The aim of this chapter is to examine the various ways in which research and scholarly activity, creative and critical processes and practices, and pedagogical theories and methodologies interact within the discipline of Creative Writing. Let me say at the outset that what follows is drawn from my own reflective consideration of my personal practices as a writer, critic and teacher. I see these roles as deeply interconnected within a system that integrates the practices and theories within each of the sub-disciplines in such a way that they inform and reinforce each other. There are areas of conflict certainly, but conflict is good. If used correctly these conflicts can allow us to bring to bear a number of separate viewpoints on a problem and get a more three-dimensional view of it. That is what this chapter attempts: to use the various viewpoints of teacher, writer and critic to walk around the discipline of Creative Writing and get an overview of how the relationships within the discipline operate. For me, research and scholarly activity in Creative Writing takes place in four directions: I have come to refer to these as the four 'ps': poesis, praxis, process and pedagogy. I intend to unpack the ideas surrounding each of these and how they impact on my work as a writer, critic and teacher. The ultimate purpose is to come up with a model that can be used to look at how I might teach writing, criticism and pedagogy at an advanced level using practice-led research to inform teaching and transferring the skills in each area to students in the most efficient and writerly manner possible.

When I sat down and examined what exactly I did, I realised that my functions as writer, critic and teacher could be represented as a series of concentric circles. At the centre I write. Everything stems from that.