The question "Can creative writing be taught?" has generated intense debate, with equally vocal partisans on each side. And yet little attention has been paid to what beginning writers might actually learn from established writers who teach for a living. Passing the Word addresses the sometimes ineffable relationship between writing student and teacher. In these pages distinguished writers explore the relevance of mentors in their education and development as writers. Each author contributes an essay and a story or poem, which together give a unique sense of the forces that shape a writer's craft and vision. What emerges is a new and rich definition of mentor, as it applies to the deeply human art of writing.