Joanna Preston: Tasmanaut Poet, Editor and Creative Writing Tutor
I set up a poll to find out what my prospective students were most interested in me offering during the winter, complete with lots of options and a chance to rank things. And yes indeed, the people spoke. And what they’ve said is a resounding: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Essentially, the most popular answer – across all permutations …
Continue reading "The people have spoken – classes for winter 2026"
I did vaguely plan to do my usual signing off for the year post at the end of December, but then it turned out it was actually January. Not sure how that happened, but there you go. Which does at least spare me the embarrassment of doing a post summing up all the things that I …
Continue reading "HTFIIANYAA?! (or, How On Earth Is It A New Year Already Again??)"
One of the great perks of being a freelance creative writing teacher is that I get to read a load of books of poetry and claim that it’s work. And one of my favourite targets for this is (or possibly are – grammar?) the annual poetry anthology. I love anthologies. Especially this sort, which limit selection to …
There’s been an outbreak of anti-Creative Writing Course rhetoric causing a few ripples in the UK. This most recent bit has been kicked off by comments allegedly made by Hanif Kureishi at the Bath Literature Festival a couple of weeks ago. Go read his comments (in the Independent, or the Guardian, whichever you prefer), and …
Continue reading "Some Reasons why Creative Writing Classes Might Actually Be Good Things"
1. Build it, and they will come. Timetable it, and they might. Or not. Depends, really. 2. No matter how organised you think you are, you aren't. 3. Bulldog clips. 4. The class that you're sure will be really popular will take the full amount of time available to clear the minimum numbers threshold. 5. …
A Dark Feathered Art 