* indicate selections new to this edition.
Preface
to the instructor
Invitation
to the writer
You...
...and writing...
...and reading...
...and this book...
...and your journal...
...and your workshop
I. THE ELEMENTS OF CRAFT
1. IMAGE
Image and Imagination
Concrete, Significant Details
Figures of Speech
READINGS
Creative Nonfiction:
The Giant Water Bug Annie Dillard
* The Ring of Time E.B White
Fiction:
The Diamond Mine Nadine Gordimer
Poems:
The Hawk in the Rain Ted Hughes
* Snow Day Billy Collins
Facing It Yusef Komunyakaa
* Naming of Parts Henry Reed
Drama:
* Her Deer Story Jim Quinn
2. VOICE
Your voice
Persona
Character Voice
Point of View
READINGS
Creative Nonfiction:
* Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self Alice Walker
* A Note About Allen Tate Kelly Cherry
Fiction:
* Sitting With the Dead William Trevor
Poems:
Black Hair Gary Soto
* Ginko Tree Tom Crawford
Kong Looks Back on His Tryout with the Bears William Trowbridge
Father Hilda Raz
The Language of Bees Barbara Hamby
Drama:
French Fries Jane Martin
3. CHARACTER
As Desire
As Image
As Voice
As Action
As Thought
As Presented by The Author
As Conflict
Stock and Flat Characters
READINGS
Creative Nonfiction:
The Inheritance of Tools Scott Russell Sanders
Fiction:
* Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri
Poems:
I Knew a Woman Theodore Roethke
Stonecarver Carole Simmons Oles
* To Aunt Rose Allan Ginsberg
One Flesh Elizabeth Jennings
* Life Cycle of Common Man Howard Nemerov
Drama:
Brother Mary Gallagher
4. SETTING
As the World
As a Camera
As Mood and Symbol
As Action
READINGS
Creative Non-Fiction:
At the Dam Joan Didion
* A Wind From the North Bill Capossere
Fiction:
The School Donald Barthelme
Poems:
* At Navajo Monument Valley Tribal School Sherman Alexie
Earthmoving Malediction Heather McHugh
* Trials of a Tourist Anne Tibble
Nude Interrogation Yusef Komunyakaa
Drama:
The Philadelphia David Ives
5. STORY
As a Journey
As a Power Struggle
As Connection/Disconnection
READINGS
Creative Nonfiction:
Red Sky in the Morning Patricia Hampl
Fiction:
Missing Robert Olen Butler
* The Story Amy Bloom
Poems:
A Story About the Body Robert Haas
* Columbine High School Albert Goldbarth
Short Story Ellen Bryant Voigt
Woodchucks Maxine Kumin
The Hammock Li-Young Lee
Drama:
The Battle of Bull Run Always Makes Me Cry Carole Real
6. DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION
Developing a Draft
Structuring
Research
Revision
Editing
The Workshop
EXAMPLES
First and final drafts of One Art Elizabeth Bishop
The Opening of Indian Dancer: A Revision Narrative Janet Burroway
* Growing Four Tangerines James Kimbrell
II. THE GENRES
7. CREATIVE NONFICTION
The Essay and Creative Nonfiction
Memoir and the Personal Essay
Techniques of Creative Nonfiction
Fact and Truth
READINGS
The Female Body Margaret Atwood
* Do He Have Your Number, Mr. Jeffrey? Gayle Pemberton
* Interlude William Kittredge
The Knife Richard Selzer
Creative Nonfiction Format
8. FICTION
Story and Plot
Scene and Summary
Backstory and Flashback
Text and Subtext
READINGS
Snow Charles Baxter
* Story Lydia Davis
* A Clean, Well-lighted Place Ernest Hemingway
* Bigfoot Stole My Wife Ron Carlson
Fiction Format
9. POETRY
Free Verse and Formal Verse
Imagery, Connotation, and Metaphor
Density and Intensity
Prosody, Rhythm, and Rhyme
READINGS
Stillborn Sylvia Plath
The Grammar Lesson Steve Kowit
* Annus Mirabilis Philip Larkin
* Fathers Grace Paley
Black Silhouettes of Shrimpers Dave Smith
* The Pardon Richard Wilbur
The Language of the Brag Sharon Olds
Dream Song 14 John Berryman
Poetry Format
10. DRAMA
The Difference Between Drama and Fiction
Sight: Sets, Action, Costumes, Props
Sound: Nonverbal and Verbal
Some Notes on Screenwriting
READINGS
Duet for Bear and Dog Sybil Rosen
Gas Jose Rivera
* Removing the Head Josh Ben Friedman
Eukiah Lanford Wilson
Drama Format
Appendix A: Basic Prosody
Glossary
Index