Student Review

Peter Idoko, Undergraduate Student, University of British Columbia

I believe the progression of this chapter, the amount of detail in the explanations, and the examples given truly brought the chapter together in a very easy way to understand and connect. The author began by recounting their experiences with creative writing and the few mistakes/missteps they had as they wrote their book. As a reader, this brought the writer down to my level because it made me realize that even with the vast experience of a professional writer, mistakes can still be made. It also gives the author somewhat of a perspective from which to talk about the issues they discuss in the chapter and adds some validity to their advice given that they have experienced being a writer who has rubbed people the wrong way. In addition to this, the author identifies and acknowledges their biases in multiple contexts throughout the chapter and gives somewhat of a disclaimer when they say, “Again, I’m being as transparent as possible” which gives some reassurance to the reader. Although the writer discusses the lack of need for creative writers to follow certain conventions, their ability to cite and present information in a credible manner adds credibility to the writing. Ultimately, the chapter is well written and the writer’s accounts and use of examples were appropriate and well executed.