How do writers write? What do they do when they're stuck for ideas? Or how do they take those still vague ideas to the next level, maybe even all the way to publication? Whether you belong to a writing group running low on steam, or are struggling on your own and looking for some helpful direction, this book - now in its fifth reprinting and updated for this new edition - offers all the practical assistance you'll ever need. Covering everything from ideas for generating raw material to form and technique in poetry and prose, prize-winning poet and writer Pat Boran (who has conducted hundreds of writing workshops over the years) takes a hands-on approach to the creative writing process, concluding with a new section for those considering their own first steps towards publication. Accessible, enjoyable and stimulating, The Portable Creative Writing Workshop is an ideal starting point (and travel companion) for anyone setting out on the writer's journey. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Poet, fiction writer and publisher Pat Boran has been conducting writing workshops for many years. In that time he has published more than a dozen collections of poetry and prose and has edited more than a hundred books by other poets and writers. He is a former editor of Poetry Ireland Review, has presented poetry and arts programmes on radio and television, and is a member of Aosdna, the Irish affiliation of writers and artists. His most recent publications are The Next Life (poems, 2013) and the prose memoir The Invisible Prison (2009