By Evetta McGriff
In college, you may be required to write a paper or story in your English class. For many, writing is a challenge and may feel like a punishment, but some people are natural storytellers and enjoy putting their thoughts and ideas on paper. Even if you enjoy writing, it still might cause some feelings of anxiety if you are doing something outside of your normal routine. Ideas for writing may come easy, or you might struggle with getting started. Here are fifteen tips to jumpstart your creative writing.
(1) If you don’t usually take time to read, writing will be difficult. Reading is important in the creative writing process. It helps you find out what other people are writing to begin your literary journey. Make sure to read poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and other types of works, including magazines, to get you started.
(2) Do research to help make your writing believable and credible, and allows you to check your facts. This makes it more authentic and helps avoid plagiarism.
(3) Choose your own writing style. Don’t try to write just like someone else. Decide which style or genre works best for you.
(4) Creative writing requires work, a plan, and a schedule that you are willing to follow. You need discipline and the ability to develop a routine and schedule time for writing. Sometimes distractions get in the way of writing, but you need to learn to refocus.
(5) Make sure what your write is clear and easy to understand. Creative writing doesn’t require a plot twist with multiple possible outcomes.
(6) You need the right audience for your writing and to understand who and what you are writing for. You want your audience to read and enjoy what you wrote and not be bogged down by trying to understand the writing.
(7) Don’t do anything silly or out of the ordinary to get those “writing” juices flowing. Instead, focus on what you are doing and complete your writing.
(8) The old saying, “Practice makes perfect” seems appropriate when it comes to writing. The more you write, the better you will become.
(9) Find people who share your love of writing. You can share your writing with them, and get honest feedback.
(10) Learn to write by attending classes and workshops.
(11) It is rare for anyone to complete their writing without making any changes or updates. Most writing requires multiple reviews and changes. The heart of creative writing is the ability to revise your work.
(12) Don’t get so attached to parts of your story (or the entire story). What you think sounds amazing, but may not really be that good. Be willing to give it up and start on a new writing project.
(13) Submit your writing often, whether it is a writing contest, a blog, or even a post shared in a social media group. Find journals and magazines that accept submissions and get your writing in front of professionals.
(14) If your goal is to have your writing recognized on a larger scale, work on getting your writing seen by major publishers. If you publish your own writing, it may not be as widely seen as those who get published.
(15) If you are serious and want a long-term career in creative writing, consider going to school. There are courses for creative writing for non-majors, as well as 4-year and advanced degrees.
Creative writing can be a lot of fun, but it requires effort. Using these tips can help you in your creative writing career.
Mar12021
