Creative writing is a skill that has been abandoned in modern schooling. Schools have gone from an avenue for improvement and education to a conglomerate of conformity and results. The desertion of creative writing is just one of the many ways that modern school has failed.

The way a modern English class is structured is the analysis of influential literature and subsequent testing and work surrounding the content. This lays the foundation for creative writing by introducing students to the creative processes of successful writers. Where the schooling system fails is the lack of exercise that allows students to demonstrate their creativity in a way that will allow them to better understand the works they’ve analyzed. If students want to pursue exercises that encourage their creativity, they often have to do that separately from schools through writing competitions and the like. This may have something to do with administration and the focus on standardized testing in schools.

Creativity, being something that cannot be measured by our rigid system of testing, is integral to student success. Students now are taught vocabulary, rather than the comprehension and understanding of subjects. This colder and more industry focused education discourages creativity in students.

This sentiment is mirrored in the ongoing epidemic of banned and challenged books. Books covering serious topics, marginalized groups, and social issues are being banned by school districts across the country.

Creative writing needs to be reintroduced into schooling in America. This can be accomplished in a myriad of different ways. Elective classes focused on creative writing and short stories can be created. The flawed system focused on results rather than education needs reform, not just for creative writing, but for all topics taught in schools.