by Deborah Lyn Stanley
Creative writing is any original writing that falls outside technical, journalistic or academic writing. But wait, there’s more.
Storytelling and fiction, screenwriting, songs, poetry, playwriting are considered creative writing. However, creative writing is not limited to fictional classifications. It also includes personal essays, memoirs, journals and diaries, letters and literary journalism—stories about the human experience.
Practicing creative writing is beneficial to all writers.
It helps:
• Develop imagination and creativity
• Organize thoughts, logically to create the plot
• Grow confidence
• Improves communication skills
• Creates a change of pace and stimulates fresh ideas
So, how will we write more creatively? We grow with creative exercises that foster creative thinking & ideas. Make time for art and read well.
Art feeds our creativity—we cannot produce creative works unless we take them in. All forms of art are inspiring, so, make time for your artist’s dates. Films and books inspire story lines, and pictures or photographs can inspire a memory or story.
We must read well to write well. Try out new author’s works, go beyond blogs and social media to classical literature—there’s a wealth of written works to learn from and enjoy. I recently have found three new authors’ from the 1890s and early 1900s—my new favorites! Their well-developed stories, short or novel length, are entertaining. Gratefully, these stories are expanding my grasp of descriptive writing and character driven stories. Newspapers published serials of short stories in that day.
Nurture your creativity, take care of it, and devote time to this grand adventure. Here are a few ways to foster creative writing skills:
1. Schedule creative writing sessions, choosing your topic ahead of time, then dive in for 20-40 minutes.
2. Use writing prompts: one word or a theme sentence to boost your ideas and motivation.
3. Use photographs to trigger the start of your piece. Is it a memory that promotes a story? Write it!
4. Listen to music, get into your favorites, move and sing it out! Is it smooth and lovely, or wild and hopping fast? Write the memory or story you imagine.
Write a Page or more, Prepare an Outline or a List of Ideas—Just Get Going
Your creativity will flow.
Helpful Links:
Experiment with creative prompts.
https://www.tckpublishing.com/creative-writing-prompts/
https://www.tckpublishing.com/creative-writing-exercises/
Unusual Writing Activities That Will Boost Your Creativity by Melissa Donovan
https://www.writingforward.com/creative-writing/writing-activities
Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her My Writer’s Life website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/
Visit her caregiver’s website: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/
Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love
https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Lyn-Stanley/
& https://books2read.com/b/valuestories
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5 comments:
Deborah, your post is a terrific subject for writers and anyone. There were two times in my life when I was told I didn't have any imagination. I didn't know how to acquire imagination then, but later when I began writing nonfiction and had read how-to books on the subject, I learned that creativity can be developed. That's all I needed to know. Since then I haven't stopped pursuing my creativity not only in writing but in all phases of my life. So, I truly appreciate your post and will share it. Thank you.
Deborah,
Good reminder that we get better at most anything we try to do if we do it enough. Even develop our creativity. Yet so many people expect to become great writers without writing much of anything or they claim they aren't creative. Go figure.
Suzanne
Deborah,
Interesting post about creative writing. Creativity is like a muscle which needs to be exercised. You have given us much to think about. Thank you,
Terry
Deborah, great tips on how to get our creative juices flowing. It really is about doing the work and practice, practice, practice. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks much for your feedback!
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