For many years, I have taught cre-ative writing. I am licensed by the state to teach it at all levels: Beginning Creative (B.C.), Moderately Creative (M.C.), and Extremely Creative (E.C.).
That last and highest level is actually subdivided into three other levels: Pulitzer, Man/Woman Booker, and Nobel, which is the highest of all creative-writing levels, and which very few students reach. In fact, some of my students choose voluntarily not to try for that level, although, technically speaking, they probably could handle it. Creativity is the goal, but we are aware that it is possible to get too creative.
When I say these students could handle it, what I mean is that they have the chops. The writing chops, that is. Civilians may not know what I’m referring to when I use that term. They may not even know that they are civilians. But civilians are what we call them, because we are also in the military— the creative-writing military—and our weapons are words.
This story is from the June 3, 2019 edition of The New Yorker.
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This story is from the June 3, 2019 edition of The New Yorker.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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