Includes bibliographical references (pages 388-396) and indexes.

What makes a poem a poem? -- Read these poems! -- Where poems come from -- Right phrase/wrong phrase -- The impact of images -- The sound of words -- Traditional rhythms -- Fixed forms -- Unique rhythms -- A sense of order -- Varieties of tone -- Four essentials for growth -- Facts, falsehoods, and fiction -- The sources of fiction -- A story by Stephen Minot: Sausage and beer -- The making of a story: a case history -- A story by Deborah Joy Corey: Three hearts -- Viewpoint: who's seeing this? -- Structure: from scenes to plot -- A story by Ursula Heig: Acts of violence -- Creating tension -- Setting: where are we? -- A story by Sharon Solwitz: Obst vw -- Characterization: the art of creating people -- A story by Marian Ury: The cat that had the power of speech -- Liberating the imagination -- Heightened meaning: metaphor, symbol, and theme -- Style and tone -- Reading, writing, and revising -- Theater: a dramatic art -- A play by William Saroyan: Hello out there -- The dramatic plot -- Conflict: the driving force of drama -- Dramatic characterization -- A play by Glenn Alterman: Coulda, woulda, shoulda -- The nonrealistic play -- A play by David J. LeMaster: The assassination and persecution of Abraham Lincoln -- Visual impact -- Dramatic themes -- The voices of comedy -- Achieving dramatic growth -- Submitting work for publication -- Resources for writers.