Can Creative Writing be taught?

It has long been a question between writers and academics, Can Creative Writing be taught? To throw in my tuppence worth, I believe experienced writers can share their techniques and their learning from their journey so far with students, thereby cutting the gestation period to fruition of any writing talent a student may have. Even if there is no latent talent there, a full creative writing course will help any student read with more comprehension and perception. That's worth all the effort a good CW course will ask of a student.

This question has been around for a long time and has been tackled by many insiders and outsiders of university Creative Writing programs - so I point you towards this New Yorker article http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2009/06/08/090608crat_atlarge_menand?currentPage=all

An anecdote: Once, as president of an august writing body, I addressed a group of novice writers in an out of town writing group. They listened very politely to my motivational speech about giving your all to writing - putting creative writing before all else, including making money, personal relationships, supporting family, etc. Afterwards, over tea and cake, a mature gentleman came up beside me and said, "We're just a suburban tennis club, you know - We're not bloody Wimbledon!" That night, I learnt a lot!

Creative Writing Course @ FAWWA

New Creative Writing course starting in Swanbourne at Tom
Collins House 5 March - continuous every Wednesday from 10am to Noon.

10 weeks for $150 or $20 per session.

Tutor: Dr Andrew Burke, author, poet, lecturer.

Venue: Historic TOM COLLINS HOUSE, Wood Street, Swanbourne - in the
bush beside Allen Park, at the base of Melon Hill.

Information and bookings via admin@fawwa.org.au

I'll be starting from scratch unless all participants at the first
session are somewhat experienced writers :-)

I will teach techniques which cover -
accessing your own creativity,
prose writing for stories and novels,
and various poetry styles and 'fashionable hijinks'.

And fun and laughter are guaranteed >g<