what i have learned in creative writing

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

Five Things I Learned in Creative Writing Class

by Melissa Donovan | May 4, 2023 | Creative Writing | 32 comments

What can you learn in a creative writing class?

People often ask me whether I think a formal education is necessary to a successful writing career. A degree certainly helps, but no, it’s not necessary. There are master writers who did not finish high school and plenty never went to college.

I want to be clear: I fully support higher education. If you pull me aside and ask whether I think you should go to college, I’m going to say, “Yes, of course you should!” I encounter plenty of writers (and other professionals) who lack confidence because they feel they need that degree to back up their abilities. That’s just not so. If you want to write, you should write, regardless of whether you have a degree.

Keep in mind that while a degree is helpful (and you certainly learn a lot of valuable things in college), it’s neither a license to write nor a guarantee that you’ll be successful. It doesn’t even ensure that you’ll write well. Whether you pursue higher education or not, it’s important to study the craft of writing. You can read books, join a writing group, or take a creative writing class.

Lessons from Creative Writing Class

Today, I thought I’d share a few lessons I learned when I took a creative writing class in college. This might provide some insight if you’re currently weighing whether to go to college or whether to study creative writing in college. This is by no means an exhaustive list; I’m going to highlight the most valuable lessons I learned — things that stuck with me and altered my life as a writer for the better. You’ll note that all of these are things you can learn outside of a classroom setting, if necessary.

1. Oh, so that’s what you mean by freewriting.

The first few days of my creative writing class, we spent ten to twenty minutes freewriting as soon as class started. About two weeks later, the instructor asked if anyone wanted to read one of their freewrites out loud. A volunteer stood up and started reading, and I realized I had been doing it wrong all along.

My freewrites were nothing more than diary entries. I simply wrote about whatever was going on in my life. But my classmate had written a mesmerizing stream-of-consciousness piece that sounded like something out of a dream. It was poetic! Oh, I thought, that’s what we’re supposed to be doing .

I had actually thought it odd that we were writing journals in class. Now it made sense! In creative writing class, I learned to freewrite every day as part of my writing practice and as a tool to generate raw material for poetry and story ideas. It had a huge impact on my writing and marked a time when my work and my writing practices went through dramatic improvements.

2. Some people work out with weights; we do writing exercises.

Writing exercises are where my technical skills saw the most progress. When you write whatever you want, whenever you want, there are aspects of the craft that inevitably escape you. Writing exercises and assignments forced me to think more strategically about my writing from a technical standpoint. It wasn’t about getting my ideas onto the page; it was about setting out to achieve a specific mission with my writing.

Many writing exercises that we did in class imparted valuable writing concepts; these were the exercises I treasured most because they helped me see my writing from various angles. Writing exercises also gave me a host of creativity methods that I use to this day to keep writer’s block at bay.

Finally, all those exercises I did back in college ultimately inspired my own book of creative writing exercises ; although the inspiration came from poetry and fiction writing courses as well as the creative writing class that I took.

3. The writing community is a treasure.

When I was in high school and a teacher would announce a quiz or a writing assignment, the students would let out a collective sigh and begrudgingly get to work. In creative writing class, when the instructor said, “Let’s do a writing exercise,” everybody got excited. We couldn’t pull out our notebooks and pens fast enough!

Here’s the thing about a creative writing class: everyone in the room wants to be there. They chose to be there. So there’s a lot of enthusiasm and passion. For the first time in my life, I found myself surrounded by people with whom I shared a common interest.

More importantly, there’s plenty of support and camaraderie. Prior to taking this class, I had shown a few pieces of my writing to friends and family, who mostly just nodded and said that it was good or that I was talented. In class, I was surrounded by other writers who were eager and interested to read what I had written, and the best part was that they offered suggestions that would make my writing even better! I can’t stress enough how warm I’ve found writers to be over the years. It’s an honor to be part of such a supportive community.

4. Nothing can replace a mentor.

In college, instructors who taught writing classes were all published authors. As a student, I had direct access to writers who had gone through all the rigors of everything that happens in the writing process : drafting, revising, submitting, publishing, and marketing.

These instructors were also extremely well versed in literature and the craft of writing (as they should be — that’s their job, after all). And there is nothing — no book, video, or article — that beats direct access to an experienced professional.

5. Right place, right time.

Perhaps the best lesson I gleaned from creative writing class was that I was in the right place at the right time. This was a feeling that came from within, a certainty that I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing. The semester that I took a creative writing class was packed with odd coincidences and epiphanies. I was often overwhelmed with feelings of serendipity, and I stopped questioning whether I had made the right choice in pursuing creative writing as my field of study.

Alternatives to a Creative Writing Class

As I mentioned, most of these lessons can be learned outside of a creative writing class. You can discover writing techniques and strategies from books, blogs, and magazines. You can find a community and a mentor online or in local writing groups. And you can experience a sense of certainty just about anywhere.

I definitely recommend taking a creative writing class if you can, and if you’re truly dedicated to writing and intend on going to college, then it only makes sense to study it formally. However, for writers who can’t or haven’t gone to college, I say this: find another route. A creative writing class or a creative writing degree will be helpful to building a writing career, but these things are not essential.

32 Comments

Hi Melissa, great post as always!

I just finished reading Natalie Goldberg’s ‘Writing Down the Bones’, in it she talks about writing practice. I also just purchased your book ‘101 Creative Writing Exercises’ and I’m loving it. But I’m still not quite getting freewriting either. I was wondering if you could tell me what I need to be doing to stop it sounding like a journal?

It takes a bit of practice if you have a hard time thinking or writing in the abstract. Instead of starting with a general freewrite, you might try a guided freewrite and work with a word or image. Instead of writing a diary-style journal, you will write about the image (or word) you have chosen. Go for something a bit on the bizarre side or choose an abstract image. The trick is to relax and let strange, obscure words and phrases come to mind, and then write those down.

Here are some suggestions for words and images to use for a guided freewrite: space, clouds, deep sea. You can also search online for abstract art and keep an image in front of you while you write. Make sure you turn off your inner editor. Don’t think about what you’re writing; just let the words flow. Good luck!

I love the idea of freewriting, but am so glad you defined it. I would have been journalling right along side you. But I write women’s fiction, so maybe that would have worked out for me in the end. My issue lately is a feeling of being uninspired. I think a creative writing class would definitely help with that.

My apprehension with taking more writing classes, in all honesty, is the subjectiveness of teachers. I have had wonderful writing experiences, but it never fails that you get that one teacher who doesn’t like your work, will never like your work. I don’t need that in my head.

My mother, also a writer, decided to get her English degree as an adult (I graduated college a semester before she did). She met up with a teacher that truly hated her writing. We have drastically different styles, so she asked me to help her. I ended up writing her papers and getting her an A.

Thanks for this post… you’ve inspired me to go write one of my own.

When I was attending community college, I had a teacher like that. Since I picked up on her bias early on, I was able to simply drop the class. She told me right to my face that she would grade me down if she didn’t agree with my opinion in a position paper. I almost reported her but decided to let it go and move on. It definitely helps to give yourself some leeway and check out your instructors before you sign on. I cannot support writing other people’s papers as that is a serious violation of every school policy. There are other ways to resolve issues with an instructor. Most schools will let you do a special withdrawal if there is a conflict like that.

Great content, Melissa. I certainly agree that you don’t need an MFA or even an undergraduate writing degree in order to be considered “a writer.” Anyone can write provided they put the time and effort in the right place. Although a few writing classes along the way can be an enormous help.

One thing I learned through a fiction writing class was that peer edits are invaluable. So often when you ask someone to edit your work you get the “it’s good” or “you misspelled something on page 9” response. What I realized in this course was that most writers want to be criticized (constructively, of course). Writers are generally driven to continually improve their craft. Peer edits are a great way to do this, and as a result I no longer feel bad when critiquing someone else’s work. It only helps them.

Thanks for the post.

I couldn’t agree more. When I was in school, feedback was the single most valuable learning experience. Many writers struggle emotionally with critiques but I never did. I just got excited that people were invested enough to help me improve my work!

Though I have not taken a creative writing class, I can relate to many of the elements on some level. Less than a year ago, I went from a small company, to solo freelancing, and after a few months joined a big company. It was nice having co-workers again. We are computer programmers and we write code. Now that I am working with other people, I get to see what they wrote and how they wrote certain things. (There wasn’t really an equivalence to freewriting, though!) When I was working by myself, I had a tendency to just do things a certain way. Now I get more experienced programmers as mentors and they would push me to look into certain ways of doing things that I wasn’t familiar with. So yeah. Many of the same elements.

I am thinking that it’s the structure, sense of community, and the immediacy of feedbacks that really help.

As much as I love being self-employed, I’m hugely grateful for over a decade of on-the-job experience working with other people. I’m pretty sure that without having been mentored by professionals in the business world, my self-employment would have been blind and amateurish. I do miss having coworkers though. Social media is wonderful, but it’s not a true replacement for that sense of community.

I love this post. As an English major, there are times when I just want to quit school and focus on writing. I feel like the constraints and expectations in college are limiting my creativity. I have not gotten enough pre-reqs out of the way in which to take a creative writing class, but I definitely will now.

The community is the best part.

I say don’t give up on college! In addition to all the things you’ll learn about writing, it will enrich you as a human being. Stick with it; you’ll be glad you did.

Fantastic list! And very true. Especially the community feel, that’s probably what I miss the most now that I’m done.

That’s definitely what I miss the most. Plus, I used to love being on campus (I went to two different schools with gorgeous campuses). I’ve thought about going back for my MFA. Maybe someday…

Good one, Melissa. I like what you said re the writing exercises. Good reminder. It’s easy to get all caught up in pumping out blog posts and ebooks and trying to get through that novel rewrite and skip those exercises. And, yes, those critiques really help. I’m amazed at times at what I don’t see that needs more clarity in my writing.

Thanks, Bill. Yes, there’s so much we can do with exercises. I use them within larger projects. For example, I can apply various fiction writing exercises to a novel that I’m writing. I’ll generate material that won’t end up in the manuscript, but it’s good for the writing muscles!

A friend of mine tells me that i am still not giving my all for writing and I should not delve into a career in writing till I reach that level.I believe I am trying whatever I can at the moment.I can only get better by writing more and with more time and effort I will grow more as a writer.But that statement of my friend creates lot of self-doubt in me whether I will make it as a writer.

Hi Peter. I don’t know your friend and am not familiar with your writing, so I can’t give you any specific feedback about how much work your writing needs, but you are correct: the more you write, the better it will get. Your writing will also improve if you read a lot. One tip I can offer is to proofread everything you write, including comments on blogs like this. Get a book or two on the craft of writing, and definitely get a second opinion (don’t limit the feedback on your writing to one person).

A million thanks to you mellisa! you see as a child i loved books and writting but lost my way in life.Now i am quiety returning to what i loved.However its difficult.I began searching the internet for advice and i found your site.I am so elated!I feel that i am now being gently held by the hand to write and with a greater understanding of what i am supposed to do.I am in my fortieth year,but i know it’s never too late.This is one of the most instructive sites i’ve found.!

Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m always thrilled when people return to writing after so many years. What a wonderful reawakening that must be. I wish you the best of luck with your writing, Jesma.

Thanks for the suggestions! I’m in the eighth grade, but my English teachers have always said that I write at an advanced high school level. I love writing, I really do. I’ve read classic and modern literature to tweak my style, and also personally studied different techniques, like the ones you’ve provided here. Unfortunately, like I said, I’m an eighth grader, so I can’t go enroll at a university for writing classes. But I’m not challenged enough with my basic English curriculum. Do you have any suggestions for me to get better?

Hi Molly. The best suggestion I can give you is simply this: read and write. Read as much as you can, and read across different forms (essays, poetry, fiction) and genres (literary, speculative, etc.). Nothing will improve your writing like reading good books, and if you can absorb a lot of literature now, then when you get to college, you’ll be leagues ahead of your peers when you take writing workshops and classes.

Good luck to you!

Thankyou so much for writing this, I really want to start a writing career but don’t know where to start, this is really helpfull! Do you mind if I ask which university you went to as I’m just about to start my finall year doing A-levels and I’m looking around at uni’s and I want to make sure I go to the right on. Thanks again!!

I chose my school based on location. It was close to home and I didn’t have to move. If you do a search online, you’ll find which universities are known for their writing programs.

Great info, Melissa. Thanks. I especially liked your explanation about freewriting. That might mean different things to different people. You described it well.

Hi Marcy. Yes, freewriting has many variations, so it can definitely mean different things to different people. Thanks!

Thanks for the tips and telling us what it’s like to be in a Creative Writing class. I’m just wondering… I’m a new university student and I took a writing class in high school and thought it was a great experience. I love writing short stories and writing poetry. But now, I’m in university, I really want to take that course but I have terrible grammar and i dont know if anyone would take it

Every university is different, but in my experience, the creative writing instructors weren’t sticklers about grammar. Having said that, if you feel your grammar could be improved, why not work on it? It will not only improve your short stories and poems, it will also benefit you in communications and probably in your career as well. But I wouldn’t worry about it too much, especially in a creative class and as a new student. That’s why you’re there: to learn.

Great article. Thanks for the explanation of freewriting. I do this sometimes before I begin a big writing task — just didn’t realize I was freewriting!

And, I couldn’t agree more about writing exercises. My entire career is essentially based on executing high-level writing exercises for clients within a scope and a deadline. It’s like writing for your life — no better way to improve your skills!

My co-workers have wondered why I also write for online magazines or enter writing contests, especially if all I ever do is write. However, I believe it’s critical to challenge yourself and continue strengthening that creative muscle. My social writing circle is practically non-existent because I am the writing mentor for colleagues, and with such a demanding job, it’s difficult to find time to talk to others about writing or where to find writing courses.

This was a refreshing read that reminded me of the importance of making those connections again. Thank you.

Thanks. I love freewriting, and it’s a great way to warm up for a writing session.

Thanks for your post Melissa, it brought a lot of good insight to the forefront of my mind–especially about freewriting.

In middle and high school I was a gifted underachiever. Then I spent my late teens and twenties exposing myself to a substantial amount of literature, life lessons, fickle pathways at community college, partying, and jobs–so many jobs. When I finally made some headway with respect to credits, getting those much desired A’s, I finally felt ready to transfer to university and make a career with my eminent computer science degree. Except my life was tumultuous at best, and I was suddenly faced with a problem new to me–crippling insomnia.

These past five years I’ve had to humbly and patiently nurture myself to health. After a lot of introspection I came to accept that my academic path in life had been more to please other people rather than thriving in that which truly excites me–writing and teaching math (tutoring people for the GED helped me realize this).

I’m finally ready to start exercizing my writing skills again. My well of life experience and creativity make generating content simple. But I’m excited to re-familiarize myself with the fundamentals–to really put in the necessary work it takes to write naturally, with clarity and beautiful simplicity as you and others do.

I don’t know exactly where my writing will bring me after university, but I will have all the space and time I need to write while living off my land in my tiny home and tending to my vegetable garden. I appreciate you and the other commenters here for your effort and insight. I’m 32 and I feel as though I’m 18 again, with my whole life ahead of me–and without the essential naivety youth provides (or at least less of it!).

Hi Mark. Thanks for sharing your writing journey with us. One of the things I love about writing is that it’s always there for us, no matter how long we’ve been away. Welcome back to the craft.

I have learned much from blogs like this one, and other writers I’ve got to know on the internet. I did not do a creative writing course as I did Science with English Literature and Mathematics as subsidiaries. I am grateful for the writers of those blogs and the authors of the many books I’ve read. Also, I am in two online critique groups that I find helpful. I take your point about people who don’t like your writing. Recently,I posted a work on one group. One critiquer suggested I cut one paragraph of description as she said it added nothing. The next critique I read told me that the critiquer loved my descriptions! You can’t please everyone.

I have been in some settings with critique groups and absolutely loved it. Nothing improved my writing faster or more than workshopping and critiques. Yes, opinions will vary, but the feedback is still interesting and can be useful.

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The Invention of Recreation

Five movies for the twilight of western civilization, friday comic: finding purpose.

• 2024-08-16T07:00:16-0500 2024-08-16T06:30:50-0500 2024-08-16T06:00:03-0500

Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth

What four years of creative writing have taught me.

• In Education
• April 29, 2024

In 2020, I took my first college-level creative writing class. It was held on Zoom (compliments of COVID-19), and I wrote a clunky 500-word piece that was, in part, about a bug.

Now, at the end of four years of writing prose, poetry, and hymns, my writing has become (at least slightly) more sophisticated. Here are three key things I’ve learned.

1. Attentiveness Is Key

In any piece of creative writing, attentiveness is key. I had to learn this early on: One professor continually quoted poet William Carlos Williams : “No ideas but in things.” Williams believed that the best writing came from intense physical specificity.

And indeed, attentiveness elevates creative writing. It allows Ray Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451 to see Clarisse’s face as “slender and milk-white,” while “in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity.” It fosters the detail of Chaim Potok in My Name Is Asher Lev , speaking through his narrator: “I painted [the gulls] over and over again, using watercolors or washes of oils; painted their soarings into the sun, their wings in the wind, their wide diving circles over the surface of the waves.” It brings Kathleen Norris in Dakota to say of the Dakotas, “Just before dawn all is blue: I barely see the lark bunting light on a fence post.”

In each of these examples—and, indeed, in all good creative work—specificity, the product of attentiveness, breeds engagement.

And the benefits of attentiveness are not restricted to creative writing. By learning to pay attention, we are equipped to serve others better: We see needs more quickly and can respond to them well. In addition, attentiveness allows us to see the wonder of the world we inhabit. There is indeed “ beauty in the commonplace ,” though the intricacy of the plants, objects, and (most significantly) people in our world can be easy to miss.

2. Words Are Complex

We often think of words only in terms of how they are defined: just means merely , for instance, astonishment means shock , and gut-punched means to be punched in the stomach . But words, I’ve come to realize, carry more than mere definitional force.

Marilynne Robinson’s narrator in Gilead (the Rev. Ames) points out the grandeur of the simple word just . Reflecting on a description he just wrote, Ames says this:

I am thinking about the word ‘just.’ I almost wish I could have written that the sun just shone and the tree just glistened, and the water just poured out of it and the girl just laughed —when it’s used that way it does indicate a stress on the word that follows it, and also a particular pitch of the voice. People talk that way when they want to call attention to a thing existing in excess of itself, so to speak, a sort of purity and lavishness, at any rate something ordinary in kind but exceptional in degree.

And as with the effect of the word just —an effect that reaches beyond the word’s explicit definition—the sounds and cadences of our writing and speech affect the way it is perceived. I texted a friend this morning, for example, about the word “astonishment,” which—as I understand it—itself sounds astonished. The effect comes from the abrupt t sounds (which mirrors the shock of astonishment) and the gentle sh following it (which recalls the silence provoked by sudden wonder).

Similarly, the visceral word gut-punched reinforces its own meaning. The hard g , p , and d —along with the repeated accent of the word itself—gives a feeling of abruptness and strength. Gut-punched hits the reader hard—much like an actual punch in the gut. The sounds of our language contribute to their meaning.

3. Immensity Is Omnipresent

“I am the wisest man alive,” Socrates is quoted as saying (in a rephrased quote from Plato’s Apology ), “for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.”

At the end of a college degree, I am forced, perhaps more than ever, to face the immensity of what I don’t yet know. Five years of studying has introduced me to a wide array of books, scholars, and research topics, yet—in every book, class, and reading—there is a great measure of what I do not understand. In a sense, then, I am beginning to travel the path of every person alive: carrying the little I know and continuing to explore the world beyond.

If anything, then, four years of creative writing have taught me to see the world as large and mysterious—a mass of unknowns at which I can alternately study and marvel. I have learned so that I can learn, and—though I might exit formal schooling for a time—I am still, with all the world, a student.

Image credit: Pexels

Aletheia Hitz

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J.C. Joranco

Fantastic article, I had the same issue with "just", it had definitely become a crutch word that I relied on unconsciously for far too long!

This article reads like it was written by someone who ‘just’ graduated with a creative writing degree! 🤣

Dan Sullivan @Alex

I don’t think that’s fair. I graduated from college more than fifty years ago, spent most of the interim making a good living by writing, and still wish I could write a crisp, succinct essay like this one. Good for you, kid!

Dear Aletheia,

Thank you for your post. With your (or Socrates’s) thoughts (about knowing nothing), I do agree and am in accord. Or as I could say in French: “D’accord.”

All the best, Scott

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Last updated on Dec 23, 2022

Creative Writing: 8 Fun Ways to Get Started

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Savannah Cordova

Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery". 

Creative writing is a written art form that uses the imagination to tell stories and compose essays, poetry, screenplays, novels, lyrics, and more. It can be defined in opposition to the dry and factual types of writing found in academic, technical, or journalistic texts.

Characterized by its ability to evoke emotion and engage readers, creative writing can tackle themes and ideas that one might struggle to discuss in cold, factual terms.

If you’re interested in the world of creative writing, we have eight fantastic exercises and activities to get you started.

1. Use writing prompts every week

Coming up with ideas for short stories can be challenging, which is why we created a directory of 1700+ creative writing prompts covering a wide range of genres and topics. Writing prompts are flexible in nature, they are meant to inspire you without being too constrictive. Overall, they are a great way to keep your creative muscles limber.

If you’re struggling for motivation, how does a hard deadline and a little prize money sound? Prompts-based writing contests are a fantastic way to dive into creative writing: the combination of due dates, friendly rivalries, prize money, and the potential to have your work published is often just what’s needed to propel you over the finish line. 

We run a weekly writing contest over on Reedsy Prompts , where hundreds of writers from all around the world challenge themselves weekly to write a short story between 1,000 and 3,000 words for a chance to win the $250 prize. Furthermore, the community is very active in providing constructive feedback, support, and accountability to each other 一 something that will make your efforts even more worthwhile.

Take a peek at our directory of writing contests which features some of the most prestigious open writing competitions in the world. 

2. Start journaling your days

Another easy way to get started with creative writing is to keep a journal. We’re not talking about an hour-by-hour account of your day, but journaling as a way to express yourself without filters and find your ‘voice in writing’. If you’re unsure what to journal about, think of any daily experiences that have had an impact on you, such as… 

Special moments . Did you lock yourself out of your house? Or did you catch a beautiful sunset on your way back from groceries? Capture those moments, and how you felt about them.

People . Did you have an unusual exchange with a stranger at the bar? Or did you reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in years? Share your thoughts about it.

World events . Is there something happening in the world right now that is triggering you? That’s understandable. You can reflect on it (and let some steam off) while journaling.

Memories . Did you go down memory lane after a glass of wine? Great, honor those memories by trying to recollect them in detail on paper so that they will always stay vivid in your mind.

Life decisions . Are you having an existential crisis about what to do with your life? Write down your thought process, and the pros and cons of the possible decisions in front of you. You’ll be surprised to discover that, not only is it a great creative writing exercise, but it can also actually help you sort your life out! 

If you struggle to write consistently, sign up for our How to Write a Novel course to finish a novel in just 3 months.  

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3. Create an anonymous social media account

Like anonymous blogging, an incognito Twitter account sidesteps the pressure that comes with attaching your name to your work. Anonymously putting tiny stories out into the ether gives you the freedom to create without worrying about the consequences — which is great, so long as you don’t use it as an opportunity to troll people or spread conspiracy theories. 

You could use the anonymous account in different ways. For example, you could…

• Tweet from unique perspectives (e.g. a dog observing human behavior );
• Create a parody account of real or fictional people (e.g. an English poet from the Middle Ages );
• Challenge yourself to write tiny flash fiction stories that fit into Twitter threads.

Just remember, you’re not doing this to fool anyone into thinking that your account is real: be a good citizen and mark yourself a fiction account in your bio. 

But if you’re not really a social media kinda person, you may enjoy our next tip, which is a bit more on the analog side.

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4. Find an old photo and tell its story

Find a random old photo — maybe on the web, maybe from a photo album in a yard sale — and see what catches your attention. Look closely at it and try to imagine the story behind it. What was happening? Who are the people in it and how are they really feeling? Do they share a relationship, and of what kind? What are their goals and dreams?

In other words, bring the photo to life with your imagination. Don't be afraid to take artistic license with your story, as the goal is to be creative and have fun while writing. 

How do you know it’s creative writing?

5. Create a character from a random name

Just as our universe started from a few simple elements, you can create a character from a few basic information, like their name, culture, and gender. Reedsy’s handy character name generator can help you with that, offering random names based on archetypes, Medieval roots, fantasy traits and more. A few examples? A Celtic heroine named Fíona O'Keefe, a hero’s sidekick named Aderine, or a Korean track star named Park Kang-Dae.

Once you've chosen their name, begin to develop their personality. Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and write anything that comes to mind about them. It could be a page from their FBI dossier, a childhood diary entry, or simply a scene about them boiling an egg.

Just ‘go with the flow’ and don’t stop writing until your time is up. Repeat the process a few times to further hone the personality. If you like what you end up with, you can always go deeper later by creating a character bible . 

If a stream-of-consciousness exercise is not your thing, you can try to imagine your character in a specific situation and write down how’d they respond to it. For example, what if they were betrayed by a friend? Or if they were elected in power? To help you imagine situations to put your character in, we made a free template that you can download below. 

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40 questions to help you develop memorable characters.

6. Construct a character by people-watching

People watching is “the action of spending time idly observing people in a public place.” In a non-creepy way, ideally. Sit on a bench on a public square or on a road-side table at your favorite café, and start observing the people around you. Pay attention to any interesting quirks or behaviors, and write it down. Then put on your detective’s hat and try to figure out what that tells you about them.

For example, the man at the table next to you at the restaurant is reading the newspaper. His jacket and hat are neatly arranged next to him. The pages make a whipping sound as he briskly turns them, and he grimaces every time he reads a new article. Try to imagine what he’s reading, and why he’s reacting the way he is. Then, try to build a character with the information you have. It’s a fun creative exercise that will also, hopefully, help you better empathize with strangers. 

7. “Map” something you feel strongly about into a new context

Placing your feelings into new contexts can be a powerful creative writing exercise. The idea is to start from something you feel strongly about, and frame it into a completely different context. 

For example, suppose your heart is torn apart after you divorce your life-long partner: instead of journaling or crafting an entire novel  about it, you could tell a story about a legendary trapeze duo whose partnership has come to an end. If you’re struggling with politicking and petty power dynamics at the office: what if you “mapped” your feelings onto an ant who resents being part of a colony? Directing your frustration at a queen ant can be a fun and cathartic writing experience (that won’t get you in trouble if your co-workers end up reading your story).   

8. Capture the moment with a haiku

Haikus are poems from the Japanese tradition that aim to capture, in a few words, daily moments of insight (usually inspired by nature). In a nutshell, it’s about becoming mindful of your surroundings, and notice if you can see something in a new or deeper way 一 then use contrasting imagery to express whatever you noticed. 

Here’s an example:

Bright orange bicycle

Speeding through the autumn leaves

A burst of color waves

It may sound a bit complicated, but it shouldn’t be 一 at least not for the purpose of this exercise. Learn the basics of haiku-writing , then challenge yourself to write one per day for a week or month. At the end, you’ll be able to look back at your collection of poems and 一 in the worst case scenario 一 revisit small but significant moments that you would have otherwise forgot about.   

Creative writing can be any writing you put your heart and soul into. It could be made for the purpose of expressing your feelings, exploring an idea, or simply entertaining your readers. As you can see there’s many paths to get involved with it, and hundreds of exercises you can use as a starting point. In the next post , we’ll look more in detail at some creative writing examples from some fellow authors. 

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Why learn creative writing? Truthfully, creative writing is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the 21st century. When people think of a creative writing course, they often imagine a group of lofty, out-of-touch people who wear argyle sweater vests and have unproductive conversations about abstract concepts.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth: the best writing classes remain engaged with the real world, and the skills gained in a creative writing course apply to nearly every facet of daily life.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth picking up a course in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, we have five reasons to learn creative writing. But first, let’s talk about what actually happens in a creative writing course.

The Basics of a Writing Workshop

Whether you’re enrolled in a poetry, fiction, or nonfiction writing class, you can expect the following writing process – at least in a quality writing course like the ones at Writers.com.

• Weekly prompts and writing exercises to sharpen the precision and necessity of each word you use.
• Constructive critiques from a community of writers who are each growing their writing skills alongside you.
• A creative space to explore new ideas, experiment with language, and arrange words in new and exciting ways.
• Focused writing instruction from a master of the craft.

The benefits of creative writing come from engaging with the course material, the writing prompts, and the other class members. These elements help you become a better writer, both in creative realms and in everyday life. How? No matter what form of writing, a creative writing class pushes you to connect ideas and create effective narratives using the best words – and that skill translates into real world success.

The Benefits of Creative Writing

1. why learn creative writing: improved self-expression.

Improving your writing skills leads to stronger communication. When you practice finding the right word in a story or poem, you engage the same parts of your brain that are active in everyday writing and speaking. A creative writing course subconsciously turns you into a more effective communicator.

The importance of precise language and self-advocacy translates well into both interpersonal relationships and working environments. Take it from this expert on how writing and self-advocacy results in career and leadership success.

2. Why Learn Creative Writing: Job Success

This brings us to our next point: great writing leads to job success. Of course, your boss probably isn’t expecting you to write emails in the form of a short story or a sonnet – though if they are expecting this, you have a pretty cool boss.

In reality, almost every job requires some sort of written work, whether that’s simple written communication or something more elaborate, like publishing data or marketing materials. In a creative writing class, you practice the style and grammar rules necessary for effective writing, both within the realms of literature and in career-related writing. Sharpening your writing and creativity skills might just land you your next promotion.

3. Why Learn Creative Writing: Improved Thinking Skills

Strong writing leads to strong thinking. No matter what type of writing you pursue, learning how to write is another form of learning how to think.

That might seem like a bold claim, so think about it this way. Without language, our thoughts wouldn’t have form. We might not need language to think “I’m hungry” or “I like cats,” but when it comes to more abstract concepts, language is key. How would you think about things like justice, revenge, or equality without the words to express them?

When you hone in on your ability to find choice, specific words, and when you work on the skills of effective storytelling and rhetoric , you improve your ability to think in general. Good writing yields great thinking!

4. Why Learn Creative Writing: Empathy

Reading and writing both rely on empathy, especially when it comes to being an effective workshop participant. When we read and write stories, we situate ourselves in the shoes of other people; when we read and write poetry, we let language navigate us through emotion.

The importance of creative writing relies on empathy. We practice empathy whenever we listen to another person’s life story, when someone tells us about their day, and when we sit down with a client or work partner. When we write, we practice the ability to listen as well as to speak, making us more effective communicators and more compassionate human beings.

5. Why Learn Creative Writing: It’s Fun!

In case you’re not convinced that a writing course is right for you, let’s clarify one more fact: creative writing is fun. Whether you’re in a fiction writing course, starting a memoir, crafting a poem, or writing for the silver screen, you’re creating new worlds and characters. In the sandbox of literature, you’re in control, and when you invest yourself into the craft of writing, something beautiful emerges.

The Importance of Creative Writing

Simply put, creative writing helps us preserve our humanity. What better medium to explore the human experience?

To learn creative writing, like any art form, requires compassion, contemplation, and curiosity. Writers preserve the world as they observe it in stories and poetry, and they imagine a better world by creating it in their works.

Through the decades, literature has explored society’s profound changes. Literary eons like the Naturalist movement and the Beat poets responded to the increase in Western Industrialization. Confessional poets like Virginia Woolf helped transform poetry into a medium for emotional exploration and excavation. And, genre movements like the cyberpunk writers of science fiction helped popularize the idea of an “information economy.”

Thus, the importance of creative writing lies in its ability to describe the world through an honest and unfiltered lens. Anyone who engages in creative writing, no matter the genre or style, helps us explore the human experience, share new ideas, and advocate for a better society. Whether you write your stories for yourself or share them with a wide audience, creative writing makes the world a better place.

Jobs for Creative Writers

Because creative writing isn’t a STEM discipline, many people don’t think that learning it will help their job prospects. Why learn creative writing if it doesn’t make any money?

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Creative writing skills are much sought after on resumes, since both creativity and the ability to write are soft skills in decline. Additionally, if you’re considering a career change—or ready to start one!—these are some popular jobs for creative writers.

• Average Starting Salary: $51,000
• Demand: High
• Skills needed: creativity, grammar, timeliness

Copywriters help companies put their branding into words. A copywriter might write emails, blogs, website content, or ad copy that encompasses the company’s voice and purpose. Copywriting requires you to write in a mix of styles and forms, flexing your writing muscles in new and exciting ways.

Grant Writer

• Average Starting Salary: $50,000
• Skills needed: storytelling, research, argumentation

Nonprofits and research facilities rely on local and national grants to fund their projects. Grant writers help secure that funding, writing engaging grants that tell the organization’s story in an engaging, tailored, and convincing way. Creative writers will enjoy the opportunity to tell a meaningful story and create positive community change through this career.

Communications/Public Relations Specialist

• Skills needed: creativity, communications, social media

A communications specialist helps drive a company’s image through various social channels. They may help create a positive narrative for their company through blogs, journalist outreach, social media, and other public-facing avenues. Much like copywriting, a PR specialist helps weave an effective story for a company.

• Average Starting Salary: $55,000
• Demand: Medium/High
• Skills needed: creativity, storytelling, organization, self-reliance

The dream job for many writers is to write and sell books. Being a novelist is an admirable career choice—and also requires the most work. Not only do you have to write your stories, but you also have to market yourself in the literary industry and maintain a social presence so that publishers and readers actually read your work. It’s a tough business, but also incredibly rewarding!

Reasons to Learn Creative Writing: Finding a Writing Community

Finally, creative writing communities make the writing struggle worth it. The relationships you foster with other creative writers can last a lifetime, as no other group of people has the same appreciation for the written word. Creative writing communities create transformative experiences and encourage growth in your writing; if there’s one reason to study creative writing craft, it’s the friendships you make in the process.

You don’t need a class to start writing, but it’s never a waste of time to learn the tools of the trade. Creative writing requires the skills that can help you in everyday life, and a creative writing course can help.

At Writers.com, we believe that creative writing can transform both individual lives and the world at large. See the importance of creative writing for yourself: check out what makes our creative writing courses different , then take a look at our upcoming course calendar today.

Sean Glatch

Would like to apply for a course to write a novel.

I’d be happy to help! Please email [email protected] with any questions, and we’ll find the right course for your writing.

[…] Sean. “Why Learn Creative Writing.” writers.com. June 7, 2020. https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing . Accessed November 7, […]

[…] And last of all it’s fun! I hope to live my life doing the things I love, with like-minded creative people who I love. I have many exciting things upcoming as I continue with the process of completing my first novel, Les Année Folles, such as publishing to my first magazine, journal, and working on the millions of short story ideas I have stored in my head. Stay tuned! References: Glatch, S. (2020, June 7). WHY LEARN CREATIVE WRITING? Retrieved from Writers.com: https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing […]

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11 Things I’ve Learned from Creative Writing that are Essential for Creating Content

I have been writing nonstop since I learned how. When I was eight, I wrote plays and had the neighbourhood kids perform them with me in the driveway. (“Sara, I want to play baseball.” “But you have to REHEARSE.”)

I received my undergrad degree in English, I have a Master’s degree in Creative Writing, I have taken countless workshops and completed a playwriting apprenticeship at Horizon Theatre in Atlanta, and I even teach graduate online writing courses for Southern New Hampshire University. I’m also an active author and playwright.

Writing is my life.

After I graduated from grad school, I was shocked to discover I couldn’t just publish books, write plays, and make a living. As I searched for a way to get paid for writing, it was natural to fall into digital marketing. I wrote web content, blog posts, and social media content, both as a freelancer and with marketing agencies (where I currently work).

As I continued to work in digital marketing, I discovered that I loved it. Over the years, I have realized that every day, I use so many of the things I learned in my studies of creative writing. Here are eleven creative writing rules content marketers can use as well.

Show, don’t tell.

This is one of the first things you learn in a creative writing class. Whether you’re writing poetry, plays, or fiction, it’s much more powerful to show the reader/audience an image or conversation that evokes sadness, for example, than it is to say, “this character was sad.”

Antov Checov put it this way. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on the broken glass.”

Excellent poetry is all about imagery. Superb scripts are all about dialogue. Brilliant fiction is all about narrative. There are so many ways writers can show instead of tell:

• Use the five senses – You want to make the reader feel, taste, smell, see, or hear the scene. You want them to feel like they are there.
• Use strong verbs – A writer should use active verbs more than passive verbs. Active verbs often imply movement. They can create a complete image in a reader’s head.
• Use dialogue – Don’t tell us what another character said. Show us the exact dialogue that was spoken.

Content marketers need to follow this rule as well. When you’re providing tips on a new marketing tool, for example, it’s much more effective to provide screenshots or a video tutorial than it is to simply write a blog post telling the reader what to do.

Providing screenshots to show someone how to do something is more effective than telling them.

If you’re introducing a new product to your customers, of course it’s essential to provide images. But even if you’re writing a blog post about something more abstract, you should always offer examples, case studies, and photos that illustrate your points.

Don’t just tell readers what they need to be doing; show them how to do it.

If it’s possible to cut a word or phrase out, cut it out.

Whether you’re writing a poem, a short story, a play, or a screenplay, every word counts. You don’t want to have an excess of flowery description or filler language that doesn’t have a point. If you can retain the meaning of a piece cutting out a word or phrase, you should.

This rule applies to content as well. Whether you’re writing web content, blog posts, or text on an infographic, get to the point. People don’t have a lot of time to waste on filler words.

There are certain words you can almost always cut out: just, then, very, really, totally, completely, definitely, and certainly. These words don’t add to a sentence. You can retain the meaning without them.

Don’t use clichés.  

There are a lot of fiction clichés to be avoided. “It was a dark and stormy night.” “It was raining cats and dogs.” “Her love was like a rose in bloom.” I write young adult fiction, and one of the favorite phrases for YA authors seems to be, “she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.” That’s overused so much, it’s become a cliché.

The world of marketing has its own clichés that should be avoided. “Content is king.” “Go above and beyond.” “It’s a paradigm shift.” Get creative. Come up with new ways to say what you want to say.

Don’t overdo exclamation points.

Exclamation points are like hammers in the writing world. They’re there to express big emotions like excitement, passion, and anger. Used sparingly, they can be effective. It’s easy for writers to overuse them, though.

Exclamation points imply you expect the reader not to know how a phrase should be read. If the writing is sharp enough, you won’t need exclamation points to emphasize words and phrases.

The same is true for any sort of content. I know it’s easy to get excited when you’re talking about something you’re passionate about. And if you’re in the marketing world, hopefully you’re passionate about it. But don’t overdo the exclamation points. They come across like you’re shouting or being abrasive.

Read writing aloud when editing.  

This is essential for plays and screenplays which are full of dialogue that’s meant to be heard rather than read. But it can also be true for fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Reading your work aloud allows you to see it in a different light. It will be much easier to catch errors, awkward phrasing, overly long sentences, or clunky writing when you read it out loud.

Whatever kind of copy you’re writing—whether it’s for a blog post, a website, an infographic—it’s helpful to read it out loud as you edit. If you’re not in a place where you can do this, you can even use a text-to-speech feature in many programs ( like Microsoft Word ) to get your computer to read it out loud.

The text-to-speech feature on Microsoft Word

Connect on an emotional level.  

Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is as true in writing as it is in life. As writers are crafting their stories, they should make sure they give the audience a reason to care. One of the best ways to do this is to make them feel something.

It’s also possible to connect emotionally in content marketing. If you’re promoting the services of a personal injury attorney, for example, you can reach people on an emotional level telling a story about a pedestrian hit in traffic. Whatever you’re marketing, you should always ask yourself, “why should my audience care?” Make sure you can answer that question.

Understand your target audience.

No story is for everyone. Readers of Stephen King may not enjoy novels by Nora Roberts. Whatever you’re writing, you’re never going to write a story that appeals to everyone. So the best thing to do is to zero in on your target audience and write for them.

There is some debate about this in the writing world. Some independent authors who are able to publish fast say you can “ write to market ” where your number one consideration is your audience as you’re writing. In the traditional publishing world, the journey from writing a book to publishing it takes so long, by the time you’ve published it, the market has changed. So writers wishing to pursue this route are encouraged not to focus on a particular audience as they write.

At some point, though—whether it’s in the writing process, during revisions, or even when you’re marketing your book—you need to consider your audience.

Digital marketers always need to consider their target audience. But you’re never writing for everyone. Not everyone is going to be your audience, customer, or client. You need to focus on the specific target audience you are trying to market to.

One way to do this is to create a buyer persona. Get specific about who you are targeting. If you’re marketing a product to mothers of toddlers, for example, create one specific mother of a toddler you can create your content for. The more specifically you target her, the more other mothers of toddlers will be drawn to your content.

Use your unique voice.

Every story has been told. Everything’s already been done. What can a writer bring to the table that is truly new and original? They can bring all the unique experiences that have brought them to where they are by using their distinct voices.

Whatever content you’re producing, the chances are there is content out there that is like it. But no one else can be you. No one else can create content quite the same way you can. So don’t try to create content that sounds like someone else’s. It’s alright to be inspired by other content marketers, but you should always be using your unique voice.

Use the power of storytelling.

Stories are powerful. Stories are addictive. Stories connect us. There’s a reason people binge watch shows on Netflix. They get caught up in the stories.

You can use the power of storytelling for your brand. There are many ways you can do this.

You can tell a story in a blog post. Open a post with a story, tell a story in the middle when the reader’s attention may be wandering, or wrap up your post with a story.

Tell the story of your brand on your website. You can tell it on the “about us” page or in a blog post. Did you have to overcome any obstacles to get your brand where it is now? People love to hear stories of overcoming obstacles. That’s one of the essential elements to a story.

Tell a story in video or social media posts. Tell a story in images. Tell a story in Tweets.

Have your customers or clients tell their stories in testimonials or reviews. You can even have them make video testimonials.

Allow yourself to have bad first drafts.

Sometimes a writer needs to go through ten bad ideas before she can get to that one good one. Sometimes you need to get your ideas out before you can fix them in revisions. It’s a lot easier to revise a bad first draft than no draft at all.

This is also true of content writing. Whether you’re writing a blog post, web content, a headline, or even a social media post, don’t just go with the first thing you write. Write down all your ideas, even the bad ones. Eventually, you will find the best version of what you want to say.

Understand the rules so you can break them when necessary.

Like any art form, the rules of creative writing are meant to be broken. I know I have broken most of the rules on this list at some point. I broke some of them in this post even. Sometimes you need to break a rule to be effective.

You can break the rules you need to, though, when you understand the rules you are breaking. Just like abstract art means more when it’s painted by an artist who has painted works of realism, poems can have more meaning when they don’t follow the rules of punctuation or capitalization, for example.

There are rules associated with content marketing. But you’re probably not going to follow each rule every time you create a piece of content. If you understand which rules you are breaking, however, it will make it more effective.

There are many more rules of creative writing that can be used in content marketing. As I continue to create content, I discover more and more connections between these two worlds every day. If you didn’t study marketing, have you found any connections between what you studied and the work you’re now doing? Tell us about it in the comments.

Sara Crawford is a digital content strategist for WT Digital Agency and an author from Atlanta, Georgia. She has written novels, produced her own plays, and performed as a singer/songwriter. She is passionate about the act of creation, and she adores the written word.

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How to Learn Creative Writing

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

This article was co-authored by Melessa Sargent . Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 50,708 times.

Creative writing is any form of writing intended for entertainment, although it may also inform or persuade. It encompasses fiction, poetry, song lyrics, scripts, biographies, and anything that combines these elements. Although creative writing is an innate skill, it can be taught, and its techniques must be learned in order to develop as a writer. There are a number of ways to learn creative writing; the steps below cover some of these ways.

• To determine where to start, consider what interests you most. If you enjoy a particular genre of fiction, such as science fiction, and imagine how you would write the story differently, you may want to begin by learning to write in that genre. If you find yourself paying particular attention to the choice of words in your favorite songs, you may want to learn how to write song lyrics.
• You may also wish to tackle a smaller project within the form of writing that interests you most, such as a short story or novella instead of an epic trilogy, or a few good songs instead of a concept album, for example.

• College campuses. Many colleges and universities offer the opportunity to major or minor in creative writing as part of a fine arts degree, or as an elective class for credits to count toward a degree in something else. These classes are usually taught by tenured or adjunct professors, with classes lasting an entire semester.
• Community colleges. Many community colleges offer a variety of non-credit, continuing education classes for those who want to learn new things. Writing classes are often among their most popular offerings. Some community college writing classes may last a full semester, while others run only a few weeks. These classes may be taught by professors at the college or by experienced writers in the community.
• Seminars. These are short, one- or two-day classes that may be held at a community center, a civic organization, a writer's retreat, or at a convention devoted to a particular genre. These classes are usually taught by experienced writers.
• Online. Online creative writing classes may be offered by four-year or community colleges as an outreach program or by organizations geared solely to teaching writing online. Some classes may be offered for free, while others have charges ranging from nominal to substantial.

• General how-to books teach the basics of creative writing. These books may include techniques on how to stimulate your creativity, provide suggestions on how to structure your writing time, or offer advice on dealing with agents and publishers.
• Technique-specific how-to books teach particular writing methods that can be applied across a number of writing genres. Dwight Swain's "Techniques of the Selling Writer," for example, teaches how to structure stories to build tension.
• Genre-specific how-to books teach how to write in a specific genre, such as mysteries, science fiction, or romance.
• Genre-specific reference books provide information that writers need to know to create realistic settings for their stories in that genre. There are books covering life in the Middle Ages for historical fiction and fantasy writers, books on forensics for mystery writers, and books of age-appropriate words for children's book writers.

• Most writing workshops will require you to have a piece of writing to share with the other writers attending the workshop.

• You can find writers' groups in your area by using an Internet search engine or through Meetup.com.

• If you write fiction, one way to practice is to take part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWiMo), held informally during the month of November. The goal is to start and finish a writing a novel during those 30 days.

Expert Q&A

• As you learn more about how to write, you'll find yourself looking at published writing with a more critical eye to see how other writers apply a given technique to bring their stories to life. When you do this, read as widely in your chosen area as you can to expose yourself to a number of different styles to help you develop your own individual style. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Be aware that some online writing programs are not on the up-and-up. This is usually not a problem with programs affiliated with a recognized institution of higher education but may be with a private organization. If you're not familiar with the organization behind a writing program, take the time to investigate that organization before committing your time and money. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Melessa Sargent. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 14 August 2019.
• http://www.dailywritingtips.com/creative-writing-101/
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/jan/18/what-creative-writing-course-taught-me
• http://www.writersbureau.com/
• http://learn.utoronto.ca/courses-programs/creative-writing
• http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?id=770&cw_xml=details.php
• Rodney Ruff, Omaha, NE; experienced writer and editor

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What I learnt from my PhD (in creative writing)

Last year I was fortunate enough to have the creative component of my PhD published as a novel. Would I say my PhD has taught me how to write novels? I think, rather, it helped me write that one. As Helen Garner has famously said, ‘we have to learn to write again for each new book’. For context, I’d already had one novel published; for further context, that too had been developed through a higher education program – a masters. Clearly I’m in favour of formal learning, but coming to the end of our highest arts degree I’ve been reflecting on what, exactly, it’s taught me.

Last year I was fortunate enough to have the creative component of my PhD published as a novel. Would I say my PhD has taught me how to write novels? I think, rather, it helped me write that one. As Helen Garner has famously said, ‘ we have to learn to write again for each new book ’. For context, I’d already had one novel published; for further context, that too had been developed through a higher education program – a masters. Clearly I’m in favour of formal learning, but coming to the end of our highest arts degree I’ve been reflecting on what, exactly, it’s taught me.

Perhaps research is what I’ve learnt: what it is, why to do it, how to do it well – in the context of both my creative work and its critical exegesis. But although I’ve been successful at presenting chapters from my dissertation as standalone papers and articles, my full thesis had an intimate audience of just three examiners (besides my supervisor). And while these academic skills will likely have future application, and further development (and possibly a broader audience than my creative work), that’s largely because I’m already employed as a university lecturer.

(Both the creative and critical endeavours – and their interrelationship – have honed my professional research, writing and editing skills, but as Justin Stover argues in ‘ There is no case for the humanities ’ this is ‘a valuable by-product’ rather than the core learning outcome of a humanities degree. Regardless of whether you agree at an undergraduate level, most would concur in the case of a student studying to be a doctor of philosophy. Though perhaps arts courses are not inevitably so productive: David Foster Wallace’s well-known commencement speech neatly articulates how teaching individuals to think also teaches them to recognise and resist certain kinds of ‘Think-Speak’ .  It’s ‘ the kind of thinking that probably does make certain of the young less ideal recruits in their armies of the employed ’, Marilynne Robinson argues.)

Should I then say, as Stover does, that the greatest insight my capstone qualification has given me has been into the particular and idiosyncratic bureaucracy of the university system? Even more specifically, that of the university where I was studying?

Rather, I see the value of my PhD in, above all else, the supervisory relationship. This unique experience, in all its complexity and intensity, is an introduction to – an induction into – how our writing and publishing industry works. I have been awarded professional and personal insight into how I can now further my development alone.

Or, rather, not alone.

In ‘ Why teaching (writing) matters: a full confession ’, Jayne Anne Phillips argues that, more important than teaching writing, an MFA is a way ‘those engaged in the practice of an art can mentor apprentice artists, and apprentice artists, in community, can mentor one another.’ Our industry has long been aware of the value of mentoring: not only have established authors throughout history advised and edited emerging ones, but the trade itself is founded upon that all-important author–editor relationship (or author–publisher, depending on who takes on this developmental role). As our profession and creative practice differs from fine arts’, so the nature of creative writing mentorships also vary – from other sectors, and within our own community.

In the case of my PhD I received: close editing of my work (as one creative to another, but, importantly, from an author who’d had extensive experience working with a seasoned editor); guidance on my writing career; advice on becoming an academic; and even reflections upon becoming a mother – and balancing (or, more actually, juggling) all these things. It may be relevant to confess here that my degree took me a long time to complete – a very long time. The absolute longest time permitted. This was clearly a factor in the life events that occurred over the course of my candidature, and probably also played a role in the relationship with my supervisor that evolved.

I might also add that, anticipating the importance of this student–supervisor relationship (having experienced similar, less successful, iterations during my time as first an honours and then a masters student), I followed my chosen professor from another university and across state lines.

Findings from a 2002 survey of creative writing mentorships concluded that ‘ in no part of Australia does there appear a lack of interest in mentoring activity ’. This is still, if not more than ever, the case. In every state there are mentorships, which are either paid for, or awarded as a prize; editorships, which may be government subsidised but are generally delivered in association with a particular press (either as manuscript development, or a contract to publish); and myriad internship opportunities. While the monetisation of mentoring provides a certain transparency, the user-pays model arguably influences the advice customer–clients receive. It also poses a financial barrier to some. But if the individual working on a prizewinning manuscript is from the commercial sector then their feedback is also unlikely to be neutral, and more likely to be market-driven – which may, of course, be exactly what the applicant–author wants and/or needs.

University supervisors, too, have their own interests and agendas, as Tara Brabazon sets out in ‘ 10 truths a PhD supervisor will never tell you ’. While she has ‘never received any satisfactory, effective or useful supervision’, I’ve been particularly fortunate in that two of my previous less-positive supervisory experiences have led to invaluable publishing and teaching opportunities. One individual in particular has proven to be as generous a guide, both personally and professionally, as any student could ask for.

Which begs the question: what do we students (have the right to) ask for?

Everything costs someone something – whether it’s cash, in kind, personal time or academic workload allocation. To connect Stover and Brabazon’s perspectives, supervisors don’t only help students navigate the university system, they must chart a path themselves that protects both their time and that of their student meetings.

In many institutions the preparatory experience for this one-on-one supervision, honours, is under threat. There are a number of reasons for this: one is the increasing popularity of a ‘3+2’ university pathway (a generalist undergraduate arts degree, followed by a postgraduate masters specialisation), as in the Melbourne Model; another is cost. Direct, individual – and generally face-to-face – attention is expensive. In this age of the ‘massification’ and corporatisation of universities, such an extravagant arrangement can be hard to defend.

The cornerstone of most creative-writing courses is workshopping, where participants receive feedback from their peers, under the guidance of experienced tutors, who offer their own opinions and manifest best practice on how to present that. Regardless of the role the Iowa Writer’s Workshop and the USA’s creative writing MFA programs have played in the ascendance of this model, all of the institutions I’ve studied or taught at in Australia have favoured group workshopping as their preferred pedagogy.

As we are taught, so we teach. ‘[ G]raduates of MFA programs often go on to teach in other MFA programs ,’ KC Trommer points out, prompting me to consider anew my own experience in this context, both in the trade and academy. I may be somewhat of an anomaly among creative writing teachers (though not among publishing lecturers) in not having undertaken such courses at an undergraduate level – I do remember enrolling in some subjects, but was always put off not by the quality of the work but by the positive response that it invariably received. I learnt my craft as a jobbing journalist, speechwriter, editor and publisher. And in every one of these paid positions I was apprenticed to a master (the word mistress will not do) – whether that was my manager, someone higher up, or an outside expert … such as an author whose manuscript I was project managing and collating changes on.

At the same time that universities are increasingly under pressure to work as a business themselves (enrolling more students – who wouldn’t have made the grade thirty or forty years ago, as Tegan Bennet Daylight details in ‘The difficulty is the point’ – in ever-increasing class sizes, taught by sessional and frequently still-studying staff), core but not-cost-effective relationships have also been squeezed in the writing and publishing industries . While publishers continue to manage the author relationship at the commissioning and contracting stage, sometimes still undertaking the initial developmental edit, structural editing – along with copyediting and proofreading – has largely been outsourced.

Publishing’s shift to a freelance workforce marries with the media industry’s transition to a ‘gig’ economy, resulting in an increase reliance on sole-trader writers and editors who have no clear career trajectory, union-protected pay scale, or recourse to in-house professional development. They neither receive the kind of mentoring that might be expected from a line manager or established editor in a traditional press (though this, of course, may not have actually happened), nor are they in a position to offer much mentoring themselves – to emerging authors, or editors. Specialist postgraduate programs have stepped into this gap (many offering internship subjects that explicitly identify industry mentors), as well as editing opportunities such as Seizure ’s Viva la Novella initiative, Varuna’s Residential Editors’ Program and the Beatrice Davis Fellowship.

Much has been made of the negative impact this shift has had, not only on editors’ and authors’ development, but also on that of their collaborative output – the books. The survey conducted by Nigel Krauth (et al) identified that ‘text mentorships, like the use of assessment services, have gained in significance because of the identifiable withdrawal of editors from publishing in recent years’. Has any good come from this change prompted by commercial necessity? Certainly many of the frequently female, part-time, working-from-home freelancers appreciate the flexibility. Could it also encourage objectivity – loyalty to a book, perhaps, over an employer; scrutiny, with experience across publishing houses; an increase in critical as well as practical skills; and familiarity with new technologies and different processes, as taught by universities like mine?

In defence of the individuals that make up our industry, everyone I know personally and professionally is still putting in the same amount of outside and overtime hours. If not more. And this effort ­– as well as the pressure that prompts it – is also, as ever, the case inside academia too.

It is upon stepping into a supervisory role myself that I have been prompted to reflect on the nature and importance of this not-always-easy relationship. Certainly, this was not what I had thought my PhD would be about when I started out. In ‘Where great writers are made: assessing America’s top graduate writing programs,’ Edward Delaney establishes that time (which he equates with money) and ‘something to react to’ are the most important aspects of great writing programs . I received both of these through my PhD, each channelled directly through one particular port-of-call: my supervisor.

To conclude – as that decade-long relationship finally has – Lynn Davidson makes a persuasive case for creative writing PhDs as having a value above and beyond university-recognised research outputs . It is not just students’ engagement in contemporary cultural production that is so essential, so worthwhile, she argues, but the opportunity the higher research degree provides to be part of ‘the big conversation’ that reaches back through time as well as forward into the future.

A conversation which starts between two people.

A conversation which, for me, must start as one between two people.

Rose Michael

Born in England, based in Melbourne, Rose Michael is a writer, editor and academic who has been published in  Griffith REVIEW, Best Australian Stories, Island, Muse, Cultural Studies Review.  Her first novel,  The Asking Game  (Transit Lounge, 2007), was a runner-up for the Allen & Unwin/Vogel award and received an Aurealis Award honourable mention. An early extract of  The Art of Navigation  was published in  Review of Australian Fiction .

Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places.

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A very thoughtful, insightful and helpful article. Thank you.

Thank you for this, Rose Michael. I am near the end of a PhD in creative writing and concur that I have learned how to research in the true sense of the word, as well as gained a lot from the supervisory relationship. It has also enabled me to meet several other writers and researchers and artists and learn from them; to engage with others at conferences and share our work; to position myself more confidently as a writer now that I have a full length manuscript of reasonable quality. I won’t be working in academia (unless something unexpected happens) but rather taking my work out into the world, and developing other projects out there.

A very thoughtful article indeed! But a question: what should be the title of the thesis? The name of the novel or? Kindly reply…I am interested in PhD in creative writing too…. Can you suggest a thesis on creative writing in poetry? Please reply…

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Cultivate a Creative Writing Practice

Start where you are .

If you've wanted to start (or re-start) a creative writing practice, it can be daunting to face a blank page, the inner critic, and the uncertainty.

Read on for some tips, helpful mindsets, and prompts to start writing.

• To create a sustainable practice, we must be willing to start small.
• If you find yourself with nothing to do but wait for something, take out a little pocket notebook and jot some thoughts down.
• Send yourself an email or text. 
• Carve out 15 to 20 minutes, get settled in a peaceful space and write. Treat your writing time as “me time".

“After seeing that poet on the bus, I stocked up on writing books in the Peace Corps library and, as they told me to, tried to write every single day no matter what. When I messed up, I yelled at myself in the way I thought necessary. Then, after some moping, I began again. I put my butt in the chair…and put words on the page. I failed again. I began again. I failed again. Began. I began to begin, over and over and over. In this way, I became an expert at beginning to be a dedicated writer. Here are my credentials: I’ve begun a thousand times…I shifted from  wanting  to be a writer to  working  to be a writer”

Helpful Prompts to Get Started 

Begin now and begin again anytime you need to (no yelling at yourself necessary).

• Describe your favorite meal, from childhood, something you make, or receive from someone, in a way that will make your reader almost taste it.
• Write about the morning, what it means to you, how you feel about it, what your routine is, etc.
• From the book  Room to Write , by Bonnie Goldberg :  “Today write about the first time words profoundly affected you. Describe the situation, what led up to it, the moment of the encounter, your physical reaction, and something else that was taking place in the same setting but had nothing to do with your experience. Feel free to allow your imagination to supply whichever of these elements you can’t recall. You might try this as a poem.”

Show us Your Work!

Make sure to celebrate the time you put in and for honoring your commitment to your writing practice! 

Books to Help 

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Writing Prompt: Try a Nature Poem!

Spring into poetry: try a diminishing verse, discover new posts.

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Fiction: under the seas, celebrating our bloggers - a year in review, add a comment to: cultivate a creative writing practice.

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5 business lessons i learned writing a book.

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Allison Walsh is the founder of Allison Walsh Consulting and Vice President of Clinical Outreach at Charlie Health.

When I set out to write a book, I knew my experience would be unique, but I was still surprised by just how much I learned over the course of my journey.

In addition to being a corporate healthcare executive, I’m also a personal brand, business and success coach who specializes in helping people reach and exceed their goals—so facing big challenges head-on was nothing new for me. Writing a book forced me to put my own teachings to the test, calling on me to synthesize the wisdom I’ve gained over the past decade.

In the process, I gained some incredibly valuable insights. While every project is different, here are five lessons that stood out to me.

1. You need time to plan.

Planning is one of the most important stages on any journey—and it’s not just for novelists trying to avoid plot holes. Creating space for brainstorming and outlining at the beginning of my book-writing journey gave me as a writer the flexibility to make adjustments that would have been harder to implement once I found myself halfway through completing it.

Initially, I underestimated the time I’d need to think through and outline my book. In reality, I spent more time planning than I actually did writing.

In the same way, savvy leaders recognize it’s important not to launch for business without a rock-solid plan in place. Whether your idea feels gridlocked in development—or like you’ll never get around to putting pen to paper—know that this is okay!

The end result is often better when we invest more time early on. Whatever your project, designate time for brainstorming and try not to pressure yourself. Planning can be just as important, if not more important, than the completion of a goal.

Life will always get in the way. Having a plan makes it easier to overcome unexpected roadblocks. On days you don’t feel like you can accomplish anything concrete toward your project, studying and reviewing your game plan can help you feel grounded and remember you aren’t starting from nothing.

Finally, putting early thought into planning gives you the freedom to do the most important thing: Being creative and enjoying the process.

2. Remember why you’re here.

Whether opening a business or setting out to achieve a goal like writing a book—for many, these situations can inspire feelings of imposter syndrome , a topic I’ve written on before. This is that nagging feeling that you might not be qualified or competent enough to achieve a goal. Even if you’ve never experienced imposter syndrome before, it can strike anytime.

When you feel those doubts creep into your head, remember that you deserve to bring your solution to the market to tell your story. Your message or business offering matters. There is a reason you wanted to share this solution, service or message with others. Recalling that motivation is crucial during difficult times.

You can also try the following.

• Repeating a mantra about the “why” behind your goal.

• Recalling the accomplishments and life experiences that make you uniquely qualified to achieve this goal.

• Taking inventory of the roots of your self-criticism and re-considering those feelings logically. This is a great way to expose unsubstantiated limiting beliefs and deal with them.

• Finding someone that you trust and sharing your feelings with them.

3. Care about your audience.

The book-writing journey can be much more solitary than a fully-staffed business operation. There are long hours spent alone in front of the computer with no one to cheer you on or weigh in on your latest chapter. When you’re in the thick of isolation, remember who is going to benefit from your project.

At every stage of your project, consider who your audience might be and what you want them to get out of it. Think broadly and try to imagine a diverse group of people who might benefit from your project in different ways. This exercise can be a great way to recalibrate and center the focus of your work.

4. It’s okay to start over.

While technology can provide great resources, these pale in comparison to human intuition. You know when something isn’t working, and you need to trust your gut—even when it’s telling you to scrap something completely and start over from scratch.

Scrapping a project to reassess and begin anew can feel daunting, but it’s better to address issues early rather than to release a product you don’t love. A willingness to review and revise when necessary may be your greatest asset and will serve you well when it comes to getting others onboard with your project—or working with an editor.

Trusting your own ability and perceptions can free you up to be more creative over the course of your journey. Remember: First drafts are always imperfect.

5. Don’t hold yourself back.

Restraint is one of the biggest barriers to powerful writing. Whether due to imposter syndrome, fear of judgment or failure to adequately plan, too many of us fail to follow through on our goals. Living a full and authentic life requires us to be our truest and boldest selves, regardless of our fears.

In holding back your own innovation, you risk losing the unique quality of what makes your project unlike that offered by anyone else. The world needs bold voices. Go all the way with your idea. Don’t shy away from making waves, and inspire others to do the same.

Throughout my book-writing journey, a central theme that emerged was the principle of permission—permission to think, to plan and to continually revise. I want to encourage other leaders to give themselves permission to visualize and execute their plans. It is this green light to set out on your journey without fear of self-judgment that breeds success.

Enjoy the journey.

Whether you are looking to launch a brand—or complete a goal of book-length proportions—I hope these five lessons will inspire readers over the course of their own creative journey.

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Examples and Guide to Creative Writing

The roots of creative writing lie in creative thinking. But what if you're not the most creative person in the room? That's simply not a good enough reason to lose hope in writing the best creative piece anyone's ever read. In this article, I will show you what you need to get started and the tools with creative writing examples that will help you learn how to write creatively.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that diverges from the more formal and structured types of writing like technical or academic writing. It typically includes various genres and styles, focusing on character development, narrative, and plot, infused with imagination and storytelling. The primary objective is to evoke emotions and create a vivid experience for the reader.

Creative writing includes many forms, such as children's books, creative nonfiction, graphic novels, memoirs, novels, plays, poetry, screenplays, and short stories. Each form offers unique opportunities for writers to explore different themes, styles, and storytelling techniques. Essential elements of creative writing include as follows that work together to create engaging and immersive narratives that resonate with readers.

Action: Characters’ actions should be purposeful and drive the story forward, based on their motivations and goals.

Character Development: Characters should be unique, three-dimensional, and relatable, with distinct personalities, appearances, and backstories.

Conflict: Essential for moving the story forward, conflict creates tension and stakes, making the story compelling.

Dialogue: Realistic and meaningful dialogue reveals character emotions and advances the plot without being overly expository.

Genre: Creative writing spans various genres like romance, mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and more, each with its own conventions and appeal.

Pacing: The speed at which a story unfolds, determined by scene length and information distribution, affects the reader’s engagement.

Plot: The sequence of events that make up a story, starting with an inciting incident and building through rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told, such as first person, second person, or third person, shapes the reader’s experience.

Scenes: The building blocks of a story, scenes vary in setting and advance the plot while containing tension and conflict.

Setting: The time, location, and physical environment where the story takes place, contributing to the story’s atmosphere and context.

Style: An author’s unique way of communicating with words, shaped by their voice and overall tone, which can vary based on the type of writing and target audience.

Tension: Keeps readers on the edge of their seats by creating stakes and suspense, essential for maintaining interest.

Theme: The underlying message or concept an author wishes to convey through their work, offering deeper meaning to the narrative.

Examples of Creative Writing

The best way to prompt yourself to write creatively, even when your creativity is running low, is by seeking inspiration. I'll be sharing some examples of creative writing to help you get inspired and understand the essence of creative writing. But first, let's explore the different genres of creative writing:

Fiction is all about creating imaginative stories with characters, events, and settings that are not simply real. This genre allows for complete creative freedom, enabling you to build intricate worlds and compelling narratives from scratch. For instance, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling is a fantasy novel that introduces readers to a young wizard's magical adventures, showcasing how fiction can transport readers to entirely new realms.

2.Non-Fiction

Non-fiction, on the other hand, focuses on real-life events, facts, and people. It aims to provide truthful and informative content. A prime example is "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank, which offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a Jewish teenager hiding from the Nazis. This genre captures reality and shares genuine experiences, often leaving a profound impact on readers.

Drama is written to be performed, typically on stage or screen. It centers around dialogue and action, aiming to convey a story through live performances. Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet" is a classic example of drama, a tragic play that explores the intense emotions and conflicts between two young lovers from feuding families. The dramatic structure and dialogue drive the narrative forward, engaging audiences in a powerful live experience.

Poetry uses rhythmic and often figurative language to express emotions and ideas in a compact and evocative manner. It can vary from short verses to lengthy compositions, and its flexibility allows for deep personal expression. Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Raven" demonstrates poetry’s ability to create a haunting atmosphere through rhythmic and lyrical language, inviting readers into a world of mystery and emotion.

5.Complex Genres

Beyond these primary categories, there are complex genres that blend elements of traditional writing with unique formats:

Blog posts, for instance, offer an informal and conversational approach to writing about various topics. "10 Tips for Traveling on a Budget" provides practical advice for budget-conscious travelers, showcasing how blog posts can combine personal insights with useful information in a relatable manner.

Screenplays are another complex genre, focusing on scripts for film and television. "The Social Network" by Aaron Sorkin presents the story of Facebook’s creation through dialogue and scene descriptions, illustrating how screenplays translate a narrative into a visual and auditory experience for the audience.

Memoirs, like Michelle Obama’s "Becoming", offer personal reflections and stories tied to a larger theme. This genre allows authors to explore their experiences and convey significant life lessons to readers, creating a connection through shared humanity.

Graphic novels combine text with illustrations to tell a story, as seen in "Maus" by Art Spiegelman. This genre blends art and narrative to explore complex themes, making the storytelling experience both visually and textually rich.

Examining these genres reveals the diverse ways creative writing can be approached. Fiction allows for imaginative storytelling and world-building, while non-fiction grounds writing in real-life truths and experiences. Drama and poetry bring unique stylistic elements to their narratives, whether through performance or lyrical expression.

Complex genres like blog posts, screenplays, memoirs, and graphic novels add further depth to creative writing, each offering distinct ways to engage and entertain audiences. Understanding these genres can provide valuable insights and inspiration, helping you find your own creative voice and craft compelling stories.

How to Start Creative Writing?

Starting your creative writing journey can be an exciting and rewarding experience. As someone who's passionate about writing, I'm eager to share some insights that can help you begin your own creative writing adventure. As we learn how to write and improve our creative writing skills, I'll also teach you how to use tools like WPS Office that fit naturally into the process of writing poetry, articles, and guides. So let's begin the journey of exploring our creativity and transform these thoughts onto a piece of paper or a document in WPS Writer.

Explore Your Thoughts

The first step to beginning any form of creative writing is exploring your thoughts. I believe we all have our own creative side—thoughts and dreams that we wish to bring to life. Creative writing is a way to express these thoughts and help others visualize them.

Start by imagining a scene. For example, envision a magical hero living in a village surrounded by mystical powers, facing troublemakers. Type this down in WPS Writer, which you can access even on your mobile. This allows you to save your thoughts and revisit them later when you have more ideas. Your work will be saved and accessible anywhere because inspiration can strike at any time.

Ponder Your Thoughts

Next, ponder these thoughts. Think deeply about the scene, the characters, the setup, the background story, and the mystical powers you want to include. A well-thought-out story is always more compelling. If you need help, use the WPS AI assistant to brainstorm ideas for your story. With AI, you can boost your imagination and develop richer narratives.

Start Writing

Now, start writing down your thoughts or the ideas from your brainstorming session with WPS AI. This process can take time; you might finish your story in one sitting, or you might write it over several sessions. If you're on a deadline and need to submit your creative story quickly, ask WPS AI to write it for you. Simply describe your plot to WPS AI through a prompt, and have your short story ready in no time. Be sure to edit a few parts to add your unique touch.

Refine Your Story

Once your story is complete, ensure it flows well, uses words correctly, and clearly expresses your thoughts to your readers. If you think improvements are needed, ask WPS AI to make those enhancements for you. The WPS AI “Improve writing” feature can help students and writers refine their stories to make them more effective.

Proofread Your Story

Proofreading is crucial. A story with grammatical errors can leave a poor impression on your readers. Fortunately, WPS Writer, with its built-in AI spell check, can help you make all the corrections with a single click.

Format Your Story

The story is complete, but there's still some work left to do. Your story should not only read well but also be easy to navigate. To achieve this, use WPS Writer's formatting tools: set clear headings, choose a readable font, and adjust the line and paragraph spacing.

Proper formatting can be crucial to engage your readers because if your story looks cluttered, it can negatively impact their reading experience and ultimately their opinion of your writing.

Share Your Story

Finally, save your story and share it with your family, friends, and teachers directly from WPS Office via email. Let others enjoy your writing and discover the creative side you've been nurturing!

While I can't provide a step-by-step guide to writing creative pieces because freehand writing is highly valued in creative writing, I can emphasize how incredibly helpful WPS AI can be in assisting with creative writing tasks. From crafting non-fictional stories to writing poems, brainstorming, and formatting, WPS AI can offer invaluable support in every aspect. It's a perfect writing partner not just for creative writing but for all your academic needs.

Here are some creative writing examples generated with the help of WPS AI:

Start with Observation

The world around you is full of inspiration. Take a moment to truly observe your surroundings.

Read Widely

Reading is essential for becoming a better writer. Explore different genres and styles to broaden your horizons and inspire your own work.

Write Regularly

Like any skill, writing improves with practice. Try to write a little bit every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. Use WPS Writer to jot down your ideas and format your work as you go.

Embrace Imperfection

Remember, your first draft doesn't have to be perfect. The most important thing is to get your ideas down on paper. You can always revise and polish later.

Seek Inspiration from Various Sources

Look beyond books. Movies, art, music, and even conversations can spark creative ideas. Try writing a story inspired by your favorite song or describing a character based on a painting you love.

Remember, everyone's creative writing journey is unique. Don't be afraid to experiment, make mistakes, and find your own voice. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and keep writing. Who knows? Your next sentence could be the beginning of something amazing!

How to Improve Creative Writing

When you're done with your creative writing piece, you might feel like there's still room for improvement. Identifying where it needs improvement is the first step to figuring out what to fix. Once you know what needs adjustment, you can start making those changes. Here's how you can improve your writing and create a better version of your piece.

What is Good Writing?

Good writing is natural and flows effortlessly, without the writer appearing self-important or overly serious. It's one of the least precise forms of communication since the true intent of the writer is often ambiguous unless they explicitly state their biases and purposes. Writing often reflects another person’s reality, which might not align with our own and can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.

Essentially, good writing should make you forget you are reading. It should be immersive, making you feel connected to the writer’s thoughts as if they were your own. When done well, it creates a seamless experience where you feel as though you know the writer personally and can predict their next words. This connection is achieved through clarity, organization, and a strong sense of purpose.

Ways to Improve Your Writing

If your writing isn't good enough, it might be lacking in several key areas. Consider the following:

1.Usage of Verbs Instead of Adverbs:

Strong verbs can make your writing more dynamic and precise. Instead of saying "ran quickly," say "sprinted."

2.Showing and Not Telling:

Good writing often involves showing rather than telling. Instead of saying "he was angry," describe his actions and expressions, like "his face turned red, and he slammed the door."

3.Diversity of Sentences:

Varying sentence structure can keep your writing interesting. Mix short, punchy sentences with longer, more descriptive ones.

4.Editing After Finishing Your Writing:

The first draft is just the beginning. Revising and editing your work is crucial for clarity, coherence, and overall quality.

5.Using WPS AI to Improve Your Writing:

Tools like WPS AI can help enhance your writing by offering suggestions for clarity, style, and grammar. It's a valuable resource for refining your work and ensuring it's the best it can be.

6.Real-Time Grammar and Syntax Suggestions:

WPS Office includes a powerful grammar and syntax checking tool that operates in real-time. As you write, it continuously scans your text for grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and syntactical issues, highlighting them immediately. This helps you maintain a high standard of writing by ensuring that your text is free from common errors. The real-time feedback allows you to correct mistakes on the go, preventing them from accumulating and making the editing process much smoother.

7.Detailed Explanations and Recommendations:

Beyond simply highlighting errors, WPS Office provides detailed explanations and recommendations for corrections. When it detects a grammatical mistake or a syntactical issue, it offers suggestions and explains why a particular correction is needed. This feature is incredibly beneficial for learning and improvement, as it helps you understand the rules of grammar and syntax better. By consistently using these recommendations, you can enhance your writing skills and produce more polished and professional creative pieces.

1. What is the great opening line for a story?

A compelling opening sentence is almost as crucial as the entire story that follows. It draws the reader in, piquing their interest and establishing the story's atmosphere. They can be startling, humorous, enigmatic, or poignant. Writing can seem daunting when uncertain about topics, but story starters or writing prompts effectively engage the imagination from the outset. Hence, they also inspire students who may face challenges in generating ideas. Here's an example of a great opening line:

"As I wandered through the old, abandoned house, I stumbled upon something overlooked by everyone else."

This opening sentence creates a mysterious and captivating atmosphere, prompting readers to ponder the discovery made by the protagonist and anticipate the unfolding events.

2. Can creative writing be taught?

Yes, creative writing can indeed be taught. Here are some effective methods:

Workshops and Constructive Feedback: Participating in workshops provides a supportive environment where writers receive valuable feedback from peers and instructors. This collaborative process helps refine their skills and discover their unique voices.

Mastering Craft and Technique: Creative writing classes teach essential techniques, including character development, plot structure, and dialogue. These skills develop gradually through practice and guidance.

The Reading-Writing Connection: Exposure to diverse literature enriches a writer’s understanding of storytelling. By reading widely, writers gain insights that inform their own writing practice.

Consistent Practice and Dedication: Regular writing practice, combined with persistence, leads to improvement. Like any skill, creative writing benefits from dedicated effort.

Ignite Your Creative Spark with WPS Office

If you are writing anything, unless it is strictly professional, adding a touch of creativity can make it far more interesting and help you engage with your readers, drawing them into your work. The challenging part about writing creatively is finding that initial spark to make your writing come alive.

WPS Office can help you ignite and sustain that creative spark. It enhances the quality and impact of your creative writing, ensuring that your work is not only technically sound but also engaging and evocative. So, download WPS Office —you might just discover your creative spark there!

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Harris' economic plan promises voters affordable groceries and homes. Don't fall for it.

Kamala harris has no problem with an economic agenda that expands government's reach and power and places burdensome restraints on the free market..

I know you learned in school that socialism doesn't work. Apparently, Vice President Kamala Harris didn't.

But what do you know? You iPhone-carrying, Starbucks-sipping, freedom-loving American? Haven't you wondered what it would be like if your president gave away things for free? Things like a house? And groceries?

Enter Kamalanomics .

Hold on, it's a ride through utopia.

You get a house! And you get a house!

At a rally Friday in North Carolina, Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, unveiled a home ownership plan as part of her economic agenda, one designed to conveniently garner her the votes she needs to win this election without worrying about annoying details like how to pay the bills in the years ahead.

According to Harris' proposal, qualified homebuyers who have paid their rent on time for at least two years and are looking to buy their first home could be eligible for up to $25,000 in down payment assistance . First-generation home owners could receive even more.

It brings a whole new meaning to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

“The Biden-Harris administration initially proposed providing $25,000 in downpayment assistance only for 400,000 first-generation home buyers – or homebuyers whose parents don’t own a home – and a $10,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers,” a campaign fact sheet said . “Vice President Harris’s plan will simplify and significantly expand that plan by providing on average $25,000 for all eligible first-time home buyers, while ensuring full participation by first-generation home buyers.”

A free down payment? What a deal! But I have a few questions: Where will that money come from? What will it do to home prices? Wouldn't a line of new buyers with $25,000 on hand drive up the price of homes?

No thanks, Oprah. I mean, Kamala.

No tax on tips: What if I told you Kamala Harris' best idea is actually Donald Trump's?

Next up, price controls for groceries

We've all watched as inflation created a nightmare for Americans just trying to feed their families.

From 2017 through 2020, food prices increased by a total of 8.9%. From 2021 until this summer, the cost of groceries rose 21.6%. So $100 of ground beef, eggs, milk and bread, now costs more than $120.

Even after the rate of inflation slows, as it has now, the new, higher prices remain.

Harris has a cure for that: As a part of her economic plan, she would place a federal ban on price gouging for groceries . Her presidential campaign claims that she will set "clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive corporate profits on food and groceries .”

When I read that, I laughed. No one with a half-way functioning brain thinks that inflation, which caused high prices, at the local grocer is due to price gouging by corporations.

This is a lie from one of the oldest tricks in the book: Demonize companies for abiding by capitalistic principles and then propose reforms that throttle businesses by placing the government at the helm.

Of course, a federal ban on price gouging won't actually help Americans' finances. It won't slow down inflation or return food prices to what they were before the Biden administration's policies unleashed the surge in prices. Government controls could even lead to shortages or hoarding of some items.

I know Trump is awful. But he's still better for America than Harris.

An opinion headline at The Washington Post quips , "When your opponent calls you 'communist,' maybe don't propose price controls?" Writer Catherine Rampell, who is not exactly a raging conservative, obliterates Harris' policy plan, saying it would be "a sweeping set of government-enforced price controls across every industry, not only food. Supply and demand would no longer determine prices or profit levels. Far-off Washington bureaucrats would."

I think we should pass.

What's wrong with Kamalanomics?

Let's be real: What's wrong with giving a hardworking family who wants to be homeowners money for a down payment? What's wrong with describing inflation as "price gouging" and forcing companies to keep prices at a rate set by Washington? What's wrong with giving a $6,000 tax credit for a family with a newborn ? (I favor some child tax credit scenarios, as long as they don't become welfare programs.)

Most of these are ideas rooted in a socialist approach to economics − one that's been shown over and over again to fail.

Opinion newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Get it delievered to your inbox .

Harris' policy ideas stem from thinking that the government, not the people, is the most powerful entity in America. So the vice president has no problem with an economic agenda that expands government's reach and power and places burdensome restraints on the free market.

Voters should reject Harris' economic ideas. Instead, they should embrace ideas that aid the free market, encourage personal responsibility and cut taxes to help more Americans thrive.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids.  Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track , and get it delivered to your inbox .

You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page , on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter .

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Microsoft copilot is your everyday ai companion that helps you to be smarter, more productive, more creative, and more connected to the people and things around you. whether you want to learn how to code, plan an influencer level vacation, or just need a little help writing a hard email, your everyday ai companion is there to help you get the job done like a pro. if you missed that meeting and need a quick recap or can’t figure out the tax code for your new side hustle, copilot is there to sprinkle some ai pixie dust on the problem. there when you need it, copilot works smoothly, seamlessly, and securely across your microsoft apps to elevate everything you do. speed up tasks, get more personalized answers and useful information, or find new creative inspiration. and you can do it all by asking for what you want the way you naturally write and speak. it doesn’t care if the task is big or small, it’s just there to help you get the job done. copilot empowers you to achieve anything you can imagine., 4/25/2024 3:53:49 am.

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Writing Curriculum

Teach Writing With The New York Times: Our 2024-25 Curriculum

Our nine writing units are based on real-world features like reviews, photo essays, narratives, podcasts and more.

By The Learning Network

Please note: Fully updated versions of each unit, as well as all supporting materials, will be published before each related contest opens for submissions.

What can the news, features, essays, interviews, photos, videos, podcasts and graphics in The New York Times teach your students about composing for a real audience? So much, we hope, that the units we detail below are just a beginning.

Our writing curriculum is a road map for teachers as well as an invitation to students. For teachers, it organizes our offerings into nine units, each of which focuses on a different genre or type of composing that your students can find not just in The Times but also in all kinds of real-world sources.

For students, these units offer confirmation that they have something valuable to say, choices about how to say it and a global audience eager to listen. Promoting student voices has always been a pillar of our site, and through the opportunities for publication woven into each unit, we want to encourage students to go beyond simply consuming media to becoming creators themselves.

Though some of the units spotlight mediums like photography or podcasting, writing is at the heart of each one. All our units begin and end with written reflection and depend on writing throughout — to plan and organize, to outline and script, to summarize and process. Increasingly, Times journalists are composing in multimedia, weaving photos, illustrations, video and audio into their written reports. We’re inviting students to do the same.

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