Creative Writing
Content
What is Creative Writing?
Creative writing is anything where the purpose is to express thoughts, feelings and emotions rather than to simply convey information.
I‘ll be focusing on creative fiction in this post (mainly short stories and novels), but poetry, (auto)biography and creative non-fiction are all other forms of creative writing. Here‘s a couple of definitions: Creative writing is writing that expresses the writer‘s thoughts and feelings in an imaginative, often unique, and poetic way. (Sil.org – What is Creative Writing?) Writing is a form of personal freedom. It frees us from the mass identity we see all around us. In the end, writers will write not to be outlaw heroes of some underculture but mainly to save themselves, to survive as individuals. (Don DeLillo) Writing of any sort is hard, but rewarding work – you‘ll gain a huge amount of satisfaction from a finished piece. Being creative can also be difficult and challenging at times, but immensely fun.
How to get started
Many people think that just because they‘ve read a lot of stories (or even if they haven‘t!) they should be able to write one. But as Nigel Watts writes: There is a common belief that because most of us are literate and fluent, there is no need to serve an apprenticeship if we want to become a successful wordsmith. … That‘s what I thought until I tried to write my first novel. I soon learnt that a novel, like a piece of furniture, has its own set of requirements, laws of construction that have to be learnt. Just because I had read plenty of novels didn‘t mean I could write one, any more than I could
make a chair because I had sat on enough of them. (Nigel Watts, Teach Yourself Writing a Novel) By all means, if you‘re keen, jump straight in and have a go: but don‘t be too disappointed if your first efforts aren‘t as good as you‘d hoped. To extend Watts‘ metaphor, you may find that these early attempts have wonky legs and an unsteady seat. There are lots of great books aimed at new fiction writers, and I‘d strongly recommend buying or borrowing one of these: Wannabe a Writer? (Jane Wenham-Jones) Teach Yourself … Writing a Novel (Nigel Watts) How to Write Fiction (and Think About It) (Robert Graham) On Writing (Stephen King)
I‘d also recommend starting small. Rather than beginning with an epic fantasy trilogy, a family saga spanning five generations, or an entire adventure series … have a go at a short story or a poem. And if you end up chewing your pen and staring at a sheet of paper, or gazing at a blank screen for hours, try kickstarting your writing with a short exercise. Don‘t stop to think too much about it … just get going, without worrying about the quality of the work you produce.
Tips and tricks for beginners
Do some short exercises to stretch your writing muscles – if you‘re short of ideas, read the Daily Writing Tips article on ―Writing Bursts‖. Many new creative writers find that doing the washing up or weeding the garden suddenly looks appealing, compared to the effort of sitting down and putting words onto the page. Force yourself to get through these early doubts, and it really will get easier. Try to get into the habit of writing every day, even if it‘s just for ten minutes. If you’re stuck for ideas, carry a notebook everywhere and write down your observations. You‘ll get some great lines of dialogue by keeping your ears open on the bus or in cafes, and an unusual phrase may be prompted by something you see or smell. Work out the time of day when you’re at your most creative. For many writers, this is first thing in the morning – before all the demands of the day jostle for attention. Others write well late at night, after the rest of the family have gone to bed. Don‘t be afraid to experiment! Don’t agonize over getting it right. All writers have to revise and edit their work – it‘s rare that a story, scene or even a sentence comes out perfectly the first time. Once you‘ve completed the initial draft, leave the piece for a few days – then come back to it fresh, with a red pen in hand. If you know there are problems with your story but can‘t pinpoint them, ask a fellow writer to read through it and give feedback. HAVE FUN! Sometimes, we writers can end up feeling that our writing is a chore, something that ―must‖ be done, or something to procrastinate over for as long as possible. If your plot seems wildly far-fetched, your characters bore you to tears and
you‘re convinced that a five-year old with a crayon could write better prose … take a break. Start a completely new project, something which is purely for fun. Write a poem or a 60-word ―mini saga‖. Just completing a small finished piece can help if you‘re bogged down in a longer story.
Online resources
NaNoWriMo Every November, hundreds of thousands of people just like you do something extraordinary: they write a novel in just thirty days. Want to be part of the coffee-fueled, manic-typing, adrenaline-rush that is National Novel Writing Month? (NaNoWriMo for short). Make sure you sign up by October 31st. The ―rules‖ state that you can‘t start writing Chapter 1 until 00.01am on November 1st but you can spend as long as you like before that planning… Authors’ websites and blogs I read lots of websites and blogs written by authors and these give real (sometimes harsh) insights into what it‘s like to write professionally. One which has been a strong favourite of mine for many years is Holly Lisle‘s. Check out her advice for writers and her weblog. She also has an excellent newsletter which I subscribe to, and some very thorough and helpful e-books on various aspects of writing available for purchase. Competitions listings Having a theme and a deadline can make a startling difference to a writer‘s motivation! If you‘re in the UK, Sally Quilford‘s competition listings are a comprehensive and regularlyupdated list. I Should Be Writing podcast This is a practical and inspiring podcast: I Should Be Writing by Mur Lafferty. She describes the podcast as ―For wanna-be fiction writers, by a wanna-be fiction writer‖ (though since starting it several years ago, she‘s had considerable success selling her short stories) and focuses on science fiction and fantasy.
Related Articles
Dialogue Dos and Don‘ts One Size Does Not Fit All Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo
Share Join Over 100,000 Email Subscribers and Get a Free eBook!
Subscribe to DailyWritingTips.com via email and you'll be able to download our ebook, "Basic English Grammar." You will also get all our writing tips delivered to your email inbox, completely free! The download link will go along with the first email (you might need to wait up to 24 hours).
Your email a Subscribe
169 Responses to “Creative Writing 101”
1. RJ on May 6, 2008 4:35 pm
Great article. Morning is definitely the time where I am most creative. I think it‘s because my mind is the freshest and the least cluttered at this time of day.
2. Doug Rosbury on May 6, 2008 5:00 pm
When I write, it is with an emphasis on the sharing of wisdom arising from my life experience. Wether one could reasonably term such writing as being creative or not I don‘t necessarily concern myself with. The creative aspect which I believe is part of a writing nevertheless may be found in how I address people with careful consideration regarding how I may come across to them. There is no use in trying to be helpful if The way I say things registers in the readers mind that I am being arrogant and self serving. Best regards,—Doug Rosbury
3. Susabelle on May 6, 2008 8:54 pm
GREAT article. Good inside and beginner info. Everyone needs to read this.
4. Paper Writing on May 7, 2008 6:59 am
For me creative writing is an ―art piece‖ of your mind wherein you can freely express your ideas, emotions and ability to attract or magnetize readers. I love what he said regarding writing which is ―HAVE FUN‖. I‘m absolutely agree on that. Look at writing as a gift, hobby or as a passion. If you see writing as a job, definitely you will feel exhausted and dead. For me, I enjoy writing specially if it is personal essay or fashion trends essay. I enjoy what I‘m doing because writing is my passion.
5. The Boxcar Children on May 8, 2008 1:47 am
Good tips for writing. I really like the notebook idea. I always have trouble remembering the little details that make writing all the more interesting, so having a notebook always helps for memory‘s sake as well. Also, who doesn‘t look kind of important carrying around a notebook with a sophisticated air about them?!
6. aidan on May 8, 2008 1:49 pm
I would like to improve my french vocabulary and understanding
7. BillinDetroit on May 11, 2008 8:36 pm
My writing is horrible. But it‘s much better than it was. The tip that I would toss into the hat is to be willing to write garbage prose in order to get an idea out, however roughly. Just get it down on paper in a form that will let you recognize it later. You can edit it tomorrow — IF you wrote it today. I go now to teach myself how to blog from an outline.
8. leng crisostomo on May 16, 2008 7:00 am
Hi!!! I am looking for a parttime online writing job. Please recommend a site that I can visit. Thanks and more power!!!
9. Essay Writing Insider on May 28, 2008 8:23 am
Creative writing for me is the ability of certain writers to write any topic under the sun. A true writer for me can right any kind of writing at any topic.
10. shine valdez on June 23, 2008 8:08 pm
Creative Writing 101 encourages neophyte writers how to write a piece imaginatively which can attract readers. The tips are very hepful in writing piece. Thank you so much for the post you have given. This will hep in expanding our skills in writing.
11. bill bubb on July 26, 2008 6:53 am
Writing and reading fiction is where I am at. Using proper English and sentence structure is my goal from start to finish, since I am not part of the Dumbing Down of America when it comes to writing of any kind. Working on getting the most lethal intensity out of my characters and the situations they find themselves in no matter what the tone or the subject matter is. I see this now and then in what I read and I must emulate this and still remain with feet on the ground and sane . If you are a writer of fiction without boundries and needs to talk with another beginner like yourself about this method of self-expression, don‘t hesitate to drop me a note. We might be able to help each other out to one degree or another.
12. Nano on August 9, 2008 4:34 am
Writing rocks!
13. michelle on September 5, 2008 7:23 pm
Thanks for the great tips. I write to get things off my mind . Though i,m told i am too deep.I wonder if that could be a plus for me someday as i,ve alot of ideas lingering in my head.
14. Rumdoh on October 7, 2008 10:26 am
I would like to join the group.
15. Magda on October 21, 2008 8:33 pm
The tips were very helpful. I‘ve got a lot of good ideas and the material just flows at times. However, I still have room for improvement.
16. Eleni on October 22, 2008 6:31 pm
I hope it‘s alright that I use some parts of the blog in my project this year- don‘t worry, I cited correctly! I got a lot out of the information you provided, being a budding creative writer myself, and I appreciate the great tips and other links!
17. Malia on December 10, 2008 11:18 pm
I really enjoyed this article, and there were a lot of useful tips that I am in the midst of using as we speak (finals week, ugh…) I love to write, but my ―internal editor‖ does not allow one consistent thought to flow freely. When I am writing, I constantly edit words and phrases in my mind before I can get anything on paper. The technicalities of writing has hindered my fulfillment of the act itself. I still love it, I just want to love it MORE. Anyone with any advice, as to how to break free from these (mental) constraints?
18. Amanda on December 28, 2008 10:22 pm
The article was very interesting and helped me understand where I am in my writing skills (that is in comparison to others). I must respond to the comment before me, it‘s simply too tempting. I wrote a short essay for myself a while back because I was frustrated with my english teachers controlling the end product of my writing. My essay explained that correct english is useless, you use grammar to get your point across (as well as word choice). If your point comes across as you want it to, tell your ―internal editor‖ to be quiet for a moment. I find the comments much more helpful than the article. All the opinions teach you that writing is as you make it, nothing more.
19. Tashe Wangdi on December 31, 2008 5:10 am
I have found your site interesting and would like to know more about it……………….Think it‘s really going to help budding/aspiring writers………
20. Tashe Wangdi on December 31, 2008 5:11 am
Would like to learn a lot from you……..
21. Dan on January 1, 2009 8:53 pm
Writing is a phenomenon that I am unable to grasp. My high school years precipitated a downward spiral of confusion. It has paralyzed my cerebrum, dash my confidence, retarded my ability to freely and clearly express myself without criticism. Luckily, I have stumbled
upon your advice. I hope that with continued persistence, I will be able to rise to the level of the greats…
22. Rajesh Chaudhary on January 6, 2009 2:03 pm
It is really a wonderful site I have ever got to hone my writing skill and broaden my ken. And for this very reason I have recommended this site to my friends as well and hope they might also be doing good with their writing as they are obviously great readers and writers than me in some aspect.
23. Sandi O’Brien on January 13, 2009 7:04 pm
Thanks for your insights. One of my greatest irritations is to read a published article or book with blatant grammatical or spelling errors. Do these people not have spell check or ANYONE who reads what they have written BEFORE it is published??? I have found these problems in academic materials as well as fiction writing. Amazingly, I find very few errors in magazine articles which would seemingly have more of an excuse because of the short publishing deadline!
24. Lee Barker on January 16, 2009 12:43 am
How best might I approach writing promos for a senior group here in the town of Moraga, California? Lee Barker
25. MaryFrances Rafferty on February 9, 2009 11:59 pm
I need support on learning how to freewrite then write what I‘m thinking. It can be difficult sometimes not always just need support on good writing put me on all list please if not a problem
26. Samuel on February 18, 2009 6:25 am
It was woderful to see the sight and have some insight regarding letter writing. Thanks lot.
27. Itunu on February 19, 2009 9:41 am
Thanks for creating this site. please I will like to be tutored on Writing fiction
28. Unpublished Guy – Creative Writing on February 24, 2009 2:41 am
In addition to the books in this article, I would add ―Art of Fiction‖ by John Gardner to a list of recommended reading. The first part is more theoretical with chapter titles ―Aesthetic Law and Artistic Mastery,‖ ―Basic Skills, Genre, and Fiction as Dream,‖ ―Interest and Truth,‖ and ―Metafiction, Deconstruction, and Jazzing Around.‖ The second part focuses on the c raft of writing with the best discussion of fiction writing technique and style that I have ever read. Chapter titles in the part: ―Common Errors,‖ ―Technique,‖ and ―Plotting.‖
Art of Fiction also includes some great exercises. In particular, I liked a long sentence exercise: Write three effective long sentences, each at least one typed page, each involving a different emotion. Several other exercises develop the technique of leading the reader paragraph by paragraph and establishing tone. These exercises include writing about the discovery of a dead body before the body is discovered or writing about an old woman whose detestable husband has died but without mentioning the husband or the death.
29. Sara on March 11, 2009 11:19 am
Here‘s my story but im a loss of what to do next! The one and only Sherry the Great! By Sara Roberts If you walk along the river you see a great cliff and next to that cliff is the house in which sherry lives. Now sherry is a nice girl, simple not to bright and not very pretty, but she is nice. She has three family members no of which are related to her but they are the closest people that she knows. There is a cat named Herbert, a doll named Freena, and her best friend Sherrie, who is a speck of dust that she sees float by when she needs help. One time sherry was playing wit her cat Herbert and they were on the edge of the cliff seeing who could get the closest to the edge. (Of coarse Herbert would never go along with the plan because he was such a scardy cat, so sherry helped him with that problem by throwing him as far as she could. Lucky for Herbert she couldn‘t throw that far.) Now on this particular day sherry did not want Herbert to win so she would take an extra turn after her friend went. But this time she was running so fast and right before she could stop her friend Sherrie floated by and got right ion sherry‘s way! This threw sherry of balance and caused her to wobble off over the edge of the cliff. Now I understand what you‘re feeling now, how could Sherrie do such a thing! But indeed it was better off that Sherrie do that because right as she did there was a tree that fell down on the other side of the world right exactly where Sherry was standing and if she had tried to go any farther the tree would‘ve squished her flat! But now back to sherry, as she fell down the side of the cliff, a great big eagle soared over the sun. Sherry was so scared that she couldn‘t even think to cry out for help! But the eagle saw her and swooped down to her rescue, and caught sherry in its mouth. Granted the bird had no intent to save sherry, but she had no knowledge of that. She was merely glad she did not fall to her death. And as the giant bird carried her away, sherry thought brilliantly to her self, ‗My, what a lucky person I am to have so many people try to help me and be my friends.‘ And with that she was dropped onto the birds nest where two tiny baby eagles where sitting waiting to be fed. Sherry thought they wanted to be her friends too, so she went over to play with the youngling‘s and just as they started to wrestle, one of them bit off her hand. All this was so shocking she screamed and jumped out of the nest! But she left her hand behind her. And as she fell threw the sky for the second time today, she realized that Sherrie was the one who pushed her off the cliff and she wondered. ‗Why would my best friends do something like that?‘ but sherry didn‘t know why. So as she fell even farther down the side of the cliff, a breeze picked her up and flung her over the Grand
Canyon. And then another wind flew her to the Great Wall of China, then over to the Eiffel Tower.
Creative writing is anything where the purpose is to express thoughts, feelings and emotions rather than to simply convey information.
I‘ll be focusing on creative fiction in this post (mainly short stories and novels), but poetry, (auto)biography and creative non-fiction are all other forms of creative writing. Here‘s a couple of definitions: Creative writing is writing that expresses the writer‘s thoughts and feelings in an imaginative, often unique, and poetic way. (Sil.org – What is Creative Writing?) Writing is a form of personal freedom. It frees us from the mass identity we see all around us. In the end, writers will write not to be outlaw heroes of some underculture but mainly to save themselves, to survive as individuals. (Don DeLillo) Writing of any sort is hard, but rewarding work – you‘ll gain a huge amount of satisfaction from a finished piece. Being creative can also be difficult and challenging at times, but immensely fun.
How to get started
Many people think that just because they‘ve read a lot of stories (or even if they haven‘t!) they should be able to write one. But as Nigel Watts writes: There is a common belief that because most of us are literate and fluent, there is no need to serve an apprenticeship if we want to become a successful wordsmith. … That‘s what I thought until I tried to write my first novel. I soon learnt that a novel, like a piece of furniture, has its own set of requirements, laws of construction that have to be learnt. Just because I had read plenty of novels didn‘t mean I could write one, any more than I could
make a chair because I had sat on enough of them. (Nigel Watts, Teach Yourself Writing a Novel) By all means, if you‘re keen, jump straight in and have a go: but don‘t be too disappointed if your first efforts aren‘t as good as you‘d hoped. To extend Watts‘ metaphor, you may find that these early attempts have wonky legs and an unsteady seat. There are lots of great books aimed at new fiction writers, and I‘d strongly recommend buying or borrowing one of these: Wannabe a Writer? (Jane Wenham-Jones) Teach Yourself … Writing a Novel (Nigel Watts) How to Write Fiction (and Think About It) (Robert Graham) On Writing (Stephen King)
I‘d also recommend starting small. Rather than beginning with an epic fantasy trilogy, a family saga spanning five generations, or an entire adventure series … have a go at a short story or a poem. And if you end up chewing your pen and staring at a sheet of paper, or gazing at a blank screen for hours, try kickstarting your writing with a short exercise. Don‘t stop to think too much about it … just get going, without worrying about the quality of the work you produce.
Tips and tricks for beginners
Do some short exercises to stretch your writing muscles – if you‘re short of ideas, read the Daily Writing Tips article on ―Writing Bursts‖. Many new creative writers find that doing the washing up or weeding the garden suddenly looks appealing, compared to the effort of sitting down and putting words onto the page. Force yourself to get through these early doubts, and it really will get easier. Try to get into the habit of writing every day, even if it‘s just for ten minutes. If you’re stuck for ideas, carry a notebook everywhere and write down your observations. You‘ll get some great lines of dialogue by keeping your ears open on the bus or in cafes, and an unusual phrase may be prompted by something you see or smell. Work out the time of day when you’re at your most creative. For many writers, this is first thing in the morning – before all the demands of the day jostle for attention. Others write well late at night, after the rest of the family have gone to bed. Don‘t be afraid to experiment! Don’t agonize over getting it right. All writers have to revise and edit their work – it‘s rare that a story, scene or even a sentence comes out perfectly the first time. Once you‘ve completed the initial draft, leave the piece for a few days – then come back to it fresh, with a red pen in hand. If you know there are problems with your story but can‘t pinpoint them, ask a fellow writer to read through it and give feedback. HAVE FUN! Sometimes, we writers can end up feeling that our writing is a chore, something that ―must‖ be done, or something to procrastinate over for as long as possible. If your plot seems wildly far-fetched, your characters bore you to tears and
you‘re convinced that a five-year old with a crayon could write better prose … take a break. Start a completely new project, something which is purely for fun. Write a poem or a 60-word ―mini saga‖. Just completing a small finished piece can help if you‘re bogged down in a longer story.
Online resources
NaNoWriMo Every November, hundreds of thousands of people just like you do something extraordinary: they write a novel in just thirty days. Want to be part of the coffee-fueled, manic-typing, adrenaline-rush that is National Novel Writing Month? (NaNoWriMo for short). Make sure you sign up by October 31st. The ―rules‖ state that you can‘t start writing Chapter 1 until 00.01am on November 1st but you can spend as long as you like before that planning… Authors’ websites and blogs I read lots of websites and blogs written by authors and these give real (sometimes harsh) insights into what it‘s like to write professionally. One which has been a strong favourite of mine for many years is Holly Lisle‘s. Check out her advice for writers and her weblog. She also has an excellent newsletter which I subscribe to, and some very thorough and helpful e-books on various aspects of writing available for purchase. Competitions listings Having a theme and a deadline can make a startling difference to a writer‘s motivation! If you‘re in the UK, Sally Quilford‘s competition listings are a comprehensive and regularlyupdated list. I Should Be Writing podcast This is a practical and inspiring podcast: I Should Be Writing by Mur Lafferty. She describes the podcast as ―For wanna-be fiction writers, by a wanna-be fiction writer‖ (though since starting it several years ago, she‘s had considerable success selling her short stories) and focuses on science fiction and fantasy.
Related Articles
Dialogue Dos and Don‘ts One Size Does Not Fit All Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo
Share Join Over 100,000 Email Subscribers and Get a Free eBook!
Subscribe to DailyWritingTips.com via email and you'll be able to download our ebook, "Basic English Grammar." You will also get all our writing tips delivered to your email inbox, completely free! The download link will go along with the first email (you might need to wait up to 24 hours).
Your email a Subscribe
169 Responses to “Creative Writing 101”
1. RJ on May 6, 2008 4:35 pm
Great article. Morning is definitely the time where I am most creative. I think it‘s because my mind is the freshest and the least cluttered at this time of day.
2. Doug Rosbury on May 6, 2008 5:00 pm
When I write, it is with an emphasis on the sharing of wisdom arising from my life experience. Wether one could reasonably term such writing as being creative or not I don‘t necessarily concern myself with. The creative aspect which I believe is part of a writing nevertheless may be found in how I address people with careful consideration regarding how I may come across to them. There is no use in trying to be helpful if The way I say things registers in the readers mind that I am being arrogant and self serving. Best regards,—Doug Rosbury
3. Susabelle on May 6, 2008 8:54 pm
GREAT article. Good inside and beginner info. Everyone needs to read this.
4. Paper Writing on May 7, 2008 6:59 am
For me creative writing is an ―art piece‖ of your mind wherein you can freely express your ideas, emotions and ability to attract or magnetize readers. I love what he said regarding writing which is ―HAVE FUN‖. I‘m absolutely agree on that. Look at writing as a gift, hobby or as a passion. If you see writing as a job, definitely you will feel exhausted and dead. For me, I enjoy writing specially if it is personal essay or fashion trends essay. I enjoy what I‘m doing because writing is my passion.
5. The Boxcar Children on May 8, 2008 1:47 am
Good tips for writing. I really like the notebook idea. I always have trouble remembering the little details that make writing all the more interesting, so having a notebook always helps for memory‘s sake as well. Also, who doesn‘t look kind of important carrying around a notebook with a sophisticated air about them?!
6. aidan on May 8, 2008 1:49 pm
I would like to improve my french vocabulary and understanding
7. BillinDetroit on May 11, 2008 8:36 pm
My writing is horrible. But it‘s much better than it was. The tip that I would toss into the hat is to be willing to write garbage prose in order to get an idea out, however roughly. Just get it down on paper in a form that will let you recognize it later. You can edit it tomorrow — IF you wrote it today. I go now to teach myself how to blog from an outline.
8. leng crisostomo on May 16, 2008 7:00 am
Hi!!! I am looking for a parttime online writing job. Please recommend a site that I can visit. Thanks and more power!!!
9. Essay Writing Insider on May 28, 2008 8:23 am
Creative writing for me is the ability of certain writers to write any topic under the sun. A true writer for me can right any kind of writing at any topic.
10. shine valdez on June 23, 2008 8:08 pm
Creative Writing 101 encourages neophyte writers how to write a piece imaginatively which can attract readers. The tips are very hepful in writing piece. Thank you so much for the post you have given. This will hep in expanding our skills in writing.
11. bill bubb on July 26, 2008 6:53 am
Writing and reading fiction is where I am at. Using proper English and sentence structure is my goal from start to finish, since I am not part of the Dumbing Down of America when it comes to writing of any kind. Working on getting the most lethal intensity out of my characters and the situations they find themselves in no matter what the tone or the subject matter is. I see this now and then in what I read and I must emulate this and still remain with feet on the ground and sane . If you are a writer of fiction without boundries and needs to talk with another beginner like yourself about this method of self-expression, don‘t hesitate to drop me a note. We might be able to help each other out to one degree or another.
12. Nano on August 9, 2008 4:34 am
Writing rocks!
13. michelle on September 5, 2008 7:23 pm
Thanks for the great tips. I write to get things off my mind . Though i,m told i am too deep.I wonder if that could be a plus for me someday as i,ve alot of ideas lingering in my head.
14. Rumdoh on October 7, 2008 10:26 am
I would like to join the group.
15. Magda on October 21, 2008 8:33 pm
The tips were very helpful. I‘ve got a lot of good ideas and the material just flows at times. However, I still have room for improvement.
16. Eleni on October 22, 2008 6:31 pm
I hope it‘s alright that I use some parts of the blog in my project this year- don‘t worry, I cited correctly! I got a lot out of the information you provided, being a budding creative writer myself, and I appreciate the great tips and other links!
17. Malia on December 10, 2008 11:18 pm
I really enjoyed this article, and there were a lot of useful tips that I am in the midst of using as we speak (finals week, ugh…) I love to write, but my ―internal editor‖ does not allow one consistent thought to flow freely. When I am writing, I constantly edit words and phrases in my mind before I can get anything on paper. The technicalities of writing has hindered my fulfillment of the act itself. I still love it, I just want to love it MORE. Anyone with any advice, as to how to break free from these (mental) constraints?
18. Amanda on December 28, 2008 10:22 pm
The article was very interesting and helped me understand where I am in my writing skills (that is in comparison to others). I must respond to the comment before me, it‘s simply too tempting. I wrote a short essay for myself a while back because I was frustrated with my english teachers controlling the end product of my writing. My essay explained that correct english is useless, you use grammar to get your point across (as well as word choice). If your point comes across as you want it to, tell your ―internal editor‖ to be quiet for a moment. I find the comments much more helpful than the article. All the opinions teach you that writing is as you make it, nothing more.
19. Tashe Wangdi on December 31, 2008 5:10 am
I have found your site interesting and would like to know more about it……………….Think it‘s really going to help budding/aspiring writers………
20. Tashe Wangdi on December 31, 2008 5:11 am
Would like to learn a lot from you……..
21. Dan on January 1, 2009 8:53 pm
Writing is a phenomenon that I am unable to grasp. My high school years precipitated a downward spiral of confusion. It has paralyzed my cerebrum, dash my confidence, retarded my ability to freely and clearly express myself without criticism. Luckily, I have stumbled
upon your advice. I hope that with continued persistence, I will be able to rise to the level of the greats…
22. Rajesh Chaudhary on January 6, 2009 2:03 pm
It is really a wonderful site I have ever got to hone my writing skill and broaden my ken. And for this very reason I have recommended this site to my friends as well and hope they might also be doing good with their writing as they are obviously great readers and writers than me in some aspect.
23. Sandi O’Brien on January 13, 2009 7:04 pm
Thanks for your insights. One of my greatest irritations is to read a published article or book with blatant grammatical or spelling errors. Do these people not have spell check or ANYONE who reads what they have written BEFORE it is published??? I have found these problems in academic materials as well as fiction writing. Amazingly, I find very few errors in magazine articles which would seemingly have more of an excuse because of the short publishing deadline!
24. Lee Barker on January 16, 2009 12:43 am
How best might I approach writing promos for a senior group here in the town of Moraga, California? Lee Barker
25. MaryFrances Rafferty on February 9, 2009 11:59 pm
I need support on learning how to freewrite then write what I‘m thinking. It can be difficult sometimes not always just need support on good writing put me on all list please if not a problem
26. Samuel on February 18, 2009 6:25 am
It was woderful to see the sight and have some insight regarding letter writing. Thanks lot.
27. Itunu on February 19, 2009 9:41 am
Thanks for creating this site. please I will like to be tutored on Writing fiction
28. Unpublished Guy – Creative Writing on February 24, 2009 2:41 am
In addition to the books in this article, I would add ―Art of Fiction‖ by John Gardner to a list of recommended reading. The first part is more theoretical with chapter titles ―Aesthetic Law and Artistic Mastery,‖ ―Basic Skills, Genre, and Fiction as Dream,‖ ―Interest and Truth,‖ and ―Metafiction, Deconstruction, and Jazzing Around.‖ The second part focuses on the c raft of writing with the best discussion of fiction writing technique and style that I have ever read. Chapter titles in the part: ―Common Errors,‖ ―Technique,‖ and ―Plotting.‖
Art of Fiction also includes some great exercises. In particular, I liked a long sentence exercise: Write three effective long sentences, each at least one typed page, each involving a different emotion. Several other exercises develop the technique of leading the reader paragraph by paragraph and establishing tone. These exercises include writing about the discovery of a dead body before the body is discovered or writing about an old woman whose detestable husband has died but without mentioning the husband or the death.
29. Sara on March 11, 2009 11:19 am
Here‘s my story but im a loss of what to do next! The one and only Sherry the Great! By Sara Roberts If you walk along the river you see a great cliff and next to that cliff is the house in which sherry lives. Now sherry is a nice girl, simple not to bright and not very pretty, but she is nice. She has three family members no of which are related to her but they are the closest people that she knows. There is a cat named Herbert, a doll named Freena, and her best friend Sherrie, who is a speck of dust that she sees float by when she needs help. One time sherry was playing wit her cat Herbert and they were on the edge of the cliff seeing who could get the closest to the edge. (Of coarse Herbert would never go along with the plan because he was such a scardy cat, so sherry helped him with that problem by throwing him as far as she could. Lucky for Herbert she couldn‘t throw that far.) Now on this particular day sherry did not want Herbert to win so she would take an extra turn after her friend went. But this time she was running so fast and right before she could stop her friend Sherrie floated by and got right ion sherry‘s way! This threw sherry of balance and caused her to wobble off over the edge of the cliff. Now I understand what you‘re feeling now, how could Sherrie do such a thing! But indeed it was better off that Sherrie do that because right as she did there was a tree that fell down on the other side of the world right exactly where Sherry was standing and if she had tried to go any farther the tree would‘ve squished her flat! But now back to sherry, as she fell down the side of the cliff, a great big eagle soared over the sun. Sherry was so scared that she couldn‘t even think to cry out for help! But the eagle saw her and swooped down to her rescue, and caught sherry in its mouth. Granted the bird had no intent to save sherry, but she had no knowledge of that. She was merely glad she did not fall to her death. And as the giant bird carried her away, sherry thought brilliantly to her self, ‗My, what a lucky person I am to have so many people try to help me and be my friends.‘ And with that she was dropped onto the birds nest where two tiny baby eagles where sitting waiting to be fed. Sherry thought they wanted to be her friends too, so she went over to play with the youngling‘s and just as they started to wrestle, one of them bit off her hand. All this was so shocking she screamed and jumped out of the nest! But she left her hand behind her. And as she fell threw the sky for the second time today, she realized that Sherrie was the one who pushed her off the cliff and she wondered. ‗Why would my best friends do something like that?‘ but sherry didn‘t know why. So as she fell even farther down the side of the cliff, a breeze picked her up and flung her over the Grand
Canyon. And then another wind flew her to the Great Wall of China, then over to the Eiffel Tower.
