Approaches to Writing Epiphany considers techniques for writing epiphany in a range of contemporary women’s poetry published since 2000. It uses established scholarship and definitions of the epiphanic mode to explore how women poets are working within and beyond this tradition and how they are doing so in a contemporary context that brings into question the validity of the epiphanic approach.
Organised into four parts, Part 1 provides an overview of writers historically associated with writing epiphany and introduces selected scholarship on literary epiphany as a mode of writing. It also explores how the writing practices of two contemporary poets, Judith Nangala Crispin and Tishani Doshi, engage with epiphany through interviews drawing on concepts and ideas introduced earlier. Parts 2, 3 and 4 explore the distinct and distinctive epiphanic modes of eleven contemporary international women poets: Janette Ayachi; Sheri Benning; Liz Berry; Elizabeth-Jane Burnett; Tishani Doshi; Jorie Graham; Kathleen Jamie; Harryette Mullen; Judith Nangala Crispin, Sinéad Morrissey; and Alice Oswald. The poets come from a range of multi-layered backgrounds and write in and about diverse places across the world. Each of these poet-centred chapters concludes with a writing exercise inspired by the techniques introduced.
Written from the perspective of a scholar-practitioner, the book offers practical insight for poets, literary scholars, educators and creative writers more widely.