Internal and External Approaches to Creative Writing

When I’m working on a story, I try not to think about technique too much. I focus on forging ahead without overanalyzing every step in my creative writing process.

My top priority is to get the ideas out of my head and onto the page.

However, in retrospect (often during revisions) and between stories, I often evaluate how I approached a project so that I can better understand my own creative process. Read more

Living the Creative Writing Lifestyle

Dictionary.com defines lifestyle as follows:

the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group.

A lifestyle is something you build for yourself from all the elements that make up your daily life: your thoughts, dreams, actions, routine, work, family, friends, food, hobbies, habits, and interests.

So, is creative writing a lifestyle? Read more

Ideas for Creative Writing Projects and Practices

Do you ever feel like you’re in a writing slump?

You can’t find a project worth committing to or you have so many ideas, you can’t choose just one. You fill your notebooks and journals but you can’t find a sense of purpose in what you’re doing. Maybe you spend a lot of time thinking about writing but can’t find the time to actually write.

Sometimes, the best plan is to make a plan. Instead of writing in circles or fretting about your projects (or lack thereof), stop and think about what you want to achieve or explore with your writing. Make a list of ideas for creative writing projects that you can sink your teeth into, then choose one, and see it through to the end. You’ll come out of it with a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Read more

Do You Need a Creative Writing Degree to Succeed as a Writer?

Young and new writers often ask whether they need a creative writing degree in order to become an author or professional writer.

I’ve seen skilled and talented writers turn down opportunities or refuse to pursue their dreams because they feel their lack of a degree in creative writing means they don’t have the credibility necessary to a career in writing.

Meanwhile, plenty of writers with no education, minimal writing skills, and scant experience in reading are self-publishing en masse.

It’s a question that gets asked often: do you need a creative writing degree to succeed as a writer? Is it okay to write and publish a book if you don’t have a degree or if your degree is in something other than English or the language arts?

Before I go further, I should reveal that I did earn a degree in creative writing. However, I do not think a degree is necessary. But there is a caveat to my position on this issue. While I don’t think a degree is necessary, I certainly think it’s helpful. I also think that some writers will have a hard time succeeding without structured study whereas others are self-disciplined and motivated enough to educate themselves to the extent necessary to establish a successful writing career.

Do You Need a Creative Writing Degree?

First of all, a degree is not necessary to success in many fields, including writing. There are plenty of examples of individuals who became wildly successful and made meaningful contributions without any college degree whatsoever: Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, and Walt Disney, to name a few.

In the world of writing, the list of successful authors who did not obtain a degree (let alone a creative writing degree) is vast. Here is a small sampling: Louisa May Alcott, Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, William Blake, Ray Bradbury, Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, Edgar Allen Poe, Beatrix Potter, and JD Salinger.

So you obviously do not need a creative writing degree. After all, some of the greatest writers in history didn’t have a degree. Why should you?

A Creative Writing Degree is Not a Bad Idea

On the other hand, the degree definitely won’t hurt your chances. In fact, it will improve your chances. And if you struggle with writing or self-discipline, then the process of earning a degree will be of great benefit to you.

A college education might indeed be necessary for a particular career, such as a career in law or medicine. In fields of study where a degree is not a requirement, it often prepares you for the work ahead by teaching you specific skills and techniques and by forcing you to become knowledgeable about your field.

However, there is an even greater value in the the process of earning a degree. You become knowledgeable and educated. You learn how to learn, how to work without close supervision, and you are exposed to the wisdom of your instructors as well as the enthusiasm and support of your peers. College is a great environment for development at any age or in any field.

Earning a degree is also a testament to your drive and ability to complete a goal without any kind of immediate reward or gratification. College is not easy. It’s far easier to get a full time job and buy lots of cool stuff. It’s more fun to spend your nights and weekends hanging out with your friends than staying in and studying. A college degree is, in many ways, a symbol representing your capacity to set out and accomplish a long-term goal.

Know Yourself

If you possess strong writing skills and are somewhat autodidactic (a person who is self-taught), then you may not need a degree in creative writing. For some such people, a degree is completely unnecessary. On the other hand, if your writing is weak or if you need guidance and would appreciate the help of instructors and peers, maybe you do need a creative writing degree.

If you’re planning on going to college simply because you want to earn a degree and you hope to be a writer someday, you might as well get your degree in creative writing since that’s what you’re passionate about. On the other hand, if you hope to write biographies of famous actors and directors and you already write well, you might be better off studying film (and possibly minoring in creative writing).

You may be the kind of person who needs the validation of a degree. Maybe you are an excellent writer but you’d feel better putting your work out there if you could back it up (even in your own mind) with that piece of paper that says you have some expertise in this area. Or you might be the kind of person who is confident enough to plunge into the career of a writer without any such validation.

You might find that time and money are barriers to earning a degree. If you have responsibilities that require you to work full time and if you’re raising a family, obtaining a degree might not be in the cards, either in terms of time or money. You might be better off focusing what little free time you have on reading and writing. But there are other options if you’ve got your heart set on a creative writing degree: look for accredited online colleges, find schools that offer night and weekend classes, open yourself to the idea that you can take ten years rather than four years to complete your higher education.

Finally, some people have a desire to get a degree but they feel they are too old. I personally think that’s a bunch of hogwash. You’re never too old to learn or obtain any kind of education. When I was just out of high school, I attended a college with many students who were middle-aged and older. I had tremendous respect for them and they brought a lot of wisdom to our classes, which balanced out the youthful inexperience of my other, much younger classmates. I don’t care if you’re eighteen, forty-two, or seventy, if you have a hankering to do something, go do it!

Making Tough Decisions

Ultimately, the decision rests with each of us. Do you need a creative writing degree? Only you can answer that question.

If you’re still not sure, then check with a local school (a community college is a good place to start) and make an appointment with an advisor in the English Department. If you’re in high school, get in touch with your school’s career counselor. Sometimes, these professionals can help you evaluate your own needs to determine which is the best course of action. But in the end, make sure whatever decision you make about your education is one that you’ve carefully weighed and are comfortable with.

And whether you earn a degree in creative writing or not, keep on writing!

Sources:

Most Successful People Who Never Went to College
Famous Autodidactics

Creative Writing Activities

Every once in a while, we writers need a break from our regular writing routines. Whether we spend our work week crafting copy for clients or dedicate late-night hours pounding out chapter and verse, we occasionally need respite from the monotony.

We need to rejuvenate between projects. We get burnt out in the middle of a long project and need to step away so we can gain perspective and recharge our creativity. When a major project is finished, we need to find our next big idea. We are looking for inspiration.

But we also want to keep writing. A short vacation from writing practice starts with good intentions but ends with wondering how months or years slipped by without any real writing.

One great way to continue writing while taking a break from our work is by engaging in creative writing activities.  These are activities that remind us that writing is fun, meaningful, and invigorating, and they keep our writing skills sharp.

Creative Writing Activities

These creative writing activities provide respite from your daily writing routine. Try one or try them all. Use them when you need a break from your regular work or when you’re between projects.

Poetry Walk

Grab your notebook and put on your walking shoes. Take a stroll and make notes about what you see: city life and wildlife. Pause during your walk (stop at a park bench) and compose a poem or wait until you return home. A poetry walk is a great way to collect ideas and images for poetry.

Writing Exercises

Writing exercises keep your skill sharp and your creativity flowing even when inspiration is fleeting.

Character Journal

Fiction writers need to get inside their characters’ heads. A great way to do this is to keep a journal as your character. It’s a great way to understand a character and find his or her voice. 

Re-imagine the Classics

The greatest stories in history are revised and retold over and over again. Choose a classic legend or fairy tale and re-imagine it. Write an outline or draft the whole story!

Photo Prompts

Head over to Flickr or use Google image search to look for interesting photos that you can use to prompt a random creative writing session. 

Sell Yourself

Take a break from your creative work and get down to business. Work on a query letter, a book proposal, or content for your author’s website.

What-if List

The best writing ideas come from asking what-if questions. Make a big list of what-if questions that you can use later for writing inspiration.

Name Game 

You’ve got characters, story ideas, a novel in the works, and a blog. Conduct a brainstorming session to come with names and titles. 

Tool Time 

Do you consistently write in your notebook with your favorite pen or is all your writing done on a computer? Try mixing it up and using a variety of writing instruments: pencils, crayons, markers, different colored pens. Write on note cards, stickies, and cardboard. 

Idea Box

Take a break from writing and make an idea box. This is a place where you can stash writing ideas, exercises, and prompts for later use. It can be as simple as a cardboard shipping box or you can decorate a fancier vessel for your treasure. Use notecards to record your ideas and prompts and then toss them in the box. Use them whenever the mood strikes!

Observation Station

Get out of your own head. Grab your notebook or journal and head to a heavily populated area. Park yourself on a bench or in a comfy café booth and do a little people watching. Record your observations and brainstorm ways you can use observation to influence and empower your writing.

Vocabulary Building

A writer without words is working without tools! Dedicate some time to expanding your vocabulary. Play some word games (crossword puzzles, for example), sign up for a word-of-the-day program, or flip through the dictionary. Start a language journal, a place where you can keep track of newly learned words. 

Get Busy!

Do you ever take a break from the seriousness of writing to engage in creativity exercises? What are some of your favorite creative writing activities?

How to Make More Time for Creative Writing

When life gets hectic, it’s impossible to get your creative writing done. Inspiration might be knocking but the house is so full, you’re not sure you can open the door and let it in.

That’s where creative writing exercises come in.

We all have responsibilities to fulfill and obligations to meet. We’ve got bills to pay, jobs to do, children to care for, and pets to play with. The lawn has to be mowed, garbage taken out, laundry done, dishes cleaned; the list just goes on and on and on.

How Do We Find Time for Creative Writing?

Creative writing happens when the muse is happily seducing a writer’s imagination — when new worlds magically appear on the page and when fictional characters seem more real than some of the people we know in our day-to-day lives.

Creative writing is one of those pursuits, that for many people, is a dream. Like music, dance, acting, and art, it seems unattainable. Like athletics, entrepreneurship, and presidential leadership, it seems meant only for the chosen few. Every day a writer is born. And every day, a writer gives up, overwhelmed by all the things in life that require time, energy, and attention.

Every day, another blog is abandoned, another novel shelved, poem left half unfinished. “I just don’t have time anymore,” a writer says, then deletes a file that was going to be the next great American novel, or crumples up a poem that would have inspired the next great world leader and throws it in the trash.

Don’t Give Up

What if J.K. Rowling had given up on her fantastical story? What if George Lucas had given up on his groundbreaking film? What if the Beatles hadn’t taken a chance on that new sound everyone was calling rock and roll? What kind of world would we be living in?

I almost gave up on my creative writing. For several years, I rarely wrote, other than the writing I had to do for work, which was technical or business writing. It was only by sheer luck that the company I worked for closed, forcing me to find some other path, and only by an odd combination of chance, drive, and a willingness to dream did I return to my writing so that I could sit here years later amazed that now I make a living doing it.

And I’m willing to take the dream a little further, do a little more. Whether it’s this year, next year, or in five years, the dream is mine, and I’m not giving up on it.

Neither should you.

Make Time for Creative Writing

If you don’t have time to write, then make time.

You don’t have to sit down and write ten pages a day. In five minutes, you can jot down a few paragraphs. In fifteen, you can run off a page. Some days, you’ll get lucky and be able to steal an hour or two. Other days, you’ll have to crunch just to get a couple of minutes.

And if you can’t think of anything to write about, then pull out your writing exercises and get to work.

A Little Tiny Writing Exercise

A few years ago, I came across this website called One Word. It’s one of those sites you bookmark, then forget about, but rediscover every few months when you’re cleaning out or surfing your bookmarks. Every time I visit, I use it (because it’s interactive), and by the time I leave, which is maybe a minute and a half later, I feed strangely refreshed and revitalized.

One Word gives you just that — one word. Then it gives you something else. It gives you time. You get sixty seconds to write whatever you want, inspired by that single word, that gift.

It doesn’t sound like much, but every time I’ve visited that site and cranked out a minute’s worth of words, I always feel good when I leave. Like my right brain just got a little massage and the rest of my body is thanking me for it. And whether it’s been hours or days since I last took time to work on my own creative writing, One Word always reminds me that my passions need to have a priority in my life.

It’s a lot like the way I feel when I hear an inspiring, uplifting speech that motivates and moves me, except at this site, the words aren’t someone else’s, they’re mine. Well, except for that one.

Feed Your Soul

Here’s the thing about creativity: It is food for the soul. It’s the one thing that has a guaranteed return on investment. The more creativity you spend, the better you feel, the more creative you become, and more nourished is your spirit.

People like us need to feed the fire to keep the passion burning. Giving up on your creative writing isn’t an option because if we give up, we dry up. When you feed your right brain, your whole body benefits, and when you feed the fire that is your passion, your whole life and everyone in it reaps the rewards.

It’s called happiness folks.

So make some time, take some time, to write. Go to OneWord.com and write for just a minute (surely you can spare sixty seconds — how about right now?) or close all those windows and open up Word, turn off the computer and pick up your journal and just write.

And then keep on writing.

10 Tips for Creative Writing Submissions

Your short story is finished. Your poem is polished. Your personal essay has been proofread. Now, you’re ready to submit your creative writing project for publication.

How do you do it? Where do you find the right publication? What materials should you send? Should you use email or snail mail? How long do you wait before following up? And what if your piece is rejected?

For many writers, the submission process is a big drag because it doesn’t involve writing, and let’s face it, most of us are in it for the creative writing.

But there’s more to being a writer than just writing, especially if you want your work to be read or if you want to make a living as a writer.

Creative Writing and Publication

First you have to wrap up your project. Make sure it’s polished and proofread. Next, you find suitable publications, and then you start sending out your work.

After that, you wait. You might wait a week or you might wait six months. You may have moved on to other projects, but somewhere in the back of your mind, you are constantly wondering if they received your submission. You wonder whether they liked it, whether they will accept it, and whether you will have to go back to square one.

If you approach the submission process strategically and professionally, you’ll increase your chances of getting an acceptance and therefore getting published.

Tips for Submitting

1. Take some time to get familiar with the various agents or publications in your genre. Send your creative writing to the ones that are a good fit for your work.
2. Use the library or visit a local, independent bookstore to get copies of print publications like literary journals. You can also try college bookstores. Peruse them in the aisles if you wish, but keep in mind that buying copies of these publications helps support them – and other writers.
3. You’ll find submission guidelines on most agents’ and publications’ websites. Otherwise, they’ll be in the publication itself. Review the guidelines carefully as they contain instructions on how to submit your work. This is crucial because every agent and publication have their own submission guidelines.
4. Follow the guidelines to the letter. Agents and publications that are overwhelmed with submissions will toss out any that stray from the guidelines they’ve set forth.
5. In some cases, the guidelines may refer to a style guide. If this is the case, you might need to revise your work so it will be in accordance with the publication’s guidelines.
6. Keep your query or submission cover letter succinct and professional. Same goes for a synopsis (if applicable). Don’t try any fancy antics to get agents’ or editors’ attention. They see gimmicks all the time.
7. Once you’ve issued your submission, sit back and wait. Do not harass or annoy agents or editors by bombarding them with follow-ups.
8. Many submission guidelines include information about how long it should take for you to receive a response. Once that allotment of time has passed, go ahead and send a single follow-up. Ask if they received your submission. Be professional.
9. If there is no indication of how long it should take for you to receive a response, wait about three months before following up.
10. If you receive an acceptance, great! If you receive a rejection, accept it graciously and get back to work. Don’t give up! If your rejection includes a critique or any helpful feedback, be grateful (most agents and editors don’t take time to provide feedback) and apply it to your future creative writing projects.

Ready, Set, Submit

Submitting your work is fun and a little bit scary. Hopefully you’ll get lucky, but remember that luck comes most frequently to those who have prepared for it with hard work.

And creative writing is hard work. We writers have to wear many different hats. We must be artists, grammarians, and communicators. We require empathy and an understanding of the human psyche. We have to be publicists and marketing experts. And we have to become pros at submitting our work.

Otherwise it may never land in a reader’s hands.

Do you have any tips to add? Have you submitted your creative writing to agents or publications? Were they online or print publications? What was the experience like? Did you get an acceptance? Were you disappointed? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Creative Writing: Fun vs. Work

Creative writing belongs to the arts, and the arts are an odd bunch.

People pursue artistic endeavors for  different reasons. For some, it’s a hobby. For others, a livelihood. For most, it’s a hobby they dream of turning into a livelihood.

It’s a worthwhile dream and a lofty one too. But what does it take to get there? How much fun are you allowed to have, and just how much work must you do to turn your passion into a full-time job?

And if you do manage to make a career out of creative writing, will it still be as fun as it was when it was just a hobby?

Creative Writing is Fun

Young and new writers often come to creative writing because they find it enjoyable. Many are avid readers, so inspired by their love of literature that they want to create it. Others are compelled to put words on the page or to have their voices heard by an audience of readers.

Most of us have experienced sudden inspiration. You’re sitting there and a poem comes to you fully formed. It’s finished within minutes and it just might be brilliant. It feels more like the poem came through you from some source outside of yourself. It’s pure magic. It’s exciting. It’s fun.

When we are being creative, and especially when we’re tapped into that magical kind of creativity, it’s an extremely pleasurable experience. From the instant we start writing until our work is completed, we’re on a wild ride, exciting but dangerous too. Because if we rely on having fun, we may start to believe the many misconceptions about creative writing as a career or lifestyle.

Misconceptions About Creative Writing

It’s not uncommon for novice writers who have experienced the magic of sudden inspiration to wait for it to strike again. It’s likely that it will strike again, eventually. But waiting for this type of inspiration to hit you is a bad habit. You’re simply fostering an addiction to the adrenaline-like rush that the magical muse evokes.

This idea that creativity magically happens is just one of the many misconceptions that inexperienced writers have about the craft. These misconceptions are dangerous because they are beliefs that direct writers away from their work. And sometimes, being creative is hard work indeed.

Here are a few of the most notorious misconceptions that surround creative writing:

• You shouldn’t read much because other writers’ styles might leak into your own work and it won’t be original.
• Good grammar is unnecessary if you want your writing to be raw and edgy.
• Why work at writing when you can just sit around and wait for inspiration to happen?
• Artistic success is borne of pure talent.
• You don’t need to hone your creative writing skills because you have natural talent.

Dead wrong on all counts.

Creative Writing is Fun, Hard Work

Like anything, if you want to succeed in creative writing, you’ve got to work at it. I’ve tried many creative endeavors over the years, and writing is one of the most challenging pursuits you can choose. It requires a vast skill set, intense determination, and a willingness to work. It also requires a good measure of creativity, and you need business skills too. Talent is just the icing on the cake, something you’re born with if you’re lucky.

People have all kinds of funny ideas about hard work and creativity, many of which are nothing more than idle fears. A common one is avoiding a career path in creative writing because then it will become a job and that would take all the fun out of it. Another is that if you have to work hard at creative writing, then you must be talentless.

Misconceptions about the arts are rampant. It’s no wonder artistic people are so misunderstood by the rest of the world. We tend to be an unusual bunch, and many of these misconceptions come from artists themselves.

The truth is that hard work and fun are not necessarily separate from one another. Hard work can be fun and good fun can also be hard work. Going to Disneyland might sound like fun, but even that takes hard work – the work you have to do to pay for your trip, getting there, standing in line. If people will do all that for a few minutes of thrills on some theme park rides, why can’t they work just as hard to make their dreams come true instead of sitting around waiting for that magic, that talent, to manifest?

If you work hard at your creative writing, that magic will happen. In fact, the harder you work, the more frequently the magical inspiration will appear. There’s no real benefit in waiting for the muse to honor you with her presence. So stop waiting. Stop looking for an easy way to compose a poem, draft a short story, or write a novel. Sit down and get to work. And have fun while you’re doing it.

Most importantly, keep on writing — especially keep working at creative writing.

Where to Get the Best Creative Writing Tips

You don’t have to search far to find creative writing tips. There are tons of books, websites, and magazines that happily let you in on the secrets of creativity and effective writing.

But if you really want the inside scoop on what it takes to be a successful writer, wouldn’t it be best to get it straight from a published author? Or an agent? The editor of a major publication or publishing house? The poet laureate?

There is much mystery that surrounds the art of writing as well as the publication process. Obviously, we all need to be reading and writing and submitting, but we may not realize that there are proven techniques we could be using to make our writing process better.

We also know that agents and editors are looking for material to publish. And we know that the publishers keep putting books on the shelves in bookstores everywhere. But we’re not sure how they choose which works to publish and which to reject.

So, how can we get our books on those shelves? This is the question writers all over the world want answered.

Interviews with Writers and Publishing Professionals

Have you ever wondered what happens after you sell your book to a publishing house? Are you searching for an agent to represent your work? Do you want to know what publishers do (and don’t do) to promote your work once it’s been published? Want to find out how other authors have managed to finish a book, secure an agent, sell their work, and hit the best-seller list?

Over the last few years, I’ve discovered some of the best creative writing tips and publishing advice by watching or listening to interviews.

As it turns out, the writing process and the path to publication are different for every author. Sure, there are some standard protocols – revisions, query letters, rejections, and book tours. But there are also exceptions. When you listen to writing and publishing professionals give their accounts of how a book gets made, you pick up the finer details, the nuances, and you can use these to your advantage.

Listen and Learn About Creative Writing

A good interviewer knows how to ask the right questions, questions that get people talking. When the subject of an interview is at ease, answers start to flow and embedded in those answers are the details of personal experience – nuggets of golden advice.

For example, many well known, published authors say things like “writing is revising.” Yes, they have to edit, proofread, and revise, just like the rest of us. Others talk about half-written novels, failed attempts that never made it to publication but sit tucked away in bottom drawers.

When you hear firsthand accounts of experiences that successful writers have had, it gives you new ideas and helps you to see your own creative writing in a more realistic light. These conversations give you insight and inspiration and help you feel a little less alone. More importantly, they give you hope.

Writers on Writing

If you want to get the inside story on professional writing, I encourage you to listen to Writers on Writing, a weekly radio show hosted by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. The show is broadcast via KUCI 88.9 FM, curtesy of The University of California, Irivine. It’s also available through streaming audio online and you can subscribe and listen to it via iTunes.

Here’s a little bit about the show’s host:

From Barbara’s website:

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett has published fiction, poetry, articles, and essays in such journals as the Los Angeles Times, The Writer, Poets & Writers, Sunset, Westways, Orange Coast Magazine, and the San Jose Mercury News. Her work has been anthologized in two books: The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing (St. Martin’s Press, 2003) and Conversations with Clarence Major (University Press of Mississippi, 2002). She teaches creative writing at the University of California, Irvine Extension and through Gotham Writers Workshop in NYC.

Her first book is Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within (Harcourt/Harvest, October 2004), which was honored in New York City in April with the 2005 ASJA Outstanding Book Award, Self-help/Service.

I have found Writers on Writing to be a priceless resource, both for the creative writing process and for learning about the publishing industry and the steps that writers go through in order to submit and publish work.

The interviews on this show will liven your spirits, fuel your imagination, and will indeed set your pen on fire. Be sure to check it out in any format you can.

You can also use online resources, such as your favorite search engine or YouTube, to find interesting and helpful interviews. Give it a try and see what you learn about creative writing.

Do you ever listen to interviews with writers? What are your favorite sources for creative writing tips? Share your thoughts in the comments.

20 Creative Writing Careers

If creative writing is your passion, then you’d probably enjoy a career in which you could spend all day (or at least most of the day) pursuing that passion.

But creative writing is an artistic pursuit, and we all know that a career in the arts isn’t easy to come by. It takes hard work, drive, dedication, a whole lot of spirit, and often, a willingness to take big financial risks — as in not having much money while you’re waiting for your big break.

When we think of people who make a living through writing, novelists and journalists come to mind immediately. But what other jobs are out there for folks who want to make creative writing the work that puts food on the table?

The Creative Writing Career List

Here’s a list of 20 creative writing jobs that you can consider for your career path. I’m not making any promises. You have to go out and find them yourself, but these are jobs that exist. You just have to look for them and then land them.

1. Greeting Card Author
2. Comic Book Writer
3. Novelist
4. Creativity Coach
5. Writing Coach
6. Advertising (Creative)
7. Screenwriter
8. Songwriter (Lyricist)
9. Freelance Short Fiction Writer
10. Creative Writing Instructor (give your own workshops)
11. Legacy Writer (write people’s bios and family histories)
12. Ghostwriter
13. Travel Writer (if you travel)
14. Article Writer (write, submit, repeat)
15. Columnist
16. Video Game Writer (includes storytelling/fiction!)
17. Personal Poet (write personalized poems for weddings, funerals, childbirths, etc.)
18. Playwright
19. Blogger (don’t tell me you don’t have a blog yet!)
20. Creative Writing Consultant

Now, I’m not saying you’re going to make a whole lot to live on with some of these creative writing jobs but if you do what you love, the money (i.e. the success) just might follow. You’ll never know unless you try, right?

Do you have any creative writing careers to add to this list? Share your ideas by leaving a comment.

How to Master Your Own Creative Writing Process

What steps do you take to get a creative writing project completed? Is your method sheer madness?

One day, many years ago, I was working in an office. The executives were having a meeting to discuss new procedures. It was a hot day and the conference room was small and crowded, so the door was open. As I passed by on my way to the filing room, I overheard my boss saying “Melissa can handle that. She’s very methodical.”

Methodical. I tried it on and decided yes, it fit. “I am methodical,” I declared, and went about my business.

And it was true, too. I was organized to a fault, always looking for systems and processes that would streamline the workflow and make business more efficient and therefore more effective. Hell, the clothes in my closet were organized by season, length, and color. I didn’t have to flip through my hangers to find an article of clothing. Everything was neatly filed in its place.

Selling the Method

Writing gurus and mentors often want us to believe that there is only one true writing process. It usually goes something like this:

1. Brainstorm (and/or mind map)
2. Outline and research
3. Rough draft
4. Revise (repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat)
5. Edit, proof, and polish

This is a good system — it absolutely works. But does it work for everyone?

Assessing the Creative Writing Process

I’ve been thinking a lot about the creative writing process. Lately, I’ve found myself working on all types of projects — web pages, blog posts, poems, essays, and fiction. Plus, I’m trying to decide if I’ll participate in NaNoWriMo this year (I won in 2008!) and write 50,000 words of fiction in 30 days.

How do I tackle all these different projects without some kind of plan or system?

I’ve thought about the steps I take with my own writing and realized that the writing process I use varies from project to project and depends on the level of difficulty, the length and scope of the project, and even my state of mind. If I’m feeling super creative, a blog post or an article will come flying out of my head. If I’m tired, hungry, or unmotivated, or if the project is complicated, then it’s a struggle and I have to work a little harder. Brainstorming and outlining can help. A lot.

It occurred to me that I don’t have one creative writing process. I have several. And I always use the one that’s best suited for a particular project.

You Might Not Hear My Drummer

One of my favorite sayings has to do with marching to the beat of your own drum. I like that saying because that’s how I walk — to my own rhythm. If I didn’t, then I probably would have never started my own business or believed that I could make it as a writer. In fact, I probably wouldn’t be a writer at all.

Some writers can sit down and pound out an article, a short story, or even a novel without ever planning or outlining. Others have to follow a strict writing process or they get lost and confused, tangled up in their own words.

For example, when I am involved in a copywriting or nonfiction project, I find that brainstorming and outlining are essential. I need to organize my thoughts and make sure that I cover the subject matter thoroughly. But with creative writing projects, such as fiction and poetry (and even the novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo last year), I just start typing and let the ideas flow. Longer projects may include note taking, but these types of project have a free and creative flow, so I make sure the process I use is free and creative too.

Listen to Your Own Rhythm

We all start with interesting creative writing ideas and hope to finish with a completely riveting piece of writing.

That day I overheard my boss saying that I was methodical was many years ago. Since then, I’ve loosened up my methods. Oh, I can still whip up a streamlined procedure and implement it. I have to do that for my own business all the time, whether it involves maintaining my client contact list or managing my quotes and invoices – having a system for that stuff is extremely helpful.

But my closet no longer looks like it’s maintained by Martha Stewart. Sure, it’s still pretty organized, but not by color and season. It helps to know when a system works and when it’s all hype. The first few times I tried to write a novel, I did so using the exact same writing process that I used for writing essays in college, and it simply did not work. It wasn’t until I totally changed the process that I was able to succeed and complete that massive creative writing project.

Writing processes are good. The reason our predecessors developed these processes and shared them, along with a host of other writing tips, was to help us be more productive and produce better writing. Techniques and strategies can be helpful but it’s our responsibility to know what works for us as individuals and as creative (and sometimes crazy) writers and to know what will have us spinning our wheels all the livelong day.

I Showed You Mine

…now you show me yours.

What’s your creative writing process? Do you have one? Do you ever get stuck in the writing process? How do you get out?

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August, 2008. It has been updated with new ideas and information, and therefore it is being republished for your reading pleasure.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing, like art, is subjective, and therefore difficult to define.

Certainly fiction and poetry qualify as creative writing, but what about journal writing, articles and essays, memoirs and biographies? What about textbooks and copywriting? Technical writing?

Where do we draw the line between creative writing and other types of writing?

In some cases, what qualifies as creative is obvious. You read something and you know that it belongs in the creative category. Other times, a piece of writing, while skillful, might not strike you as creative in nature. And then, there’s everything in between – stuff that’s sort of creative or not quite creative enough.

Creative Writing and Art

People have been struggling to define art for centuries. Some feel that a Monet is definitely art and a child’s drawing is not. Others would say that both are art, and a few would even argue that a child’s work is a truer form of art because it’s not developed or learned. It’s completely intuitive and therefore more creative and artistic.

Creative writing presents us with the same dilemma. Does a piece of writing qualify as creative by merely existing? Would we refer to a legal document or instruction manual as a piece of creative writing? Does a straightforward essay or something like an encyclopedia article qualify as creative? What about letters or emails? Is creative writing determined by the level of skill versus talent?

For the most part, defining creative writing is a subjective pursuit. You can determine what creative writing is for yourself, but others may see things differently. Yet there are some types of writing that most of us would never refer to as creative writing, and a few types that we’d probably all agree on.

Obviously Creative Writing

As mentioned, when you think about creative writing, fiction and poetry spring to mind, possibly because the creative nature of both fiction and poetry is so obvious.

Fiction is made-up stuff borne from the imagination and therefore inherently creative. Poetry too, takes many liberties with language and imagery, and many poems are rooted almost entirely in creativity. Song lyrics also fit well with fiction and poetry, as does screenwriting, since all of these types of writing certainly require a significant level of imaginative and creative thinking.

But many other types of writing are creative as well. When you read a memoir with beautiful turns of phrase or an essay that fires up your imagination, you know that you’re experiencing the writer’s creativity. Conversely, when you read a bit of dry, factual material, you’re positive that it’s not creative writing at all.

Obviously Not Creative Writing

Have you ever read the terms and conditions or privacy policy on a website? Ever browsed through the instruction manual that came with your DVD player? Surely, you’ve suffered through a boring textbook.

While these types of writing may require some level of creativity, they are not usually considered members of the creative writing family. That might sound exclusive or elitist, but one of the things that defines creative writing is how enjoyable it is to read.

It’s easy to glance at a poem and know that it’s a piece of creative writing, and it’s easy to flip through a legal document and know that it’s not. The problem with defining creative writing is all the stuff in the middle – writing that may or may not be considered creative, and that makes its membership in the club completely subjective.

Creative Writing That is Simply Subjective

If a historical textbook is not creative writing, then wouldn’t that exclude other nonfiction works like memoirs and biographies from the creative writing category?

Not necessarily.

The line that separates creative writing from other types of writing is not drawn between fiction and nonfiction. Creative nonfiction is a broad genre and includes memoirs and biographies, personal essays, travel and food writing, and literary journalism.

While nonfiction indicates that the writing is rooted in fact, it can be quite creative (unlike technical or medical writing) because it is written with emphasis on language and the craft of writing.

Creative Writing and You

Ultimately, we each get to decide what is art and what is creative writing. Most of us will know creative writing when we experience it, either as a writer or as a reader, even though we rarely take the time to examine why we consider one type of writing creative over another.

A few questions to consider:

• Do you differentiate between creative writing and other types of writing? Do you even think about it?
• Have you ever thought about the difference between literary writing and other types of creative writing?
• Do you feel that copywriting (ads, commercials, etc.) can be classified as creative writing or art even though their purpose is strictly commercial?

In the big scheme of things, it may not be that important to go around labeling what is and isn’t creative writing, but it’s certainly worthy of a few brief moments of consideration.

In any case, keep on writing (and stay creative)!

Do you have any ideas to add or questions to ask about creative writing? Leave a comment!