Okeyo Samwel Otieno

 RELEASED INTO LANGUAGE AND CROSSING BORDERS: CREATIVE WRITING AND COMPOSITION PEDAGOGY Author’s Name Course Date Composition and creative writing. Indeed, sounds the same because both writing genres are mainly used to communicate ideas, although disconnected with regards to how they are taught, by different instructors. The end product is texts, reached at following different procedures. The project focuses on the fragile relationship between creative writing and composition factions of English departments in higher education. According to Judith Harris, writing concept should be broaden to include both writing products and individuals striving to write.1 This is because learners write out desire to express self, whereas planned teaching strategies is exclusive. The aim of the research is thus to answer the question, how can the composition classroom embrace a more creative pedagogy? Literature review, regarding to imaginative writing, and teaching methodology of composition, contributes to the understanding of historical assertions that inform current teaching viewpoints held by English composers and creative writers. In addition, the paper examines the pedagogical change of teaching writing as a product, to teaching writing as a process of discovering self. In- depth investigation on how these different methodologies impact a first-year academic writing course, leads to a recommendation of a methodological shift, to mediate and embrace both creative writing, and composition studies. The intended outcome is, a more engaging and beneficial academic writing course offered by educators. History of creative and composition writing While citing work done by Robert, (The Rise and Fall of the Modes of Discourse), Danita confirms that, grouping communication and writing into English composition and creative writing begun in 1980s. The curriculum schemes used significantly affects the manner in which both composition and creative writing is taught.2 From Robert’s point of view, the teaching modes applied classified writing into four major categories, including; argument, disposition, description, and narration. The first two forms the basis of a composition, while the latter creative writing; presented in Samuel’s “Practical System of Rhetoric.” 3 Instructions are conveyed through deductive writings, while persuasive composition influence the will through intellectual reasoning. Robert explains that creative writing is a form of entertainment, therefore, written for fun while composition such as essays and articles may sometimes be lackluster. Expansion of learning institutions led to adoption of a more scientific writing styles, meant to prepare students to be either composers or writers, in consistent with the curriculum. The popularization of single- mode textbooks for writing in 1920s, as pointed out by Robert, used to teach essays, marks the onset of classroom composition. The methodological shift, giving prominence to expository writing is the root cause of problems faced by rhetoric and composition scholars.4 This is because composers focus on writing to follow a logical order in presenting explanations as opposed to creative writers who communicate reasons without following an order. In reference to Maurice Garland’s “Expository Writing,” composition writing was initially organized into definition, division and classification on one end, while contrast, comparison, and examples on the other end. Of course, the list updated over time, however, maintained descriptive exposition. Changes from writing and teaching as a product, to as a process The split, evident, between composition and creative writing is both theoretical and practice- based, 5 explains Gerald Graff. Composition is assumed to be a scholarly focus, whereas creative writing is a practical endeavor. Danita’s recall, the experience at Oklahoma City University as well as a private liberal-arts college, teaching composition and creative writing. Perplexed by the different collegiums teaching both creative writing and composition, extraordinarily, there is little interaction between instructors. Proponents of composition like Macrorie Ken, and Murray Donald opines that the realm should focus exclusively on teaching academic dissertation,6 while Peter Elbow advocates for innovative teaching methods in writing memos, reports, lectures, poetry, essays and fiction without editorial checkpoints,7 compared to cross border scholars such as Tim Mayers and Wendy Bishop, advocating for collaboration between creative writing and composition procedures.8 Writing creative texts is voluntarily done for pleasure, contrary to composition writing imposed by an instructor.9 In an interview compiled by David Starkey, involving Bishop and Locklin, “expository writing is short- term and founded on political status”.10 Composition is more of interpretation, while imaginative writing is more of finding characters and creating stories.11 Williams’ concern is the use of narrative devices, to shape and push arguments, opposed conventional aspects. Not forgetting Freytag’s Pyramid vis-à-vis writing as a self-imaginative activity reflecting research methodology of a story. Gustav’s pyramid can be used in planning composition ideas as well as a new story before writing begins. Impact on a first- year academic course Quoted from Osho Zen Tarot, “Creativity is the quality added to an activity done by an individual. Whatsoever the activity, if performed cheerily, affectionately … then it becomes creative.”12 The thin line difference between composition and creative writing, says Danita Berg, works to the detriment of freshmen writing students, since they are excluded from many writing genres. Lauer sees writing pedagogy as an epistemic, “inculcation of knowledge through discourse.”13 Composition assist students learn how to begin, create and achieve imaginative writing. Methodological shift to mediate creative writing and composition studies The alliance between composition studies and creative writing is achievable. Writes Bishop. To begin with, recognizing commonalities between the genres, instructors from both divides can develop a unitary methodology.14 Secondly, redressing perceptions, and allocation of equitable resources, either at institutional or departmental level is much needed than before. Tim Mayers’ aim is to uncover the domineering notions surrounding creative and composition writing to achieve a level playing ground.15 Benefits Integrating composition and creative writing. Stands not only to benefit students, but also instructors, scholars and writing- based learning institutions. According to Wendy Bishop, the key elements of collaborative approach, addresses students’ needs, to enable learners understand all forms of genre at different levels. In addition, Danita Berg asserts that alliance between imaginative writing and composition is vital in ending academic crossover, threatening the future of English and writing faculties. Bibliography Berg, Danita. “Re- composition: Considering the Intersections of Composition and Creative Writing Theories and Pedagogies” (2010). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/1573(25th May 2018) Bishop, Wendy. “Places to Stand: The Reflective Writer-Teacher-Writer in Composition." College Composition and Communication 51.1 (1999): 9-31. David Starkey, Wendy Bishop and Gerald Locklin Source: Writing on the Edge, Vol. 7, No. 1 (FALL / WINTER 1995 / 96), pp. 100-110 Published by: Regents of the University of California Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/- Accessed: 25th May 2018 Elbow Peter. “Writing Without Teachers,” Oxford University Press. (1998), pp5- 33 Harris Judith, “Re-Writing the Subject: Psychoanalytic Approaches to Creative Writing and Composition Pedagogy,” (2001), National Council of Teachers of English, pp.175- 204 Larson, Richard. “Classifying Discourse: Limitations and Alternatives.” Essays on Classical Rhetoric and Modern Discourse. Ed. Robert Connors. Carbondale, IL: SIUP,-. Lauer, Janice. “Composition Studies: Dappled Discipline.” Rhetoric Review 3 (1984): 20-29. Mayers, Tim. “Figuring the Future: Lore and/in Creative Writing.” Eds. Kelly Ritter and Stephanie Vanderslice. Can It Really Be Taught? Resisting Lore in Creative Writing Pedagogy. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, 2007. Murray, Donald M. A Writer Teaches Writing. 2nd ed. Boston: Thomson Heinle, 2004. Robert L. Scott, “On Viewing Rhetoric as Epistemic.” Contemporary Rhetorical Theory: A Reader. Eds. John Louis Lucaites, Celeste Michelle Condit, and Sally Caudill. The Guildford Press. 1998. Williams, Paul. 2012. ‘‘The Absence of Theory.’’ International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing 9 (2): 216_ 227.