Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional , journalistic , academic , or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics . Due to the looseness of the definition, it is possible for writing such as feature stories to be considered creative writing, even though it falls under journalism, because the content of features is specifically focused on narrative and character development. Both fictional and non-fictional works fall into this category, including such forms as novels , biographies , short stories , and poems . In the academic setting, creative writing is typically separated into fiction and poetry classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, as opposed to imitating pre-existing genres such as crime or horror . Writing for the screen and stage— screenwriting and playwriting —are often taught separately, but fit under the creative writing category as well.
49-537: Creative writing can technically be considered any writing of original composition . In this sense, creative writing is a more contemporary and process-oriented name for what has been traditionally called literature , including the variety of its genres . In her work, Foundations of Creativity , Mary Lee Marksberry references Paul Witty and Lou LaBrant 's Teaching the People's Language to define creative writing. Marksberry notes: Witty and LaBrant...[say creative writing]
98-470: A derived work can demonstrate originality, and must do so if it is to respect copyright. In the copyright law of the United States , more specifically under 17 U.S.C 102 , the work that is sought to be protected must satisfy the threshold for originality . Though most of the countries require certain degree of originality in the work sought to be protected, such requirement does not stem from either
147-592: A creative outlet to encourage rehabilitation. These programs' continuation relies heavily on volunteers and outside financial support from sources such as authors and activist groups. The Poets Playwrights Essayists Editors and Novelists, known as PEN , were among the most significant contributors to creative writing programs in America. In 1971, PEN established the Prison Writing Committee to implement and advocate for creative writing programs in prisons throughout
196-455: A kind of restorative justice. Originality Originality is the aspect of created or invented works that distinguish them from reproductions , clones, forgeries , or substantially derivative works . The modern idea of originality is according to some scholars tied to Romanticism , by a notion that is often called romantic originality . The validity of "originality" as an operational concept has been questioned. For example, there
245-437: A patent must also be useful and nonobvious . In United States copyright law copyrights protect only original works of authorship, a property which has been historically and legally linked to a concept of " creativity ". A work must pass a threshold of originality in order to be copyrightable. In other countries protection of a work often is connected to similar conditions. In United Kingdom intellectual property law,
294-637: A work meets the threshold of originality. The most prominent case with respect to 'originality' under the Indian Copyright Law is the Eastern Book Company v DCB Modak . This judgment gave rise to two doctrines i.e. modicum of creativity and the skill and judgment test . This remains the accepted and current position of law in India as of now. However, prior to this, the Indian Courts used to follow
343-675: A work was good not because it was original, but because it resembled an admired classical exemplar, which in the case of comedy meant a play by Terence or Plautus Kevin Brockmeier Kevin John Brockmeier (born December 6, 1972) is an American writer of fantasy and literary fiction . His best known work is The Brief History of the Dead , 2006. Brockmeier was born in Hialeah, Florida and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas . He
392-438: Is a composition of any type of writing at any time primarily in the service of such needs as Unlike its academic counterpart of writing classes that teach students to compose work based on the rules of the language , creative writing is believed to focus on students' self-expression. While creative writing as an educational subject is often available at some stages, if not throughout, primary and secondary school ( K–12 ), perhaps
441-538: Is a graduate of Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School (1991) and Southwest Missouri State University (1995). He taught at the Iowa Writers' Workshop , where he received his MFA in 1997, and lives in Little Rock. His short stories have been printed in numerous publications and he has published two collections of stories, two children's novels, and two fantasy novels. Brockmeier has won three O. Henry Prizes ,
490-620: Is also being challenged, with critics pointing out that Western literary canon and writing pedagogy is "historically rooted and linked to exclusion and structural racism in creative writing programs." In the late 1960s, American prisons began implementing creative writing programs due to the prisoner rights movement that stemmed from events such as the Attica Prison riot . The creative writing programs are among many art programs that aim to benefit prisoners during and after their time in prison. Programs such as these provide education, structure, and
539-545: Is considered by some academics (mostly in the US) to be an extension of the English discipline, even though it is taught around the world in many languages. The English discipline is traditionally seen as the critical study of literary forms, not the creation of literary forms. Some academics see creative writing as a challenge to this tradition. In the UK and Australia , as well as increasingly in
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#1732844295728588-600: Is considered by some to constitute experience in creative problem-solving . Despite a large number of academic creative writing programs throughout the world, many people argue that creative writing cannot be taught. Essayist Louis Menand explores the issue in an article for the New Yorker in which he quotes Kay Boyle , the director of the creative writing program at San Francisco State University for sixteen years, who said, "all creative-writing programs ought to be abolished by law." Contemporary discussions of creative writing at
637-405: Is no clear boundary between "derivative" and "inspired by" or "in the tradition of." The concept of originality is both culturally and historically contingent. For example, unattributed reiteration of a published text in one culture might be considered plagiarism but in another culture might be regarded as a convention of veneration. At the time of Shakespeare , it was more common to appreciate
686-1034: Is usually taught in a workshop format rather than seminar style. In workshops, students usually submit original work for peer critique. Students also format a writing method through the process of writing and re-writing. Some courses teach the means to exploit or access latent creativity or more technical issues such as editing , structural techniques , genres , random idea generating , or unblocking writer's block . Some noted authors , such as Michael Chabon , Sir Kazuo Ishiguro , Kevin Brockmeier , Ian McEwan , Karl Kirchwey , Dame Rose Tremain and reputed screenwriters, such as David Benioff , Darren Star and Peter Farrelly , have graduated from university creative writing programs. Many educators find that using creative writing can increase students' academic performance and resilience . The activity of completing small goals consistently rather than unfinished big goals creates pride in one's brain, which exudes dopamine throughout
735-504: Is why it is often necessary to preserve the original, in order to preserve its original integrity. The copy is made to preserve the original recording by saving the original from degenerating as it is being played, rather than to replace the original. Modernist concern with issues of originality develops out of modernism's relation to romanticism, the romantics having invented the notion of originality as we know it. while we applaud difference, Shakespeare's first audiences fovoured likeness:
784-548: The Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel Corp case , the court held that the copies of public domain photographs could not be copyrighted since they lacked originality and while such reproductions may have involved skill and labour, no protection could be granted to them, on account of lack of originality . While the current legal requirements of originality viz. minimum level of creativity and independent labour can be easily assessed and applied in case of literary works,
833-569: The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886) that has been adapted by 181 countries and city-states, "original work" gives a creator exclusive rights; protection for creative works are automatically in force upon their creation without being asserted or declared. In the patent law of the United States, only original inventions can be subject to protection. In addition to being original, inventions submitted for
882-626: The Berne Convention or the TRIPS Agreement . Therefore, there is no uniformity in the standard for originality . In the United States, originality necessitates bare minimum degree of creativity and independent creation. The Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co . held that the work must be independently created and must possess minimum degree of creativity. This interpretation requires an extremely low level of creativity and in
931-636: The CCH Canadian Case , the Court essentially held that a work would meet the originality standard as long as there is labour or effort involved but not only labour. It must involve some level of skill and judgment as well. However, this approach mirrors the Sweat of the Brow theory more closely and is therefore a difficult theory to defend. Further, the Court held the division of a judgment into paragraphs and numbering them
980-475: The Sweat of the Brow approach. This theory bases the grant of copyright protection on the effort and labour that an author puts into their work as opposed to the creativity involved. Locke's theory of labour as property has often been extended to give jurisprudential basis to this theory of copyright law. In the case of V. Govindan v E.M. Gopalakrishna Kone , it was held that compilations of information would meet
1029-624: The English departments in the respective schools, but this notion has been challenged in recent times as more creative writing programs have spun off into their own department. Creative Writing undergraduate degrees tend to be Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees, but Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees also exist. Some continue to pursue a Master of Arts , Master of Fine Arts , or Master of Studies in Creative Writing. Once rare, Ph.D. programs are becoming more prevalent in
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#17328442957281078-433: The Sweat of the Brow theory, the Court held that simply copy editing would not meet the threshold of originality under copyright law since it would only demonstrate an " amount of skill, labour and capital put in the inputs of the copy-edited judgments and the original or innovative thoughts for the creativity would be completely excluded. ". Thus, it introduced the requirement of 'creativity' under originality. With respect to
1127-617: The U.S. The PEN Writing Committee improved prison libraries , inspired volunteer writers to teach prisoners, persuaded authors to host workshops, and founded an annual literary competition for prisoners. Workshops and classes help prisoners build self-esteem, make healthy social connections, and learn new skills, which can ease prisoner reentry . Creative writing programs offered in juvenile correction facilities have also proved beneficial. In Alabama, Writing Our Stories began in 1997 as an anti-violence initiative to encourage positive self-expression among incarcerated youths. The program found that
1176-486: The US and the rest of the world, creative writing is considered a discipline in its own right, not an offshoot of any other discipline. To say that the creative has no part in education is to argue that a university is not universal. Those who support creative writing programs either as part or separate from the English discipline, argue for the academic worth of the creative writing experience. They argue that creative writing hones
1225-570: The US trademark law, the work need to be necessarily lawful. Therefore, works created for commercial purposes, such as advertisements can also be granted a copyright. Section 13(1)(a) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957 mentions 'originality' as a requirement for copyright protection to literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. Courts have interpreted this requirement of 'originality' in different ways. This has given rise to various doctrines/tests that can be helpful in determining whether
1274-503: The beginning of formal creative writing programs: For the first time in the sad and enchanting history of literature, for the first time in the glorious and dreadful history of the world, the writer was welcome in the academic place. If the mind could be honored there, why not the imagination? Creative Writing programs are typically available to writers from the high school level all the way through graduate school/university and adult education. Traditionally these programs are associated with
1323-422: The brain and increases motivation. It has been shown to build resilience in students by documenting and analyzing their experiences, which gives the students a new perspective on an old situation and allows sorting of emotions. It also has been proven to increase a student's level of compassion and create a sense of community among students in what could otherwise be deemed an isolating classroom. Creative writing
1372-448: The courts are required to undertake a deeper legal and factual inquiry in photographic works. The United States District Court for Southern District of New York in Mannion v. Coors Brewing Company considered originality in terms of timing, subject and rendition, and held that the nature and extent of the copyright would be independent in the three aspects. The requirement for originality
1421-440: The field, as more writers attempt to bridge the gap between academic study and artistic pursuit. Creative writers often place an emphasis in either fiction or poetry, and it is normal to start with short stories or simple poems. They then make a schedule based on this emphasis including literature classes, education classes and workshop classes to strengthen their skills and techniques. Though they have their own programs of study in
1470-517: The fields of film and theatre , screenwriting and playwriting have become more popular in creative writing programs since creative writing programs attempt to work more closely with film and theatre programs as well as English programs. Creative writing students are encouraged to get involved in extracurricular writing-based activities, such as publishing clubs, school-based literary magazines or newspapers, writing contests, writing colonies or conventions, and extended education classes. Creative writing
1519-580: The focus was shifted to the creativity involved in any work. The EBC Modak case is the Indian counterpart of the Feist Publications case in terms of the test it laid down. It concerned the copyrightability of Supreme Court judgments that were copy-edited and published by Eastern Book Company. These judgments were published along with 'headnotes' that were written by the Company itself. While explicitly discarding
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1568-446: The inmates' mental health, relationship with their families, and the facility's environment. The study evidenced improved writing skills enhanced one's ability in other academic areas of study, portraying writing as a fundamental tool for building one's intellect. Teaching prisoners creative writing can encourage literacy, teach necessary life skills, and provide prisoners with an outlet to express regret, accountability, responsibility, and
1617-432: The judges (ii) fear of elitism (iii) fear of paternalism (also called parentalism) (iv) lack of consensus on what constitutes art. However, scholars note that the principle of aesthetic neutrality is often violated as the adjudicators end up favouring creators of what they believe is deserving of copyright grant. In the United States, the work is not required to be non-commercial in nature for copyright protection and unlike
1666-404: The level of creativity involved, the court adopted the 'minimal degree of creativity' approach. Following this standard, the headnotes that did not copy from the judgment verbatim were held to be copyrightable. Finally, the Court also gave way to the 'Skill and Judgment Test' which is more or less a compromise between the sweat of the brow theory and the modicum of creativity test. While relying on
1715-538: The most refined form of creative writing as an educational focus is in universities . Following a reworking of university education in the post-war era, creative writing has progressively gained prominence in the university setting. In the UK, the first formal creative writing program was established as a Master of Arts degree at the University of East Anglia in 1970 by the novelists Malcolm Bradbury and Angus Wilson . With
1764-401: The narrowest and most obvious limits. At the one extreme, some works of genius would be sure to miss appreciation. Their very novelty would make them repulsive until the public had learned the new language in which their author spoke. It may be more than doubted, for instance, whether the etchings of Goya or the paintings of Monet would have been sure of protection when seen for the first time. At
1813-445: The other end, copyright would be denied to pictures which appealed to a public less educated than the judge. This observation was an embodiment of the principle of artistic or aesthetic neutrality which seeks to eliminate the inherent subjectivity involved in the judges deciding whether the work is artistic, and hence, the question as to whether it warrants protection. The principle finds four broad justifications- (i) lack of expertise in
1862-420: The participants gained confidence, the ability to empathize and see their peers in a more positive light, and motivation to want to return to society and live a more productive life. One California study of prison fine arts programs found art education increased emotional control and decreased disciplinary reports. Participation in creative writing and other art programs result in significant positive outcomes for
1911-445: The question as to whether there was intent to be original was not to be considered. The Supreme Court of the United States has also clarified that it is not necessary for the work to be artistic to qualify as original. Furthermore, in the landmark ruling, the court observed that it would be a dangerous undertaking for persons trained only to the law to constitute themselves final judges of the worth of pictorial illustrations, outside of
1960-403: The same idea independently. Originality is usually associated with characteristics such as being imaginative and creative. The evaluation of originality depends not only on the creative work itself, but also on the temporal context, the zeitgeist . In a study of the musical originality of 15,618 classical music themes , the importance of objective characteristics and the zeitgeist for popularity
2009-470: The similarity with an admired classical work, and Shakespeare himself avoided "unnecessary invention". It wasn't until the start of the 18th century that the concept of originality became an ideal in Western culture . In law, originality has become an important legal concept with respect to intellectual property , where creativity and invention have manifest as protectable or copyrightable works. In
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2058-411: The students' abilities to clearly express their thoughts and that creative writing entails an in-depth study of literary terms and mechanisms so they can be applied to the writer's work to foster improvement. These critical analysis skills are further used in other literary studies outside the creative writing sphere. Indeed, the process of creative writing, the crafting of a thought-out and original piece,
2107-421: The threshold of 'originality' under the Indian Copyright Act since it involves some level of 'skill, labour and brain'. A similar line of reasoning was adopted in the case of Burlington Home Shipping Pvt Ltd v Rajnish Chibber where a database was held to be original enough to be protected by copyright under Indian law. However, like in other jurisdictions, this theory was discarded by the Indian Courts also and
2156-697: The university level vary widely; some people value MFA programs and regard them with great respect, whereas many MFA candidates and hopefuls lament their chosen programs' lack of both diversity and genre awareness. The pedagogy of creative writing is also a source of controversy. Critics of MFA and English graduate programs argue that the methods of instruction discriminate against people with disabilities, emphasizing writing practices such as daily writing requirements or location-based writing that students with chronic illness, physical or mental health barriers, and neurodivergent students are unable to access. The selection of texts used in traditional creative writing programs
2205-467: The words of the court, "must possess some creative spark no matter how crude, humble or obvious it might be." The court also took the opportunity to reject the previously judicially-established and followed the sweat of the brow doctrine. According to the said doctrine, labour and hard-work alone could suffice to establish originality . After the doctrine was rejected by the Supreme Court in 1991, in
2254-459: The work created by you is identical to a pre-existing work but you are unaware of the latter's existence, you may still enjoy copyright protection for your work. Apart from novelty, the work is not required to be made with an intent to be original. What is considered is only that it is actually an independent creation in effect. In 1951, the court in Alfred Bell Co. v. Catalda Arts held that
2303-505: Was enough to meet this standard of 'Skill and Judgment'. Whether this is the correct interpretation of the test as given in the CCH Canadian Case remains debatable. Scientific literature considered as primary must contain original research , and even review articles contain original analysis or interpretation . An original idea is one not thought up by another person beforehand. Sometimes, two or more people can come up with
2352-580: Was examined. Both the musical originality of a theme relative to its contemporary works (the zeitgeist), as well as its "absolute" originality influenced in similar magnitude the popularity of a theme. Similarly, objective features and temporal context both influenced the evaluation of linguistic originality. An original painting , photographic negative , analog audio, or video recording, will contain qualities that can be difficult, or under current technology may be impossible to copy in its full integrity. That can also apply for any other artifact . That
2401-560: Was incorporated in the statute only in the Copyright Act, 1976 and over the course of time, the courts have evolved various metrics to apply the test. Unlike, Patents , novelty is not required for a work to be considered as original. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Sheldon (1936) had clarified that sometimes it is relevant for other purposes. Therefore, if
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