As library and information science scholars, we know that context matters in research because we study how various populations look for information. The information-seeking behaviors of creative people, however, are something of a blank spot in our scholarly literature. Studies of creative writers are especially rare. This study used writers'…

Writing is considered a sacred act and the writer a sacred cultural figure. People use objects when trying to access this desired identity. How a person approaches and uses an object is intimately connected to family, sense of self, writing history, relation to peers, media connections, social awareness, and life story. Hence, turning to objects…

This article reports the findings of a qualitative study that used narrative analysis to explore the role of embodied learning in the writing processes of creative writers. From a theoretical framework that draws on Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of the body, Gendlin's concepts of felt sense and focusing, and Jordi's analysis of reflection for…

This action research study used narrative analysis to explore the role of the body in the writing process of creative writers. Specifically, the purpose of this action research study was threefold: it was first to examine how professional creative writers describe their writing process with particular attention to their perceptions of the role and…

Eight students who excelled in a statewide, middle school creative writing tournament discussed their relationships with writing. Students' interview transcripts were analyzed for references to positive and negative teacher influences. Students needed teachers who provided structured writing time and clear deadlines, valued the message of the work…

Presents an interview with Carolyn See, author of "The Rest Is Done with Mirrors,""Rhine Maidens,""Mothers, Daughters," and "Golden Days," among other novels. Shows how See is able to get inside the souls of her characters even as she maintains an analytical perspective. (TB)

Presents an interview with Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, a prolific author of books for children, young adults, and adults. Her writing process, how reading influences her writing, and ideas for settings and characters are some of the topics covered. A selected list of 32 of her books is included. (EAM)

Presents an interview with Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of the children's novel, "Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind." Discusses Staples' creative writing process, background, and the writer's role as cultural observer. (HB)

It is recognised that verbal texts do not result only from words. They may involve the mental manipulation of other modes of representation such as images and sounds. If this is the case, we must consider what is not operating with writers who find it extraordinarily difficult to produce verbal texts. Are they failing to mentally code or…

This book is a selection of profiles of children's authors featured in the journal "Language Arts" over the years. The book's 12 individual profiles highlight some of the real people who contribute to children's book publishing, provide a sample of a few of the many genres of books available for children, and give an insight into the…

Katherine Pierpont tells of the creation and development of the popular children's book, "Olivia Forms a Band," by author/illustrator Ian Falconer. In this story, Olivia, a pig, and her mother, father , and brothers are off to have a picnic and see fireworks. Olivia insists that if there are fireworks, there must be a band, even if she must…

Reveals the work habits of a graphic designer/illustrator/author: where she finds her ideas for books, how she chooses colors, and what she feels is most important in her work. (NKA)

Presents an interview with Peter Catalanotto, writer and illustrator of children's books. Discusses Catalanotto's process in writing and illustrating books, and Richard Jackson's influence on his work. Reflects on the role that libraries and books have played in his life and how those experiences have influenced his thinking in creating the cover…

Novelist Denise Giardina discusses growing up in a small West Virginia coal mining town, educational experiences, her career as writer, the manner in which she creates and develops characters in novels, the influence of other Appalachian writers on her career, and the political content of her writing. (LP)

This collection of transcriptions of taped interviews with 19 successful writers of adolescent literature, among whom are Judy Blume, Vera and Bill Cleaver, Isabelle Holland, and Paul Zindel, attempts to provide answers to questions about the nature of writing and of writers. Subject areas covered in the transcripts include how and when the…