From the invention of the alphabet to the explosion of the internet,
Dominic Wyse takes us on a unique journey into the process of writing.
Starting with seven extraordinary examples that serve as a backdrop to
the themes explored, it pays particular attention to key developments in
the history of language, including Aristotle's grammar through
socio-cultural multimodality, to pragmatist philosophy of communication.
Analogies with music are used as a comparator throughout the book,
yielding radically new insights into composition processes. The book
presents the first comprehensive analysis of the Paris Review interviews
with the world's greatest writers such as Louise Erdrich, Gabriel Garcia
Márquez, Ted Hughes, and Marilynne Robinson. It critically reviews the
most influential guides to styles and standards of language, and
presents new research on young people's creativity and writing. Drawing
on over twenty years of findings, Wyse presents research-informed
innovative practices to demonstrate powerfully how writing can be
learned and taught.