information about creative writing

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Bright, colorful creative writer's desk with notebook and typewriter -- What Is Creative Writing

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

Short stories
Screenplays
Flash fiction
Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

What is creative writing?

The dictionary definition of creative writing is that it is original writing that expresses ideas and thoughts in an imaginative way. [1] Some academics will also define it as the art of making things up, but both of these definitions are too simplistic in the grand scheme of things.

It’s challenging to settle on a concrete definition as creative writing can relate to so many different things and formats. Naturally, as the name suggests, it is all built around the idea of being creative or imaginative. It’s to do with using your brain and your own thoughts to create writing that goes outside the realms of what’s expected. This type of writing tends to be more unique as it comes from a personal place. Each individual has their own level of creativity, combined with their own thoughts and views on different things. Therefore, you can conjure up your own text and stories that could be completely different from others.

Understanding creative writing can be challenging when viewed on its own. Consequently, the best way to truly understand this medium is by exploring the other main forms of writing. From here, we can compare and contrast them with the art of creative writing, making it easier to find a definition or separate this form of writing from others.

What are the main forms of writing?

In modern society, we can identify five main types of writing styles [1] that will be used throughout daily life and a plethora of careers:

Narrative Writing
Descriptive Writing
Persuasive Writing
Expository Writing
Creative Writing

Narrative writing refers to storytelling in its most basic form. Traditionally, this involves telling a story about a character and walking the readers through the journey they go on. It can be a long novel or a short story that’s only a few hundred words long. There are no rules on length, and it can be completely true or a work of fiction.

A fundamental aspect of narrative writing that makes it different from other forms is that it should includes the key elements of storytelling. As per UX Planet, there are seven core elements of a good story or narrative [2] : the plot, characters, theme, dialogue, melody, decor and spectacle. Narrative writing will include all of these elements to take the ready on a journey that starts at the beginning, has a middle point, but always comes to a conclusion. This style of writing is typically used when writing stories, presenting anecdotes about your life, creating presentations or speeches and for some academic essays.

Descriptive writing, on the other hand, is more focused on the details. When this type of writing is used, it’s focused on capturing the reader’s attention and making them feel like they are part of the story. You want them to live and feel every element of a scene, so they can close their eyes and be whisked away to whatever place or setting you describe.

In many ways, descriptive writing is writing as an art form. Good writers can be given a blank canvas, using their words to paint a picture for the audience. There’s a firm focus on the five senses all humans have; sight, smell, touch, sound and taste. Descriptive writing touches on all of these senses to tell the reader everything they need to know and imagine about a particular scene.

This is also a style of writing that makes good use of both similes and metaphors. A simile is used to describe something as something else, while a metaphor is used to show that something is something else. There’s a subtle difference between the two, but they both aid descriptive writing immensely. According to many writing experts, similes and metaphors allow an author to emphasise, exaggerate, and add interest to a story to create a more vivid picture for the reader [3] .

Looking at persuasive writing and we have a form of writing that’s all about making yourself heard. You have an opinion that you want to get across to the reader, convincing them of it. The key is to persuade others to think differently, often helping them broaden their mind or see things from another point of view. This is often confused with something called opinionative writing, which is all about providing your opinions. While the two seem similar, the key difference is that persuasive writing is built around the idea of submitting evidence and backing your thoughts up. It’s not as simple as stating your opinion for other to read; no, you want to persuade them that your thoughts are worth listening to and perhaps worth acting on.

This style of writing is commonly used journalistically in news articles and other pieces designed to shine a light on certain issues or opinions. It is also typically backed up with statistical evidence to give more weight to your opinions and can be a very technical form of writing that’s not overly emotional.

Expository writing is more focused on teaching readers new things. If we look at its name, we can take the word exposure from it. According to Merriam-Webster [4] , one of the many definitions of exposure is to reveal something to others or present them with something they otherwise didn’t know. In terms of writing, it can refer to the act of revealing new information to others or exposing them to new ideas.

Effectively, expository writing focuses on the goal of leaving the reader with new knowledge of a certain topic or subject. Again, it is predominately seen in journalistic formats, such as explainer articles or ‘how-to’ blogs. Furthermore, you also come across it in academic textbooks or business writing.

This brings us back to the centre of attention for this guide: what is creative writing?

Interestingly, creative writing is often seen as the style of writing that combines many of these forms together in one go. Narrative writing can be seen as creative writing as you are coming up with a story to keep readers engaged, telling a tale for them to enjoy or learn from. Descriptive writing is very much a key part of creative writing as you are using your imagination and creative skills to come up with detailed descriptions that transport the reader out of their home and into a different place.

Creative writing can even use persuasive writing styles in some formats. Many writers will combine persuasive writing with a narrative structure to come up with a creative way of telling a story to educate readers and provide new opinions for them to view or be convinced of. Expository writing can also be involved here, using creativity and your imagination to answer questions or provide advice to the reader.

Essentially, creative writing can combine other writing types to create a unique and new way of telling a story or producing content. At the same time, it can include absolutely none of the other forms at all. The whole purpose of creative writing is to think outside the box and stray from traditional structures and norms. Fundamentally, we can say there are no real rules when it comes to creative writing, which is what makes it different from the other writing styles discussed above.

What is the purpose of creative writing?

Another way to understand and explore the idea of creative writing is to look at its purpose. What is the aim of most creative works of writing? What do they hope to provide the reader with?

We can look at the words of Bryanna Licciardi, an experienced creative writing tutor, to understand the purpose of creative writing. She writes that the primary purpose is to entertain and share human experiences, like love or loss. Writers attempt to reveal the truth with regard to humanity through poetics and storytelling. [5] She also goes on to add that the first step of creative writing is to use one’s imagination.

When students sign up to our creative writing courses, we will teach them how to write with this purpose. Your goal is to create stories or writing for readers that entertain them while also providing information that can have an impact on their lives. It’s about influencing readers through creative storytelling that calls upon your imagination and uses the thoughts inside your head. The deeper you dive into the art of creative writing, the more complex it can be. This is largely because it can be expressed in so many different formats. When you think of creative writing, your instinct takes you to stories and novels. Indeed, these are both key forms of creative writing that we see all the time. However, there are many other forms of creative writing that are expressed throughout the world.

What are the different forms of creative writing?

Looking back at the original and simple definition of creative writing, it relates to original writing in a creative and imaginative way. Consequently, this can span across so many genres and types of writing that differ greatly from one another. This section will explore and analyse the different types of creative writing, displaying just how diverse this writing style can be – while also showcasing just what you’re capable of when you learn how to be a creative writer.

The majority of students will first come across creative writing in the form of essays . The point of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question. [6] In essence, you are persuading the reader that your answer to the question is correct. Thus, creative writing is required to get your point across as coherently as possible, while also using great descriptive writing skills to paint the right message for the reader.

Moreover, essays can include personal essays – such as writing a cover letter for work or a university application. Here, great creativity is needed to almost write a story about yourself that captivates the reader and takes them on a journey with you. Excellent imagination and persuasive writing skills can help you tell your story and persuade those reading that you are the right person for the job or university place.

Arguably, this is the most common way in which creative writing is expressed. Fictional work includes novels, novellas, short stories – and anything else that is made up. The very definition of fiction by the Cambridge Dictionary states that it is the type of book or story that is written about imaginary characters and events not based on real people and facts. [7] As such, it means that your imagination is called upon to create something out of nothing. It is a quintessential test of your creative writing skills, meaning you need to come up with characters, settings, plots, descriptions and so much more.

Fictional creative writing in itself takes on many different forms and can be completely different depending on the writer. That is the real beauty of creative writing; you can have entirely different stories and characters from two different writers. Just look at the vast collection of fictional work around you today; it’s the perfect way to see just how versatile creative writing can be depending on the writer.

Similarly, scripts can be a type of creative writing that appeals to many. Technically, a script can be considered a work of fiction. Nevertheless, it depends on the script in question. Scripts for fictional television shows, plays or movies are obviously works of fiction. You, the writer, has come up with the characters and story of the show/play/movie, bringing it all to life through the script. But, scripts can also be non-fictional. Creating a play or movie that adapts real-life events will mean you need to write a script based on something that genuinely happened.

Here, it’s a perfect test of creative writing skills as you take a real event and use your creative talents to make it more interesting. The plot and narrative may already be there for you, so it’s a case of using your descriptive writing skills to really sell it to others and keep readers – or viewers – on the edge of their seats.

A speech is definitely a work of creative writing. The aim of a speech can vary depending on what type of speech it is. A politician delivering a speech in the House of Commons will want to get a point across to persuade others in the room. They’ll need to use creative writing to captivate their audience and have them hanging on their every word. A recent example of a great speech was the one by Sir David Attenborough at the recent COP26 global climate summit. [8] Listening to the speech is a brilliant way of understanding how creative writing can help get points across. His speech went viral around the world because of how electrifying and enthralling it is. The use of many descriptive and persuasive words had people hanging onto everything he said. He really created a picture and an image for people to see, convincing them that the time is now to work on stopping and reversing climate change.

From this speech to a completely different one, you can see creative writing at play for speeches at weddings and other jovial events. Here, the purpose is more to entertain guests and make them laugh. At the same time, someone giving a wedding speech will hope to create a lovely story for the guests to enjoy, displaying the true love that the married couple share for one another. Regardless of what type of speech an individual is giving, creative writing skills are required for it to be good and captivating.

Poetry & Songs

The final example of creative writing is twofold; poetry and songs. Both of these formats are similar to one another, relying on creativity to deliver a combination of things. Poetry can take so many forms and styles, but it aims to inspire readers and get them thinking. Poems often have hidden meanings behind them, and it takes a great deal of imagination and creativity to come up with these meanings while also creating a powerful poem. Some argue that poetry is the most creative of all creative writing forms.

Songwriting is similar in that you use creativity to come up with lyrics that can have powerful meanings while also conjuring up a story for people. The best songwriters will use lyrics that stay in people’s minds and get them thinking about the meaning behind the song. If you lack imagination and creativity, you will never be a good songwriter.

In truth, there are so many other types and examples of creative writing that you can explore. The ones listed above are the most common and powerful, and they all do a great job of demonstrating how diverse creative writing can be. If you can hone your skills in creative writing, it opens up many opportunities for you in life. Primarily, creative writing focuses on fictional pieces of work, but as you can see, non-fiction also requires a good deal of creativity.

What’s needed to make a piece of creative writing?

Our in-depth analysis of creative writing has led to a point where you’re aware of this style of writing and its purpose, along with some examples of it in the real world. The next question to delve into is what do you need to do to make a piece of creative writing. To phrase this another way; how do you write something that comes under the creative heading rather than another form of writing?

There is an element of difficulty in answering this question as creative writing has so many different types and genres. Consequently, there isn’t a set recipe for the perfect piece of creative writing, and that’s what makes this format so enjoyable and unique. Nevertheless, we can discover some crucial elements or principles that will help make a piece of writing as creative and imaginative as possible:

A target audience

All creative works will begin by defining a target audience. There are many ways to define a target audience, with some writers suggesting that you think about who is most likely to read your work. However, this can still be challenging as you’re unsure of the correct demographic to target. Writer’s Digest makes a good point of defining your target audience by considering your main motivation for writing in the first place. [9] It’s a case of considering what made you want to start writing – whether it’s a blog post, novel, song, poem, speech, etc. Figuring out your motivation behind it will help you zero in on your target audience.

Defining your audience is vital for creative writing as it helps you know exactly what to write and how to write it. All of your work should appeal to this audience and be written in a way that they can engage with. As a simple example, authors that write children’s stories will adapt their writing to appeal to the younger audience. Their stories include lots of descriptions and words that children understand, rather than being full of long words and overly academic writing.

Establishing the audience lets the writer know which direction to take things in. As a result, this can aid with things like character choices, plot, storylines, settings, and much more.

A story of sorts

Furthermore, great works of creative writing will always include a story of sorts. This is obvious for works such as novels, short stories, scripts, etc. However, even for things like poems, songs or speeches, a story helps make it creative. It gives the audience something to follow, helping them make sense of the work. Even if you’re giving a speech, setting a story can help you create a scene in people’s minds that makes them connect to what you’re saying. It’s a very effective way of persuading others and presenting different views for people to consider.

Moreover, consider the definition of a story/narrative arc. One definition describes it as a term that describes a story’s full progression. It visually evokes the idea that every story has a relatively calm beginning, a middle where tension, character conflict and narrative momentum builds to a peak and an end where the conflict is resolved. [10]

Simplifying this, we can say that all works of creative writing need a general beginning, middle and end. It’s a way of bringing some sort of structure to your writing so you know where you are going, rather than filling it with fluff or waffle.

A good imagination

Imagination is a buzzword that we’ve used plenty of times throughout this deep dive into creative writing. Every creative writing course you go on will spend a lot of time focusing on the idea of using your imagination. The human brain is a marvellously powerful thing that holds the key to creative freedom and expressing yourself in new and unique ways. If you want to make something creative, you need to tap into your imagination.

People use their imagination in different ways; some will be able to conjure up ideas for stories or worlds that exist beyond our own. Others will use theirs to think of ways of describing things in a more creative and imaginative way. Ultimately, a good imagination is what sets your work apart from others within your genre. This doesn’t mean you need to come up with the most fantastical novel of all time to have something classified as creative writing. No, using your imagination and creativity can extend to something as simple as your writing style.

Ultimately, it’s more about using your imagination to find your own personal flair and creative style. You will then be able to write unique pieces that stand out from the others and keep audiences engaged.

How can creative writing skills benefit you?

When most individuals or students consider creative writing, they imagine a world where they are writing stories for a living. There’s a common misconception that creative writing skills are only beneficial for people pursuing careers in scriptwriting, storytelling, etc. Realistically, enhancing ones creative writing skills can open up many windows of opportunity throughout your education and career.

Improve essay writing – Naturally, creative writing forms a core part of essays and other written assignments in school and university. Improving your skills in this department can help a student get better at writing powerful essays and achieving top marks. In turn, this can impact your career by helping you get better grades to access better jobs in the future.
Become a journalist – Journalists depend on creative writing to make stories that capture audiences and have people hanging on their every word. You need high levels of creativity to turn a news story into something people are keen to read or watch.
Start a blog – In modern times, blogging is a useful tool that can help people find profitable and successful careers. The whole purpose of a blog is to provide your opinions to the masses while also entertaining, informing and educating. Again, having a firm grasp of creative writing skills will aid you in building your blog audience.
Write marketing content – From advert scripts to content on websites, marketing is fuelled by creative writing. The best marketers will have creative writing skills to draw an audience in and convince them to buy products. If you can learn to get people hanging on your every word, you can make it in this industry.

These points all demonstrate the different ways in which creative writing can impact your life and alter your career. In terms of general career skills, this is one that you simply cannot go without.

How to improve your creative writing

One final part of this analysis of creative writing is to look at how students can improve. It begins by reading as much as you can and taking in lots of different content. Read books, poems, scripts, articles, blogs – anything you can find. Listen to music and pay attention to the words people use and the structure of their writing. It can help you pick up on things like metaphors, similes, and how to use your imagination. Of course, writing is the key to improving; the more you write, the more creative you can get as you will start unlocking the powers of your brain.

Conclusion: What is creative writing

In conclusion, creative writing uses a mixture of different types of writing to create stories that stray from traditional structures and norms. It revolves around the idea of using your imagination to find a writing style that suits you and gets your points across to an audience, keeping them engaged in everything you say. From novels to speeches, there are many forms of creative writing that can help you in numerous career paths throughout your life.

[1] SkillShare: The 5 Types of Writing Styles with Examples

[2] Elements of Good Story Telling – UX Planet

[3] Simile vs Metaphor: What’s the Difference? – ProWritingAid

[4] Definition of Exposure by Merriam-Webster

[5] The Higher Purpose of Creative Writing | by Terveen Gill

[6] Essay purpose – Western Sydney University

[7] FICTION | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

[8] ‘Not fear, but hope’ – Attenborough speech in full – BBC News

[9] Writer’s Digest: Who Is Your Target Reader?

[10] What is a Narrative Arc? • A Guide to Storytelling Structure

Home › Study Tips › Creative Writing Resources For Secondary School Students

What Is Creative Writing? Is It Worth Studying?

Published October 31, 2022

As loose as the definition of Creative Writing is, it’s not always easy to understand. Sure, writing a story is Creative Writing. What about poems or personal essays?

Also, how does Creative Writing even help one succeed in university and career life? We empower our Creative Writing summer school students to grasp the power of creative writing and how to use it.

How? By giving them access to personalised tutorials with expert Creative Writing tutors from prestigious universities such as the University of Oxford and Cambridge.

Creative Writing doesn’t have to be confusing or intimidating. In this article, we’ll take you through a simple explanation of what Creative Writing is and why it’s helpful and relevant.

What is Creative Writing?

The simplest description of Creative Writing is what it’s not: it doesn’t revolve around facts like technical writing.

Technical Writing vs Creative Writing

You encounter technical writing in your daily life. You’ll find it in newspapers, journal articles, and textbooks. Do you notice how the presentation of accurate information is necessary in each of these mediums?

Because the goal of technical writing is to explain or relay information as it is .

But in creative writing, such is not the case. The primary goal of Creative Writing is not to present complex information for the sake of educating the audience.

Instead, the goal is to express yourself. Should you want to share information via Creative Writing, the objective becomes persuading your readers to think about it as you do.

Hence, if you contrast Technical Writing and Creative Writing within this context,

Technical Writing: share information without biases
Creative Writing: self-expression of how one feels or thinks about said information.

If reducing personal opinion in Technical Writing is virtuous, in creative writing, it is criminal .

Self-Expression in Creative Writing

One must express oneself in Creative Writing to entertain, captivate, or persuade readers. Since Creative Writing involves one’s imagination and self-expression, it’s common for Creative Writers to say that they “poured a part of themselves” into their work.

What are the different ways you can express yourself in Creative Writing?

Types of Creative Writing: 2 Major Types

The two major umbrellas of Creative Writing are Creative Nonfiction and Creative Fiction.

1. Creative Nonfiction

“Nonfiction” means writing based on actual events, persons, and experiences. Some forms of creative nonfiction include:

Personal Essay – here, the writer shares their personal thoughts, beliefs, or experiences.
Memoir – captures the writer’s memories and experiences of a life-changing past event.
Narrative Nonfiction – a factual event written in a story format.

2. Creative Fiction

The bulk of Creative Writing literature is found under the Creative Fiction category, such as:

Short Story – shorter than a novel, containing only a few scenes and characters.
Novel – a full-blown plot line with multiple scenes, characters, and subplots.
Poem – uses specific rhythm and style to express ideas or feelings
Play – contains dialogue and stage directions for theatre performances.
Screenplay – script to be used for film production (e.g. movies, video games.)

In short, Creative Fiction involves stories . Do you want more specific examples of Creative Writing? Then, you may want to read this article called “Creative Writing Examples.”

Why Is It Important to Learn Creative Writing?

It’s essential to learn Creative Writing because of the following reasons:

1. Creative Writing is a valuable skill in school and work

As a student, you know well why Creative Writing is important. You submit written work in various situations, such as writing essays for assignments and exams. Or when you have to write a Personal Statement to apply for University.

In these situations, your chances of getting higher grades depend on your ability to write creatively. (Even your chances of getting accepted into a top ranked creative writing university of your dreams!)

What about when you graduate? Do you use Creative Writing in your career? Convincing a recruiter to hire you via cover letters is an example of creative writing.

Once you’re hired, you’ll find that you need to write something up. It depends on your line of work and how often and complex your writing should be.

But mundane tasks such as writing an email response, coming up with a newsletter, or making a PowerPoint presentation involve creative writing.

So when you’ve practised your Creative Writing skills, you’ll find these tasks manageable. Even enjoyable! If you want to study creative writing at university, we put together what a-levels you need for creative writing .

2. Creative Writing enhances several essential skills.

Do you know that writing is thinking? At least that’s what the American Historian and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, David McCullough said.

Many people find Creative Writing challenging because it requires a combination of the following skills:

Observation
Critical thinking and analysis
Reasoning skills
Communication

Many of these skills make you a valuable employee in many industries. In fact, Forbes reports that:

Critical Thinking
and Emotional Intelligence

are three of the Top 10 most in-demand skills for the next decade. That’s why Creative Writing is a valuable endeavour and if you take it at university there are some great creative writing degree career prospects .

3. Creative Writing Is Therapeutic

Do you know that Creative Writing has a significant beneficial effect on your mental and emotional health?

A 2021 study in the Counselling & Psychotherapy Research reports that Creative Writing brought significant health benefits to nine people who worked in creative industries. Writing helped them in their cognitive processing of emotional difficulty.

Result? Improved mood and mental well-being.

A plethora of studies over the decades found the same results. Expressing yourself via creative writing, especially by writing in your daily journal, is beneficial for your mental and emotional health.

4. You may want to work in a Creative Writing-related Career

Creative employment in the UK grows 2x faster than the rest of the economy. In fact, did you know that jobs in the creative industry grew by 30.6% from 2011 to 2018?

Compare that to the average UK growth of 10.1% during the same period, and you can see the potential.

How about in the US? The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 4% increase in employment for authors and writers from 2021 to 2031. Resulting in about 15,200 job openings yearly over the next 10 years.

The median yearly salary? It was at $69,510 as of May 2021.

So if you’re considering a Creative Writing career, now would be a great time to do so!

How To Be A Creative Writer?

You want to be a Creative Writer but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry! The best way to start is to learn from Creative Writing experts .

That’s why we ensure our Creative Writing summer school students have access to 1:1 personalised tutorials with expert Creative Writing tutors.

Our Creative Writing tutors come from world-renowned universities such as the University of Cambridge and Oxford. So you’re in excellent hands!

Here you’ll learn creative writing tips and techniques , such as character creation and plot mapping. But the best part is, you’ll come out of the course having experienced what a Creative Writer is like!

Because by then, you’ll have a Written Portfolio to show for your efforts. Which you presented to your tutor and peers for receiving constructive feedback.

Another surefire way to start becoming a Creative Writer is by practising. Check out this article called “ Creative Writing Exercises .” You’ll begin building a writing routine if you practice these exercises daily.

And trust us, every great writer has a solid writing routine!

Creative Writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to use your imagination and creativity. It can be in the form of personal essays, short stories, or poems. It is often used as an outlet for emotions and experiences. Start with creative writing by reading through creative writing examples to help get you in the mood. Then, just let the words flow daily, and you’re on the road to becoming an excellent Creative Writer!

Elements of Creative Writing

J.D. Schraffenberger, University of Northern Iowa

Rachel Morgan, University of Northern Iowa

Grant Tracey, University of Northern Iowa

ISBN 13: 9780915996179

Publisher: University of Northern Iowa

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Robert Moreira, Lecturer III, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 3/21/24

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As far as I can tell, content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant and up-to-date.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clear and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

I would agree that the text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Text is modular, yes, but I would like to see the addition of a section on dramatic writing.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics are presented in logical, clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

Navigation is good.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical issues that I could see.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I'd like to see more diverse creative writing examples.

As I stated above, textbook is good except that it does not include a section on dramatic writing.

Introduction
Chapter One: One Great Way to Write a Short Story
Chapter Two: Plotting
Chapter Three: Counterpointed Plotting
Chapter Four: Show and Tell
Chapter Five: Characterization and Method Writing
Chapter Six: Character and Dialouge
Chapter Seven: Setting, Stillness, and Voice
Chapter Eight: Point of View
Chapter Nine: Learning the Unwritten Rules
Chapter One: A Poetry State of Mind
Chapter Two: The Architecture of a Poem
Chapter Three: Sound
Chapter Four: Inspiration and Risk
Chapter Five: Endings and Beginnings
Chapter Six: Figurative Language
Chapter Seven: Forms, Forms, Forms
Chapter Eight: Go to the Image
Chapter Nine: The Difficult Simplicity of Short Poems and Killing Darlings

Creative Nonfiction

Chapter One: Creative Nonfiction and the Essay
Chapter Two: Truth and Memory, Truth in Memory
Chapter Three: Research and History
Chapter Four: Writing Environments
Chapter Five: Notes on Style
Chapter Seven: Imagery and the Senses
Chapter Eight: Writing the Body
Chapter Nine: Forms

Back Matter

Contributors
North American Review Staff

Ancillary Material

University of Northern Iowa

About the Book

This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States. They’ve selected nearly all of the readings and examples (more than 60) from writing that has appeared in NAR pages over the years. Because they had a hand in publishing these pieces originally, their perspective as editors permeates this book. As such, they hope that even seasoned writers might gain insight into the aesthetics of the magazine as they analyze and discuss some reasons this work is so remarkable—and therefore teachable. This project was supported by NAR staff and funded via the UNI Textbook Equity Mini-Grant Program.

About the Contributors

J.D. Schraffenberger is a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the author of two books of poems, Saint Joe's Passion and The Waxen Poor , and co-author with Martín Espada and Lauren Schmidt of The Necessary Poetics of Atheism . His other work has appeared in Best of Brevity , Best Creative Nonfiction , Notre Dame Review , Poetry East , Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Rachel Morgan is an instructor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. She is the author of the chapbook Honey & Blood , Blood & Honey . Her work is included in the anthology Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in American and has appeared in the Journal of American Medical Association , Boulevard , Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Grant Tracey author of three novels in the Hayden Fuller Mysteries ; the chapbook Winsome featuring cab driver Eddie Sands; and the story collection Final Stanzas , is fiction editor of the North American Review and an English professor at the University of Northern Iowa, where he teaches film, modern drama, and creative writing. Nominated four times for a Pushcart Prize, he has published nearly fifty short stories and three previous collections. He has acted in over forty community theater productions and has published critical work on Samuel Fuller and James Cagney. He lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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In this section

Subsections.

Creative Writing

Stanford’s Creative Writing Program--one of the best-known in the country--cultivates the power of individual expression within a vibrant community of writers. Many of our English majors pursue a concentration in creative writing, and the minor in Creative Writing is among the most popular minors on campus. These majors and minors participate in workshop-based courses or independent tutorials with Stegner Fellows, Stanford’s distinguished writers-in-residence.

English Major with a Creative Writing Emphasis

The English major with a Creative Writing emphasis is a fourteen-course major. These fourteen courses comprise eight English courses and six Creative Writing courses.

English majors with a Creative Writing emphasis should note the following:

All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Courses taken abroad or at other institutions may not be counted towards the workshop requirements.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191 series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

PWR 1 is a prerequisite for all creative writing courses.

Minor in Creative Writing

The Minor in Creative Writing offers a structured environment in which students interested in writing fiction or poetry develop their skills while receiving an introduction to literary forms. Students may choose a concentration in fiction, poetry.

In order to graduate with a minor in Creative Writing, students must complete the following three courses plus three courses in either the prose or poetry tracks. Courses counted towards the requirements for the minor may not be applied to student's major requirements. 30 units are required. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Prose Track

Suggested order of requirements:

English 90. Fiction Writing or English 91. Creative Nonfiction

English 146S Secret Lives of the Short Story

One 5-unit English literature elective course

English 190. Intermediate Fiction Writing or English 191. Intermediate Creative Nonfiction Writing

English 92. Reading and Writing Poetry

Another English 190, 191, 290. Advanced Fiction, 291. Advanced Nonfiction, or 198L. Levinthal Tutorial

Poetry Track

English 92.Reading and Writing Poetry

English 160. Poetry and Poetics

English 192. Intermediate Poetry Writing

Another English 192, or 292.Advanced Poetry or 198L.Levinthal Tutorial

Creative Writing minors should note the following:

To declare a Creative Writing minor, visit the Student page in Axess. To expedite your declaration, make sure to list all 6 courses you have taken or plan to take for your minor.

Any 190 series course (190F, 190G, etc.), 191series course (191T, etc.), or 192 series course (192V, etc.) counts toward the 190, 191, or 192 requirement.

For more information, visit the Stanford Creative Writing Program.

Why learn creative writing? Truthfully, creative writing is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the 21st century. When people think of a creative writing course, they often imagine a group of lofty, out-of-touch people who wear argyle sweater vests and have unproductive conversations about abstract concepts.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth: the best writing classes remain engaged with the real world, and the skills gained in a creative writing course apply to nearly every facet of daily life.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth picking up a course in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, we have five reasons to learn creative writing. But first, let’s talk about what actually happens in a creative writing course.

The Basics of a Writing Workshop

Whether you’re enrolled in a poetry, fiction, or nonfiction writing class, you can expect the following writing process – at least in a quality writing course like the ones at Writers.com.

Weekly prompts and writing exercises to sharpen the precision and necessity of each word you use.
Constructive critiques from a community of writers who are each growing their writing skills alongside you.
A creative space to explore new ideas, experiment with language, and arrange words in new and exciting ways.
Focused writing instruction from a master of the craft.

The benefits of creative writing come from engaging with the course material, the writing prompts, and the other class members. These elements help you become a better writer, both in creative realms and in everyday life. How? No matter what form of writing, a creative writing class pushes you to connect ideas and create effective narratives using the best words – and that skill translates into real world success.

Check Out Our Online Writing Courses!

The First Fifty Pages of the Novel

with Sandra Novack

May 1st, 2024

The first 50 pages sets up plot, characters, and voice, and it lays the groundwork for your book's overall structure and success. Receive critical, supportive feedback on your book's start from novelist Sandra Novack.

Writing Our Grief: How to Channel Loss into Creative Expression

with Rudri Patel

Writing about grief is a powerful healing tool. Turn pain into power in this personal essay course, with instructor Rudri Patel.

Poetry as Sacred Attention

with Nadia Colburn

May 7th, 2024

Poetry asks us to slow down, listen, and pay attention. In this meditative workshop, we'll open ourselves to the beauty and mystery of poetry.

Toying with the truth generative nonfiction workshop

Toying with The Truth: A Generative Nonfiction Workshop

with Shelby Hinte

May 8th, 2024

Experiment with creative nonfiction forms and find the best way to tell your personal stories. Write a short piece each week, and choose one draft to polish.

Experiments in Poetry

with Elizabeth Winder

See poetry in a totally new light! Draw inspiration from the most radical, innovative, and imaginative poets in literary history, master their techniques, and write new exciting poems of your own.

The Benefits of Creative Writing

1. why learn creative writing: improved self-expression.

Improving your writing skills leads to stronger communication. When you practice finding the right word in a story or poem, you engage the same parts of your brain that are active in everyday writing and speaking. A creative writing course subconsciously turns you into a more effective communicator.

The importance of precise language and self-advocacy translates well into both interpersonal relationships and working environments. Take it from this expert on how writing and self-advocacy results in career and leadership success.

2. Why Learn Creative Writing: Job Success

This brings us to our next point: great writing leads to job success. Of course, your boss probably isn’t expecting you to write emails in the form of a short story or a sonnet – though if they are expecting this, you have a pretty cool boss.

In reality, almost every job requires some sort of written work, whether that’s simple written communication or something more elaborate, like publishing data or marketing materials. In a creative writing class, you practice the style and grammar rules necessary for effective writing, both within the realms of literature and in career-related writing. Sharpening your writing and creativity skills might just land you your next promotion.

3. Why Learn Creative Writing: Improved Thinking Skills

Strong writing leads to strong thinking. No matter what type of writing you pursue, learning how to write is another form of learning how to think.

That might seem like a bold claim, so think about it this way. Without language, our thoughts wouldn’t have form. We might not need language to think “I’m hungry” or “I like cats,” but when it comes to more abstract concepts, language is key. How would you think about things like justice, revenge, or equality without the words to express them?

When you hone in on your ability to find choice, specific words, and when you work on the skills of effective storytelling and rhetoric , you improve your ability to think in general. Good writing yields great thinking!

4. Why Learn Creative Writing: Empathy

Reading and writing both rely on empathy, especially when it comes to being an effective workshop participant. When we read and write stories, we situate ourselves in the shoes of other people; when we read and write poetry, we let language navigate us through emotion.

The importance of creative writing relies on empathy. We practice empathy whenever we listen to another person’s life story, when someone tells us about their day, and when we sit down with a client or work partner. When we write, we practice the ability to listen as well as to speak, making us more effective communicators and more compassionate human beings.

5. Why Learn Creative Writing: It’s Fun!

In case you’re not convinced that a writing course is right for you, let’s clarify one more fact: creative writing is fun. Whether you’re in a fiction writing course, starting a memoir, crafting a poem, or writing for the silver screen, you’re creating new worlds and characters. In the sandbox of literature, you’re in control, and when you invest yourself into the craft of writing, something beautiful emerges.

The Importance of Creative Writing

Simply put, creative writing helps us preserve our humanity. What better medium to explore the human experience?

To learn creative writing, like any art form, requires compassion, contemplation, and curiosity. Writers preserve the world as they observe it in stories and poetry, and they imagine a better world by creating it in their works.

Through the decades, literature has explored society’s profound changes. Literary eons like the Naturalist movement and the Beat poets responded to the increase in Western Industrialization. Confessional poets like Virginia Woolf helped transform poetry into a medium for emotional exploration and excavation. And, genre movements like the cyberpunk writers of science fiction helped popularize the idea of an “information economy.”

Thus, the importance of creative writing lies in its ability to describe the world through an honest and unfiltered lens. Anyone who engages in creative writing, no matter the genre or style, helps us explore the human experience, share new ideas, and advocate for a better society. Whether you write your stories for yourself or share them with a wide audience, creative writing makes the world a better place.

Jobs for Creative Writers

Because creative writing isn’t a STEM discipline, many people don’t think that learning it will help their job prospects. Why learn creative writing if it doesn’t make any money?

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Creative writing skills are much sought after on resumes, since both creativity and the ability to write are soft skills in decline. Additionally, if you’re considering a career change—or ready to start one!—these are some popular jobs for creative writers.

Average Starting Salary: $51,000
Demand: High
Skills needed: creativity, grammar, timeliness

Copywriters help companies put their branding into words. A copywriter might write emails, blogs, website content, or ad copy that encompasses the company’s voice and purpose. Copywriting requires you to write in a mix of styles and forms, flexing your writing muscles in new and exciting ways.

Grant Writer

Average Starting Salary: $50,000
Skills needed: storytelling, research, argumentation

Nonprofits and research facilities rely on local and national grants to fund their projects. Grant writers help secure that funding, writing engaging grants that tell the organization’s story in an engaging, tailored, and convincing way. Creative writers will enjoy the opportunity to tell a meaningful story and create positive community change through this career.

Communications/Public Relations Specialist

Skills needed: creativity, communications, social media

A communications specialist helps drive a company’s image through various social channels. They may help create a positive narrative for their company through blogs, journalist outreach, social media, and other public-facing avenues. Much like copywriting, a PR specialist helps weave an effective story for a company.

Average Starting Salary: $55,000
Demand: Medium/High
Skills needed: creativity, storytelling, organization, self-reliance

The dream job for many writers is to write and sell books. Being a novelist is an admirable career choice—and also requires the most work. Not only do you have to write your stories, but you also have to market yourself in the literary industry and maintain a social presence so that publishers and readers actually read your work. It’s a tough business, but also incredibly rewarding!

Reasons to Learn Creative Writing: Finding a Writing Community

Finally, creative writing communities make the writing struggle worth it. The relationships you foster with other creative writers can last a lifetime, as no other group of people has the same appreciation for the written word. Creative writing communities create transformative experiences and encourage growth in your writing; if there’s one reason to study creative writing craft, it’s the friendships you make in the process.

You don’t need a class to start writing, but it’s never a waste of time to learn the tools of the trade. Creative writing requires the skills that can help you in everyday life, and a creative writing course can help.

At Writers.com, we believe that creative writing can transform both individual lives and the world at large. See the importance of creative writing for yourself: check out what makes our creative writing courses different , then take a look at our upcoming course calendar today.

Sean Glatch

Would like to apply for a course to write a novel.

I’d be happy to help! Please email [email protected] with any questions, and we’ll find the right course for your writing.

[…] Sean. “Why Learn Creative Writing.” writers.com. June 7, 2020. https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing . Accessed November 7, […]

[…] And last of all it’s fun! I hope to live my life doing the things I love, with like-minded creative people who I love. I have many exciting things upcoming as I continue with the process of completing my first novel, Les Année Folles, such as publishing to my first magazine, journal, and working on the millions of short story ideas I have stored in my head. Stay tuned! References: Glatch, S. (2020, June 7). WHY LEARN CREATIVE WRITING? Retrieved from Writers.com: https://writers.com/why-learn-creative-writing […]

Creative Writing

Selected Journals

How-To Books and Information

Contemporary Authors

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Find books, articles, and more in WorldCat Discovery:

Creative Nonfiction
Screenwriting
Graphic Novels
Magic Realism

"Overview of Creative Nonfiction" from Purdue OWL

"Poetry Writing: Invention" from Purdue OWL
"Writing Poetry" by Douglas Livingstone

"Magical Realism" from Emory University
"An Introduction to Magical Realism" by Dr. Philip Irving Mitchell, Dallas Baptist University

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A Brief History of Creative Writing

by Matt Herron | 20 comments

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There are hundreds of new programs, websites, and apps to help with your creative writing, but it might help you put them into perspective by examining the history out of which these technologies have emerged.

Like all technology, new tools are built on the foundation of the ones that came before them. Let's take a quick journey through the history of creative writing tools so that we can evaluate modern creative writing tools in a historical context.

Oral Storytelling

Originally, stories were passed from generation to generation through oral storytelling traditions .

In these traditions, the primary “writing” tool was the storyteller’s memory and voice , though stories were often augmented by instruments and dance. Stories were imbued with the personality of the teller, and took on color in the creative exchange with the audience.

Stories evolved over time through the retelling. They improved, were embellished, or were transformed into myth and legend.

The Written Word

It wasn't until (relatively) recently, with the invention of the written word ( archaeologists place its formation around 3200 BC , depending on location) that we started writing stories down.

This is where the history of creative writing really begins.

Some of the earliest examples of written stories in the Western tradition are the Bible and Homer's Odyssey; in the Eastern Tradition, the Indian Vedas and Sanskrit poems; in central America, the Mayan Codices.

It’s likely that many of these early texts were simply being transcribed from the oral tradition. The legend that Homer was blind—whether it’s true or not—gives us a symbolic link connecting the oral and written storytelling traditions.

In any case, storytellers started writing their stories down. Once that happened, the process of creative writing evolved.

Instead of telling and retelling stories orally and making them better over time, written language gave storytellers the ability to tell themselves the story over and over again using a drafting process. It gave them a way to record more stories by providing them a physical extension of their memory: ink and paper .

The art of writing was an esoteric discipline for a long time. At first, only monks and the rich and educated classes were taught how to write. Inks and quills were expensive. Paper was hard to come by and difficult to make. World literacy skyrocketed in the second half of the 20 th century. As late as 1950, world literacy was estimated at a mere 36% .

Today, 83% of people can read and write.

The Printing Press

Apart from the expense of writing in ancient times, many obstacles to distribution had to be surmounted. The Bible is an example of a collection of stories that found early success and popularity. But access was limited. Bibles were copied out by hand and manually bound.

This laborious process continued for several hundred years, until Gutenberg came along in 1450 and invented the printing press. Though it was not the first printing press (the Chinese are often given credit for inventing the first moveable type ), it changed everything.

The printing press made the first mass production of books possible. It’s important to understand that Gutenberg’s press led not to an improvement of the writing process, but to the distribution process. This is an important distinction. Writing a story was still laborious as ever, but now a writer could reach their readers in a more affordable way.

Typewriters

Around the late 1800s, the invention of the typewriter began to develop the creative writing process in earnest.

The typewriter quickly became an indispensable tool for writers. Instead of writing a story by hand, then having it typeset by a printing press, a writer could now push buttons to get their words printed directly on the page. It made the writing process faster and more efficient, and the wide and rapid adoption of the typewriter proved its worth.

It’s not a novel thing to you and I that a writer can push buttons and see their words appear before them—we grew up with computers. Yet, to writers at the tail end of the 19th century, it must have been a magical experience.

A hundred years later, computers were invented and another dramatic shift in the writing process was made possible. Instead of typing a story on paper, writers could type it on a screen—no more white out, no more wasted paper.

The invention of computers, and the writing software developed for them, marks the next evolutionary step in writing tools. A Brief History of Word Processing explains: “With the screen, text could be entered and corrected without having to produce a hard copy. Printing could be delayed until the writer was satisfied with the material.”

This was followed by increased storage capacity, which upped the volume and number of works which could be edited or worked on simultaneously, spell check, instantly accessible dictionaries, and other innovations.

Non-Linear Word Processing Software

This brief history of creative writing tools brings us to the present day.

And yet, word processing software has not changed all that much in recent years. Modern versions of Microsoft Word, for example, are almost identical to the version from 1997 on which I first learned word processing. That annoying paperclip fellow is gone, but the interface of the software and its core functionality remains the same. Namely, the writer is presented with a single vertical column of digital “pages” on which to type. In most word processing software, that linear structure cannot be changed.

The well-informed among you are now thinking about the exceptions to this rule, or what I like to call the next milestone in creative writing tool history : non-linear creative writing programs like Scrivener and Ulysses .

Instead of trying to imitate the typewriter, these programs approach writing from a structural angle. They allow you to write out of order and rearrange components (pages, scenes, chapters, etc.) in a hierarchical tree structure. They also give you the ability to apply meta-data to your work—things like point of view, draft status, etc.—in an effective, tangible way that increases understanding and, if used correctly, productivity and enjoyment in the writing process.

In the history of creative writing tools, non-linear word processing software is the cutting edge.

Digital Publishing

Modern authors also need tools that gives them a leg up on the digital first approach. Anyone who has ever tried to convert a Microsoft Word document into an ebook will sympathize with this challenge—Word has a penchant for adding hidden formatting tags and making it difficult for writers to convert their stories into publishable digital formats.

Tools like Scrivener help remove that pain by giving you a compile process that is designed to export for all the modern e-book formats.

I don’t want you to struggle with out-dated linear word processing software anymore. I want you to be an evolved writer.

I want you to think digital first. I want you to write in a way that’s natural to you—whether that’s out of order or linearly—using a modern piece of software that’s designed for both.

Scrivener is my tool of choice, and I've already written several articles about how to use it . Over the coming weeks, I'll continue to cover the writing process with Scrivener in detail, from planning a story all the way through compiling to publication-ready formats.

I hope that with this historical context, you'll be able to see the benefits of working with the most modern creative writing tools. And if the learning curve of a program like Scrivener intimidates you, you're not alone. Stay tuned, and I'll walk you through it from beginning to end.

Which tools do YOU use to write? Let us know in the comments section .

Consider these questions as they relate to your own writing process:

Do you write out of order? Why or why not?
How does your current set of writing tools fit your process?
Have you tried new tools to improve your process? If so, what blockers have you come up against?

Post your answers in the comments so we can discuss and address your concerns in the upcoming series of articles.

Matt Herron

Matt Herron is the author of Scrivener Superpowers: How to Use Cutting-Edge Software to Energize Your Creative Writing Practice . He has a degree in English Literature, a dog named Elsa, and an adrenaline addiction sated by rock climbing and travel. The best way to get in touch with him is on Twitter @mgherron .

20 Comments

I have used them all. Went to college carrying an Olivetti manual portable, that I think was originally used in WW II. I will say this for manual typewriters, they worked. Period. Didn’t need batteries, or power cords, or nothing, but fingers, brains, and a little oil now and then. Ok good stiff vellum paper and an eraser were additional required equipment, unless you wrote perfect papers, the first time, or could afford to pay someone to type them. Actually did that once. I think she was dyslexic because most two letter words came out reversed … “is” was “si” and “it” was “ti”. Couldn’t say much as she was my sister-in-law.

I have tried new tools. The problem is every one of them had a developer with a feather up their butt that thought “they” new how to do it better. So, you get used to keystrokes you use in one, go to another and lose your document. Google Docs is my latest nemesis.

I write out of order. Usually, what happens is, I set my music and slip my headphones on and pace in a vaguely elliptical pattern around my office, thinking, until, eventually, a nice line comes to mind, some felicitous arrangement of words, and I type them into a note taking program, which I use in lieu of the 1,000+ randomly titled “note.txt” files that would otherwise clutter my hard drive. This process repeats, or fails to, for hundreds of iterations, until, at last, the floodgates open and I write thousands of words in the span of an hour in a fit of fervid fury. On exactly zero occasions have the ideas come in order. The rest of the process involves me sitting down with a lot of caffeine and, paradoxically, enough tranquilizers to anxiolytize a small eastern European country, and try to stitch it all together.

When I try to sit down and write from A to B like a normal human being, it sucks, which is why all my comment-type posts are so boring.

I love fountain pens. I love all pens. Love calligraphy, penmanship, nice paper, etc. And that sucks, because my handwriting is so bad, even I can’t read it, and I write too slowly to keep up with myself, and my hands cramp and start to hurt after only a minute or so of writing. I do all my writing in ancient, old-fashioned programs you’ve never heard of, and really ought not to, because they’re terrible.

I’ve tried to use typewriters, but I get cramps in my wrist if I don’t use my keyboard; it’s ergonomic and it folds in half, so you can keep your hands in a nice, neutral position. This is a major pain, because you can’t take the stupid thing anywhere. Popping open a laptop to write in the park? Nope. I’m thinking about buying a tablet and building some sort of convoluted keyboard/tablet carrying device, so I can write where I please without worrying about the distraction of wrist pain, but with my luck, my editing programs won’t work on a tablet, and I’ll be totally screwed.

In short, my ideal writing environment is a space station, I hate technology, I can’t work without technology, and writing is a gigantic pain. The end.

I used to write all in Google Docs because I like being able to access my work anywhere on any device, but it’s not really the greatest for organizing your writing. I love the ability to rearrange. Scrivener’s great, but you can’t access it anywhere on any device, so I’ve just started using a web-based program called Novelize, and I’m very impressed with it. It gives me the ability to outline, write, and re-organize, and it goes with me anywhere. GetNovelize [dot] com for anyone interested.

I use CMAP for arranging concepts and relationships, Scrivener to gather research and format the document, and sometimes TextEdit for random text creation to slot into scenes or other spots.

I am not in the modern generation. When I attended college, we wrote our papers. And, I might add, we knew cyrillic. Kids aren’t taught to do more than a little printing. Granted, I can do ‘search’ and find information. I was fine with my Britannica. I am behind the times and look backward in time. I can use my computer, but more complicated business as submitting typed papers, I still can’t do. In HS, the smart ones studied Latin, me included. I should have taken typing, but that course was not for the bright ones, me. I can’t keep up with modern technology, because I wasn’t taught that way in the 50s.

Jean, I can understand the challenge (I have a side line coaching fellow seniors on the transition to technology, so am familiar with the difficulties). An advantage in diving in rests with the ability to get exposure to ways of approaching your writing that otherwise might not occur. You can still act on this exposure in an analog, i.e. paper and pencil, way. For example, one post mentions mind-mapping and I mentioned CMAP, an application for working with logic and concepts and relationships between ideas, concepts–or characters 😉 Each of these approaches can be carried out manually with the advantage that the application can’t drive you along the path it wants. Happy writing–whether printing or cursive!

Hi Matt! I’ve read about Scrivener, and I’m sure it is every writer’s ambition to have this writing tool. I use Microsoft Word for writing my stories, poems, novels. I used to write all my first drafts in longhand. I switched to the key board when I learned to type faster, and use the handy tools provided in Word. I try and write in order, and cut or copy and paste when I’m revising. I haven’t tried any new tools. I’d love to know about Scrivener. I’ll appreciate any information you post on WP.

Many thanks, Lilian

I’m still a devotee of Word.

It’s a versatile tool when you get to know it, and while it certainly tempts me to rip my hair out sometimes, we make our troubled relationship work.

I’d be interested in trying Scrivener out. However, many aspiring authors spend too much time and treasure on software or hardware, thinking that this will make them successful. I want to achieve success with the tools I currently have, due to my DEDICATION, and then upgrade when my attitude is right.

I use a free version of Microsoft Office called Open Office. It works pretty much the same way. Sometimes, when I write the first rough draft, I turn to pen and paper.

Sometimes, I write out of order if I don’t know how to transition from one paragraph to another, or from going from one event to another. Sometimes, I don’t know how to start a story, and so I will start with a bullet point I have in my outline. I’ve heard that short stories usually take a couple of hours—at most, a day—to write. I’m not wired that way.

I don’t write out of order, but I plan out of order. I have a full page somewhere here detailing plot points and what set what in motion. But the majority of the process stays in my brain. It froths and boils there, taking new forms and new twists until I pick out the ones I like best with a pencil.

Wordpad fits my process perfectly because I can write page after page and stuff it all into one document I can find easily. But I am a hybrid Writer. I like to type and write stories and ideas down as they come, primarily ideas into paper and stories into the computer.

I have not tried out any new tools to improve my process but, I think after reading this I might try out a few new programs.

Looking forward to reading these upcoming articles. I don’t know a thing about Scrivener, but I do know that handing my WordPerfect document to my illustrator has caused her hours of grief trying to insert the art — and the printer says, “No wonder. It doesn’t work.”

I do write out of order. I write in my sleep and wake up and head to the computer. I write for hours until I’ve downloaded my dream. I call it dream simply because I’ve done this for 20 years and I don’t know what wake to call it.

I have written and self published one book and I can relate to this article. I was almost in tears trying to convert the word document into epub format. Finally I got the job done through a professional for a fee. I tried using Scrivener, I downloaded the trial version but I somehow could not figure it out. I have gone back to using word.

But … Scrivener does have a compile option that outputs an epub format. I do understand about flipping between interfaces. It can be a pain.

I try not to write out of order, but sometimes I get so stuck on a part of my story it’s just easier to move on and go in a different direction for a while until I can figure out how to get out of what is blocking me.

I use Microsoft Word for writing. Suits me because I can edit again and again and try out different techniques without having to waste paper.

“And if the learning curve of a program like Scrivener intimidates you, you’re not alone.” This is my first red flag recognizing “non-user friendly” incompetent software program design – non-intuitive use difficulty by computer literate beginners. If the intuitive program design hurdle hasn’t been removed, then the software is not ready for prime time use – rather its by programming geeks – for programming geeks, and as you know writers aren’t usually software geeks.

The next thing you will tell me is how powerful Scrivener is. However, I’m way ahead of you. My brother-n-law is a senior Apple platform software engineer and over the last 10 years I have learned that is that anything he describes as “powerful”- has nothing to do with “power,” but translating from geek speak – simply means “unnecessarily complex” and saturated with lots of options that you will never use – unless you are a software engineer.

I have tried Scrivener and unfortunately it is far from and intuitive writing tool and has lots of features that most writers will either ignore and never use, or just be confused by. I agree that Word has its share of bugs and formatting frustrations. However, exchanging those frustrations for additional new and unknown frustrations in a long learning curve – especially while in the middle of a complex writing project is not a solution, but rather just another problem for the writer.

Scrivener should hire some successful writers that also have programming and software design skills, not the other way around. Unfortunately, software programs are almost never designed and built by the specifically skilled who actually need them. Scrivener seems to be the same. Additionally, software programmer populations are composed of people with higher than average Asperger’s Syndrome personality types. In fact, Asperger Syndrome personality types (like my B-n-L) are actively sought out for their unique focus abilities by software companies, but this has software design down side. The most common disability of Asperger’s Syndrome is difficulty in communication skills. Having communication ability challenges to start with, presents its own challenges in communication software design in general. I can see this as being an even greater challenge in developing useful writer and other communication software tools. Scrivener I don’t believe is as “evolved” as you perceive. That said, I will always appreciated your efforts in untangling its maze.

Hi dduggerbiocepts, after reading your post on Scrivener I have decided to stick to Word for writing my stories and novels. I’m not and never will be a computer geek, and the advanced programme of Scrivener awes me, probably because I’ll be lost in trying to make good use of all the aps. Thanks for clearing my curiousity.

I have just fallen in love, because as a windows user and cheapskate, Scrivener doesn’t hold much promise… Bibisco. Seriously, try it! If Bibisco was a person, I’d marry it! And I’m not even joking.

That looks pretty cool, Meg! But just out of curiosity, do you find Scrivner prohibitively expensive? It seems really really cheap to me… $50 for a lifetime license is GOOD.

I’m from India, Matt.

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More information about Creative Writing

Goddard College offers the nation’s first low-residency MFA in Creative Writing and first and only low-residency BFA in creative writing.

We believe in the power of your imagination. Since 1976, when Goddard College launched the nation’s first low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, we have provided an enduring creative home for writers like you. Our goal is to help you find, refine, and share your words with the world.

Unlike conventional Master of Fine Arts programs, we welcome writers in a variety of genres, including libretto, television writing, and the graphic novel, as well as creative nonfiction, poetry, dramatic writing, fiction, speculative fiction, and hybrid forms.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts community values experimentation and encourages students to write in ways that might be new for them. BFA students design a program wherein they write in two genres (poetry, creative non-fiction, fiction, drama, hybrid forms), study works across eras and cultures, become acquainted with literary theory, write on the ethics of being a writer, and compile a senior study which contains a creative manuscript and critical writing that puts their work in context.

In our low-residency model, each semester you work one-on-one with a professional writer who is an expert in the genre you are most passionate about. Whether you are new to writing or have spent decades developing your creative voice, we are prepared to support your work.

Creative Writing Degree Options

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Hybrid Forms
Creative Nonfiction and Memoir

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Playwriting
Screenwriting
Libretto Writing
Television Writing
Graphic Novel Scriptwriting
Cross-Genre and Hybrid Forms

Individualized Master of Arts

Writing as Transformative Practice
Writing for Social Change
Writing with Communities
Writing as Spiritual Practice

Low-Residency Model

The low-residency model removes the barriers between living your life and learning. Each semester begins with an eight-day residency. Students can participate virtually from home or onsite in Vermont. Residencies offer seminars, meetings with your advising groups, workshops, one-on-one meetings with an advisor, and presentations. You will also connect with faculty, practitioners, activists, and artists, and your fellow students.

Following the residency, students return home for 16 weeks of independent work in close collaboration with a faculty advisor.

Request more information from an Admissions Counselor.

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The Board of Directors for Goddard College have made the difficult decision to close the college at the end of the 2024 Spring term.

Current Goddard students will have the opportunity to complete their degrees at the same tuition rate through a teach-out with like-minded institution, Prescott College . Updates and scholarship funds will be available in the coming weeks and months. Information will be posted to www.goddard.edu .

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What Is Informative Writing?

Written by Rebecca Turley

“Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and I’d have the facts.” ~ To Kill a Mockingbird , Harper Lee

The purpose of informative writing is to share information without any opinion or bias. In informative writing, there’s no room for your personal insights, feelings, and attitudes about the subject. The task is clear: educate the reader by conveying factually accurate and relevant information.

It may be presented in the form of an essay, an article, a textbook, a biography, a nonfiction book, how-to guide, a report, and more.

Also called explanatory or expository writing, informative writing comes down to writing about the facts, for the facts, with only the facts in mind.

Here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind as you craft informative pieces:

Informative writing:

Provides facts and details about a topic using examples and evidence from research
Educates the reader
Reports new or interesting findings
Seeks to improve the reader’s understanding about a topic

Informative writing does not :

Seek to change the reader’s opinion
Persuade the reader
Present an argument

What Is the Purpose of Informative Writing?

Informative writing can accomplish one or more goals:

Describe Something or Share Information

Informative writing may provide a detailed description of something – a person, an event, a thing, a place. “What to do at Yellowstone National Park,” “An examination of Post-WWII Japan,” or “A look at the lifecycle of a Monarch butterfly” – these are all examples of using informative writing to describe a place, thing, or event.

Analyze Cause and Effect

You can use informative writing to describe the effect of something or the how and the why behind things that take place. When addressing the why piece while establishing cause and effect, it’s easy to slip into persuasive or argumentative writing. So it’s important that in your description of cause and effect, you focus on providing factual information that reveals a connection between two factors, not an interpretation based on anything outside of the facts at hand. “How does stress impact your health?” and “What changes did the Civil Rights Movement bring about?” both provide an opportunity to explore cause and effect, and both also present a real challenge when it comes to putting feelings aside to tell the story.

Compare and Contrast

Informative writing is often used to compare similarities or differences between two things. While comparing and contrasting can easily become argumentative (“Why premium gas is better for your car than standard unleaded gas”), it can also be structured in an informative, unbiased fashion (“Comparing the difference between premium gas and standard unleaded gas”).

Explain a Process

“How to change your car’s oil” or “How the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was pained” are a couple of wildly different examples of how informative writing can provide readers with an in-depth description of a process. How-to guides and step-by-step tutorials are good examples of explaining a process.

Provide an Answer or Solution to a Problem

With this type of write-up, you identify a problem and then its solution. You can highlight one solution to the problem without showing a bias or preference, or you can provide several solutions to the problem at hand. Informative writing in this context provides one or more solutions to questions concerning practical matters like “How do I save money on my heating bill?” or “How do I find the best mortgage rate?”

Answer Why or How

Informative writing can detail how things work or why things happen using clear, unbiased, informative language. For example, “Why does the presidential election in the U.S. rely on using the Electoral College?” and “How does an internal combustion engine work?” both seek to answer a question.

The Best Way to Structure a Piece of Informative Writing

While this type of writing lends itself to a more formal presentation, you can keep the read interesting and engaging by switching up sentence structure and using a variety of bullet points, headings, and subheadings. Keep the flowery language at bay and watch your use of adjectives and adverbs because they can often take an informative piece or an expository or argumentative one.

Informative writing is best organized by providing:

A strong, opening paragraph that introduces the topic to be discussed
Supporting paragraphs that include topic sentences, followed by supporting evidence
A concluding paragraph that provides a summary of key points and evidence

Because informative writing is all about sharing detailed information and facts, it’s a good practice to keep each supporting paragraph organized and focused on just one point, detail, or aspect. It’s also important to present the information in a clear, organized manner that’s accessible to readers unfamiliar with the topic.

Veracity is King in Informative Writing

Citing credible sources helps give informative writing its own credibility. Without source citations, your informative writing piece won’t come across as a reliable, trustworthy read.

Don’t guess, don’t assume, and don’t take something you’ve heard as fact. Verify it, cite it, and use reliable sources.

Your best bet? Government sites (ending in .gov), academic sites (ending in .edu), scholarly journals, and trusted new sites.

Introduction to Creative Writing

Course description.

Introduces the craft and practice of creative writing. Engages with both contemporary and classic authors within the primary genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. May also include exploration of other genres such as drama, screenwriting, digital storytelling, film, and performance genres. Develops use of craft elements discussed in class to compose original work in at least two genres. Covers revision practices for voice and purpose. Audit Available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Identify the basic craft elements of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction writing.
Read critically to analyze poetry, fiction, essays, and other written works.
Write original poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction works.
Participate in workshop method of critiquing creative writing.
Revise works within the creative writing process.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

The determination of assessment strategies is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: writings (journals, self-reflections, pre writing exercises, essays), quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, group projects, presentations (in person, videos, etc), self-assessments, experimentations, lab reports, peer critiques, responses (to texts, podcasts, videos, films, etc), student generated questions, Escape Room, interviews, and/or portfolios.

Department suggestions: Original poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction works, peer workshop, written analysis of creative texts.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

Outcome #1: identify the basic crat elements of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction writing..

point of view
symbolism/allegory
figurative language
rhyme scheme
speaker vs poet
basic poetic forms (i.e. sonnet, haiky, villanelle, sestia, acrostic, ballad, ode, free verse, limerick, etc.)

Outcome #2: Read critically to analyze poetry, fiction, and essays.

identiry genre
identify main idea/point/purpose
describe structure
impacts of author choices
annotating a text
making claims
summary vs analysis
in class workshop
instruction in constructive feedback (both written and verbal)
crafting question as feedback

Outcome #3: Write original poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction work.

Brainstorming
writing journal
acrostic prompts
hermit crab/mimic forms
written description of images
timed freewriting
at least one fiction draft
2-5 poem drafts
at least one creative nonfiction draft

Outcome #4: Participate in workshop method of critiquing creative writing.

set community standards for in class workshop
written drafts submitted in advance
instruction on constructive and polite feeback
guided workshop process
both verbal and written feedback among peers

Outcome #5: Revise works within the creative writing process.

reverse outlines
cut & amp; rearrange
scan and highlight
revision checklists
diction/word choice
consistent point of view
shifts in verb tense
sentence/line variety
paragraph breakdown
integrate insights from workshop process in revision work
integrate insights from readings in revision work
write self-assessment of revision process

Suggested Texts and Materials

OER Text: Write or Left: An OER Textbook for Creative Writing Classes. Compiled and written by Sybil Priebe, an Associate Professor at the North Dakota State College of Science.
OER Text: the anti-textbook of writing (remixed). By Sybil Priebe and students.
OER Text: Introduction to Creative Writing. Linda Frances Lein, Alexandria Technical and Community College – Distance Minnesota
OER Text: Creative Writing, Creative Process. Matthew Cheney, Plymouth State University

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Berkeley Berkeley Academic Guide: Academic Guide 2023-24

Creative writing.

About the Program

The Creative Writing Program is an interdisciplinary minor program offered by the Office of Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies in the Division of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Letters & Science. The approved courses students take to satisfy the minor course requirements are offered by over forty departments and programs on campus. Interested undergraduate students in any major may earn an interdepartmental minor in creative writing by completing the requirements listed in the Minor Requirements tab. For further information, please also see the Creative Writing Minor website and the program's Frequently Asked Questions pages .

There is no major program in Creative Writing.

Declaring and Completing the Minor

Information regarding declaring the minor and completing the minor, including deadlines, is available on the Creative Writing Minor website . See Declaring and Completing .

Students who are interested in the Creative Writing minor are encouraged to subscribe to the Creative Writing minor email list serve to receive important news about the minor, including special approval courses for the minor that are not published on the website. To subscribe, email [email protected] .

Visit Program Website

Minor Requirements

Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements and are noted officially on the transcript, but are not noted on diplomas.

General Guidelines

All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A.

All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade.

A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.

A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses to fulfill the minor requirements.

Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement, for Letters & Science students.

No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.

All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.

All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Course Requirements

At least two of the three writing courses must be taken at UC Berkeley.

Students may be allowed to include courses that are not on the following lists with the approval of the creative writing minor faculty advisor. It is the responsibility of the student to provide the faculty advisor with documentary evidence to support the claim of course eligibility. Contact the creative writing minor student academic advisor at [email protected] for more information.

Contact Information

Creative writing minor.

Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies

235 Evans Hall

Program Director and Faculty Advisor

Fiona McFarlane, PhD (Department of English)

413 Wheeler Hall

[email protected]

Student Academic Advisor

Laura Demir

[email protected]

Print Options

When you print this page, you are actually printing everything within the tabs on the page you are on: this may include all the Related Courses and Faculty, in addition to the Requirements or Overview. If you just want to print information on specific tabs, you're better off downloading a PDF of the page, opening it, and then selecting the pages you really want to print.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

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Concentration in Creative Writing

As part of the master of arts in english at southeastern, creative writing program mission.

The Creative Writing concentration at Southeastern is dedicated to supporting the intensely personal act of creating literature. Incoming students encounter an open, respectful community of writers/faculty and a curriculum that embraces the full range of writing experiences through intensive workshops, independent studies, and literature classes; internship experiences; and close contact with Southeastern's visiting Writers-in-Residence. The Creative Writing program at Southeastern simultaneously challenges students to extend the possibilities of their craft and offers them a safe place to take risks as they develop a body of finished work.

CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Students who plan to concentrate in Creative Writing will need to meet with, and gain the permission of, the Coordinator of Creative Writing. Students must complete the following coursework:

Students must also complete at least 15 hours of coursework in English at the 600 level. With the approval of the Advisory Committee, students may take a maximum of six graduate hours in a related field.

FACULTY

David Armand

Assistant Professor, Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction

M.F.A., University of Arkansas, Monticello, AR

M.A., Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA

B.A., Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA

Notable Achievements: In 2010, David Armand won the George Garrett Fiction prize for his first novel, The Pugilist's Wife , which was published by Texas Review Press. He has since published three more novels, two collections of poetry, and a memoir. His latest book, Mirrors , is forthcoming from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, and a full-length poetry collection, The Evangelist , is forthcoming from Mercer University Press.

Dr. Jack B. Bedell, Poetry

Professor, Concentration Coordinator, and Editor of Louisiana Literature

Ph.D., University of Louisiana at Lafayette

M.F.A., University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

M.A., Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA

B.A., Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA

Areas of Expertise: Modern and Contemporary Literature and Creative Writing.

Notable Achievements: Dr. Bedell has published poems in the Connecticut Review and The Hudson Review. His books include Sleeping with the Net-Maker, At the Bonehouse, What Passes for Love , and Greatest Hits .

Affiliations: Dr. Bedell is a member of the Gulf Coast Association of Creative Writing Teachers.

Other Information: Books which Dr. Bedell highly recommends for everyone are James Dickey's Poems 1957-1967 and J. D. Salinger's Nine Stories. His favorite quotation is, "Pain come from the darkness and we call it knowledge. It is Pain."--Randall Jarrell.

Dr. Reine Bouton, Creative Non-Fiction

Assistant Professor

Education:

Ph.D., University of Southern Mississippi

M.A., University of New Orleans

B.A., University of New Orleans

Areas of Expertise: Modern American and British Literature, Travel Writing, Southern Literature, Composition and Rhetoric, Eudora Welty.

Notable Achievements: Dr. Bouton's recent journal publications have appeared in Arkansas Review, The Teaching Professor, Literature in Wissenschaft und Unterricht, and Teaching in the Two-Year College.

Affiliations: MLA, The Eudora Welty Society, The Two-Year College Association, National Association for Developmental Education.

Dr. Tim Gautreaux, Fiction

Professor Emeritus. Southeastern's first Writer-in-Residence

Ph.D., University of South Carolina

B.A., Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA

Areas of Expertise: Dr. Gautreaux has published two novels, The Next Step in the Dance and The Clearing, and two collections of short stories--Same Place, Same Things and Welding with Children. His fiction has appeared regularly in Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, GQ and other places. He was once awarded the National Book of the Year prize.

Dr. Richard Louth, Creative Non-Fiction and Fiction

Ph.D., University of Virginia

M.A., University of Virginia

B.A., Brown University

Areas of Expertise: Louisiana Literature, Living Writers, Modern American Literature, Southern Literature, Composition and Rhetoric, William Faulkner, Technical Writing.

Notable Achievements: Dr. Louth is the founder of the New Orleans Writing Marathon, has led over 100 Writing Marathons across the country, and recently led a Virtual Writing Marathon for the National Writing Project’s “WriteAcrossAmerica” program. His most recent publications have appeared in Louisiana Literature, Assay , and Country Roads .

Affiliations: National Writing Project and National Council of Teachers of English.

Alison Pelegrin

Distinguished Writer-in-Residence

M.F.A., University of Arkansas

M.A., Southeastern Louisiana University

B.A., Southeastern Louisiana University

Areas of Expertise: Creative Writing, Poetry, Hybrid Forms in Poetry and Prose, Creative Non-Fiction, Publishing Studies, Creative Writing Pedagogy, Generative Writing.

Notable Achievements: Alison Pelegrin's publications have appeared in journals such as Poetry, Ploughshares, The Southern Review, Crazyhorse, The Gettysburg Review, and dozens of others. Her books include Waterlines, Hurricane Party, Big Muddy River of Stars, and The Zydeco Tablets. She has also published four chapbooks and won multiple awards for her poetry.

Affiliations : National Poetry Society, Poets and Writers, Associated Writing Programs.

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Department of English

Creative Writing

Information for Current Creative Writing Students

The English Department Graduate Office is the best source for general information about graduate work at UNT. For issues specific to creative writing, refer to the information below. If you have further questions about creative writing, ask the Director of Creative Writing or your thesis/dissertation director.

Expectations for Students Beyond the Catalog Requirements M.A. and Ph.D. students should take at least workshop outside of their genre.

Ph.D. students are expected to at least three workshops in their own genre.

Both M.A. and Ph.D. students are expected to take Form and Theory, preferably in the genre in which they are earning their degrees.

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom We believe your education as a writer continues outside of workshops and literature courses, and so we encourage you to participate in the larger literary life of our department. You should attend the Visiting Writers Series events, even those outside your genre. You should also read your own work in the Graduate Student Reading Series. And working with American Literary Review and North Texas Review will give you the chance to gain editing experience as well as a fuller understanding of literary publishing.

Teaching English 2100 (Introduction to Creative Writing) and 3000-level Workshops ENGL 2100 is a multi-genre, non-majors creative writing class taught by teaching fellows. You may apply to teach a section of this course in the coming academic year during the spring semester. If you're selected, you will be assigned a faculty mentor who will offer advice on designing and teaching the course and who will observe you in the classroom. Students who have previously taught 2100 can apply to teach a 3000-level workshop in their genre of focus.

Ph.D. Exams for Creative Writers In consultation with your committee, you will create reading lists for your exams. Your primary exam should cover significant writers and works in your genre and should do so with some historical depth.

We recommend that your secondary exam cover a reading list useful for your dissertation project, especially works that will feed your preface.

Creating a Thesis/Dissertation Committee Your committee should include two creative writing faculty members who work in your genre and a third member from outside your area, preferably from literature or composition and rhetoric. Begin by asking the person you'd like to direct your thesis or dissertation. Your director can help you determine the rest of your committee. Especially when looking for your third member, consider professors who know you and are familiar with your academic work.

Creative Thesis/Dissertation The final requirement for writers pursuing the M.A. or Ph.D. degrees is a creative thesis or dissertation. The thesis/dissertation is composed of two parts:

1. A manuscript of creative work in the student's genre written while in the program--a collection of essays, stories or poems, or a more sustained work of fiction or nonfiction. For the thesis, we expect a manuscript that approximates a chapbook (30 pages poetry, five to six stories or essays, a novella). For the dissertation, we expect the manuscript to be book-length (48-75 pages of poetry, 200-300 pages of prose).

2. A critical preface (15-20 pages for the thesis, 20-25 for the dissertation) that locates the student's work in the larger literary tradition. The preface usually discusses some aspect of craft or subject matter that the student finds in her own writing. While the preface should be analytical and argument-based, demonstrating a familiarity with literary history and scholarship, it should also focus on how literary works are made. Ultimately, the preface should be written from the perspective of a practicing writer.

For general program information, please see the Graduate Handbook for English Students .

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Middle, High School Students Invited to Participate in Summer Writing Camps Presented by UCM's Greater Kansas City Writing Project

By Janice Phelan, April 26, 2024

The Greater Kansas City Writing Project (GKCWP) and the University of Central Missouri (UCM) will present two four-day summer camps focusing on creative writing, sharing and friendship. Designed for students in middle and high school, the 2024 Young Writers Camps will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 9-12 at UCM’s Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 16-19 at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center in Kauffman Legacy Park in Kansas City. The unique camps, offered since 1983 by GKCWP and UCM, provide a creative and supportive environment for young people. Each session is developed and led by experienced teachers of writing. The camps are created for students who already love writing and want to enjoy writing more. At the end of each session, young writers will share their favorite pieces with friends and families at an open mic celebration. Summer Writing Camp participants include a diverse group of young people ranging from students working on their first novel to aspiring poets to writers seeking motivation and encouragement for a variety of projects. Students enrolling by May 1 will qualify for the $225 early-bird registration fee. Cost is $275 for registration after May 1. For more information and to register, visit this webpage .

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The Best Practices for Writing Productivity

by acburton | Apr 25, 2024 | Resources for Students , Writing Resources

Consistent writing–even at only one page a day–can significantly improve writing productivity and bring balance to your work-related habits. The key to consistency is setting a schedule! For writing, we recommend a flexible time set aside for about 2-4 hours per day, five days a week. Try starting a new page every day; start fresh and avoid the temptation to hyperfixate on editing what you already wrote–that comes later! Even if you only write one page during that time, building this habit creates pathways for improved writing productivity in the future.

* Imagine that you write one page a day, for five days a week. You take the weekends off. At the end of a week, you have 5 pages; at the end of a month, you have 20+ pages. At the end of the year, even if you take two weeks’ vacation, you have 250+ pages!

Don’t forget to work at a pace that suits you! Start small and increase your regularity from a manageable goal.

The following sections overview goal-setting advice, accountability tips, journaling and writing log suggestions, and link out to relevant tools and apps.

In addition to SMART planning, you can also try to plan backwards . When is the assignment due? How long do you need for final edits? How long do you need to make a second draft? Plan your writing goals backward from the deadline. Create drafting and outlining goals based on your hard and soft deadlines.

SMART Goals

M easurable: Making your goals quantifiable makes it a lot easier to track and record your progress. This will also help you gain a greater sense of when your goal is complete and when to move on to the next one.

A chievable: When establishing your goals, be sure that they are realistic or, in other words, achievable . Ask yourself if the goal you have set for yourself is something you can reasonably accomplish within a set time frame.

R elevant: Before setting your goal, think about your big “why.” Why are you choosing this goal now? Why are you setting the goal you have chosen to set? How will completing this goal move your project further?

Hold Yourself Accountable

Below are some tips for holding yourself accountable throughout the writing process:

Write down your goals and say them out loud to another person.
Use obligations to meet deadlines such as meetings with an advisor, conference presentations, peer writing groups and accountability meetings.
Use deadlines to take ownership of your projects.

Try Something Different

Journaling or writing logs are a good place to start when tracking your writing progress. Any time you sit down to write a substantial amount, reflect afterwards and track your project’s progress. In addition to logging basic information like the day and how long you spent writing, questions for reflection are:

Did you write what you expected?
What did you accomplish in your writing session?
When is a good time to review and edit what you wrote?
What do you hope to accomplish the next time you write?

Tools, Apps, & More

Focus & timebound apps.

The Pomodoro Method
StayFocused
Cold Turkey
SelfControl (for Macs)
Freedom (for Macs)
FocusWriter (Linux and Windows)

Planning & Habit Apps

Our newest resources.

Synthesis and Making Connections for Strong Analysis
Writing Strong Titles
TEAL Paragraph Development: An Approach to Developing Strong, Meaningful Body Paragraphs
Transitioning to Long-form Writing

Additional Resources

Graduate Writing Consultants
Instructor Resources
Student Resources
Quick Guides and Handouts
Self-Guided and Directed Learning Activities

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Previous Creative Writing Contests
Welcome to Dr. Kimberly Wieser-Weryackwe
English/Business Launches BA to MBA Program
Nettie Farris featured at InKY Reading Series
English Grads Receive National & Local Renown
Read the latest books from our English professors
Spotlight! English Department Alumni Interviews
Tim Roberts spotlights Marvel Comics in Teaching Webinar
Annika Reitenga featured on Courier-Journal panel
M.A. English Graduate Opens Bookstore/Featured on Local News
Bronwyn Williams named Endowed Chair
Recent English Alumni Spotlight Interviews
Former UofL English majors answer the "why English?" question
Mark Mattes wins fellowship and publishes 2 essays
Matthew Biberman launches Italian translation of his memoir
Nettie Farris publishes new chapbook
Andrea Olinger wins Gretchen Niva Service Award from the KY Council of English
Paul Griner's The Book of Otto and Liam named a Foreword INDIES finalist
PhD Candidate Olalekan Adepoju publishes book review
Article Publication by PhD Student Jessica Gottbrath
Michael Benjamin featured on the Big Rhetorical Podcast
Christina Davidson has won Grand Prize in the inaugural Cardinals Create Showcase
Tim Roberts to be keynote speaker at Adjunct Faculty Scholars Conference
Josh English wins short story prize
Neleigh Olson wins Mslexia short story competition
Ph.D. students Walker Smith and Caitlin Burns Allen co-edit special issue
Lana Helm elected to Board of Directors for Louisville Literary Arts
Neleigh Olson wins Kentucky Writers Fellowship
Paul Griner's novel on the longlist for Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction
Humana Foundation Grant for Megan Poole and the Public Health Literacy Advisory Group
Megan Poole wins Top Paper Award from the journal Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
Joe Franklin (Ph.D. '21) starts as Interim Director of the writing center at Puget Sound
Claire Jackson (Ph.D. '21) starts as Visiting Assistant Professor at College of the Holy Cross
Jessica Newman (Ph.D. '21) director of tutoring at Jefferson Community & Technical College
Rachel Rodriguez (Ph.D. '21) starts as Writing Center director at Washington College
Mark Mattes publishes book on the history of handwriting
Kristi Maxwell publishes a new book of poetry
Alumni Spotlight: Joe Manning, Louisville Story Program
Undergraduate Courses
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The Creative Writing Breakfast Club Sunday 28th April 2024

Follow this organiser to stay informed on future events, events you might like, the creative writing breakfast club sunday 5th may 2024 the creative writing breakfast club sunday 5th may 2024, breakfast club: customer reviews breakfast club: customer reviews, breakfast club breakfast club, torrance breakfast club chapter of leads club torrance breakfast club chapter of leads club, bay street breakfast club - toastmasters meeting bay street breakfast club - toastmasters meeting, the creative imagination (1st sun., 11 am cst- zoom) the creative imagination (1st sun., 11 am cst- zoom), write post cards & make $50-$75/hour 3 pm sunday april 28th write post cards & make $50-$75/hour 3 pm sunday april 28th, creative writing: world building creative writing: world building, creative writing 111 creative writing 111, creative writing - just for fun creative writing - just for fun.

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Creative Writing Tips: A Beginner’s Guide to Creative Writing
5th Grade Creative Writing Ideas for Students
What is Creative Writing and How to Use it for Specific Academic Level
Creative Writing
Creative Writing

VIDEO

Creative Writing
What is Creative Writing & How to Get Started
Creative Writing Training Course Tutorial for Beginners Explained @ContentWritingByHenryHarvin
Creative Writing Characteristics~GM Lectures
What is Creative Writing Skills : Learn Creative Writing Skill
Improve Your Creative Writing: Why & How

COMMENTS

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)
Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries. It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.
What Is Creative Writing? Types, Techniques, and Tips
Types of Creative Writing. Examples of creative writing can be found pretty much everywhere. Some forms that you're probably familiar with and already enjoy include: • Fiction (of every genre, from sci-fi to historical dramas to romances) • Film and television scripts. • Songs. • Poetry.
Creative writing
Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics.Due to the looseness of the definition, it is possible for writing such as feature stories to ...
What Is Creative Writing? The ULTIMATE Guide!
Essentially, creative writing can combine other writing types to create a unique and new way of telling a story or producing content. At the same time, it can include absolutely none of the other forms at all. The whole purpose of creative writing is to think outside the box and stray from traditional structures and norms.
The Cambridge Introduction to Creative Writing
He looks at creative writing in performance; as public art, as visual art, as e-literature and as an act of community. As a leading poet, critic and award-winning teacher of the subject, Morley finds new engagements for creative writing in the creative academy and within science. Accessible, entertaining and groundbreaking, The Cambridge ...
What is Creative Writing? The Medium of Self-Expression
Creative Writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to use your imagination and creativity. It can be in the form of personal essays, short stories, or poems. It is often used as an outlet for emotions and experiences. Start with creative writing by reading through creative writing examples to help get you in the mood.
Elements of Creative Writing
This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States.
8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing
Outside the world of business writing and hard journalism lies an entire realm of creative writing. Whether you're brand-new to the craft, a nonfiction writer looking to experiment, or a casual creative writer wanting to turn into a published author, honing your creative writing skills is key to your success.
Creative Writing Introduction
The distinction between beginning and intermediate writing is provided for both students and instructors, and numerous sources are listed for more information about fiction tools and how to use them. A sample assignment sheet is also provided for instructors. This resource covers the basics of plot, character, theme, conflict, and point-of-view.
Creative Writing
The Minor in Creative Writing offers a structured environment in which students interested in writing fiction or poetry develop their skills while receiving an introduction to literary forms. Students may choose a concentration in fiction, poetry. In order to graduate with a minor in Creative Writing, students must complete the following three ...
Best Creative Writing Courses Online with Certificates [2024]
In summary, here are 10 of our most popular creative writing courses. Creative Writing: Wesleyan University. Write Your First Novel: Michigan State University. Good with Words: Writing and Editing: University of Michigan. The Strategy of Content Marketing: University of California, Davis. English Composition I: Duke University.
What Is Creative Writing? Simple Definition and Tips
What is creative writing? The answer can be simple, but breaking it down is far more useful. Learn more and gain some insightful tips for yourself, as well!
Why Learn Creative Writing?
The Benefits of Creative Writing. 1. Why Learn Creative Writing: Improved Self-Expression. Improving your writing skills leads to stronger communication. When you practice finding the right word in a story or poem, you engage the same parts of your brain that are active in everyday writing and speaking.
How-To Books and Information
The Creative Screenwriter by Craig Batty; Zara Waldeback "The Creative Screenwriter" offers a wealth of inspiring writing exercises designed to help you produce better, more exciting scripts. Each essential area of screenwriting is covered in its own chapter, from learning how to build stories and finding good ideas, to deepening characters and experimenting with structure, to enhancing scene ...
Creative Writing 101
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:
What Is Creative Writing?
Human expression through creative outlets has been a valuable tool throughout human history. Today, creative writing is a well-known and widely available outlet for people to express themselves. Whether writing creative nonfiction, poetry, songs or novels, there are personal and professional opportunities for those willing to practice their craft.
A Brief History of Creative Writing
The Written Word. It wasn't until (relatively) recently, with the invention of the written word ( archaeologists place its formation around 3200 BC, depending on location) that we started writing stories down. This is where the history of creative writing really begins. Some of the earliest examples of written stories in the Western tradition ...
More information about Creative Writing
We believe in the power of your imagination. Since 1976, when Goddard College launched the nation's first low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, we have provided an enduring creative home for writers like you. Our goal is to help you find, refine, and share your words with the world. Unlike conventional Master of Fine ...
What Is Informative Writing?
The purpose of informative writing is to share information without any opinion or bias. In informative writing, there's no room for your personal insights, feelings, and attitudes about the subject. The task is clear: educate the reader by conveying factually accurate and relevant information. It may be presented in the form of an essay, an ...
Introduction to Creative Writing
Introduces the craft and practice of creative writing. Engages with both contemporary and classic authors within the primary genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. May also include exploration of other genres such as drama, screenwriting, digital storytelling, film, and performance genres. Develops use of craft elements discussed ...
Creative Writing < University of California, Berkeley
The Creative Writing Program is an interdisciplinary minor program offered by the Office of Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies in the Division of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Letters & Science. The approved courses students take to satisfy the minor course requirements are offered by over forty departments and programs on ...
Concentration in Creative Writing
The Creative Writing concentration at Southeastern is dedicated to supporting the intensely personal act of creating literature. Incoming students encounter an open, respectful community of writers/faculty and a curriculum that embraces the full range of writing experiences through intensive workshops, independent studies, and literature ...
Information for Current Creative Writing Students
For issues specific to creative writing, refer to the information below. If you have further questions about creative writing, ask the Director of Creative Writing or your thesis/dissertation director. M.A. and Ph.D. students should take at least workshop outside of their genre. Ph.D. students are expected to at least three workshops in their ...
Online English Master's Degree
The committee is looking for evidence of the ability to write clearly, think critically, and draw conclusions from texts or information.) In addition, for those interested in the creative writing concentration, submission of a creative writing sample (2500 words of fiction/non-fiction prose or 10 poems. Select your sample from your strongest genre)
Middle and High School Students Invited to Participate in Creative
By Janice Phelan, April 26, 2024. The Greater Kansas City Writing Project (GKCWP) and the University of Central Missouri (UCM) will present two four-day summer camps focusing on creative writing, sharing and friendship. Designed for students in middle and high school, the 2024 Young Writers Camps will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 9-12 ...
writing productivity
Decades of research on writing productivity suggests that 1) writing daily produces more writing and more ideas and that, 2) writers produce more when they have positive social networks around writing (collaboration and accountability). Consistent writing-even at only one page a day-can significantly improve writing productivity and bring ...
2020 Calvino Prize Winners
Joe Franklin (Ph.D. '21) starts as Interim Director of the writing center at Puget Sound Claire Jackson (Ph.D. '21) starts as Visiting Assistant Professor at College of the Holy Cross Jessica Newman (Ph.D. '21) director of tutoring at Jefferson Community & Technical College
The Creative Writing Breakfast Club Sunday 28th April 2024
Writing The Seven Deadly Sins Workshop Participant 2022 "If you ever want a cosy, creative, calming place to explore writing, Laurie's workshops are perfection…My heart is so full (I know what that means now)" Breakfast Clubber 2023 "Probably the best, most productive w/s I've ever attended. Fantastic. Thank you!" Writing The Body ...

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Types of Creative Writing

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Novels (The Long Journey)

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

Conciseness

Consistency

Is Creative Writing Easy?

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

What is creative writing?

What are the main forms of writing?

What is the purpose of creative writing?

What are the different forms of creative writing?

Poetry & Songs

What’s needed to make a piece of creative writing?

A target audience

A story of sorts

A good imagination

How can creative writing skills benefit you?

How to improve your creative writing

Conclusion: What is creative writing

What Is Creative Writing? Is It Worth Studying?

Table of Contents

What is Creative Writing?

Technical Writing vs Creative Writing

Self-Expression in Creative Writing

Types of Creative Writing: 2 Major Types

1. Creative Nonfiction

2. Creative Fiction

Why Is It Important to Learn Creative Writing?

1. Creative Writing is a valuable skill in school and work

2. Creative Writing enhances several essential skills.

3. Creative Writing Is Therapeutic

4. You may want to work in a Creative Writing-related Career

How To Be A Creative Writer?

Related Content

Elements of Creative Writing

Formats Available

Table of Contents

Ancillary Material

About the Book

About the Contributors

Contribute to this Page

Creative Writing

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

In this section

Creative Writing

English Major with a Creative Writing Emphasis

Minor in Creative Writing

Prose Track

Poetry Track

Creative Writing minors should note the following:

The Basics of a Writing Workshop

Check Out Our Online Writing Courses!

The First Fifty Pages of the Novel

Writing Our Grief: How to Channel Loss into Creative Expression

Poetry as Sacred Attention

Toying with The Truth: A Generative Nonfiction Workshop

Experiments in Poetry

The Benefits of Creative Writing

2. Why Learn Creative Writing: Job Success

3. Why Learn Creative Writing: Improved Thinking Skills

4. Why Learn Creative Writing: Empathy

5. Why Learn Creative Writing: It’s Fun!

The Importance of Creative Writing

Jobs for Creative Writers

Grant Writer

Communications/Public Relations Specialist

Reasons to Learn Creative Writing: Finding a Writing Community