Find Your Creative Muse

The Writing Life: The Art and Craft of Creative Writing

Dave Hood 8 years ago

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Dave Hood

“The Act of Writing Makes You a Writer.”—Julia Cameron

The best creative writing is both an art and craft. How is it an art? First, creative writers use
a set of cognitive skills to discover ideas to write about. They learn to mine their memories,
use their imagination, observe the outer world, apply their creative thinking abilities, and
explore their curiosities.

Secondly, creative writing is the art of self-expression. Writers share their thoughts,
feelings, and perspective about themselves and the world they inhabit.

Thirdly, writers use their creative talents associated with language to write imaginatively
with similes, metaphors, sensory imagery, and more.

Creative writing is also a craft in the sense that writers must learn the rules, guidelines, and
techniques of writing. To write, a writer must learn the rules of grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. If the writer intends to write a poem, short story, or personal essay, the writer
must learn the techniques of these genres.
Some people believe that writing cannot be taught. I don’t agree. I feel that anyone who is
motivated can learn both the “art of creative thinking” and the “techniques” of creative
writing.

In this article, I’ll explain how writer’s can learn to think more creatively by developing
several cognitive skills, which can be used to find ideas and material. The following will be
covered:

Creative thinking
Memory
Imagination
Observation
Curiosity

I will also explore the craft of writing. The following will be covered:

Showing and Telling

Literary techniques
Poetic Devices
Word choice/diction
Sentence Variety
Paragraph Development

The Art of Creative Writing

Creative writing is more than just writing about facts. It also is about using your creativity
abilities to find ideas and collect material. It is also about thinking creatively so that you can
discover a simile or metaphor to write a poem, or short story, or personal essay. In this
section, I’ll explore a few ways in which you can learn to think more creatively.

Creative Thinking

You can learn a few creative thinking techniques, which will assist you in discovering new
ideas and details for your writing. These techniques will also assist you in writing better
metaphors, similes, and types of comparisons. Here are a few techniques that you can learn:

Brainstorm a list of ideas. How? Find a topic, and then list all the ideas that you might
want to write about.
 Ask “what if.” You can use this technique to write fiction or a poem. And then answer the
question. Examples: What if you were diagnosed with a serious illness?…What if a meteor
plowed into the earth?…What if you won the lottery?…What if you lost your job?
Challenge your assumptions. You can use this techniques to find ideas to write about, to
write poetry, to write fiction. What assumptions do you have about people, places, things,
yourself, the world around you. Often truth is a matter of perspective. Your truth is often
different than someone else’s.
Ask the question: “Why?” Then answer the question. You can use this technique to find
ideas and material to write about. You could begin by freewriting. Or you could do some
research. For instance, why did 9/11 happen? Why do people write? Why do people
smoke? Drink? Become murders?
Change your perspective. Step into the shoes of someone else. Emotional truth (How did it
feel?) is always a matter of view point. You can use this technique for fiction, poetry,
creative nonfiction.
Do some mind mapping. How? Take a blank piece of paper and draw a circle in the centre.
Write down the topic inside the circle. For each associated idea, draw a line outward, and
write the idea in a smaller circle. (Like a spoke in a wheel)
Look for alternatives. There is always more than one way to write a poem, tell a tale, or
write a personal essay. You can use this technique for any type of creative writing.
Learn to make comparisons between different things. The easiest ways are to learn how to
write similes and metaphors. A simile compares two thing by using “like” or “as.”
Example: Writing a novel is like running a marathon. A metaphor compares two different
things directly or indirectly without using “like” or “as.” Often the writer makes the
comparison by using “is.” Example: Memorable writing is a work of art.

By learning to think creatively, you develop your artistic side.

Mine your Memory

Memories are the foundation of creative writing. Learn to mine your memories of people,
places, events, and experiences. Here are a few techniques:

Write about what author Brenda Miller calls “the five senses of memory.” We experience
the world through our sense of sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing. For instance: What is
 your favorite smell? What is the worst thing you’ve seen? What is the most delightful thing
you’ve tasted? Once you have an answer (and there is no one right answer), write about it.
Do some focused freewriting. Sit down, write about something in your past, such as a
birthday, graduation, first experience. As you write, you’ll discover that once you uncover
a memory, you’ll discover related memories.
Use a timeline. For instance, pick a year from the past. Find out what happened during
that year in the news. World events, public figures, popular culture will bring back
memories from your past. A good way to use a timeline is to conduct a Google Search.
What are your memories of special occasions, such as holidays, vacations, birthdays,
graduations?
What are your achievements and accomplishments? What are your biggest mistakes?
What are the memories of first encounters? First car? First girlfriend? First job? First
accident?
What are you happiest memories? What are your saddest memories?
What are the family traditions?
What are the turning points in your life?

For additional information on how to find ideas to write about, read “How to Write Your
Own Life Story” by Louis Daniel.

Learning to dig up your memories is part of the art of writing.

Use Your Imagination

Most people are taught to focus on facts, truth, reality. They are not taught to develop their
imagination. Imagination is about using your mind to create sensory details or mental
pictures of things that are not actual present in your senses. The best creative writers know
how to use their imagination to uncover ideas and details. Here are a few methods you can
use to develop your imagination:

Ask the question: what if? Then answer the question.

Learn the writing technique of showing and telling. Showing is about writing a scene. A
scene includes action, dialogue, setting, sensory details. Showing the reader also means
writing concrete, significant, particular details. Showing is about writing sensory details.
Practise freewriting. You can use focused freewriting or unfocused freewriting. If you use
focused freewriting, you select a topic, and then begin to write. If you use unfocused
 freewriting, you write down whatever details rise into your consciousness. In both types
of freewriting, write down the sensory details, and show the reader what happened.
Practise responding to writing prompts. A writing prompt forces you to use your
imagination to write in detail by using similes, metaphors, description. If you are
interested in using writing prompts to develop your imagination, purchase a copy of ” The
Writer’s Idea Book” by Jack Heffron or “The Writer’s Book of Days” by Judy Reeves.
Ask and answer the questions that journalists use to develop a story: Who? What? When?
Where? Why? How? You can use this technique write a poem, short story, or personal
essay.

Learning to use your imagination will enable you to write more creatively.

Observe the Outside World

As a creative writer, you must learn to observe the world in which you live and make note
of what you experience with your senses. Here are three ways to collect details about the
world around you:

Live in the now. In other words, make note of what is happening or what you are seeing,
or hearing, or feeling, when as the event or experience unfolds. This means that you don’t
live with the auto pilot switch turned on. It means that you are aware of what is going on
in the present moment.
Make note of sensory details. When you observe an event or experience, make a mental
note of what you see, hear, smell, taste, touch.
Carry a notebook wherever they travel. When you see something interesting, record the
details. Make notes using concrete, specific, significant details. Make notes of anything
unusual. Make notes of any idea that pops into your mind that might be used for a piece of
writing.
Take yourself on an artistic date on a regular basis. For instance, visit the art gallery, buy a
ticket to see a film, peruse the bookshelves of a bookstore. The artistic date will provide
you with ideas to explore and write about.

Curiosity

The best writers are curious. They desire to know why? They desire to find answers to
important questions. They have a passion for learning. They read books, magazines,
newspapers— to feed their hunger for knowledge.
How can you develop your curiosity? Write down all the topics or subjects you’d like to
learn. Take one of those ideas or subjects and learn about it . Read books, magazines,
journals. Do it for pleasure. Conduct research to become a subject matter expert. Write
about what you’ve learned.

As well, keep a writing journal, and make note of words, ideas, concepts, news events, that
you don’t understand. When you have a question about something, write it in your journal.
If it’s an important question, conduct research on the Web or visit the library. Then learn
your material. Next, write about what you’ve learned.

Here’s an example of why curiosity is important to writing. Suppose you dream of writing a
historical novel. Before you can write about that period in history, you’ll have to conduct
research of that time period. How would you conduct research? You can search on the Web,
visit the Library, and read books on the historical period. With this knowledge, you’ll be able
to write nonfiction details in a piece of fictional writing.

The Craft of Creative Writing

Creative writing requires that you learn the craft of writing. You must learn the rules,
guidelines, and techniques of writing. Otherwise, readers will not read your work, and
editors won’t publish your work. Here are a few important techniques about craft you
should learn:

Showing and Telling. If you intend on becoming a creative writing, you must learn how to
show and tell the reader what happened . Showing the reader is about writing in scenes. It
is about creating word pictures in the mind of the reader. Typically, a scene includes a
setting, action, dialogue, and sensory details. These are details about sight, smell, taste,
touch, hearing. Telling is about summarizing what happened. It is about compressing and
condensing time. It is about excluding vivid details. Example: I woke up, read the
newspaper, ate breakfast, then worked all day. It was an uneventful day.

Literary Techniques. You must learn the literary techniques for writing fiction:

Setting
Plot Development
Character and characterization
Theme
 Point of view
Voice and Style
Suspense, flashback, foreshadowing
Showing and telling

You will use these to write poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, such as a memoir or
personal essay.

Poetic Devices. You must learn how to use the following poetic devices:

Simile
Metaphor
Imagery
Sound devices of assonance, alliteration, rhyme, onomatopoeia
Symbolism
Personification

You will use these to write poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Word choice/diction. Use a dictionary to find the right word with the right meaning. Use a
thesaurus to find the word with the right shade of meaning.

The Sentence. To avoid sounding dull, learn how to use a variety of sentence structures,
including:

Intentional fragment. Use of a phrase or dependent clause instead of an independent

clause. A famous quotation. New words that interest. Lyrics from a song. Observations.
Overheard conversations. Fleeting memories. Dreams. Photographs. Lots of odds and ends
are included in my writing journal.
Simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
Periodic sentence or climactic sentence. You begin with a series of details, and end with
the independent clause. Example: Falling from the tree into the ice river, gasping for air,
being then pulled by the strong under tow, I exerted all of my energies to swim to shore.
Cumulative sentence. You begin with the main idea in an independent clause, and then
add one idea after another. Example: I love the spring, the fresh air, sunny days, blooming
flowers, green grass, watching baseball, and riding my bike.
To learn more, read “The Writer’s Portable Mentor” by Priscilla Long. She identifies the
various types of sentences you should learn to write.

The Paragraphs. Learn how to create a variety of paragraphs. Author Priscilla Long, in
“The Writer’s Portable Mentor,” identifies four paragraphs that you should learn to write.
These include:

The direct paragraph. This type of paragraph begins with a topical sentence, and then adds
details.
Climactic paragraph. It begins with examples or illustrations, and ends with the main,
controlling idea or topical sentence.
Turnabout paragraph. It is a paragraph that begins in one place and then turns in another
direction in the middle. This type of paragraph contrasts ideas. You signal a change in
direction to the reader by using the words, “but” or ” nevertheless” or “and yet.”
Statement paragraph. Begin with a statement and then elaborate with a series of
sentences.

Developing Your Writing Skills

Becoming a good writer takes time. And during that time you must learn and practise. What
must you do? Here are a few suggestions:

1. If you are just getting started, purchase a few writing tools: a notebook, pen, laptop,
dictionary, and thesaurus.
2. Begin keeping a writing journal. It will develop your habit of writing. Write in the journal
each day. Write every day for 15 minutes or so. Write about anything that inspires you or
is on your mind.
3. Find ideas to write about. An easy way is to read the newspaper, books, and magazines.
4. Learn the craft of writing. Learn the rules of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and writing
style. If you don’t have a copy, pick up The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
5. Expand your vocabulary. There are many ways: 1) Learn a word a day. 2) Every time you
bump into a word you don’t understand, look up its meaning. 3)Use these new words in
conversation and in your writing. 4) Discover synonyms by using a thesaurus. For
instance, instead of using the word “walk”, you might say plodded, dawdled, marched,
strode, stroll, lumbered, wandered, traipsed, trekked.
6. Read poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction for pleasure. Reading will inspire you.
 7. Read as a writer. This involves reading and analyzing the writer’s style, tone, and voice.
8. Learn to write imaginatively. This involves learning how to write similes and metaphors
and other poetic devices. It also involves learning how to show the reader what
happened, how to write sensory images that appeal to the readers sense of sight, hearing,
smell, taste, and touch. It involves learning how to write concrete, specific, and significant
details. A good book to help you is “Imaginative Writing” by Janet Burroway.
9. If you are not interested in learning on your own, take a creative writing course in poetry,
fiction, creative nonfiction. Or join a writing group. Or attend a writing conference. Or
take a trip to a writing retreat for a few days.
10. Schedule an artistic date with yourself. Author, Julia Cameron, in “The Artist’s Way,”
suggests that you go on a “Artist Date” each week. This involves participating in something
creative each week or two–such as visiting the book store, the art gallery, music concert.

If you desire to become a strong writer, you must learn the art and craft of writing. Begin by
embracing the writing life. Write and read every day. Keep a journal. Get into the habit of
writing. Learn the rules of spelling, punctuation, grammar. Learn the elements of fiction.
Learn the literary techniques and poetic devices. Learn to show and tell what happened.
Learn how to write free verse poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. Experiment
with your writing. Find inspiration. Learn to write creatively with simile, metaphor, sensory
imagery, and vivid description. The act of writing each day makes you a writer.

Resources
For more information, read the following:

The Right to Write by Julia Cameron

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Tell It Slant by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Imaginative Writing by Janet Burroway
How to Be a Writer by Barbara Baig
The Writer’s Portable Mentor by Priscilla Long