**9. Other ideas about training**

Additionally, there are many other ideas about what occurs in creative writing education, in which the focus shifts away from the marketplace. These include ideas about creativity, therapy and experience and other non–market-oriented outcomes. The creativity issue is widely debated. Pope [96] discusses creation v. production. Kuhl [97] is concerned about marketplace creativity and weighs up personal therapeutic writing v. literary writing. Freiman [98] discusses the 'dangers of the myths of creativity'. Rodriguez [99] provides a summary of the many different approaches. Fenza [100] describes the wide range of approaches and goals creative writing covers—from the aesthetic, to the social and political roles the student takes and how students learn about 'literature from inside their own work, rather than from outside a text; and this has motivated many to gain greater command of rhetoric and communication skills in general' [99]. Fenza [100] also claims that students 'analyse psychology and motives, the dynamics of social classes and individual, regional and national beliefs' [100]. Additionally, students learn to 'order their lives and their world' while 'advancing the art of literature' and making stories and poems as 'gifts for readers and listeners' [100]. Importantly, this engagement is 'a highly civilised and humane act; and appropriately, academe has accepted the practice and making of the literary arts along with study and scholarship in the literary arts' [100]. This view is recognised by Harper and Kroll [100]. By including Fenza's views in their work, they appear to value these goals and outcomes in Australia and the United Kingdom. However, the approaches do not have to preclude preparing for professional outcomes. Brophy [101] has broad experience as an educator and an AAWP attendee and is aware of the significance in Australia of 'outcome-based education, of professional opportunities and the acquisition of transferable skills for students' [101].

These, he argues, are 'central imperatives' in a large number of creative writing programmes [101]. However, the situation varies from programme to programme and from educator to educator and makes for a challenging space for the student to negotiate.

### **10. Educators in favour of being market-prepared**

Despite these other focuses – or even resistances – there are educators who are concerned about students becoming market-prepared. Kroll [7, 8] seeks to create a consciousness in her students about who will be their customers, about editing and publishing and about the economic concerns of the writer. Manhire [102] confronts the marketplace situation in the Australian context in an address to the 2001 AAWP Conference, in which he describes a course called 'Creative Writing in the Marketplace'. He begins by giving apologies for his topic, providing an indication of the angst associated the marketplace discussion. Manhire [102] provides opportunities and methods for the discipline to help students become more market-prepared. Fisher [103] raises concerns about a lack of training for creative writers in a plenary address in 2005 at the AAWP 10th Annual Conference. Speaking on 'The Professional Author; Researching Creativity and Reality', Fisher argues that writer-artists will become 'freaks' without market engagement. He argues that there is more than the mass market to consider and that writing courses should 'address fundamental issues related to writers making a living—contracts, copyright, legal issues'. Educators must help writers to envision themselves in the marketplace, as part of 'an industry that survives on market forces' [103]. Edmonds [43] warns of the dangers of a closed system and stresses the need to be talking about a broader marketplace.

In the United States, Vanderslice [104] is concerned about the concept of not training students to be teachers and publishing writers. Others also challenge those who do not recognise the professional writing outcome expectations of their students. In Australia, Fisher [105] provides insight on his perspective and that of Thebo [19] on the role of the university in preparing students for the marketplace. Fisher [105] finds Thebo's position of not expecting undergraduate students to become professional writers erroneous. He questions the lack of 'engagement with writing as a profession or publishing as the principal industry within which professional writers work' [105]. Fisher [105] does not want to see universities turning out students unprepared to earn a living.

However, according to Vanderslice [104], Thebo has helped her students have more publishing know-how with the development of two courses at Bath Spa University. These are focused on undergraduates, and they initially met with resistance from both colleagues and students. The aim was to help students to develop a professional perspective. Vanderslice argues that such approaches are necessary.

A solution to these differences might be to provide more clarity about exactly what a programme does and where it fits in relationship to other programmes, as Cowan [106] proposes in his strategic plan for the peer review workshop. He argues for various models. One with a market focus might have 'alternative axes' that 'calibrate the extent to which a program is publication- or research-oriented' [106].

### **11. Digital future discussion: the effect of technology**

Many in the field are aware that digital technology needs to be addressed. Krauth and Webb [23] signal their awareness of the effect of technological changes in making

#### *Creative Writing in Higher Education: A Literature Review of the Marketplace Relationship DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109427*

writing more public and expanding publication opportunities. In the United States, the AWP website now includes goals on new media technology and emphasises the need for research to enhance pedagogical understanding and improve practice [72].

There are many ways that creative writers are engaging with the digital world, one example being digital poetics. Yet, that focus does not consider the sociology of the relationship to the space as a marketplace. There are those in digital poetics looking at the relationship with the creative writing classroom and digital storytelling, but there is not much consideration of the student trying to write for the digital marketplace and what effect that may have on the field. Andrew [107] discusses the possibilities of online teaching and is encouraged by Healey's [108] argument that the 'opposition between cultivated humanism and vulgar marketplace, between impractical creativity and practical profitability, is rapidly disappearing' [109 cited in 108]. Further, Andrew [107] argues for the need to nurture the market for online delivery by 'better understanding the theories and pedagogies of online delivery and its potential for community-building and for workshops' [107]. Others are engaging in this research. Rein [109] explores ways to improve the online classroom situation. Some researchers are focusing on the opportunities afforded by digital publishing. Williams [110] considers the creative writing pedagogy of the future and argues that students should be taught to 'think strategically and rhetorically about where to publish and how to be read' [110]. Williams argues that finding an online audience should be a part of what is taught, whether that is weighing up the quality of online journals and sites or using social media to connect and draw readers. But what are the implications for a student trying to work in this space? Barnard [111] considers her existing skills from previous training in other forms of technology that could also have value in the future. Further, she believes that this approach can be taught to others.

### **12. Conclusion**

The study has examined the complex nature of the creative writing student's relationship to the marketplace as described in current scholarship. The findings indicate that there are students who do want to reach the marketplace and publish and that there are resistances to this outcome, as well as support for achieving this goal. Although there has been resistance to the marketplace relationship for valid reasons that honour the traditions and protect the boundaries of the discipline, there are ongoing negotiations as to what the relationship to the marketplace means. There are many ways to interact with and define the marketplace, and there are educators who do seek to challenge resistance and argue for engaging and preparing students.

Digital technology and new marketplace opportunities raise questions about whether the values, goals and terms used in relation to the marketplace are still valid and if the resistances and areas of engagement can or should be re-negotiated. Further research will provide insight into best practices for teaching about and engaging with the marketplace.

## **Acknowledgements**

The research for this review was funded in part by an Australian Government Research Training Scholarship (RTP). Support was also provided by the UWA

Graduate Research School, the UWA School of Humanities and the UWA Institute of Advanced Studies.
