Two 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.

Hindsight is 20/20. I might decide that I didn’t do enough character sketches and therefore have to do more extensive rewriting. On the other hand, I might determine that I spent too much time writing down every idea and detail when I could have focused on the narrative and gotten it done more quickly.

Every creative writing project is different. Some writers might use the exact same process over and over; I don’t seem to work that way. However, I do take what I have learned to make the next project smoother. Recently, I’ve been thinking about two basic approaches that I have used when developing a concept. The first is an internal approach, which starts with character (or in nonfiction, with a human subject). The other approach is external, which starts with a situation or an event in the greater world.

The Human Condition

A few years ago, after struggling to get past the idea phase with several novels, I signed up for NaNoWriMo and successfully completed an entire first draft in just 30 days. I played by the rules and took the competition’s advice to heart by starting with just a couple of characters and not much else.

The result was that my entire approach was character based. I situated myself inside my main character’s head, placed the camera on her shoulder and just started writing. Miraculously, a plot emerged.

I ended up with a story that explored the human condition with themes of loneliness and companionship complemented by themes of loss and gain. None of it was planned, and I was truly astounded that anything beyond a lengthy character study came out of it all. What I learned was that by going inside the human mind and heart, and using that as a starting place, we can create touching, meaningful stories that help us better understand what it means to be human.

• How does someone’s internal landscape, made up of personal experiences, attitudes, and beliefs, affect interaction with the outside world?
• How does a character react in his or her special way to various situations?
• Most importantly, how does a character handle conflict?

These kinds of stories are most often found in literary fiction, but they are sprinkled across all forms and genres of creative writing, including poetry and nonfiction.

The Social Condition

Lately, I’m working on a different type of story. I started with a situation rather than a character, although I did have a vague impression of a group of characters. My concept was borne from two things: a world (this in the science fiction genre) and a situation at the social (or historical) level. I was looking at society and history for ideas (or rather, by looking at those things, I became inspired). I started far away from the characters, seeing them only from a great distance.

This approach has been a lot more fun for me but it’s also a lot more work. World building and creating histories is no small task. Every day, as I write more and more about the world, I find myself looping around a creative cycle that is bringing me closer and closer to my characters with every go-round as I discover how their actions affected the greater society.

Starting Places in Creative Writing

Story is conflict. In a story about the human condition, it’s a personal or intimate conflict. In a story about society’s condition, we’re dealing with bigger conflicts that affect the masses: stories of war, for example. However, in the latter case, stories about big events can also incorporate character stories via subplots and therefore give you the best of both worlds.

Whether we start with an event and find the characters who were involved or start with characters and find our way through a story, we have to start somewhere.

Where do you start? Do you like to approach story from far away so you can tell a big, sweeping tale or do you prefer to start with a character and tell a more intimate tale? Or do you approach from somewhere else altogether?

Is creative writing a 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?

Examining the Writer’s Life

The writer’s life is unique. We spend a lot of time alone, with only our words and ideas to keep us company. We are immersed in word counts and submissions, manuscripts and notebooks. We work under tight deadlines and live in fear of typos. When other people are enjoying their favorite television shows or a day at the beach, we’re busy at our keyboards, doing our writerly work.

We are idea seekers — always looking for the next topic, poem, or plot. Every moment is an experience that could lead to a masterpiece, so every moment is a masterpiece. We live as observers, taking in the world around us so that we can share the best parts of it with our readers.

We are communicators, using words to forge connections. It’s not enough to tell a story. We want to show readers what it was like to be there, to live it, even if it never really happened.

And the most ambitious writers, those who are driven to make creative writing not just a way of life but a career, must also look at themselves in a way few other people do. We must see ourselves as authors and learn how to brand and market ourselves. We have to be self-promoters, and we have to be brave enough to put our work, which can be highly personal, out there for all the world to see.

The Creative Writing Life

The writing community is a tight one. Outside of literary circles, when two bookworms or writers bump into each other, they’re sure to forge an instant bond because such a person is a rare treasure. There may be some competition among writers, but most of what I’ve seen is goodwill and support.

We find ourselves outside of social norms. Our day jobs are simply a means to pay our bills. The real work happens early in the morning, late at night, and on weekends, when the rest of the world is playing. But our work is play. We writers breathe language. We engage in make-believe. We search for stories that beg to be told. We are concerned with words and images, grammar and structure, the historical and the fantastical, fact and fiction (and the difference between the two). And while we may be concerned with ordinary living, we ourselves experience a rather extraordinary life.

We get excited over things that put regular people to sleep — a passionate voice, a riveting scene, a complex character. We delight in office supplies, stationery, and writing instruments, tools that other people see as mere necessities.

All of these things make up the life of a writer, a writer’s lifestyle.

How Do You Live?

Creative writing is an adventure, and it’s an adventure that is threaded throughout every minute of a writer’s day. That’s my experience, anyway. How does being a writer shape your daily life? Do you consider it a lifestyle? A hobby? A habit?

Need some ideas for creative writing?

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.

Ideas for Creative Writing

Whether you’re stuck in a slump or caught up in a cacophony of projects that are vying for your attention, reviewing your options is the single best way to get refocused. You might decide that you need a big, long-term project that will keep you busy for months or you might choose something short and simple that you can finish quickly. You might realize that you don’t need a project at all — what you need are better writing habits and practices so you can stick with your craft.

Below is a list of ideas for creative writing projects and practices. This list is meant to inspire you to think about your personal goals as a writer so that you can make solid decisions about what to focus on in the near future.

1. Make a chapbook, a little thematic collection of essays, stories, or poems (or all of these). Print copies and bring them to readings or your local, indie bookstore — or make a PDF and sell or give it away online.
2. Start a blog. Give yourself a public space in which to write, put your voice out there, and stick to a regular writing schedule.
3. Set aside 20 minutes every day for writing. Write whatever you want during those twenty minutes, just make sure you do it every day.
4. Write for change. Find something you’re passionate about and affect change through writing (a blog is great for this).
5. Participate in NaNoWriMo. It happens every November, and you can spend the months before NaNo plotting, outlining, and sketching characters.
6. Read for an hour every night before bed. Reading will inspire you and it will make you a better writer.
7. Keep a journal. All it takes is ten or fifteen minutes a day. Jot down your thoughts and ideas. Or use your journal as a space to practice clear, compelling writing.
8. Complete writing exercises that inspire and challenge you.
9. Go to an open mic. Attend as a listener or bring your work and share it with the audience.
10. Read everything you’ve ever written. Go through all your files and notebooks. You’ll see that your writing has improved over time and you may also find some old projects that are worth dusting off and revisiting.
11. Submit something. If you’ve accumulated a lot of writing over the years, there’s a good chance you have a few publishable pieces. Why keep them hidden away?
12. Write about writing. Why do you write? What do you love about writing? What are your goals? The very act of writing a personal statement will shed light on an otherwise murky path.
13. Join a writing group or find a writing partner. Groups and partners have a lot to offer: they help you stay focused, they can offer feedback and criticism to help you improve your work, and they can be your support system.
14. Join a book club. If you don’t read much, your writing will suffer. If you haven’t read much, a book club will introduce you to great literature and provide a space in which you can explore writing from the reader’s perspective.
15. Take a creative writing class or workshop. You’ll get to do exercises, assignments, and engage with other writers. Surround yourself with peers and mentors and get feedback on your work.
16. Reimagine your favorite story. Take an old legend or fairy tale and give it a modern twist. Start with an outline, and if your concept works, develop it into a short story, novel, or screenplay.
17. Get personal. Write a polished personal essay about an experience you’ve had that you think it worth sharing. If the project intrigues you, let it expand into a memoir.
18. Try something new. If you always write fiction, try to write a song lyric. If you’re stuck on poetry, try writing a personal essay. Change genres: if you’re a romance writer, give science fiction a spin.

What are some of your favorite ideas for creative writing projects and practices? If you have any ideas to add to this list, please share them in the comments. And keep writing!

Do you need a creative writing degree?

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

Take a break with these 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?