THE IMAGINATIVE ARGUMENT

More than merely a writing text, THE IMAGINATIVE ARGUMENT offers writers instruction on how to use their imaginations to improve their prose. Cioffi shows writers how they can enliven argument - the organizing rubric of all persuasive writing - by drawing on emotion, soul, and creativity, the wellsprings of imagination. While Cioffi suggests that argument should become a natural habit of mind for writers, he goes still further, inspiring writers to adopt as their gold standard the imaginative argument: the surprising yet strikingly apt insight that organizes disparate noises into music, that makes out of chaos, chaos theory.

THE IMAGINATIVE ARGUMENT offers all the intellectual kindling that writers need to ignite this creativity, from insights on developing ideas to avoiding bland assertions or logical leaps. It cites exemplary nonfiction prose stylists, including William James, Ruth Benedict, and Erving Goffman, as well as literary sources to demonstrate the dynamic of persuasive writing. Provocative and lively, it will prove not only essential reading but also inspiration for all those interested in arguing more imaginatively more successfully.

The second edition features new chapters that cover the revision process in greater depth, as well as the particular challenges of researching and writing in the digital age, such as working with technology and avoiding plagiarism. The book also includes new sample essays, an appendix to help instructors use the book in the classroom, and much more.

KREATIVES SCHREIBEN FueR STUDENTEN & PROFESSOREN
Deutsch von Kerstin Winter
[TPB: Autorenhaus Verlag, 10/2006]