The success and popularity of creative writing courses at universities across the country belies the myth that writing can't be taught.

The Creative Writing Coursebook, edited by Julia Bell and Paul Magrs, takes aspiring writers through three stages of essential practice: 'Gathering' – getting started, learning how to keep notes, making observations and using memory; 'Shaping' – looking at structure, point of view, character and setting; and 'Finishing' – being your own critic, joining workshops and finding publishers.

Fully updated and including a foreword by Marina Warner and contributions from forty-five authors such as Kit de Waal and Amy Liptrot, this is the perfect book for people who are just starting to write as well as for those who want some help honing work already completed. Filled with a wealth of exercises and activities, it will inspire budding writers to develop and hone their skills. Whether writing for publication, in a group or just for pleasure this comprehensive guide is for anyone who is ready to put pen to paper.