Madam, – Fred Johnston’s arguments against creative writing instruction (Letters, May 5th) are weak and ill-informed. To argue against creative writing courses on the basis that Joseph Conrad never attended one is akin to arguing against a secondary level education on the basis that Einstein flunked out of school.
Creative writing courses are not just aimed at producing the next Sebastian Barry. Of course not everyone can be a great writer.
But everyone can learn to write and – I am convinced – the process of crafting fiction exercises the mind’s eye, thereby enriching the lives of those who pursue it.
As for the risk of writing courses creating soi-disant elites, this is a load of n'importe quoi. The written word, by its very nature, speaks for itself and an author will always be judged by the result, never the qualification. – Yours, etc,