What is creative writing?

As the name suggests, creative writing is a form of writing that goes beyond the traditional realms of normal, professional, academic, or technical forms of writing. 

Instead, it encompasses several different genres and styles across a whole range of fields of both fictional and non-fiction writing; storytelling, playwriting, poetry, prose, journalistic, and more. 

Though the definition can be quite vague, creative writing can, for the most part, be considered as any type of writing that is original and expressive of oneself. Typically, it can be identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, focusing on elements such as character development, narrative, and plot, infusing its structure with imagination, invention, and story. 

In this sense, creative writing can technically be considered any writing of contemporary, original composition – it’s bound by no standard conventions and uses a whole range of elements in its craft.

In an academic setting, creative writing is typically divided into fiction, poetry, or scriptwriting classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, not defined by pre-existing structures and genres. 

What are the different types of creative writing?

Creative writing comes in many forms, encompassing several genres and styles. There are lots of different types of creative writing, which can be categorized as fiction or non-fiction. Some of the most popular are:

• Biographies 
• Fiction: novels, novellas, short stories, etc. 
• Speeches
• Poetry and spoken word
• Playwriting/scriptwriting
• Personal essays
• Speeches

What makes a good piece of creative writing?

First and foremost, it’s important to note that there is no pre-defined description of what it means to create a ‘good’ piece of creative writing. As the very name suggests, creative writing is an imaginative process, created by the individual with all their quirks and personalities.

Creative writing doesn’t fit one set genre and therefore there will never be an umbrella definition to describe the ‘perfect’ piece. Just think about a Gothic short story and then compare it to the features of a great Romantic poem – the two are so very different – it wouldn’t be unfair to judge them together. 

However, with that being said, there are a few general principles that you can follow to make your creative writing as strong as it can be – by making it as authentic to you as possible:

• Know your audience – All great stories begin with a target audience in mind – because it’s exactly what you need to know in order to really tailor your writing and connect with them. Therefore, any creative writer should begin their writing by plotting out exactly who they want to read their work. Once you have this in mind, your writing will naturally begin to take direction and flow in a way that seems appropriate to your audience.

• Write what you know – Quite often, the best stories are those which we can connect to and relate in one or another way to our own lives. Or, they’re stories that seem so authentic that you could imagine them to be about the writer’s own life. Now, this doesn’t mean that you quite literally have to write about your life but draw on the knowledge you have about different elements of our lives to give your story some authenticity and more believability.

• Creativity is key – Creativity is one of the most important elements of creative writing. It’s what sets you apart from other pieces of writing in your genre. Of course, this doesn’t demand that you write a tale about a fantastical and mythical world with unique creatures – but simply use your creativity to think a little outside the box and put a unique twist on things; using literary devices like metaphors, alliteration, and varied sentence structure to make your work unique and interesting.

• Push your imagination – One of the great things about creative writing is that there is no definition or rules on ‘how’ to write. It’s a much more subjective genre and one which relies heavily on your interpretations. Therefore, you should push your imagination to the limits to see what the result could be. Some of the most interesting pieces of literature are thought-provoking or make us question the writing or world around us – where could your story take us?

• Plot a loose story arc – Despite the loose bounds of creative writing, it is still advisable to plot a loose story arc for any piece of literature you create. Story arcs are critical at giving your writing direction and purpose, helping you to write the whole piece at a good pace, without writing any superfluous content or ‘waffle.’ Follow your story arc, and your writing will have a strong structure, pace, and direction – keeping your readers more engaged.

What are some techniques used in creative writing?

To make their writing stand out, writers often employ several creative writing techniques and literary devices, including:

• Character development – The process of creating a well-rounded, realistic character with depth, personality, and clear goals or motivations.

• Plot development – The story of your piece of writing – how it develops, unfolds, and moves along in time.

• **Point of view **- The perspective from which a narrative is told. It indicates who is telling the story and how the information is conveyed to the reader. Quite often writers will play with the point of view of the central character or protagonist to trick the reader and twist their perspective. 

• Dialogue – Refers to the speech and conversations characters use to speak to one another. Dialogue and the language choices a character makes can be pivotal in helping define their personality.

• Literary devices – Such as metaphors, similes, and alliteration to make creative writing more imaginative and descriptive. These are used in a myriad of ways by writers to make their writing more vivid, interesting, and engaging.

How to start creative writing

If you’re interested in getting those creative juices flowing and improving your writing craft, read some of our tips below on how to start creative writing:

• Read as much as you can – For creative writers, inspiration comes from a whole range of sources, but most commonly, from other writers. There are some excellent examples of creative writing throughout history that all writers should be inspired by. Read a variety of genres by different authors to get a real feel for what type of writing you may want to do.

• Start journaling – Starting a journal can help to unleash your inner creativity. Getting into the habit of writing each day about literally anything that’s preoccupied you that day will help you practice the art of writing. The more regular your journal, the more you’ll build your confidence. You never know, you could even find your next great idea from something you’ve journaled about!

• Attend a Creative Writing summer course – If you’re just starting as a creative writer and looking to collaborate, share ideas with others, and workshop your writing, then joining a creative writing summer school could be a great option. Our creative writing summer courses are designed to help you extend your creative writing toolkit; you’ll analyze some of the industry’s greatest writers, as well as workshop some of your writing with your peers.

• Practice using literary devices – Literary devices, such as metaphors, similes and rhyme can help you write more vividly and create descriptive, imaginative scenes. Practice using them regularly and you’ll soon watch your creative writing start to flourish. Need some ideas to help you get to practice? Look around your house and pick a random object. Then, practice using 5 literary devices to describe that same object – see where your creativity can take you!

• Write, write, write! – When it comes to how to start creative writing, one of the biggest pieces of advice we can offer is to pick up your pen or laptop, and start writing. Whether you have a single conversation starter for a character or a complete narrative arc, you will only begin your creative writing journey when you physically do it. Even if you have no idea on what to write – look for writing prompt inspiration from all around you. The more you practice unleashing your creativity, the easier it will be to write over longer periods.