How to Write Creatively

For most people,creative writing is not easy. In fact, you might find yourself ripping your hair out. Trying to produce creative writing will make you lose sleep, lose hair, and lose patience.

                       (picture taken by sudhir at creative writing workshop organised by Prasfutan International on Dec 2012)
Creative writing can be challenging but rewarding.Some use it as an escape; others just want something to call their own; there are even those who just do it to get chicks. Creative writing is something that you can be proud of; you will feel wonderful when you finally get your story to work out.
The average person is much more creative than he or she thinks. You will be amazed by what you come up with if you just take the time to try. Whether you want to write a short story, a novel, or jot down some poetry, these eight steps, some tips and warnings can hopefully help you on your way of creative writings..

1

Relax before writing. You cannot write something if you're frustrated. If you are typing, make sure you are sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor if you are planning on writing for a while. You always want good posture when you’re typing so as not to injure your back, shoulders, or wrists. If you are writing by hand, make sure that you are sitting up straight, not lounging in your chair. If you are sitting on a couch or laying in a bed when you are writing or typing, make sure your shoulders are up so you don’t injure yourself. It might sound a bit stupid that you could injure yourself by writing a creative piece but, it’s possible.

2

Sit down at the computer and type something, anything. Even if you do not yet have all of your plot worked out, you can be working on the setting, characterization, dialogue, and word choice

3

Have a passion for what you are writing. You've probably become used to writing long essays about boring books or stories about assigned topics. Well, since this is your story, write about what you like. You can piece together memories, facts, and fiction to make a great story.

4

Convey emotion in your writing. It adds so much to any story, making the story relevant to the reader and the real world.

5

Show your work to others. It's a terrible thing to have your great novel that you spent three months writing lying around in a folder in your computer. Have someone critique your work so that you can see what you did well and what you could improve.

6

Edit thoroughly multiple times. Make sure to check for both spelling and grammatical errors. If your piece is longer, run through the plot line in your head. Does it make sense? Is it relatively easy to follow? Would you be interested in reading this work if you were a reader?

7

Come up with a topic and plot before hand. This way, it will be much easier to write.

8

Don't think of anything troubling that is on your mind. Concentrate on your writing, and focus completely. Don't let anything bother you

TIPS

• Keep a snack nearby. If you're hungry, you'd be thinking more about your empty stomach than the subject of your writing piece.
• Keep going and don't give up.
• Keep a pen and paper with you for notes and doodling.
• Set aside a specific time each day to write and treat it like a commitment.
• If you become frustrated, try to take advantage of that emotion; let the frustration seep into the writing.
• Always keep a notebook with you wherever you go, in case a good idea pops up. Also if you had a really weird dream you can scribble it down and make a story out of it. Some authors became world famous because of strange dreams they had.
• If you feel as if you are getting writer's block, just type! Something may come to you.
• Unless you're doing a review of a television show, turn it off. Nothing distracts like the seductive allure of television.
• With longer pieces, try breaking it up into sections and starting a fresh document for each. This will help with organization.
• Join a writing group at your school or at a library. This will allow many insights into other writing styles.

Warnings

• Ignore "yes" people, those who will tell you that your writing is amazing even if it's not. Sure, the ego boost feels good, but it will not make your writing better. Instead, seek out that blunt friend everyone hates. It might hurt at first, but if it helps improve your writing, it is well worth it.
• Always think that you are not writing it for others but for yourself to make you even more confident.
• Stay focused! After you write for a while, you may start to think about other things and write less and less.