We spend a lot of time talking about modes of writing. What kind of writing is it? Informative? Persuasive? Rogerian? Definition? Narrative? We also spend a lot of time in our education system not teaching creative writing, which is – to use a pedagogical term – cuckoo-bananas. “Hey, you know the thing that’s great about writing? The thing we like to do most, and like to read most, and from which we get the most as thinking animals? Yeah, we’re not going to do that. But get ready for multiple years of the 5-paragraph essay, your Gateway To Banality!”
All writing is inherently creative. All writing is inherently persuasive. It’s just a question of how effective it is a those things. Once we accept that, it can become startlingly clear not just how important it is to be teaching creative writing, but how essential and effective it is at developing the more traditional academic writing skills. Even on the precious, precious standardized tests.
But let me explain…
That’s the beauty of writing – it’s never either/or with creativity and argumentation. If it’s either/or? It’s neither.
The Byronic Man 
June 5, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Great stuff. Also totally worth sharing with my high school students just so they can see how not to write about Star Wars. 😉 Or, you know, whatever they’re reading in English class.
June 5, 2023 at 5:47 pm
I mean, assuming I can share your video with them…?
June 12, 2023 at 9:41 am
Thanks – It’s funny, in seminars I do with teachers, how often there’s vigorous agreement that there isn’t enough creative writing in our curricula, and then actual dread at the idea of working it in (mostly concern about disapproval from admin or colleagues)
And yes, please do use the video!
June 12, 2023 at 11:04 am
I get that. Even at least half (or more) of my English department colleagues don’t feel up to par teaching that, though of course they would be. I’m the Director of Creative Writing at my school, though, so I might be slightly biased in favor of it. 😉 We’re incredibly fortunate to have a robust six-year program (7th through 12th grades) where students take CW as one of their dedicated academic electives, if they choose. So again, a unique environment.
June 5, 2023 at 8:26 pm
“I’m sorry your river’s the wrong size!” This made me laugh, thank you.
This video hit especially well given that I just began rereading Taleb’s Fooled by Randomness. The same spirit imbues, in my read, both this post and that book. 🙂
June 12, 2023 at 9:43 am
Well, that’s definitely high praise – Fooled By Randomness is some sharp stuff!