Why write? Creative writing in the classroom explored from a professional writing perspective

Creative writing in the subject English classroom occupies an ambiguous position. Time and practical constraints mean that it may be positioned as something to be “mastered” in the pursuit of examination marks. Yet writing creatively as an activity goes far beyond assessed outputs. This paper explores creative writing with professional writers to articulate what the activity may bring to these proponents, in the hope of sharing this perspective with students and teachers in the classroom. Using extended metaphors and a poetic transcription approach, it considers what writing is, and addresses the question, “Why write?”. Implications for classroom practice are explored.