Creative Writing in the Community: A Guide

by Terry Ann Thaxton

Creative Writing in the Community is the first book to focus on the practical side of creative writing.
Connecting classroom experiences to community-based projects, it prepares creative writing students for teaching in schools, homeless centers, youth clubs and care homes.

Each chapter is packed with easy-to-use resources specific lesson plans; case studies of students working with community groups; lists of suitable writing examples; "how to..." sections; examples and theoretical applications of creative writing pedagogy and techniques; reflection questions; writings by workshop participants.

Enhanced by contributions from directors,students and teachers at successful public programs, Creative Writing in the Community is more than an essential guide for students on creative writing courses and leaders of community-based learning programs; it is practical demonstration of the value of art in society.

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2013

About the author

Terry Ann Thaxton is the author of three full-length poetry collections. Mud Song (winner of the 2017 T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize published by Truman State UP), Getaway Girl (Salt, 2011) and The Terrible Wife (Salt, 2013). Her book Creative Writing in the Community: A Guide and Anthology (Bloomsbury, 2014) is a result of more than a decade of work, training college students to provide creative writing opportunities to community members who might not have the means to attend fee-based classes.

Her poetry and prose has been published in numerous journals such as Rattle, The Missouri Review, Connecticut Review, Comstock Review, Hayden’s Ferry, West Branch, Tampa Review, Cimarron Review, Main Street Rag, Cold Mountain Review, Teaching Artist Journal, Connotation Press Online Artifact, and others.

She is Professor of English at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Reviews

[Matt Sautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of a Community-Based Learning (CBL) class I'm taking as I work towards receiving my MFA in Creative Writing. Thaxton's book is useful insofar as it frames what a CBL project can look like through short chapters and essays provided by other people who have completed these kinds of projects. I do feel that the book sometimes feels a bit repetitive. However, I think Creative Writing in the Community is useful as a reference guide, especially for those who are newer to Writing pedagogy. As someone whose background includes a Master's degree in Teaching of Writing and a secondary ed English Bachelor's degree, some of the ideas here are less novel.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part anthology, part resource guide, this book is a great read for those who want to drag creative writing outside of the classroom (or outside academia) and into the community.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about starting your own community-based project that is centered around creative writing, with essays that may make you emotional here and there.