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!

Creative Writing: Skill vs. Talent

Is successful and effective creative writing borne of skill or talent?

There has always been much debate about whether artistically inclined trades are a matter of learned skill or inherent talent.

On the one hand, there is the belief that some are born with an active and imaginative right brain and are therefore better able to manifest creativity. On the other hand, some argue that creative skills can be learned and mastered.

When it comes to creative writing, I believe that skill and talent work together. In fact, I would argue that almost every writer whose work is worth reading has some combination of both acquired writing skill and natural talent.

Creative Writing: Skills and Development

We are taught basic grammar and comprehensive writing in school, and each of us learns how to form a coherent sentence or paragraph by applying these teachings. We must learn our letters, and there is no artistic talent required to memorize a set of symbols that represent sounds. Throughout our formative years, we are educated in language, including reading, writing, and comprehension.

Some of us loved those classes. We were drawn to the written word, to novels and short stories, poetry and thought-provoking articles and essays. We welcomed the opportunity to build better writing skills.We trudged over to the school library during recess and experienced glee when the Scholastic newsletters arrived. Books! Stories! We absorbed them and they etched into our psyche until we too yearned to spin tales and started dreaming of the day when our own names would appear under a feature story headline or on the spine of a best selling — or dare I say — Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

Yet there were those who balked at the thought of opening, let alone reading, an entire book. They preferred math or science, or perhaps art, or maybe they’d rather park themselves in front of a TV or video game console. Their reports and essays came back with low marks and someone said they lacked talent, something we aspiring writers had in droves. But what is talent if not love of one’s craft?

Developing Talent

When I graduated high school and was faced with the dilemma of what to study in college, I shunned the idea of majoring in English, because I was already a voracious reader and several teachers had called me a gifted writer as well. Why study something I already had a knack for?

But a few years later, when no other major felt quite right, I finally checked off the box for English with a concentration in creative writing. Skill and talent combined to drive this choice. I finally realized that the very reason I should study writing was because I was already good at it. By majoring in English, maybe I could become great.

It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In the semesters that followed, I studied the classics and learned writing nuances from my instructors and peers, discovering subtleties that never would have come to my attention otherwise. I learned the value of editing and revising, and I learned the merits of voice and style. Thankfully, I was given opportunities to explore areas of writing I never would have touched on my own: proposals, screenplays, and chapbooks. I even learned how to master the creative writing process.

Creative Writing: Skills Plus Talent Equals Passion

I suppose artists, musicians, and other creative persons follow a similar path — a passion honed through years of learning and practice. When people suggest that writing cannot be learned, that grammar is unimportant, and storytelling or character development is the end-all-be-all of great writing, or that a writer’s creativity is magically manifested at birth, I am given great pause. For it is pride in one’s craft and true dedication that will result in truly wonderful writing: a seamless integration of love and passion, talent, and yes, all those mechanical writing skills that must be learned.

So what’s more important in creative writing – skills or talent? I say we need a healthy balance of both. What do you think?

How to Stay Inspired with a Creative Writing Talisman

Sometimes when we sit down to write, the muse is in full effect and the words pour forth effortlessly. Other times we sit there staring at a blank screen, waiting for creativity to manifest. We wait and we wait.

Then, we wait some more.

Writer’s block is the state of being uninspired, but it’s just a state of mind, and that can be changed at will, which is a good thing, because when it comes to creative writing, state of mind is pretty important.

Years ago, when I used to draw and paint, I often listened to a particular mix of music. It was ideal background audio for making art, very inspiring. As a result, every time I hear the music from my art mix, I get an urge to pull out my watercolor pencils and sketchbook, because I have built a psychological association between a certain kind of music and a creative activity.

Can you see where I’m going with this? Just imagine how this concept can be applied to creative writing.

Creative Writing with a Talisman

Talisman: anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions. (Dictionary.com)

In a sense, a talisman can be used to program your muse to come out and get to work — on cue. Imagine having the ability to command your own creativity, to sit down and engage in your writerly work and automatically trigger inspiration.

Here’s how it works:

1. Choose your creative writing talisman - It could be a hat or a piece of jewelry. It might be something that sits on your desk, like a picture or a statuette. It can even be a CD or playlist (classical and jazz are great for writing). Choose a talisman that you won’t use in any other capacity except for your creative writing sessions, and make sure it’s not something that will distract you from the task at hand. Also, pick something you can store easily, but which is also accessible. Things that fit in your desk drawer or pocket are ideal. Also, try to find something that already makes you feel inspired.
2. Charge your talisman - Don’t start using your talisman until your muse is in high gear. You should have it ready for when creativity strikes and when it does, pull out your talisman and focus on it for a few minutes as ideas bounce around in your head. Leave it out as you work on your creative writing during those times when you’re feeling extremely inspired.
3. Believe in your talisman – If you believe in magic, you might say that you’re infusing the talisman with your creative writing energy. Or, a more scientific explanation would be that you’re training your mind to associate the object with creativity, so that whenever you engage the talisman, that creative energy is triggered.
4. Use your talisman - Once your talisman starts putting out an inspirational vibe, use it whenever you’re stuck with your creative writing. You’ll know it’s ready because you’ll get the urge to write every time you look at your talisman.
5. Keep your talisman charged - Even if months down the road, you’re feeling giddy with creativity and you don’t feel like you need it, take out the talisman. This will help keep it charged and maintain the psychological association between the talisman and your creative writing.

Do you have a creative writing talisman or some other ritual that you perform before, during, or after your writing sessions?

Keep on writing!

Creative Writing, Art, and Commerce

What is art?

People have been trying to answer that question for centuries, but we still don’t have a definitive answer. We know art is borne of creativity. It’s meant to impact whoever is experiencing it. And it comes from a place within the artist that we don’t truly understand.

Art remains a mystery, both in its definition and its origin. Why is art a cornerstone of every single culture on Earth? Why do some people flock to artistry while others prefer to sit in the audience? Who do people need art, whether it’s music, films, paintings, sculptures, dance, or literature?

Does Art Matter?

We all know what commercialism is. It’s the intent to make money, preferably, lots of it. Traditionally, art was safe from commercialism. Big business just wasn’t interested, and artists could freely create. The market was free and it decided who succeeded and who didn’t. Fine art rose to the top.

But once the money makers filled up all the shelves in the grocery markets and lined all the racks in the department stores, they turned to art, and they commercialized it.

Screenplays were streamlined into formulas. Big publishing houses figured out which books would turn the fastest and easiest profits. Clear Channel bought up all the radio stations and started using bottom lines and internal agendas to decide which songs the public would listen to.

And artists took jobs at advertising agencies. Filmmakers created 30-second mini-movies called commercials. Songwriters penned jingles. Writers crafted slogans. And illustrators developed logos.

In a world driven by commerce, art became a commodity. Some artists cried out in protest, claiming that commercialized art was dumbing down the masses. The purpose of commercial art is not to get people to think or feel. It doesn’t care if it changes the world or makes a profound statement about humanity or nature. All it wants to do is get people to buy.

Fine Art vs. Commercial Art

Everything we humans create has some basic purpose. Commercial art exists to make money. Its motivation is revenue. Fine art exists because people need to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Its motivation is expression.

While the definitions of commercial and fine art are pretty clear, the lines between them are actually so blurry, it can be difficult to tell the difference. If you and I worked our way through the Times bestseller list in an attempt to classify each book as either commercial or artistic, I bet we’d disagree a few times.

So, can we define that gray area that connects yet separates fine and commercial art? Can we then apply it to our own creative writing?

Art, Commerce, and Creative Writing

Sometimes I talk to writers who have wild ideas about the stories they want to tell. Their imaginations are bustling with characters, scenes, and themes that are inspired, unique, and original. But they’ll say, “Nah, it’ll never sell.” And about once a week, I get an email from some college kid who tells me, “I think my story idea will be a bestseller.”

Is One Better Than The Other?

You have to answer that question for yourself. Personally, I love all types of art. I think sometimes the big money makers were genuinely inspired by something other than money. And occasionally, the art that was supposed to make a mint barely turns a dime. The world keeps on spinning.

When Michael Jackson was making Thriller, his goal was to create the biggest selling album of all time. I don’t think anybody’s questioning the artistic integrity of Thriller or Michael Jackson, and he completely surpassed his own ambitions with that record.

On the other hand, J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when she was at rock bottom. She had nothing left to lose, so she decided to do what she wanted to do and be happy with her art. Nobody could have guessed that Harry Potter would have found success beyond the sub-genre, children’s fantasy. But it became a worldwide phenomenon.

What Motivates You?

Artists like Michael Jackson and J.K. Rowling are highly visible. We all know their stories, their motivations, and how they found success. But there are millions more artists just like them who haven’t gained international fame. Some are vying for commercial success. They want to be stars. Others want to express their visions. They want to share some piece of themselves with the world. All over the planet, they are making their art.

I wonder how many artists have contemplated their motivations. I wonder if you have. Do you give much thought to whether your work will make you rich someday? Do you continue to create because you simply have to? Or are you somewhere in the middle, hoping to be able to find a way for your creative writing to pay the bills while sticking to your vision?

I don’t particularly care whether a piece of art was motivated by love or money. If Michael Jackson’s playing, you’ll find me on the dance floor. And I’ve read every single Harry Potter book. My music, book, and film collections are a healthy mix of big hits and underground or counterculture favorites. When I’m in the audience, it’s not about what motivated the artist. It’s about how the art affects me.

But when I’m sitting at my desk writing a poem or drafting a short story, I care very much about the artist’s motivation.

So, what’s yours?

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in February, 2010. It has been updated and republished today for your reading pleasure.

7 Creative Writing Tips for Increasing Productivity

Productivity. It’s all been said and done. In fact, you could spend more time learning how to be productive than actually being productive.

For us creative types, productivity can be a fleeting thing. We experience highs (a whole month packed with inspiration) and lows (three more months fraught with the ever-annoying writer’s block).

It can be frustrating. But creative writing doesn’t have to be a fair-weather hobby. Many successful authors have harnessed creativity, reigned it in, and turned it into a full-time profession. So, we know it can be done.

But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Succeeding in the arts takes a tremendous amount of drive, ambition, and dedication. It’s not the kind of job you have to show up for every day or risk being fired. Nobody cares if you get your work done except you. And maybe your characters, if you’re a fiction writer.

Creative Writing Tips for More Output

Here are seven creative writing tips to help you be more creative more often. Try them all and see which ones work for you.

1. Show up for work: Set a time every day, show up, and get your creative writing work done. It could be an hour a day (two hours on weekends!) or fifteen minutes. It can be first thing in the morning or right after dinner. The point is, make a schedule and stick with it. This will not only lead to more output, it will also lead to better writing.

2. Give yourself a quota: Can you produce twenty pages a week? Ten? Five? Some of us work better when we count words rather than minutes. If that sounds like you, then forget about time allotments. Show up for work every day, but focus on your output rather than on your time card.

3. Reward yourself: If you manage to show up every day or fulfill your quota, then by all means, give yourself a pat on the back. Whether it’s a trip to the masseuse or a book you’ve been dying to read, reward your own positive behavior with special treats that keep you motivated week after week.

4. Punish yourself: I’m not a big fan of negative reinforcement. It might curb bad behavior, but it does so for all the wrong reasons. Keep punishments light. Didn’t meet your goals? I don’t think you should cancel your vacation, but maybe you can skip dessert. Or, choose a punishment that promotes your goals. Read a textbook about creative writing or peruse a few articles on good grammar.

5. Hold yourself accountable: If you’re having a hard time meeting your creative writing goals, then set up an accountability system. Take a creative writing class or workshop, join a writing group, hire a writing coach, or partner up with a fellow writer and establish weekly check-ins. For some reason, when someone else is holding us accountable, we perform better.

6. Use productivity tools: There are unlimited tools at your disposal to help you stay productive and all of these can be used with your creative writing project. Put deadlines on your calendar. Hang a whiteboard and track your progress. Keep a journal of your writing sessions. Recording your goals and accomplishments can be extremely motivating.

7. Stay passionate: Do things that keep your creative writing passions burning. Listen to music that inspires you to write. Watch movies and read books with stories that motivate you to tell a story. Dance, sing, and make sure you’ve always got your notebook or journal with you because you never know when your next great (or unusual) writing ideas will strike.

It’s All on You

Creative writing doesn’t just happen. You make it happen. Born without drive? Foster determination. Uninspired? Learn some new creativity techniques. Can’t think of anything interesting to write about? Write about your life, your friends and family, your problems, your best moments and your worst. Get a book of writing exercises and get busy. And remember, only you can prevent your dreams from coming true.

Keep on writing!

Do you have any special techniques you use to keep your creative writing projects alive? Add your tips by leaving a comment.

Where to Find Creative Writing Inspiration (Art Begets Art)

Do you ever sit down to write only to discover hours later that you’ve done nothing but stare off into space with a blank look on your face, occasionally breaking from your stupor to notice that you have not written a single word?

Conversely, have you ever noticed that after watching an intoxicating film or listening to a mesmerizing piece of music, you feel that creative impulse start to throb, luring you to your keyboard or notebook?

Don’t Tell Me It’s Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is nothing more than a myth. In some cases, it’s an excuse. Creative writing is not supposed to be easy. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be so rewarding. Creative writing requires skill, focus, and motivation. When we’re tired, emotional, hungry, or distracted, we’re not suffering from writer’s block. We’re just stressed out like everybody else.

A Creative Writing Cure

If you want to keep your creativity flowing, start by taking care of yourself. Make sure you eat right, get plenty of rest and exercise, and keep your emotions in check by finding ways to be happy.

You have to take special care of your creativity too. Feed your imagination and keep a journal so you can store ideas for later use. Try some creative writing exercises to get yourself going in new directions. And absorb art.

When you take some time to experience a little art or entertainment, you’ll find that your creative juices really start to flow. Not only will you enjoy yourself, you’ll also massage your creative muscles and come away with fresh inspiration for your creative writing.

Art Begets Art

Haven’t you heard? Creativity is contagious. The more you expose yourself to it, the more creative you’ll become. Here are five tips to keep the breeding grounds for creative writing fertile:

1. Watch a movie, preferably a really good one. It doesn’t matter what genre or whether it’s an award-winning film. The key is to pick a movie that will speak to you, the kind that leaves you feeling reawakened.
2. Read a book or even just a chapter. This is sure to get you back in touch with your muse, but make sure that whatever you read when you’re looking for inspiration is something that fully engages you.
3. Peruse art and photography. You can go to a museum or check out the many art sites on the web. Sometimes when I need a break from writing, I type something into Google, click on the images button, and spend a few minutes enjoying the beauty of art and imagery. It’s good refreshment for the mind.
4. Listen to music. One of the best things about listening to music is that you can do it while you’re also doing other things — like exercising, driving, cleaning, or working on your creative writing projects. Then again, you can just lie back, relax, and let yourself get swept away by the sounds. Or, you can…
5. Dance. Not only will this get your blood pumping, it will increase your energy level. You’ll be listening to music all the while, so this one’s a double hitter with the added benefit of exercise!

Next time you find yourself floating around inside your own headspace when you should be forging your masterpiece, take a break to take care of your body and mind, and then go take in a movie or an album or some incredible artwork, and let someone else’s art beget your own. That’s how you get creative writing to come naturally and effortlessly!

Do you have any tips for finding creative writing inspiration? Share your thoughts in the comments!