| ISBN | 9789956558933 |
| Pages | 140 |
| Dimensions | 203 x 127 mm |
| Published | 2009 |
| Publisher | Langaa RPCIG, Cameroon |
| Format | Paperback |
To the Budding Creative Writer
A Handbook
by Roselyne M. Jua, Bate Besong
To the Budding Creative Writer: A Handbook is designed to help young writers come to grips with questions and problems relative to their creative efforts. The authors discuss a range of topics, providing guidelines on such issues as style, technique, point of view, characterization, poetic diction, figurative language, denotation and connotation, etc. They equally offer useful critical comments on some of the works of accomplished African writers whom they cite as models for beginning writers, fusing literary creativity with literary criticism. All along the co-authors stress the centrality, in imaginative writing, of both the 'what' and the 'how' or matter and manner, and how to combine both to good effect.
Reviews
“Reading this handbook, practising writers will gain in confidence as they rationalize their craft, while beginning writers will learn a great deal, from the useful tips, to write better. The book contains, among other things, a beautiful foreword. Two enlightening essays on the responsibility of the writer in society and an excellent one on the teachability of creative writing conclude the text. A rare category in African literature, this important handbook will be useful not only to writers but to both students and teachers of African literature.”
“This is a significant contribution that will benefit young writers striving towards creativity; it will help them to begin understanding this sometimes elusive and equally challenging process. The authors have done a remarkable job appraising the works of select authors in different genres in an effort to buttress their goal of demystifying the creative process to young writers.”