A Practical Guide to Teaching Creative Writing
Supporting Inclusive Pedagogy
A Practical Guide to Teaching Creative Writing
Supporting Inclusive Pedagogy
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Description
A practical resource for creative writing instructors, this book brings together theoretical ideas with how progressive pedagogical and inclusive teaching practices can be implemented in a huge range of contexts. For newcomers to seasoned instructors, teachers of undergraduate and postgrads, online, in-person or hybrid classes from 6 to 300+ students, creative writing teachers are guided through each step of designing and teaching courses.With conceptually rich introductions, hands-on examples, and actionable interventions to help teachers challenge their students, A Creative Writing Teacher's Companion provides:
· A diverse range of perspectives and approaches to active learning
· Guidance on creating effective and meaningful exercises, next-level tips and suggestions to spur pedagogy, and teaching practices and care in the classroom
· A wide selection of guest authors and instructors sharing classroom strategies, pedagogical provocations, and proven practices
· Best practices for creating community while navigating the ever-evolving needs of students
· Exploration of fractious topics such assessment, capturing the process of creative writing and reading, and final pieces of creative work
· An annotated bibliography and editable and updateable online models, templates and worksheets
With a strong ethos of openness, mutual discovery and exchanges of ideas and expertise, A Creative Writing Teacher's Companion is all about seeking new ways of thinking, creating, writing and knowing about the word and world.
Table of Contents
a. Getting to know your students, getting to know your teaching context.
b. Creating sound, inclusive course syllabi
c. A brief introduction to backwards design and learning objectives.
d. Mapping assignments and activities onto a calendar.
i. Teacher resources: “Three Possible Students” Through Experiment, Backwards Design Worksheet, Institutional Information-Gathering Sheet.
ii. Possible cameos: Claire Donato, Janelle Adsit
2. Assignment Design
a. Scaffolding learning.
b. Designing assignments that build incrementally.
c. Balancing fixed and flexible parameters.
i. Teacher resources: Assignment sheet template (annotated)
ii. Possible cameos: PJ Raynor, Isabeau Iqbal, Erika Meitner
3. Serious Play: Prompts and Generative Writing
a. Why assign writing prompts?
b. How prompts build to larger assignments and encourage process.
c. Fostering an atmosphere of serious play.
i. Teacher resources: Self-reflection on structure in creative practice.
ii. Student Resources: A sample of tested prompts and strategies for generative work across genre, level, and modality.
iii. Possible cameos: Lynda Barry, Diana Khoi Nguyen, UBC colleagues in less commonly taught genres, i.e. Nalo Hopkinson, Tariq Hussain
4. In-Class Activities and Active Learning
a. What happens when we gather?
b. Matching activities to goals.
c. Asking good questions.
d. Beyond discussion: small group problem-solving, structured conversations, role-playing exercises, collaborative writing, student presentations, and more.
e. Community partnerships and service learning.
i. Possible cameos: Taylor Brown-Evans, Sarah Leavitt, Kate Schapira
5. Craft, Context, Culture
a. Why situate craft terms within cultural contexts.
b. System building and system critique.
c. Collaborative knowledge creation.
d. Negotiating, defining, and inventing craft terms
e. A place for lecture.
i. Teacher Resources: Craft Terms in Context Worksheet.
ii. Possible cameos: Matthew Salesses, Paisley Rekdal, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Matthew Shenoda
6. Working with Models and Mentor Texts
a. The case for connecting reading and writing.
b. Why instructors hesitate to make reading part of their courses.
c. Reading and ability.
i. Assignments that put focus on the reading process.
d. Reading and time.
e. Reading and authority.
i. Students co-authoring the reading list.
ii. Assignments that offer students both structure and agency.
f. Using mentor texts to demystify publication and professionalization.
i. Instructor resource: Selecting Model and Mentor Texts: 6 Guiding Principles.
ii. Student Resources: Ecosystem of a Book Assignment, Commonplace Book/Reading Journal, Craft Apprenticeship Assignment, Annotation Assignments.
iii. Possible cameos: Hoa Nguyen, Noor Naga, Matt Bell, Nancy Lee, Amer Latif
7. Workshop Approaches and Alternatives
a. Workshop options.
b. Getting beyond “positive” and “negative” feedback.
c. Coaching curious agentic writers.
d. Coaching attentive generous readers.
e. Audiences present and future.
f. The writers' room: working in collaborative genres.
g. Strategies for asynchronous and large-enrolment courses.
i. Possible cameos: Felicia Rose Chavez, Liz Lerman, other contributors to Critique is Creative
8.Revision and Iterative Practice
a. Developing an individual process.
b. Growth mindset, radical revision mindset.
c. Messy middles and the long haul.
d. Coaching reflection and metacognition.
e. From exploratory drafts to radical practical notes: feedback at each stage of the writing process.
i. Teacher resources: Process metaphor reflection
ii. Student resources: Revision Log Template, Pre- and Post-Workshop Memo Templates,
iii. Possible cameos: Peter Ho Davies, John Bean
9. Inquiry and Research
a. The role of research in creative writing.
b. Inquiry as engine.
c. Information literacy and navigating sources.
d. Embodied research: archives, interviews, field observations.
i. Student resources: Questions for Going Deeper, Source Assessment Worksheet
ii. Possible cameos: Melanie Boyd & Jason Nisenson, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Annabel Lyon, Bridget Whearty
10.Assessment and Grading
a. Establishing expectations: fixed and flexible parameters.
b. Assessing product, assessing process.
c. Working with rubrics.
d. Summative feedback in the context of grading.
i. Possible Cameos: Sherryda Warrener,
11. Supporting Thesis and Capstone Work
a. Coaching creative project management.
b. Building sustainable habits.
c. Supporting agency and self-direction.
i. Student resources: Thesis timeline template; Goals: Establishing, Revisiting, Reflecting.
ii. Possible cameos: Jessica Abel, Beth Pickens, Chelene Knight
12. Comfortable with Uncertainty: Navigating Classroom Challenges
a. Acknowledging our power, knowing our limits.
b. Balancing preparation and presence.
c. Cultivating a teaching persona.
i. Possible cameos: Pratt and Collins (UBC), Chris Abani
Product details
| Published | 19 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 256 |
| ISBN | 9781350427730 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 20 bw illus |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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