre-eminent authors. Anyone who has taught or participated in a creative writing class will find Stegner's insights invaluable.