How We Write: Writing as Creative Design

by Mike Sharples

How We Write is an accessible guide to the entire writing process, from forming ideas to formatting text. Combining new explanations of creativity with insights into writing as design, it offers a full account of the mental, physical and social aspects of writing. How We Write explores: how children learn to write the importance of reflective thinking processes of planning, composing and revising visual design of text cultural influences on writing global hypertext and the future of collaborative and on-line writing. By referring to a wealth of examples from writers such as Umberto Eco, Terry Pratchett and Ian Fleming, How We Write ultimately teaches us how to control and extend our own writing abilities. How We Write will be of value to students and teachers of language and psychology, professional and aspiring writers, and anyone interested in this familiar yet complex activity.

Genres: Writing, Teaching

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 1998

Reviews

[Peaches · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't fathom how I'm the first reviewer since this book came out a while ago and it is filled with interesting historical examples and forward-thinking reflections on the process of writing. Though Sharples focuses on creative writing at first, what he says is applicable for any classroom setting; therefore, I would highly recommend all collegiate composition instructors to look into it. It is well-informed, interesting, and provides reader-friendly sections and images.
The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because Sharples sticks with the classic cannon of writers for examples, when we have contemporary writers such as Stephen King who greatly contribute to concepts of writing by sharing their processes.