Let’s face it: creative writing is the most difficult of the arts. It requires more discipline than painting, music, or dance. If you want to improve your creative writing skills, there are some simple steps you can follow.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Embrace creativity and explore new experiences. |
| 2. Practice writing regularly to enhance your skills. |
| 3. Seek inspiration from various sources like art and nature. |
| 4. Read extensively to expand your knowledge and vocabulary. |
| 5. Experiment with different writing styles and genres. |
| 6. Don’t be afraid to revise and edit your work. |
| 7. Join writing communities or workshops for feedback. |
| 8. Overcome writer’s block by trying free writing exercises. |
| 9. Take breaks to refresh your mind and avoid burnout. |
| 10. Stay consistent in your writing journey. |
Go Back To School
If you want to improve your writing, the best way to do so is to go back to school. No, really! There’s no need for any of that creative writing degree nonsense there are plenty of ways for you to learn about your craft without spending tens of thousands on tuition.
You can go back and take a class at community college or even high school if those options are available (and affordable). Or maybe there’s an adult education program in your area; these classes sometimes offer evening courses on topics like writing or journalism that could help you improve your skillset tremendously.
If those options aren’t available to you, consider signing up for an online course with Coursera or edX.
These sites offer hundreds of free courses from top universities around the world that can provide inspiration and insight into various aspects of writing fiction and nonfiction alike from improving word choice when describing nature scenes in a short story up to basic principles such as plot structure in a novel-length work.
And don’t forget about YouTube videos! Some great ones include “How To Write A Story: 5 Steps To Better Writing” by Michaeline Flood, “How To Be A Writer” by Neil Gaiman, and “The Fundamentals Of Creative Writing: 3 Ways To Take Your Craft To The Next Level” by Brandon Sanderson.
There are also countless other resources out there on improving one’s skill set: workshops hosted by local organizations whose missions focus solely around helping writers develop their craft through practical lessons.
Peer groups where other aspiring authors meet regularly for feedback sessions; and even blogs are written by industry veterans who share their wisdom freely with readers everywhere!
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Read Widely
Read widely. This is the best way to improve your writing, and it’s also one of the easiest. Read more than one genre: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc., and read books from different periods. Read books from all over the world (any country or culture that interests you).
If you can read in another language besides English (or whatever language your native tongue happens to be), do it! You’ll learn new words, idioms, and other expressions that will improve your writing style immensely.
Read lots of magazines and newspapers both online and offline not just in your own country but in others as well (for examples international newspapers like The Guardian or The New York Times) as they often have fascinating material which can inspire great works of fiction or non-fiction.
Also, read blogs written by other authors who are passionate about their craft; these people tend not only to be very knowledgeable but also generous in sharing their knowledge with others!
Make A Study Note Of Your Teachers’ Styles
As a student, you’ll have access to the work of dozens of great authors and teachers. Make sure to get down a few notes on what they say and do. Write down their vocabulary choices, sentence structures, grammar points, and even their physical posture when writing (some writers pull up a chair or sit on the floor instead of sitting at their desks).
Even if you don’t know why it works for them yet, taking notes will help you remember how each instructor writes so that you can mimic them when trying out your creative writing skills in the future!
Memorize Long Quotes That You Admire
You don’t have to be an avid reader or a world traveler to memorize long quotes. The poetry of your favorite song lyrics is also fair game, as are the proverbs and sayings that you hear regularly.
Memorizing these quotes can help improve your creative writing skills in several ways:
It helps you develop good habits in terms of how you express yourself when speaking or writing.
It inspires you when it comes time for writing projects especially if there are certain lines from existing works that always seem to fit what you’re trying to say perfectly. In addition, being able to recite them will help show off both your knowledge of literature and your work ethic when dealing with employers or clients who may be impressed by this skill set.
Write down what you learn
Write down what you learn. Write down what you read.
Write down what you see, hear or feel in your dreams.
Write down everything that inspires you and makes you want to write a story or poem about it. Your job as a writer is to find things that inspire you and then write about them!
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Get An Outside Perspective On Your Work
It can be hard to find a fresh perspective on your work, especially if you’ve been writing for a long time. You know what works and what doesn’t you’ve read it a hundred times. It’s like looking at your reflection in the mirror every day: At some point, your brain just stops seeing it as clearly.
Now, imagine that someone else is holding up a mirror to your face while they ask you how much makeup they should wear today or whether they should grow out their bangs or not. It might feel weird! But if you trust that person and believe that they want only the best for you, then there’s no reason why this shouldn’t be helpful.
The same goes for getting feedback from other people about your writing (or any other creative project).
If there are people who care about what happens with your story (whether because it’s personal or professional), then chances are good that their opinions will help improve its quality!
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Don’t Be Afraid To Try And Fail
It’s important to remember that failure is part of the process. Instead of fearing it, embrace it. You learn much more from a failed attempt than you do from succeeding at something that has little meaning or value to you or others around you.
So don’t be afraid to try and fail; in fact, if anything, embrace the idea! It’s OK if some things don’t work out you can always try again another way or time. And remember: just because it didn’t work out for one person doesn’t mean it won’t work out for someone else somewhere else on an entirely different day with completely different circumstances surrounding them
Write Out The Plot In The First Person
Write out the plot in the first person, second person, and third person.
I mean this literally: write a full outline for your story in each of these four different perspectives. It will help you see your story from all angles and allow you to make sure that it makes sense to readers from each of these perspectives.
Break Your Story Down Into Scenes
As the great Neil Gaiman said, “A story is a series of scenes.” If you’re writing a novel or even a screenplay, this is especially true. The scenes are your building blocks; they make up your story and help it come alive in people’s minds.
For example, think about how much information can be packed into one scene in a book or movie. You may only see one shot of someone walking down the street with his dog at first glance but reading between the lines reveals an entire life: where he lives, what kind of dog he has (if any) if he’s happy or sad today you get the idea!
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Write Each Scene As If It Were A Short Story
The first step is to write each scene as if it were a short story. Don’t worry about how they fit together; just focus on making each scene as complete as possible.
Write the beginning of the story first, when your character is introduced and all of their goals and motivations are revealed.
Then write the middle, where they must overcome obstacles that prevent them from achieving their goal.
Finally, write an ending where we see whether or not they achieve their goal or fail miserably in some way (or both).
Forget what any critic may say and write something that you think is interesting.
The most important thing to do when starting a new piece is to just write. Write what you want, write what you think is interesting, write what you think is important, and if it’s funny then make sure the humor comes through. Don’t worry about writing something that people will like or even understand.
I don’t know how many times I’ve read a story or an article that made me think: “Wow! This person has put some thought into this.” And then I click on their profile and realize they have 10 posts total on their blog.
That’s not saying anything about the quality of their writing though; maybe they’re just starting and haven’t had time yet (or interest) in improving their skills over time. But in my experience with writers both old and new, I’ve found that there are usually two main reasons why someone might not want to improve as much as possible.
Either they believe that being good enough means getting published without doing any extra work (which isn’t true), or because they’re afraid of criticism from other writers who may tell them what could be better about their story/article/poem before it’s finished being written in its entirety (which also isn’t true).
It’s okay if someone doesn’t like your piece once finished because they might not understand why it was written at all! If anything else happens along those lines please remember this quote by William Faulkner: “The writer’s only responsibility is to his art.”
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Use Passwords To Save Drafts Of Your Work And Keep Track Of Inspiration More Easily
Another effective way to learn how to write creatively is by using passwords, which can help you save drafts of your work and keep track of inspiration more easily.
If you’re an aspiring writer and have struggled with the process of drafting your work, then I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s a great tool for keeping track of ideas that are coming your way and if you’re like me (i.e., someone who loves writing but not so much typing), this is a must-have feature!
Further Reading
MasterClass: How to Boost Creativity and Improve Your Creative Writing Learn valuable insights and techniques to enhance your creative writing skills through this comprehensive MasterClass guide.
WordStream: Improve Your Writing Skills: 9 Easy Tips Discover nine practical and straightforward tips to improve your writing skills and become a more effective communicator.
Writers Per Hour: College Student Guide to Improve Creative Writing Skills College students seeking to enhance their creative writing abilities can follow this guide to unleash their full writing potential.
FAQs
How can I boost my creativity for better creative writing?
Enhancing creativity in creative writing can be achieved by exploring new experiences, engaging in brainstorming sessions, and seeking inspiration from various sources like art, nature, or literature.
What are some effective techniques to improve my writing skills?
Improving writing skills can be accomplished by reading extensively, practicing regularly, seeking feedback, and studying grammar and style guides.
Can college students benefit from improving their creative writing skills?
Absolutely! Improving creative writing skills can help college students excel in various academic tasks, express their ideas effectively, and enhance their overall communication abilities.
How can I overcome writer’s block when working on creative writing projects?
To overcome writer’s block, try free writing exercises, take short breaks to clear your mind, switch up your writing environment, and revisit previous work for inspiration.
Is creative writing limited to fiction, or can it be applied to other types of writing?
Creative writing can be applied to various forms of writing, including non-fiction, poetry, scripts, essays, and even content creation for marketing and advertising. It allows for imaginative and expressive storytelling in any genre.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.