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Inside McGahern’s workshop

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Another personal piece, this chapter traces the artistic beginnings and formation of the poet, Paula Meehan, former Chair of Irish Poetry, seen through the prism of a creative writing workshop delivered by John McGahern at the beginning of Meehan’s career, in Galway of 1979. The chapter brings closer McGahern the teacher and the mentor, contemplating his writing habits, his thoughts on the act of writing and on the accompanying solitude. The chapter considers McGahern’s views on the art of fiction and shows how passionately he emphasised, and tried to convey, the importance of working hard at writing, rewriting and starting again, being ruthless with oneself in order to ‘master the material’.
Manchester University Press
Title: Inside McGahern’s workshop
Description:
Another personal piece, this chapter traces the artistic beginnings and formation of the poet, Paula Meehan, former Chair of Irish Poetry, seen through the prism of a creative writing workshop delivered by John McGahern at the beginning of Meehan’s career, in Galway of 1979.
The chapter brings closer McGahern the teacher and the mentor, contemplating his writing habits, his thoughts on the act of writing and on the accompanying solitude.
The chapter considers McGahern’s views on the art of fiction and shows how passionately he emphasised, and tried to convey, the importance of working hard at writing, rewriting and starting again, being ruthless with oneself in order to ‘master the material’.

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