best creative writing techniques

Tip 7: Practice Overcoming Writer’s Block

At some point in their writing journey, every writer has reached a point where writing doesn’t feel fun anymore.

There are lots of different causes for writer’s block. You might be unsure what to write, afraid of failing, or simply burned out from writing too much.

It’s important to find ways to overcome creative blocks, so you don’t end up putting down your pen for good.

One useful technique is to change your environment. If you normally write at home, try writing in a coffee shop or in your local library.

Another technique is to try a different activity for a while. Go for a walk, take a shower, do your dishes, or try another hobby. Before long, you’ll find yourself wanting to write again.

Perhaps the most underrated method is to simply take a break from writing. Give yourself permission to stop for a while—it’s always okay to take a step back.

Tip 8: Study Writing Craft

Many new writers falsely believe that writing can’t be taught; you’re either good at it or you’re not.

But the truth is that creative writing is a craft, just like woodworking, oil painting, or ballet. You wouldn’t expect anyone to be naturally good at ballet without years of training, so why is writing any different?

One way to learn new creative writing techniques is by reading craft books . Some great books to start with include On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and The Creative Writer’s Handbook by Philip K. Jason.

These books can help you learn the basics of how to write well. For example, you can learn how to construct high-quality sentences, how to avoid passive voice, and how to use poetic devices.

The more you learn, the more powerful your writing will become.

Tip 9: Invent Your Own Process

When you’re just starting out as a writer, it can be tempting to copy someone else’s writing process.

Maybe you heard an interview with a bestselling author who said you have to outline a story before you draft it. Or maybe you found out your favorite author writes 1,000 words every day, and now you think you have to write 1,000 words every day too.

But it’s important to remember that no two writers have the exact same writing process. What works best for someone else might not work for you.

There’s no right or wrong way to be a creative writer. Your job is to find a writing process that makes you feel fulfilled, productive, and inspired—and if your favorite writers don’t write the same way, that’s perfectly okay.

Tip 10: Don’t Aim for Perfection

There’s a good chance your writing is never going to be perfect. Mine definitely isn’t!

Remember that writing is about the process, not the product. Even if the final product is never perfect, the process has helped you grow as a writer—and hopefully, it’s also been a lot of fun.

You should decide what your main goal for writing is. Maybe it’s writing stories you might be able to publish someday. Maybe it’s telling stories about characters you rarely see in existing stories. Maybe it’s simply a fun new hobby.

Whatever your goal is, remember that you’re already on your way to achieving it. You don’t need to aim for perfection in order to succeed.

There’s no secret to getting better at creative writing. The process is very simple—it just takes a lot of hard work.

All you have to do is follow this two-step process:

• Step 1: Write consistently
• Step 2: Ask for feedback on your writing

The first step is fairly self-explanatory. Whenever you’re learning a new skill, it’s important to practice it. The more you write, the more you’ll learn about how to be a successful creative writer.

The second step is the one that receives more pushback from writers because it requires a lot of courage and vulnerability, but it’s just as important as the first step.

If you don’t get feedback, you could write every day and still never improve. That’s because most people can’t spot the weaknesses in their own stories.

You can ask for feedback from your friends, family, or writing groups. They can help you see your work from a different perspective and identify areas for improvement.

As long as you write consistently and listen to the feedback on the work you’re producing, you’ll be able to create a positive cycle where you create better and better stories over time.

If you want to improve your creative writing skills, there are numerous resources you can use to find help.

One great method is to join a writing community where you can share your work and get feedback from other writers.

You can look for free critique groups online, on websites such as Scribophile and Critique Circle. Or you can start your own group with your friends.

You can also consider joining a local writing class or retreat. Many schools and community centers offer classes and workshops you can join.

Another option is to use creative writing tools. ProWritingAid can give you AI-powered suggestions about how to improve your prose and make your writing shine.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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• Creativity Techniques

26+ Creative Writing Tips for Young Writers

So you want to be a writer? And not just any writer, you want to be a creative writer. The road to being a legendary storyteller won’t be easy, but with our creative writing tips for kids, you’ll be on the right track! Creative writing isn’t just about writing stories. You could write poems, graphic novels, song lyrics and even movie scripts. But there is one thing you’ll need and that is good creative writing skills. 

Here are over 26 tips to improve your creative writing skills :

Read a wide range of books

When it comes to creative writing, reading is essential. Reading allows you to explore the styles of other writers and gain inspiration to improve your own writing. But don’t just limit yourself to reading only popular books or your favourites. Read all sorts of books, everything from fairytales to scary stories. Take a look at comics, short stories, novels and poetry. Just fill your heads with the knowledge and wisdom of other writers and soon you’ll be just like them!

Write about real-life events

The hardest thing about creative writing is connecting emotionally with your audience. By focusing your writing on real-life events, you know that in some way or another your readers will be able to relate. And with creative writing you don’t need to use real names or details – There are certain things you can keep private while writing about the rare details. Using real-life events is also a good way to find inspiration for your stories. 

Be imaginative

Be as crazy and wild as you like with your imagination. Create your world, your own monsters , or even your own language! The more imaginative your story, the more exciting it will be to read. Remember that there are no rules on what makes a good idea in creative writing. So don’t be afraid to make stuff up!

Find your writing style

Thes best writers have a particular style about them. When you think of Roald Dahl , you know his books are going to have a sense of humour. While with Dr Seuss , you’re prepared to read some funny new words . Alternatively, when you look at R.L.Stine, you know that he is all about the horror. Think about your own writing style. Do you want to be a horror writer? Maybe someone who always writes in the first person? Will always focus your books on your culture or a particular character?

Stick to a routine

Routine is extremely important to writers. If you just write some stuff here and there, it’s likely that you’ll soon give up on writing altogether! A strict routine means that every day at a certain time you will make time to write about something, anything. Even if you’re bored or can’t think of anything, you’ll still pick up that pencil and write. Soon enough you’ll get into the habit of writing good stuff daily and this is definitely important for anyone who wants to be a professional creative writer!

Know your audience

Writing isn’t just about thinking about your own interests, it’s also about thinking about the interests of your audience. If you want to excite fellow classmates, know what they like. Do they like football , monsters or a particular video game? With that knowledge, you can create the most popular book for your target audience. A book that they can’t stop reading and will recommend to others! 

Daily Exercises

To keep your creative writing skills up to scratch it is important to keep practising every day. Even if you have no inspiration. At times when your mind is blank, you should try to use tools like writing prompts , video prompts or other ways of coming up with ideas . You could even take a look at these daily writing exercises as an example. We even created a whole list of over 100 creative writing exercises to try out when you need some inspiration or ideas. 

Work together with others

Everyone needs a little help now and then. We recommend joining a writing club or finding other classmates who are also interested in writing to improve your own creative writing skills. Together you can share ideas, tips and even write a story together! A good storytelling game to play in a group is the “ finish the story” game . 

Get feedback

Without feedback, you’ll never be able to improve your writing. Feedback, whether good or bad is important to all writers. Good feedback gives you the motivation to carry on. While bad feedback just gives you areas to improve and adapt your writing, so you can be the best! After every piece of writing always try to get feedback from it, whether it is from friends, family, teachers or an online writing community .

Enter writing competitions

The best way to improve your creative writing is by entering all sorts of writing competitions . Whether it’s a poetry competition or short story competition, competitions let you compete against other writers and even help you get useful feedback on your writing. Most competitions even have rules to structure your writing, these rules can help you prepare for the real world of writing and getting your work published. And not only that you might even win some cool prizes!

Keep a notebook

Every writer’s best friend is their notebook. Wherever you go make sure you have a notebook handy to jot down any ideas you get on the go. Inspiration can come from anywhere , so the next time you get an idea instead of forgetting about it, write it down. You never know, this idea could become a best-selling novel in the future. 

Research your ideas

So, you got a couple of ideas for short stories. The next step is to research these ideas deeper. 

Researching your ideas could involve reading books similar to your ideas or going online to learn more about a particular topic. For example, if you wanted to write a book on dragons, you would want to know everything about them in history to come up with a good, relatable storyline for your book.

Create Writing Goals

How do you know if your writing is improving over time? Simple – Just create writing goals for yourself. Examples of writing goals might include, to write 100 words every day or to write 600 words by the end of next week. Whatever your goals make sure you can measure them easily. That way you’ll know if you met them or not. You might want to take a look at these bullet journal layouts for writers to help you track the progress of your writing.

Follow your passions

Writing can be tedious and many people even give up after writing a few words. The only way you can keep that fire burning is by writing about your true passions. Whatever it is you enjoy doing or love, you could just write about those things. These are the types of things you’ll enjoy researching and already know so much about, making writing a whole lot more fun!

Don’t Settle for the first draft

You finally wrote your first story. But the writing process isn’t complete yet! Now it’s time to read your story and make the all-important edits. Editing your story is more than just fixing spelling or grammar mistakes. It’s also about criticising your own work and looking for areas of improvement. For example, is the conflict strong enough? Is your opening line exciting? How can you improve your ending?

Plan before writing

Never just jump into writing your story. Always plan first! Whether this means listing down the key scenes in your story or using a storyboard template to map out these scenes. You should have an outline of your story somewhere, which you can refer to when actually writing your story. This way you won’t make basic mistakes like not having a climax in your story which builds up to your main conflict or missing crucial characters out.

It’s strange the difference it makes to read your writing out aloud compared to reading it in your head. When reading aloud you tend to notice more mistakes in your sentences or discover paragraphs which make no sense at all. You might even want to read your story aloud to your family or a group of friends to get feedback on how your story sounds. 

Pace your story

Pacing is important. You don’t want to just start and then quickly jump into the main conflict because this will take all the excitement away from your conflict. And at the same time, you don’t want to give the solution away too early and this will make your conflict too easy for your characters to solve. The key is to gradually build up to your conflict by describing your characters and the many events that lead up to the main conflict. Then you might want to make the conflict more difficult for your characters by including more than one issue in your story to solve. 

Think about themes

Every story has a theme or moral. Some stories are about friendship, others are about the dangers of trusting strangers. And a story can even have more than one theme. The point of a theme is to give something valuable to your readers once they have finished reading your book. In other words, to give them a life lesson, they’ll never forget!

Use dialogue carefully

Dialogue is a tricky thing to get right. Your whole story should not be made up of dialogue unless you’re writing a script. Alternatively, it can be strange to include no dialogue at all in your story. The purpose of dialogue should be to move your story forward. It should also help your readers learn more about a particular character’s personality and their relationship with other characters in your book. 

One thing to avoid with dialogue is… small talk! There’s no point in writing dialogue, such as “How’s the weather?”, if your story has nothing to do with the weather. This is because it doesn’t move your story along.  For more information check out this guide on how to write dialogue in a story .

Write now, edit later

Writing is a magical process. Don’t lose that magic by focusing on editing your sentences while you’re still writing your story up. Not only could this make your story sound fragmented, but you might also forget some key ideas to include in your story or take away the imagination from your writing. When it comes to creative writing, just write and come back to editing your story later.

Ask yourself questions

Always question your writing. Once done, think about any holes in your story. Is there something the reader won’t understand or needs further describing? What if your character finds another solution to solving the conflict? How about adding a new character or removing a character from your story? There are so many questions to ask and keep asking them until you feel confident about your final piece.

Create a dedicated writing space

Some kids like writing on their beds, others at the kitchen table. While this is good for beginners, going pro with your writing might require having a dedicated writing space. Some of the basics you’ll need is a desk and comfy chair, along with writing materials like pens, pencils and notebooks. But to really create an inspiring place, you could also stick some beautiful pictures, some inspiring quotes from writers and anything else that will keep you motivated and prepared. 

Beware of flowery words

Vocabulary is good. It’s always exciting when you learn a new word that you have never heard before. But don’t go around plotting in complicated words into your story, unless it’s necessary to show a character’s personality. Most long words are not natural sounding, meaning your audience will have a hard time relating to your story if it’s full of complicated words from the dictionary like Xenophobia or Xylograph .

Create believable characters

Nobody’s perfect. And why should your story characters be any different? To create believable characters, you’ll need to give them some common flaws as well as some really cool strengths. Your character’s flaws can be used as a setback to why they can’t achieve their goals, while their strengths are the things that will help win over adversity. Just think about your own strengths and weaknesses and use them as inspirations for your storybook characters. You can use the Imagine Forest character creator to plan out your story characters. 

Show, don’t tell

You can say that someone is nice or you can show them how that person is nice. Take the following as an example, “Katie was a nice girl.” Now compare that sentence to this, “Katie spent her weekends at the retirement home, singing to the seniors and making them laugh.”. The difference between the two sentences is huge. The first one sounds boring and you don’t really know why Katie is nice. While in the second sentence, you get the sense that Katie is nice from her actions without even using the word nice in the sentence!

Make the conflict impossible

Imagine the following scenario, you are a championship boxer who has won many medals over the year and the conflict is…Well, you got a boxing match coming up. Now that doesn’t sound so exciting! In fact, most readers won’t even care about the boxer winning the match or not! 

Now imagine this scenario: You’re a poor kid from New Jersey, you barely have enough money to pay the bills. You never did any professional boxing, but you want to enter a boxing competition, so you can win and use the money to pay your bills. 

The second scenario has a bigger mountain to climb. In other words, a much harder challenge to face compared to the character in the first scenario. Giving your characters an almost impossible task or conflict is essential in good story-telling.

Write powerful scenes

Scenes help build a picture in your reader’s mind without even including any actual pictures in your story. Creating powerful scenes involves more than describing the appearance of a setting, it’s also about thinking about the smell, the sounds and what your characters are feeling while they are in a particular setting. By being descriptive with your scenes, your audience can imagine themselves being right there with characters through the hard times and good times!

There’s nothing worse than an ending which leaves the reader feeling underwhelmed. You read all the way through and then it just ends in the most typical, obvious way ever! Strong endings don’t always end on a happy ending. They can end with a sad ending or a cliff-hanger.  In fact, most stories actually leave the reader with more questions in their head, as they wonder what happens next. This then gives you the opportunity to create even more books to continue the story and keep your readers hooked for life (or at least for a very long time)! 

Over 25 creative writing tips later and you should now be ready to master the art of creative writing! The most important tip for all you creative writers out there is to be imaginative! Without a good imagination, you’ll struggle to wow your audience with your writing skills. Do you have any more creative writing tips to share? Let us know in the comments!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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10 Effective Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing

Writing a story is a craft that requires constant tweaks, edits and trial and error by the writer. Here are ten tips to improve your creative writing and save you hours of painful re-writing in the future.

(1) Don’t underestimate your reader

You have a fantastic plot, your characters are realistic, the setting is ideal and you want to make sure that the reader gets every little detail that you have in mind. Great!

The only problem is that you may be tempted to bombard your reader with many intimate details so that they see it exactly as you do. In-depth descriptions can be useful and effective, but don’t overdo it. Keep your writing neat and tight; don’t waste space on long, rambling descriptions about things that aren’t necessary to your story.

Wouldn’t it be ideal if editors received submissions and decided to look past the typos and incorrect formatting because they think it might be a little gem of a story? The fact is that if your manuscript is full of errors or doesn’t follow the required guidelines then it’s going in the trash.

Don’t rely on your computer’s spell checker. If you make a typo, the computer will not warn you if you’ve still spelt a valid word. Your gorgeous heroine meets the bog (boy) of her dreams? The wealthy doctor places his golf ball on his tea (tee)?

(3) Give Your Characters Life

Characters are vital to your story so treat them with care and give them that breath of life that you, the writer, have the power to give. Give them unique characteristics; make them believable by making them have a purpose, motivation and conflicts to resolve.

(4) Use Strong Words

You want your writing to sound decisive, so use words that get the point across. Did Bob’s really big headache cause him a lot of pain or did Bob’s migraine cause excruciating pain? But remember not to overdo it: don’t use words that the reader won’t understand, you want to use strong words, not confusing or extravagant ones.

(5) Show Don’t Tell.

Who hasn’t heard that one before? But it’s a valid point and a useful rule for all writers. Fiction is for entertainment, so entertain your reader! Give them an excuse to escape into the reality that you have created. Let them see, hear, feel, smell, laugh, cry, love and hate. Show your reader the world that you’ve created, don’t just tell them about it.

(6) Check your Commas

While commas can be effective many inexperienced writers tend to sprinkle their sentences with them. When placed incorrectly, commas can chop up your sentences and sometimes even alter the meaning. Brush up on your high-school grammar; your work will improve with that alone.

(7) Grab their Attention from the Start

Opening lines are often referred to as ‘the hook’ because that’s exactly what you want them to be. You get the reader’s attention and reel them in for the rest of the story. Try something powerful to kick-start your story. For example: ‘Mark’s back broke with an audible crack’ or ‘Eliza didn’t realize that she was going blind’ or ‘The bullet that pierced Henry’s back and left him paralyzed was meant for a homeless man’. Each of these lines makes the reader ask ‘why?’ and once they ask that question, the reader will keep on reading until they find the answer.

(8) Give Your Reader a Satisfactory Ending

You can leave the reader speculating or wondering why at the end of your story, but try to resolve as much as you can. If your reader finishes the last sentence and is still asking questions about what happened to who and why, then you still need to tie up the loose ends.

(9) Sober up

Think of writing as going out to a bar: you go out, the lighting is dim, it’s noisy, maybe you drink too much but you meet a person who’s attractive, witty, shares the same interests as you and you’re smitten by them. A few days later you meet for coffee: are they as good looking or charming as you remember?

This can happen with writing. You become intoxicated with the feeling of success and think that you have written an award-winning piece. The question is, once you’ve sobered up, is it as good as you thought it was? Put your manuscript away and try not to think about it for a couple days. Then take it out and read it with a clear, open mind. Read it through once from beginning to end, then break it up into sections, then read it sentence by sentence. Is it as good as you remembered? If so, then well done! But the odds are that if you were too excited about finally wrapping it up, then you’ll find some points to revise.

(10) Challenge Yourself

Are you trying too hard to write in a specific genre or style? Do you only write short stories or novels or poems or movie scripts? Give that creative muscle a workout and try something different. It will be a refreshing exercise for your mind and you might be surprised by the result. If you don’t succeed then you have still learnt a valuable lesson.

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The 22 Best Writing Tips Ever

by Melissa Donovan | Aug 29, 2023 | Writing Tips | 115 comments

The best writing tips.

Today, I’m sharing one of the oldest and most popular posts on Writing Forward. This one dates back to 2007, but it’s still one of the most-visited posts on the blog and one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy these writing tips and find them useful! Brian Clark over at Copyblogger issued a challenge to bloggers in the post “ The Cosmo Headline Technique for Blogging Inspiration .” The idea is to use headlines from magazines like Cosmopolitan for inspiration, and to write your headlines before composing your article. I’ve taken Brian up on his challenge and as a result, I bring you the “22 best writing tips ever.”

Best Writing Tips

• Do it. Write.
• Read as much and as often as you can. Remember, every writer is a reader first.
• Keep a journal or notebook handy at all times so you can jot down all of your brilliant ideas. If you’ve got a smartphone, make sure it’s loaded with a note-taking app. A voice-recording app also comes in handy for recording notes and ideas.
• Make sure you have a dictionary and thesaurus available whenever you are writing.
• Be observant. The people and activities that surround you will provide you with great inspiration for characters, plots, and themes.
• Invest in a few useful resources starting with The Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style  (aff links).
• Grammar: learn the rules and then learn how to break them effectively.
• Stop procrastinating. Turn off the TV, disconnect from the internet, tune out the rest of the world, sit down, and write.
• Read works by successful authors to learn what earns a loyal readership.
• Read works by the canonical authors so you understand what constitutes a respectable literary achievement.
• Join a writers’ group so you can gain support from the writing community and enjoy camaraderie in your craft.
• Start a blog. Use it to talk about your own writing process , share your ideas and experiences, or publish your work to a reading audience.
• Create a space in your home especially for writing.
• Proofread everything at least three times before submitting your work for publication.
• Write every single day.
• Subscribe to blogs about writing . Read them, participate, learn, share, and enjoy!
• Make it your business to understand grammar and language. Do you know a noun from a verb, a predicate from a preposition? Do you understand tense and verb agreement? You should.
• Use writing exercises to improve your skills, strengthen your talent, and explore different genres, styles, and techniques.
• Let go of your inner editor. When you sit down to write a draft, refrain from proofreading until that draft is complete.
• Allow yourself to write poorly, to write a weak, uninteresting story or a boring, grammatically incorrect poem. You’ll never succeed if you don’t allow yourself a few failures along the way. Do not refrain from writing because you’re worried it won’t be perfect!
• You are a writer so own it and say it out loud: “I am a writer.” Whether it’s a hobby or your profession, if you write, then you have the right to this title.
• Write, write, write, and then write some more. Forget everything else and just write.

115 Comments

This is a wonderful list of 22. I love how you’ve covered so many important elements but broken them down to simple rules to live by. 🙂

Be sure to re-read anything you wrote while “inspired”: it usually sucks. Your best writing is done with a cool head.

Great tips!

On #7, I’d add some emphasis: “Learn the rules and then break them. But LEARN THEM FIRST.”

But….there are no grammar “rules”, only grammar “guidelines”. History shows us different grammar “rules” have gone in an out of style over centuries…and ongoing!

Hi Kay. Actually, there are grammar rules, although they change throughout time. Grammar is fluid and constantly evolving. The way we construct a sentence today is quite different from a hundred years ago, and in another hundred years, sentences will undoubtedly look different than they do now.

Grammar doesn’t cover every aspect of writing, which is why professional writers use style guides that contain guidelines (as opposed to rules). For example, every sentence must contain a subject and a verb — that’s a rule. There are also exceptions to many of the rules. A sentence comprised solely of an interjection is valid, although it contains neither a subject nor a verb.

And we are all free to flout the rules as much as we want, but they do exist. One might argue that since there is no official body checking to make sure everyone is following the rules, they can’t be construed as rules at all, and I understand that argument, but there is a difference between what we would consider a rule and a guideline in the realm of writing.

Good one! The tips are great; I’ve bookmarked the post already.

Very nice set of tips here. I’ve been in this business for over two decades and I can attest to the fact that she didn’t miss a thing. Good job.

This a shoddy list. I cant think of any way this process and encouragement could actually better someone. It is treating writing like a job that anyone can be trained to do, involving only education and refinement of skill, when really writing is an expression of thought that does not require perfect grammar. If it understandable it can be proofread by someone who treats writing like employment. The author needs the ability to materialize plot and characters, even poetically. Just create great characters. Kurt Vonnegut has much better advice than this.

Writing is a job that most people can be trained to do. The lucky writers also possess some talent, but hard work trumps talent any day. Oh, and this list was not compiled specifically for fiction writers. I tried to put together a list that would be useful for a wide range of writers, whether they are copywriters, poets, or authors (fiction or nonfiction).

Thanks for stopping by. Melissa

Wow. Unlike a lot of advice I’ve seen about writing on the web, these tips are actually useful. ^_^ I’m so jazzed!

I’m working on a novel so I will be sure to remember these.

These are some awesome ideas and I am going to try and use them all , they are all very useful tips that everyone needs.

I stumbled upon this page and I’m glad I did. I’m going to take heed to your list 🙂

Great tips! I think that learning the rules and then breaking them applies to more than just grammar – it applies to structure, to headline writing, and beyond. Especially in blogging. Freedom, flexibility and creativity in writing are so critical, as is variety. It’s so easy when you write often to come up with formulas that work – and then stop looking beyond that for what could be better, or even just more interesting. That’s why I loved this challenge from Brian so much. Glad you participated!

The best book ever about writing is called ‘Writing Down the Bones’ by Natalie Goldberg. My sister gave me that Stephen King book, and it pretty much was an uninspiring mishmash compared to Goldberg’s tome. I’ve tried reading practical books about writing books and have come to the conclusion that the only way to make money as a writer is by writing a book telling other writers how to write.

Of course, if you’re more interested in getting a paycheck than in actually writing, then the “practical advice” including that in King’s book will work. But some of us long for the lost art of not writing either gory or tawdry bestselling fiction.

One bit of advice you do miss, and one that I find more than useful, is to complete your higher education. You don’t have to get a Master’s Degree to be a writer, but it sure helps to get your book published if you have a few letters attached to the end of your name. Either that, or be a celebrity.

Regarding point #11, it really does help to have other writers read your work. There are many writers-only community websites that don’t cost anything to join–Gather.com being one of them. I have learned more about writing from being in that community than by reading any book on the subject, no matter how good or recommended that book may be.

the list is really keepable in (at least) mind…!!!

thnx….

I don’t want to offend an above commenter, but I completely disagree with having to have a higher education to write, as one of the above commenters said. If someone loves to write, then WRITE – don’t worry about your status in life. Not all published authors possess college degrees just as Bill Gates and many others also don’t have collegiate degrees. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you can write. Anyone can write. A rare few possess that extraordinary quality that puts them on the top tier of literary genius and those people were not taught that by any level of degree. However, a degree does help for technical and non-fiction writing or to get a job at a newspaper. I hate seeing people say they can’t write because they don’t have a college degree. I’ve read writing by people with college degrees that was terrible and writing by those without degrees that was some of the best writing I’ve ever read. When you have a pen in hand or sit down at your computer, throw away your social status, your background, etc. and breathe life into your story. Your actual writing will say FAR more about you than a title behind your name will.

I would never aspire to BE a writer, buying every book on the subject…you just DO it. Look for interesting stories to tell (they are all around you). Open up a local newspaper, watch people, become intrigued with people in the real world. A writer’s best tool is a natural sense of curiousity about the world and the desire to tell the story behind it. If you can drive down a suburban street and wonder about the lives of those behind closed doors, you have the curiousity it takes to write good fiction.

One great writer I’ve read said that if you want to write lyrical and beautiful content, read poetry before you write. For some reason, it works. It’s like it shifts the gears and takes your writing to a whole new level.

I get the feeling that you think if someone wants to be a writer that they should… write a lot?

Really fruitful tips……..Thank You

I agree.Good tips for writting.

God knows I had a hard enough time constructing this response to your tips without utter abuse, and perhaps I will never be a great writer, but I believe that your 9th suggestion is an outrage.

In fact, I couldn’t read past it.

Imitation is suicide. I don’t understand how you or anyone as an individual with a unique voice could possibly identify with the mantra that you seem to espouse in your 9th tip.

I’m certain, since you’ve read the “great authors”, that you’ve read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance”, but it may be worthwhile for you to revisit such an important expression in defense of the individual’s voice in order for to become a better advisor to young writers.

Matthew Ramsey

I agree with Matthew Ramsey on his main point. Imitation only serves to perpetuate the myth that the only writing worth doing is in service of the publishers and their egos as well as their bad taste in writing. Authentic authorship is not as cost-effective for publishers to promote as is “fast food” writing.

The sad reality is that people are averse to taking chances. So-called “revolutionary” writing is hailed when the only radical approach these writers take is to twist the same plot that everyone else uses so that it really isn’t all that different in a substantial way. The music industry is just as bad, asking original-sounding artists “can you sing more like Mariah Carey” or “can you play this song more like U2? (You can use whomever else fits nicely in their stead.)

Of course, we’re just hitting our heads against this new wave of intellectual fry cooks who would rather make money than create significant original writing. After all, there’s really no money to be made in being true to our voices when the same old crap sells. There is no end to those more than happy to write to the tastes of the lowest common denominator. The same is true of non-fiction as well.

This may damn me for an everlasting place in the pantheon of the shunned, but I couldn’t care less about that. Life is too short to write horrid fiction anyway, and the best authors are those who are better known a century after they are dead–another sad commentary, showing that dead authors who won’t rock the boat are preferable to living ones who do.

Cynthia and Matthew,

I appreciate your strong feelings about imitation. However, since nowhere in this list did I encourage writers to imitate, I’m quite unclear as to how you’ve both become so engrossed in the issue.

If one’s intent is to become a writer, then it stands to reason that one would make study of the trade, and in doing so, would read a variety of literature, eventually gaining understanding of what gets published, what sells, what readers enjoy, and what earns recognition and acknowledgment.

For those who want to make a career out of writing, it must, on some level, be treated as a business. Anyone with an ounce of business sense will tell you to do your market research.

This doesn’t mean you should sell out or lose your voice, let alone use another’s voice. It just means know what’s out there , if for no other reason than to make sure you don’t, unwittingly, imitate.

Cynthia & Matthew Ever read Stephen King “On Writing” he suggests reading as much as possible, in fact he says when your not writing, you should be reading. Earnest Hemingway & William Faulkner, ever heard of these men? they say he same thing, in fact Faulkner says “Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out the window.” -William Faulkner

So, who is correct, Cynthia & Mathew or Stephen King, Earnest Hemingway, & William Faulkner. I chose the latter three. By the way, Cynthia & Mathew what have you written lately???? We would love to see it!!!

P.S. I know I am late to this post, I just discovered it, as I only recently began to study the art of writing

I’ve been feeling so dry lately when it comes to my writing. I’m twenty years old and I feel so inexperienced with life. But these tips are helping me revive my writing past.

At the age of 74, and with no college experience ,I am sure I will never be a ‘great’ writer. you have,however, renewed my desire to write. My passion is people and life, and writing my outlet. I want to touch hearts and make the world a better place,at least for some, or someone. I will write from my heart,though I know without the head there would be no writing. Whatever may be, I pray the world will be a better place because I tried. Thank you for the inspiration to try again.

Great tips! Cosmo will be jealous…

I like what you said about Rule #7. Learn the grammar rules, and then break them.

The trick is to know how to adapt to your audience.

As Mr. Project Engineer, I spend the entire day writing dry technical documents that obsessive-compulsive managers love to micro-edit to half to death. This is when strict adherence to proper grammar and spelling is mandatory.

But, when I write as the Friar, I kinda relax the rules (like I am right now). It’s more fun to write this way even though it’s not grammatically perfect. It also makes my stories more readable.

If I wrote my Blog as Mr. Project Engineer, I’d have zero readers.

@Friar: I used to work as a technical writer and for years I did mostly business writing. Switching back to a creative mode takes a bit of effort (for me, anyway).

I agree….until recently, the only writing I ever did was technical. It’s painful, nit-picky writing.

This “creative” writing is completely new to me. I need to unlearn some of my old habits.

Kind of like trying to teach a draftsman who’s only used AutoCad how to paint a landscape.

@Friar: I hear you! It’s a difficult adjustment but I’m sure we can do it!

A fantastic site, and brilliant effort. A great piece of work.,

I disagree about the Stephen King book. He does not advise anyone to write the way he does, and his instruction and encouragement are not geared at teaching writers how to do so. King gives a lot of solid advice in his book. His recommendation to avoid deliberately trying to increase your vocabulary is among the best advice I’ve heard or read anywhere– no one can be a good writer using words he doesn’t know how to use properly.

You may not like King’s work, but he writes for himself and has luckily found an audience who likes to read him. You might consider his writing awful tripe, but it’s written for a little more than profit. If you have any doubt, compare King’s novels to Dean Koontz’s.

I also think it’s more than a bit hypocritical to recommend reading practical advice only if you’re more interested in getting a paycheck than writing well, then, in the next paragraph, to recommend having “letters” attached to the end of your name in order to get a paycheck for your crappy writing. Higher education is certainly valuable (I have both a baccalaureate and a professional degree), but getting your crappy writing published because you have a degree does not make your writing better than writing published because it is “gory” or “tawdry.”

Anything that helps a writer identify the flaws in his writing and work to diminish them is the kind of instruction that writer needs.

this blog contains great articles.

Why thank you.

You can never underestimate the power of writing poorly. I have friends who get so frustrated that their writing isn’t coming out well so they just call it quits. It’s important to remember that it might turn out bad sometimes, but you need to find what you like in the poor stuff and expand on it.

I think most artists and creative people go through phases where they struggle and everything just seems to come out all wrong. That’s why sticking with it is so important. Never give up!

Great tips. I really like the one about creating a writing space in your own home. When I had my own place, I had an extra room that I could use as a writing study, and it did wonders for my concentration.

Now that I’ve moved back in with my parents, it’s harder to find the space. Of course, writing isn’t about where you do it, so it’s not a big deal, but I’m looking forward to the day when I can have a writing study again.

Creating a writing space is probably one of the most difficult of all these tips because a lot of people just don’t have room in their homes. However, all you really need to write is a notebook and a pen, so your writing place could always be a comfy chair or a seat by a window with an inspiring view.

What a wonderful site so much information and simple tips. Thank you

Thanks, Maria!

I wanted to offer a tip of my own, for consideration. When I’ve written numerous pages at a time and I feel as if the ‘moment’ is passing, I like to have a cd burned with instrumentals of different songs to kind of carry the emotion over page by page, word by word. The classics, such as Beethoven and Mozart are helpful keeping me mellow and yet still inspired and of course if the story calls for drama, or excitement- I must have some Biggie Smalls instrumentals playing in the background. ; ) Hope that would help someone if they tried it.

When you can’t write anything, it means you need to read something.

Definitely!

I especially like rules 6 and 10. Strunk & White is indeed great! More extensive guides I really like are Sheridan Baker’s THE PRACTICAL STYLIST and Diana Hacker’s A WRITER’S REFERENCE.

Though not a Vonnegut fan, I can’t help enjoying an odd-sounding rule attributed to him:

Write like somebody else.

(This will have zero appeal to most writers of free-verse poetry, who think that the whole point and sole point is to express YOURSELF.)

I haven’t read much Vonnegut (maybe none), but I am interested in reading some of his work. I’ve eyed Hocus Pocus a few times and it’s definitely on my wish list! Wonder if I’ll like it…I do like “write like somebody else.” That’s a great tip for fiction writers!

Really very useful tips. Thanks a lot !

You’re very welcome! thanks for reading and commenting!

Some writing tips: Writers always need to be true to themselves. Write down everything. Know your proofreading marks. Take a college level or English Compsition course.

Yes! Thanks for adding these tips!

FOCUS on one subject or topic.

I almost included something like that, but then I realized that single-subject writing doesn’t work well for many writers. But if you work best when sticking to one topic, then you definitely should. This is why one of the secrets of great artistry is trying different methods and techniques to see what works best for you. Thanks!

Amen to #21 “I am a writer” 🙂

Amen and hallelujah!

It amazes me how many times people have to hear point 1 before they get it. The only way anyone succeeds at anything is by practising. If you’re not writing more than the next man, you’ll never learn to write in a more interesting way than the next man.

Even though we writers are supposed to avoid clichés, “practice makes perfect” comes to mind. There’s a reason it became cliché (because it was true enough to be repeated often!).

True inspiration!!!

Thanks so much!

Great tips. My biggest problem is to stop thinking about it and just do it. Another tip, is to build a website about something you’re passionate about. To be successful you need a lot of content, so by having a website you have a goal and many pages to write.

I started my creative writing website a little over a year ago and have over 99 pages of content built, it’s a great goal to work towards!

Passion is crucial when you’re developing a website. I’ve learned that firsthand after several projects that I started never got off the ground. You know what they say: do what you love and the money will follow. I would add to that: if you do what you love, joy will always be present.

Great advise. It’s true do what you love and it doesn’t feel like work!

“8. Stop procrastinating. Turn off the TV, tune out the rest of the world, sit down, and write.”

Translation: Get off of Facebook and write!

This is my biggest problem. Too often do I find myself wasting time on Facebook when my creative juices are flowing out of my ears… I have found that my best writing happens when I’ve turned off my Internet and given full concentration to my writing. …with inspirational music playing as well, of course. 🙂

Absolutely. Facebook and Twitter are fun and they can be useful as marketing tools, but mostly they are just time-sucks. I haven’t been using either very much for the past few months. I kind of miss them and I’ll go back eventually, but for now, I’m just too busy and I’d rather write and play music when I’m not working. Stay away from those evil Facebook games! They can be a writer’s greatest adversity!

Great tips. Having a blog has been the best way for me to improve my writing. I often need to go for a walk to clear my head before sitting down to write

Julia M Lindsey Our Little Books

Walks, yoga, and playing music are the best ways to clear one’s head!

These are truly great tips. Number 3, about carrying a notebook is one of the most valuable. You never know what is going to pop into your head at any point in time that you might want to jot down. If you have a memory like mine, it’s the only way to capture things. I had a great idea yesterday but I can’t remember what it was… I just remember it was great. D’oh! Also, as I get older, I’m people-watching much more than I did in my 20s and 30s. That’s where huge amounts of my inspiration comes from.

I agree 100%. I always have a small notebook nearby and keep them stashed in my purse, car, nightstand drawer, etc. Also, now that I have a smart phone, I can always use that to make notes or do a quick recording so I don’t lose my ideas. I used to call myself and leave voice mails if for some reason I didn’t have a notebook with me.

how can i improve my vocaaabulary and also how can i minimize my writing errors.give me some short cut ideas if u can.thanks.

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. It takes a long time to develop solid writing skills and a well-rounded vocabulary. However, one of the best things you can do is read. Read as much as possible and read work that is well written. Look for work that is published by credible and reputable publishers – the literary classics, for example.

I believe the gist of what you have written here is the cataclysm of Matthew and Cynth’s above comments – “imitating” the literary classics. Of course, I could be wrong. I tend not to give much literary weight to the so-called classics simply because they tend to lack gender and cultural diversity. Are we saying white men garner the most (if not all) classical literary genius? (I have the same gripe with classical music).

Kay, I’m not sure what you mean by “cataclysm of Matthew and Cynth’s above comments.” I did not suggest people imitate literary classics in the post. I suggested people study the classics in order to understand what kind of works are studied for generations to come. Having said that, imitation is a sound method of study for beginners in all the arts. Musicians play other people’s songs before composing their own. Artists copy other people’s paintings when they are new to the craft. In writing, imitation would be a good way to learn about voice and style. And to be clear, I’m not suggesting writers imitate established authors in the publishing arena but instead in the field of practice and study. I personally never did that, and I don’t think it’s essential, but it can work as a useful learning exercise.

Also, I agree with you 100% about the lack of diversity in the classics that are studied and hailed as the great works. They do lack gender and cultural diversity, and it’s a huge problem. I was fortunate to study literature at a school where I had the opportunity to take courses in ethnic and women’s literature. It’s a shame these works are presented in separate classes, and frankly, I found many of them to be much better than the works we studied in the more conventional literary courses. This is actually a big peeve of mine as inequality rankles me. It’s something we need to work together as a society to fix.

I think all 22 of these tips are great, my favorite one is number 2!

Thanks, Becca! That’s my favorite, too.

Great inputs there again Melissa. I like numbers 17 and down. All the rest are experienced and precondition for the making of a writer.

I just ordered several copies of Melissa’s book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises for my grandchildren. I started writing a memoir over a year ago; Melissa has inspired me to stick with it. Melissa’s tips are helpful and inspiring. Writing Forward is a brilliant concept.

Thank you so much! A memoir is a lovely legacy. Best of luck in your writing adventures!

Hi Melissa,

As newbies should we try to write like the novelists who churn out bestsellers one after another or tell a tale which our heart longs to convey in our unique style?Our styles may not always be interesting and I don’t think one should sacrifice the uniqueness of his craft ever.That’s what defines us but then,how to make our work more sellable?

Peter, I think you should write what you want. If you want to be a commercial best-selling author, then by all means, study that part of the industry and go for it. Personally, I prefer writing from the heart and stories that are more unique (and some of these do make the best-seller list). It’s worthwhile to take some time and set goals or decide what kind of writer you want to be. Style comes with years of practice and experience and is a matter of taste. If you’re just writing your first novel, I would recommend that you focus on getting it written and worry about selling it later. Lots of writers end up tucking their first novels into a bottom drawer and chalking it up to experience (myself included).

Amen to “Write”! I started years ago and allowed a couple of rather nasty experiences to stop and it takes three times as much energy to start (again) as it does to keep goint

That’s true. If you can form a good habit to write every day, it’s easier to keep going. I like to write (fiction) late at night and it’s getting to where I can’t sleep if I don’t put down at least 500 words (usually I get over 1000). Even if it’s messy, senseless, and I know it’s going to get cut, I have to do it. That’s a habit I don’t intend to break!

Am willing to be a best writer but due to social status am slow in achieving my dream.

One of the wonderful things about writing is that it’s accessible to people of all social statuses. Ray Bradbury educated himself at a local library and became one of the most celebrated writers in the world. Read a lot, write as much as you can, and you’ll do fine.

I respectfully disagree with you, Melissa:

One of the frequent and grave errors we (humans) tend to do is assume that if a few select of us are “successful” at (x) that “anyone” doing (x) has the wherewithal to be just as successful. This line of reasoning is especially prevalent when speaking of those who “beat the odds” of failure. Only in scientific reasoning is this flawed line of reason fully recognized: if you change one variable – no matter how significant or insignificant on the resultant – a different result will always obtain. In other words, no two persons share identical experiences (personal or external), so why is it expected that doing (x) will result in success for every individual (despite her unique life experiences)?

Hi Kay. I’m not sure what you disagree with. My article does not imply that “anyone doing X has the wherewithal to be just as successful…” These tips are to help people maximize their potential and increase their odds of becoming successful in writing. Studying strategies that have led to success can certainly help with that, but nowhere did I offer any guarantees, because there are no guarantees in life. But if you study, practice, and do the work, you definitely improve your chances.

One of the most important challenges before an author is figuring out how to enrich and add value to the audience and in so doing to stand out from the pack in a meaningful way.

I just love this article! I love it!

I generally will subscribe to the assertion in your tips especially the nos 17 which ponders on writing irrespective of whether there are grammatically correct or wrong,valid or invalid but the bulk still rest on the individual personality involved cos it takes a determine mind to still continue on that streak knowing fully well that his writeup are poor and uninteresting.However, like the aphorism entails ‘winners never quit and quitters never win’

I find it’s the best way to capture lots of ideas that are flowing quickly through my mind. Love the quote “winners never quit and quitters never win.”

thankyou! that was really helpful, im only young but i think writting and reading is for me as i enjoy it so much, you never know maybe i could be a writter some day, thanks again helped me soo much!

Just stick with it and see what happens!

Carry a voice recorder or a mini note pad with you so when an idea pops in your head you can instantly record it, or write it in your note pad.

I always have my iPhone on me and both the notepad and voice recorder apps have come in handy when I need to save some idea for later!

I am a writer. I love the sound of that and I love saying it to myself, but I always feel like if I say it to a stranger they are going to say yeah right! Lol

For a lot of writers, it takes time to get used to saying, “I am a writer.” But as long as you’re writing, you’re a writer, and you might as well declare it to the world.

Great list, Melissa! Although, the way I see it, one should be very careful with tips#9 and #10. Reading the works of great writers is helpful if only one doesn’t attempt to resemble another person’s style and doesn’t lose herself/himself trying to follow the beaten track. It is also a good idea to be observant. Outer world is a great source of inspiration and themes to write about.

Some young writers may actually be encouraged to mimic great authors (this is something painters do as well). It would be done as an exercise in studying the voices of important authors, and by studying their voices, aspiring authors can shape their own voices. If they’re reading widely, accidental mimicry shouldn’t be a problem. But writers do need to be self-aware, because if we read too much of a single author, their voice can get into our heads and then creep into our writing.

Dear Melissa,

I almost never respond to blogs, but this particular thread has inspired me to write to you. I appreciate the original list of rules/ideas, and by extension, the pile of reaction/ responses. I enjoy having lists to read to inspire me when I’m feeling flat, so, accordingly I have lots of them floating around which I will use to kick me back into gear when I’m uninspired. Or if I forget what I’m writing about. Writing is my– let’s see, third or fourth career (this life), and I deeply appreciate any help I can get in trying to make it go; your list of tips is really excellent. Thank you. I’m going to recommend it to everyone who asks me what I use for my inspiration. Though I must say: having lived a life worth living is also really a big help.

Hi Jason. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about writing, lists, inspiration, and living–which is definitely a big help for writers, because it gives us plenty of material to draw from.

Definitely you should read as much as possible, but not just in your chosen genre. If you want to write fantasy, read history. If you want to write about spaceships, read stories about war in submarines, workers on oil rigs, ice road and outback truckers. There is plenty of real life experience out there that can be taken and adapted to your setting and characters

I agree, Jonathan.

Good article. One could even take the initiative to make their own blog to post their works and to gain a following; if one desires to pursue a career in writing even if it’s just freelancing.

Thanks, Ashley. Yes, a blog is a great way to start publishing and finding readers.

I think an excellent way to “learn” creative writing is to identify an interesting approach in someone else’s work – then write something on your own to reapply that approach in your own words. Repeat every day!

That is certainly one of many ways to learn new writing techniques, and a good one.

That’s great article. Really liked it. Point no 8 is very important …..Thanks.

Thanks, Anupam. Glad you liked it.

You had me at number 1 – Do it, write!

It’s the only way!

A great set of tips. Thank you.

You’re welcome!

Excellent share. Will be trying some of your tips next time.

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

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What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

Writers' Treasure

Effective writing advice for aspiring writers

Creative Writing 101

Creative writing is any form of writing which is written with the creativity of mind: fiction writing, poetry writing, creative nonfiction writing and more. The purpose is to express something, whether it be feelings, thoughts, or emotions.

Rather than only giving information or inciting the reader to make an action beneficial to the writer, creative writing is written to entertain or educate someone, to spread awareness about something or someone, or to express one’s thoughts.

There are two kinds of creative writing: good and bad, effective and ineffective. Bad, ineffective creative writing cannot make any impression on the reader. It won’t achieve its purpose.

So whether you’re a novelist, a poet, a short-story writer, an essayist, a biographer or an aspiring beginner, you want to improve your craft. The question is: how?

When you write great fiction, poetry, or nonfiction, amazing things can happen. Readers can’t put it down. The work you wrote becomes a bestseller. It becomes famous. But you have to reach to that level… first .

The best way to increase your proficiency in creative writing is to write, write compulsively, but it doesn’t mean write whatever you want. There are certain things you should know first… it helps to start with the right foot.

To do exactly that, here we have a beginners’ guide from Writers’ Treasure on the subject:

• An Introduction to Creative Writing
• How to Get Started in Creative Writing in Just Three Steps
• Creative Writing vs. Technical Writing
• Fiction Writing 101: The Elements of Stories
• Poetry Writing: Forms and Terms Galore
• Creative Non-Fiction: What is it?
• Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Creative Writing
• Common Mistakes Made by Creative Writers

For novelists: do you want to write compelling opening chapters?

Are you an aspiring novelist? Will your novel see the light of day? For that, you will need to make the first chapter of your story as compelling as possible. Otherwise, readers won’t even pick up your novel. That chapter can be the make-or-break point that decides whether your novel is published or not. It’s because good editors know how you write from the first three pages… or sometimes even from the opening lines.

To solve this problem, I created a five-part tutorial on Writing Compelling Opening Chapters . It outlines why you need to write a compelling opening chapter, my personal favourite way of beginning it, what should be told and shown in it, general dos and don’ts, and what you need to do after having written it. Check it out for more.

Need more writing tips?

Sometimes you reach that stage when you outgrow the beginner stage of writing but feel that you’re not yet an expert. If I just described you, no worries– Writers’ Treasure’s writing tips are here. Whether you want to make your writing more readable, more irresistible, more professional, we’ve got you covered. So check out our writing tips , and be on your way to fast track your success.

I offer writing, editing and proofreading , as well as website creation services. I’ve been in this field for seven years, and I know the tools of the trade. I’ve seen the directions where the writing industry is going, the changes, the new platforms. Get your work done through me, and get fast and efficient service. Get a quote .

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Creative Writing for Beginners: 10 Top Tips

These creative writing for beginners tips can help with a short story, poem or novel .

Writing is a great pursuit, but many first-time writers find that it’s not as easy as they think. If you are dabbling in creative writing activities or fiction writing for the first time, you will likely discover that writing courses and writing exercises fall short in helping you truly develop characters and overcome writer’s block.

Thankfully, you can take some steps to embrace your inner author and write your first short story or novel. Whether you have an end product in mind or are simply looking to start your writing journey, these writing tips will help you get started.

1. Dig Deep to Choose Your Topic

2. spend time reading, 3. write daily, 4. tackle writing exercises, 5. consider a writing course, 6. keep it unique, 7. practice, practice, practice, 8. try a different medium, 9. embrace your critics, 10. write first, perfect later, the final word on creative writing for beginners.

Living Writer contains time-saving templates for authors and novelists. iOS and Android apps available

First, determine what you will write about. Your starting point will guide character development and your overall plot. If you’re having trouble finding a topic, consider using these starting points:

• Start with a story — If you have a compelling storyline or main character in mind, start there.
• Use personal experiences — Something that happened in your life can help you start a story. Taking our own stories and transforming them into fiction writing can create true masterpieces because the feeling in the writing is personal.
• Consider a hot topic — Is there a political or social issue that is important to you? Weave that into compelling prose to start your story.

Starting with these ideas, you should be able to settle on a basic idea for your story.

Creative writers are usually readers. Reading helps you learn about the nuances of written language, storytelling and character development.

Read a wide range of genres too. While novels are always helpful, non-fiction writing and short stories will teach you as well.

Set aside time every day to write . Make it part of your daily routine, and protect that time as much as you can. By having it scheduled into your day, you can overcome the frustration and delays of writer’s block.

During your writing time, limit distractions. Let your housemates or family members know you aren’t available during that time. Write, even if you don’t think what you’re writing is high quality, just to keep the words flowing.

By having daily writing time, you will start to improve your writing skills . Soon you will see a quality piece of writing coming together as you work your way towards your next bestseller.

If you find that getting started with creative writing is hard for you, consider some basic writing exercises. Creative writing prompts to get your ideas flowing can be the start of compelling writing as you create your own writing style. Writing exercises can help you learn the importance of the first sentence of your story or the development of your characters.

Sometimes writing exercises do not lead to a final product that you would publish, and that’s fine. The goal isn’t always to create something to share. Sometimes the goal is simply to gain writing experience and hone your craft.

Writing courses can be a great jumping-off point for creative writers. Writing courses teach structure, character development and overall writing techniques.

In a writing course, you will have writing exercises to perform each week and accountability for those assignments. This combination can help many first time writers start writing. Over time the writing skills build up and the writing becomes more natural.

When it comes to creative writing, uniqueness is a key component. To capture readers, you need something that hasn’t been done before, or you need to approach a story from a new perspective.

To give you a source for creative ideas, take time to brainstorm . Keep a journal where you can jot down ideas as they come or explore storylines. Soon you will find a unique twist to take your characters on.

Writing is a creative process , but that does not mean that practice is futile. Practicing daily gets your creativity flowing. You will polish your writing skills and learn more about how brainstorming works for you.

Today’s writers rarely put pen to paper, but rather finger to keyboard. Sometimes, a different medium may make the creativity flow.

Ernest Hemingway knew this. He wrote all of his manuscripts on paper with pencil, only typing them for the final drafts. This gave him the chance to edit during the final typing, and he felt that writing longhand spurred his creativity.

If you’re struggling with writer’s block , channel your inner Ernest Hemingway and try writing with pencil and paper instead. It just might get you over that hump.

A good writer can make an interesting story out of nothing. A great writer can do the same thing, then learn from critics to make the writing even better. Whether in a writing class, on social media or in the proofreading stages, have people read and critique your writing.

Accept criticism and use it to grow. Sometimes, you will gain new insight into how you can make your writing better. Sometimes, you will ignore the critics and allow your writing to stand.

Either way, critics will help you polish your art and learn how to craft a story that you are proud to call your own.

When writing a book or short story, don’t focus on perfection at the start. Get your ideas down and polish your storylines and character development, not necessarily the writing and grammar. This comes later when you proofread your work.

Your first draft is the place to get the story going. After you complete that draft, go back and edit it. Make it more powerful, fix your shortcomings and try to perfect it, but only after the main ideas are complete.

Remember, striving for perfection with the first draft is sure to create writer’s block . Move past it by understanding you can perfect later.

Creative writing for beginners can feel daunting. You know you have good ideas, but getting those ideas on paper feels like an overwhelming task. By scheduling time to write every day, brainstorming your ideas and not striving for perfection at first, all while taking advantage of writing exercises and writing classes, you can succeed in becoming a creative writer.

Want more? Check out out list of writing tips .

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Last updated on Feb 14, 2023

10 Types of Creative Writing (with Examples You’ll Love)

A lot falls under the term ‘creative writing’: poetry, short fiction, plays, novels, personal essays, and songs, to name just a few. By virtue of the creativity that characterizes it, creative writing is an extremely versatile art. So instead of defining what creative writing is , it may be easier to understand what it does by looking at examples that demonstrate the sheer range of styles and genres under its vast umbrella.

To that end, we’ve collected a non-exhaustive list of works across multiple formats that have inspired the writers here at Reedsy. With 20 different works to explore, we hope they will inspire you, too. 

People have been writing creatively for almost as long as we have been able to hold pens. Just think of long-form epic poems like The Odyssey or, later, the Cantar de Mio Cid — some of the earliest recorded writings of their kind. 

Poetry is also a great place to start if you want to dip your own pen into the inkwell of creative writing. It can be as short or long as you want (you don’t have to write an epic of Homeric proportions), encourages you to build your observation skills, and often speaks from a single point of view . 

Here are a few examples:

“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

This classic poem by Romantic poet Percy Shelley (also known as Mary Shelley’s husband) is all about legacy. What do we leave behind? How will we be remembered? The great king Ozymandias built himself a massive statue, proclaiming his might, but the irony is that his statue doesn’t survive the ravages of time. By framing this poem as told to him by a “traveller from an antique land,” Shelley effectively turns this into a story. Along with the careful use of juxtaposition to create irony, this poem accomplishes a lot in just a few lines. 

“Trying to Raise the Dead” by Dorianne Laux

 A direction. An object. My love, it needs a place to rest. Say anything. I’m listening. I’m ready to believe. Even lies, I don’t care.

Poetry is cherished for its ability to evoke strong emotions from the reader using very few words which is exactly what Dorianne Laux does in “ Trying to Raise the Dead .” With vivid imagery that underscores the painful yearning of the narrator, she transports us to a private nighttime scene as the narrator sneaks away from a party to pray to someone they’ve lost. We ache for their loss and how badly they want their lost loved one to acknowledge them in some way. It’s truly a masterclass on how writing can be used to portray emotions. 

If you find yourself inspired to try out some poetry — and maybe even get it published — check out these poetry layouts that can elevate your verse!

Song Lyrics

Poetry’s closely related cousin, song lyrics are another great way to flex your creative writing muscles. You not only have to find the perfect rhyme scheme but also match it to the rhythm of the music. This can be a great challenge for an experienced poet or the musically inclined. 

To see how music can add something extra to your poetry, check out these two examples:

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

 You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah 

Metaphors are commonplace in almost every kind of creative writing, but will often take center stage in shorter works like poetry and songs. At the slightest mention, they invite the listener to bring their emotional or cultural experience to the piece, allowing the writer to express more with fewer words while also giving it a deeper meaning. If a whole song is couched in metaphor, you might even be able to find multiple meanings to it, like in Leonard Cohen’s “ Hallelujah .” While Cohen’s Biblical references create a song that, on the surface, seems like it’s about a struggle with religion, the ambiguity of the lyrics has allowed it to be seen as a song about a complicated romantic relationship. 

“I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie

 ​​If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark

You can think of song lyrics as poetry set to music. They manage to do many of the same things their literary counterparts do — including tugging on your heartstrings. Death Cab for Cutie’s incredibly popular indie rock ballad is about the singer’s deep devotion to his lover. While some might find the song a bit too dark and macabre, its melancholy tune and poignant lyrics remind us that love can endure beyond death.

Plays and Screenplays

From the short form of poetry, we move into the world of drama — also known as the play. This form is as old as the poem, stretching back to the works of ancient Greek playwrights like Sophocles, who adapted the myths of their day into dramatic form. The stage play (and the more modern screenplay) gives the words on the page a literal human voice, bringing life to a story and its characters entirely through dialogue. 

Interested to see what that looks like? Take a look at these examples:

All My Sons by Arthur Miller

“I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.” 

Arthur Miller acts as a bridge between the classic and the new, creating 20th century tragedies that take place in living rooms and backyard instead of royal courts, so we had to include his breakout hit on this list. Set in the backyard of an all-American family in the summer of 1946, this tragedy manages to communicate family tensions in an unimaginable scale, building up to an intense climax reminiscent of classical drama. 

💡 Read more about Arthur Miller and classical influences in our breakdown of Freytag’s pyramid . 

“Everything is Fine” by Michael Schur ( The Good Place )

“Well, then this system sucks. What...one in a million gets to live in paradise and everyone else is tortured for eternity? Come on! I mean, I wasn't freaking Gandhi, but I was okay. I was a medium person. I should get to spend eternity in a medium place! Like Cincinnati. Everyone who wasn't perfect but wasn't terrible should get to spend eternity in Cincinnati.” 

A screenplay, especially a TV pilot, is like a mini-play, but with the extra job of convincing an audience that they want to watch a hundred more episodes of the show. Blending moral philosophy with comedy, The Good Place is a fun hang-out show set in the afterlife that asks some big questions about what it means to be good. 

It follows Eleanor Shellstrop, an incredibly imperfect woman from Arizona who wakes up in ‘The Good Place’ and realizes that there’s been a cosmic mixup. Determined not to lose her place in paradise, she recruits her “soulmate,” a former ethics professor, to teach her philosophy with the hope that she can learn to be a good person and keep up her charade of being an upstanding citizen. The pilot does a superb job of setting up the stakes, the story, and the characters, while smuggling in deep philosophical ideas.

Personal essays

Our first foray into nonfiction on this list is the personal essay. As its name suggests, these stories are in some way autobiographical — concerned with the author’s life and experiences. But don’t be fooled by the realistic component. These essays can take any shape or form, from comics to diary entries to recipes and anything else you can imagine. Typically zeroing in on a single issue, they allow you to explore your life and prove that the personal can be universal.

Here are a couple of fantastic examples:

“On Selling Your First Novel After 11 Years” by Min Jin Lee (Literary Hub)

There was so much to learn and practice, but I began to see the prose in verse and the verse in prose. Patterns surfaced in poems, stories, and plays. There was music in sentences and paragraphs. I could hear the silences in a sentence. All this schooling was like getting x-ray vision and animal-like hearing. 

This deeply honest personal essay by Pachinko author Min Jin Lee is an account of her eleven-year struggle to publish her first novel . Like all good writing, it is intensely focused on personal emotional details. While grounded in the specifics of the author's personal journey, it embodies an experience that is absolutely universal: that of difficulty and adversity met by eventual success. 

“A Cyclist on the English Landscape” by Roff Smith (New York Times)

These images, though, aren’t meant to be about me. They’re meant to represent a cyclist on the landscape, anybody — you, perhaps. 

Roff Smith’s gorgeous photo essay for the NYT is a testament to the power of creatively combining visuals with text. Here, photographs of Smith atop a bike are far from simply ornamental. They’re integral to the ruminative mood of the essay, as essential as the writing. Though Smith places his work at the crosscurrents of various aesthetic influences (such as the painter Edward Hopper), what stands out the most in this taciturn, thoughtful piece of writing is his use of the second person to address the reader directly. Suddenly, the writer steps out of the body of the essay and makes eye contact with the reader. The reader is now part of the story as a second character, finally entering the picture.

Short Fiction

The short story is the happy medium of fiction writing. These bite-sized narratives can be devoured in a single sitting and still leave you reeling. Sometimes viewed as a stepping stone to novel writing, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Short story writing is an art all its own. The limited length means every word counts and there’s no better way to see that than with these two examples:

“An MFA Story” by Paul Dalla Rosa (Electric Literature)

At Starbucks, I remembered a reading Zhen had given, a reading organized by the program’s faculty. I had not wanted to go but did. In the bar, he read, "I wrote this in a Starbucks in Shanghai. On the bank of the Huangpu." It wasn’t an aside or introduction. It was two lines of the poem. I was in a Starbucks and I wasn’t writing any poems. I wasn’t writing anything. 

This short story is a delightfully metafictional tale about the struggles of being a writer in New York. From paying the bills to facing criticism in a writing workshop and envying more productive writers, Paul Dalla Rosa’s story is a clever satire of the tribulations involved in the writing profession, and all the contradictions embodied by systemic creativity (as famously laid out in Mark McGurl’s The Program Era ). What’s more, this story is an excellent example of something that often happens in creative writing: a writer casting light on the private thoughts or moments of doubt we don’t admit to or openly talk about. 

“Flowering Walrus” by Scott Skinner (Reedsy)

I tell him they’d been there a month at least, and he looks concerned. He has my tongue on a tissue paper and is gripping its sides with his pointer and thumb. My tongue has never spent much time outside of my mouth, and I imagine it as a walrus basking in the rays of the dental light. My walrus is not well. 

A winner of Reedsy’s weekly Prompts writing contest, ‘ Flowering Walrus ’ is a story that balances the trivial and the serious well. In the pauses between its excellent, natural dialogue , the story manages to scatter the fear and sadness of bad medical news, as the protagonist hides his worries from his wife and daughter. Rich in subtext, these silences grow and resonate with the readers.

Want to give short story writing a go? Give our free course a go!

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Perhaps the thing that first comes to mind when talking about creative writing, novels are a form of fiction that many people know and love but writers sometimes find intimidating. The good news is that novels are nothing but one word put after another, like any other piece of writing, but expanded and put into a flowing narrative. Piece of cake, right?

To get an idea of the format’s breadth of scope, take a look at these two (very different) satirical novels: 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

I wished I was back in the convenience store where I was valued as a working member of staff and things weren’t as complicated as this. Once we donned our uniforms, we were all equals regardless of gender, age, or nationality — all simply store workers. 

Keiko, a thirty-six-year-old convenience store employee, finds comfort and happiness in the strict, uneventful routine of the shop’s daily operations. A funny, satirical, but simultaneously unnerving examination of the social structures we take for granted, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman is deeply original and lingers with the reader long after they’ve put it down.

Erasure by Percival Everett

The hard, gritty truth of the matter is that I hardly ever think about race. Those times when I did think about it a lot I did so because of my guilt for not thinking about it.  

Erasure is a truly accomplished satire of the publishing industry’s tendency to essentialize African American authors and their writing. Everett’s protagonist is a writer whose work doesn’t fit with what publishers expect from him — work that describes the “African American experience” — so he writes a parody novel about life in the ghetto. The publishers go crazy for it and, to the protagonist’s horror, it becomes the next big thing. This sophisticated novel is both ironic and tender, leaving its readers with much food for thought.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is pretty broad: it applies to anything that does not claim to be fictional (although the rise of autofiction has definitely blurred the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction). It encompasses everything from personal essays and memoirs to humor writing, and they range in length from blog posts to full-length books. The defining characteristic of this massive genre is that it takes the world or the author’s experience and turns it into a narrative that a reader can follow along with.

Here, we want to focus on novel-length works that dig deep into their respective topics. While very different, these two examples truly show the breadth and depth of possibility of creative nonfiction:

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

Men’s bodies litter my family history. The pain of the women they left behind pulls them from the beyond, makes them appear as ghosts. In death, they transcend the circumstances of this place that I love and hate all at once and become supernatural. 

Writer Jesmyn Ward recounts the deaths of five men from her rural Mississippi community in as many years. In her award-winning memoir , she delves into the lives of the friends and family she lost and tries to find some sense among the tragedy. Working backwards across five years, she questions why this had to happen over and over again, and slowly unveils the long history of racism and poverty that rules rural Black communities. Moving and emotionally raw, Men We Reaped is an indictment of a cruel system and the story of a woman's grief and rage as she tries to navigate it.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

He believed that wine could reshape someone’s life. That’s why he preferred buying bottles to splurging on sweaters. Sweaters were things. Bottles of wine, said Morgan, “are ways that my humanity will be changed.” 

In this work of immersive journalism , Bianca Bosker leaves behind her life as a tech journalist to explore the world of wine. Becoming a “cork dork” takes her everywhere from New York’s most refined restaurants to science labs while she learns what it takes to be a sommelier and a true wine obsessive. This funny and entertaining trip through the past and present of wine-making and tasting is sure to leave you better informed and wishing you, too, could leave your life behind for one devoted to wine. 

Illustrated Narratives (Comics, graphic novels)

Once relegated to the “funny pages”, the past forty years of comics history have proven it to be a serious medium. Comics have transformed from the early days of Jack Kirby’s superheroes into a medium where almost every genre is represented. Humorous one-shots in the Sunday papers stand alongside illustrated memoirs, horror, fantasy, and just about anything else you can imagine. This type of visual storytelling lets the writer and artist get creative with perspective, tone, and so much more. For two very different, though equally entertaining, examples, check these out:

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine and valleys of frustration and failure." 

This beloved comic strip follows Calvin, a rambunctious six-year-old boy, and his stuffed tiger/imaginary friend, Hobbes. They get into all kinds of hijinks at school and at home, and muse on the world in the way only a six-year-old and an anthropomorphic tiger can. As laugh-out-loud funny as it is, Calvin & Hobbes ’ popularity persists as much for its whimsy as its use of humor to comment on life, childhood, adulthood, and everything in between. 

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell 

"I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." 

Comics aren't just the realm of superheroes and one-joke strips, as Alan Moore proves in this serialized graphic novel released between 1989 and 1998. A meticulously researched alternative history of Victorian London’s Ripper killings, this macabre story pulls no punches. Fact and fiction blend into a world where the Royal Family is involved in a dark conspiracy and Freemasons lurk on the sidelines. It’s a surreal mad-cap adventure that’s unsettling in the best way possible. 

Video Games and RPGs

Probably the least expected entry on this list, we thought that video games and RPGs also deserved a mention — and some well-earned recognition for the intricate storytelling that goes into creating them. 

Essentially gamified adventure stories, without attention to plot, characters, and a narrative arc, these games would lose a lot of their charm, so let’s look at two examples where the creative writing really shines through: 

80 Days by inkle studios

"It was a triumph of invention over nature, and will almost certainly disappear into the dust once more in the next fifty years." 

Named Time Magazine ’s game of the year in 2014, this narrative adventure is based on Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. The player is cast as the novel’s narrator, Passpartout, and tasked with circumnavigating the globe in service of their employer, Phileas Fogg. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the game uses its globe-trotting to comment on the colonialist fantasies inherent in the original novel and its time period. On a storytelling level, the choose-your-own-adventure style means no two players’ journeys will be the same. This innovative approach to a classic novel shows the potential of video games as a storytelling medium, truly making the player part of the story. 

What Remains of Edith Finch by Giant Sparrow

"If we lived forever, maybe we'd have time to understand things. But as it is, I think the best we can do is try to open our eyes, and appreciate how strange and brief all of this is." 

This video game casts the player as 17-year-old Edith Finch. Returning to her family’s home on an island in the Pacific northwest, Edith explores the vast house and tries to figure out why she’s the only one of her family left alive. The story of each family member is revealed as you make your way through the house, slowly unpacking the tragic fate of the Finches. Eerie and immersive, this first-person exploration game uses the medium to tell a series of truly unique tales. 

Fun and breezy on the surface, humor is often recognized as one of the trickiest forms of creative writing. After all, while you can see the artistic value in a piece of prose that you don’t necessarily enjoy, if a joke isn’t funny, you could say that it’s objectively failed.

With that said, it’s far from an impossible task, and many have succeeded in bringing smiles to their readers’ faces through their writing. Here are two examples:

‘How You Hope Your Extended Family Will React When You Explain Your Job to Them’ by Mike Lacher (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency)

“Is it true you don’t have desks?” your grandmother will ask. You will nod again and crack open a can of Country Time Lemonade. “My stars,” she will say, “it must be so wonderful to not have a traditional office and instead share a bistro-esque coworking space.” 

Satire and parody make up a whole subgenre of creative writing, and websites like McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and The Onion consistently hit the mark with their parodies of magazine publishing and news media. This particular example finds humor in the divide between traditional family expectations and contemporary, ‘trendy’ work cultures. Playing on the inherent silliness of today’s tech-forward middle-class jobs, this witty piece imagines a scenario where the writer’s family fully understands what they do — and are enthralled to hear more. “‘Now is it true,’ your uncle will whisper, ‘that you’ve got a potential investment from one of the founders of I Can Haz Cheezburger?’”

‘Not a Foodie’ by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell (Electric Literature)

I’m not a foodie, I never have been, and I know, in my heart, I never will be. 

Highlighting what she sees as an unbearable social obsession with food , in this comic Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell takes a hilarious stand against the importance of food. From the writer’s courageous thesis (“I think there are more exciting things to talk about, and focus on in life, than what’s for dinner”) to the amusing appearance of family members and the narrator’s partner, ‘Not a Foodie’ demonstrates that even a seemingly mundane pet peeve can be approached creatively — and even reveal something profound about life.

We hope this list inspires you with your own writing. If there’s one thing you take away from this post, let it be that there is no limit to what you can write about or how you can write about it. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll drill down into the fascinating world of creative nonfiction.

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Creative Writing Techniques Examples: Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: June 12, 2023  - Last updated: July 31, 2023

Categories Writing , Creativity

Creative writing is a form of writing that allows authors to express themselves uniquely and imaginatively. This genre enables writers to use their creativity to develop original stories, characters, and settings. However, creative writing can be challenging, and writers often struggle to develop fresh ideas and techniques to make their writing stand out.

Fortunately, there are several techniques that writers can use to enhance their creative writing skills. These techniques can help writers develop their unique style and voice and create compelling stories that capture the reader’s attention.

By incorporating these techniques into their writing, authors can transform their stories from ordinary to extraordinary. This article will explore some examples of creative writing techniques that can help writers take their writing to the next level.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is the art of writing in a way that is imaginative and original. It involves using language to create an engaging and thought-provoking narrative. Creative writing can take many forms, including fiction, poetry, essays, nonfiction, novels, novellas, short stories, flash fiction, scripts, and graphic novels.

Fiction is a form of creative writing that involves creating a story not based on real-life events. It can take many forms, including novels, novellas, and short stories. The writer uses their imagination to develop characters, plot, and setting in fiction.

Poetry is another form of creative writing that involves using language in a rhythmic and expressive way. Poets use words to create images and emotions, often through metaphor and other literary devices.

Essays are a form of creative nonfiction that involves exploring a particular topic or idea. They can be personal or academic and often involve the writer’s own experiences or observations.

Nonfiction is a form of creative writing that is based on real-life events. It can take many forms, including memoirs, biographies, and journalistic writing.

In conclusion, creative writing is a diverse and dynamic field encompassing many forms and styles. Whether you are interested in fiction, poetry, essays, nonfiction, or any other form of creative writing, there are many techniques and examples available to help you develop your skills and express your ideas uniquely and engagingly.

Why Use Creative Writing Techniques?

Creative writing is a powerful tool to help you express your thoughts and emotions uniquely and compellingly. Using creative writing techniques, you can engage your reader’s imagination, evoke strong emotions, and create an original piece of art reflecting your style and perspective.

Here are some reasons why you should consider using creative writing techniques:

Engage Your Reader

Creative writing techniques can help create a powerful emotional connection with your reader. By using vivid descriptions, sensory details, and well-crafted dialogue, you can transport your reader to a different time and place and make them feel like they are part of the story.

Express Your Emotions

Creative writing can be a cathartic experience that allows you to express your emotions safely and constructively. By exploring your feelings through writing, you can better understand yourself and your experiences and find new ways to cope with difficult emotions.

Stimulate Your Imagination

Creative writing can be a fun and exciting way to stimulate your imagination and explore new ideas. By experimenting with different writing styles and techniques, you can push the boundaries of your creativity and discover new ways to express yourself.

Create Artistic Expression

Creative writing is a form of artistic expression that allows you to showcase your unique voice and perspective. By using creative writing techniques, you can create a piece of art that is both beautiful and meaningful and that reflects your vision of the world.

Foster Originality

Creative writing is all about originality and creativity. Using creative writing techniques, you can break free from conventional writing rules and create something unique and original. This can help you stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression on your readers.

Creative writing techniques can also persuade your readers and influence their opinions. By using persuasive language and rhetorical devices, you can make a compelling argument and convince your readers to see things from your point of view.

Finally, creative writing can be a great way to improve your focus and concentration. By setting aside dedicated time for writing, you can train your brain to focus on a single task for an extended period, which can help you become more productive and efficient in other areas of your life.

In conclusion, creative writing techniques can be a powerful tool for expressing your thoughts and emotions, engaging your readers, and creating original works of art. Whether you are an experienced writer or just starting out, there is always room to experiment with new writing styles and techniques and to discover new ways to express yourself through writing.

Examples of Creative Writing Techniques

Creative writing is an art form that allows writers to express themselves in unique and imaginative ways. There are many techniques that writers can use to create compelling stories, poems, plays, and more. This section will explore some examples of creative writing techniques that can help writers enhance their craft .

Imagery and Metaphor

Imagery and metaphor are effective tools writers can use to create vivid and engaging descriptions. Metaphors are comparisons between two things that are not the same, while imagery refers to the use of sensory details to create a mental picture in the reader’s mind. For example, in the sentence “Her eyes were pools of sadness,” the metaphor compares the eyes to pools, while the imagery creates a visual image of the eyes.

Storytelling and Plot

Storytelling and plot are essential elements of creative writing. A well-crafted plot can keep readers engaged and eager to know what happens next. A good plot has a clear narrative structure, including a beginning, middle, and end, and includes conflict and resolution.

For example, in a mystery novel, the conflict might be a crime that must be solved, while the resolution is discovering the culprit.

Character Development

Characters are the heart of any story, and developing them is crucial to creative writing. Writers can create compelling characters by giving them unique personalities, emotions, and motivations. Dialogue is also an important tool for character development, allowing writers to show how characters interact with each other and reveal their personalities.

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing is creating vivid descriptions that engage the reader’s senses. Writers can use descriptive language to create a sense of place, convey emotions, and create a mood. For example, in the sentence “The sun sank slowly behind the mountains, casting long shadows across the valley,” the writer uses descriptive language to create a visual image and convey a sense of the passing of time.

Literary Devices

Literary devices are techniques writers use to create meaning and impact. Some common literary devices include personification, alliteration, and repetition. For example, in the sentence “The wind whispered through the trees,” personification gives the wind human-like qualities.

Writing Exercises

Writing exercises are a great way to develop your writing skills and experiment with different techniques. Some popular writing exercises include free writing, writing prompts, and character sketches. These exercises can help writers develop their writing habits and overcome writer’s block.

Form and Genre

Form and genre are important considerations for writers. Different forms and genres have different conventions and expectations. For example, poetry often uses imagery and metaphor to create meaning, while academic writing focuses more on evidence and conclusion.

Writing Techniques for Success

Writing techniques for success include focusing on craft, originality, and persuasion. Writers can improve their craft by studying the work of other writers and practicing their writing skills. Originality is important for standing out in a crowded field, while persuasion is important for convincing readers of your opinion or argument.

In conclusion, creative writing is a complex and multifaceted art form that requires skill, focus, and originality. By using the techniques and examples outlined in this section, writers can enhance their craft and create compelling stories, poems, plays, and more.

Creative Writing Techniques for Different Genres

Regarding creative writing, each genre has unique techniques that can help writers express their ideas more effectively. This section will explore some of the most popular genres and the best techniques in each one.

Fiction encompasses various genres, from novels and novellas to short stories and flash fiction . Some of the most effective techniques for writing fiction include:

• Creating compelling characters that readers can relate to and care about
• Building a strong plot with a clear beginning, middle, and end
• Using sensory details to bring the setting to life
• Using dialogue to reveal character and advance the plot
• Using descriptive language to paint vivid images in the reader’s mind

Poetry is about using creative and unexpected language to evoke emotions and ideas. Some of the most effective techniques for writing poetry include:

• Using figurative language like similes, metaphors, and personification to create vivid images and comparisons
• Experimenting with different forms like sonnets, limericks, free verse, and haiku to create different effects
• Using rhyme and rhythm to create a musical quality to the language
• Playing with the sounds of words to create alliteration and assonance

Nonfiction can include everything from memoirs and personal essays to academic and business writing. Some of the most effective techniques for writing nonfiction include:

• Using a clear and concise writing style that is easy to follow
• Organizing ideas logically and coherently
• Using research and data to support arguments and ideas
• Using anecdotes and personal experiences to add interest and connect with readers

Scripts and Plays

Scripts and plays require different techniques than other genres because they are meant to be performed rather than read. Some of the most effective techniques for writing scripts and plays include:

• Writing dialogue that sounds natural and realistic
• Creating compelling characters with distinct personalities and motivations
• Using stage directions to describe setting, actions, and emotions
• Structuring the story to create dramatic tension and build toward a climax

Songwriting

Songwriting is about using words and music to create a powerful emotional impact. Some of the most effective techniques for writing songs include:

• Creating a memorable melody that sticks in the listener’s head
• Writing lyrics that are simple, direct, and easy to sing along with
• Using rhyme and repetition to create a catchy hook
• Using metaphors and symbolism to create deeper meaning and emotional resonance

In conclusion, each genre requires its techniques to be effective. By understanding each genre’s unique demands and mastering the best techniques, writers can create compelling works that resonate with their readers or audience.

Creative writing is an art form that requires practice, dedication, and a willingness to take risks. Through various techniques, writers can learn to hone their craft and create compelling stories that captivate their readers. In this article, we have explored some of the most effective techniques successful writers use.

One of the most important techniques in creative writing is using descriptive language. By painting vivid pictures with words, writers can transport their readers to different places and times, creating a fully immersive experience. Another essential technique is character development, which involves creating believable and relatable characters that readers can connect with on an emotional level.

In addition to these techniques, writers can use various tools to enhance their writing. For example, using metaphors and similes can add depth and complexity to a story, while dialogue can help reveal character traits and advance the plot.

Finally, foreshadowing and other literary devices can help build tension and create a sense of anticipation in the reader.

Overall, creative writing is a complex and rewarding art form that requires a combination of skill, talent, and hard work. By using the techniques and tools discussed in this article, writers can improve their craft and create stories that resonate with readers. Whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting, there is always room for growth and improvement in creative writing.

The 20+ Best Books on Creative Writing

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I write a book?”, “How do I write a short story?”, or “How do I write a poem?” you’re not alone. I’m halfway done my MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and I ask myself these questions a lot, too, though I’m noticing that by now I feel more comfortable with the answers that fit my personal craft. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing candidate, or even a college graduate, in order to soak up the great Wisdom of Words, as I like to call it. Another word for it is craft . That’s because there are so many great books out there on writing craft. In this post, I’ll guide you through 20+ of the most essential books on creative writing. These essential books for writers will teach you what you need to know to write riveting stories and emotionally resonant books—and to sell them.

I just also want to put in a quick plug for my post with the word count of 175 favorite novels . This resource is helpful for any writer.

Now, with that done… Let’s get to it!

What Made the List of Essential Books for Writers—and What Didn’t

So what made the list? And what didn’t?

Unique to this list, these are all books that I have personally used in my journey as a creative and commercial writer.

That journey started when I was 15 and extended through majoring in English and Creative Writing as an undergrad at UPenn through becoming a freelance writer in 2014, starting this book blog, pursuing my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts , and publishing some fiction and nonfiction books myself . My point here is not to boast, just to explain that these books have all helped me better understand and apply the craft, discipline, and business of writing over the course of more than half my life as I’ve walked the path to become a full-time writer. Your mileage my vary , but each of these books have contributed to my growth as a writer in some way. I’m not endorsing books I’ve never read or reviewed. This list comes from my heart (and pen!).

Most of these books are geared towards fiction writers, not poetry or nonfiction writers

It’s true that I’m only one human and can only write so much in one post. Originally, I wanted this list to be more than 25 books on writing. Yes, 25 books! But it’s just not possible to manage that in a single post. What I’ll do is publish a follow-up article with even more books for writers. Stay tuned!

The most commonly recommended books on writing are left out.

Why? Because they’re everywhere! I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing, ones that aren’t highlighted often enough. You’ll notice that many of these books are self-published because I wanted to give voice to indie authors.

But I did want to include a brief write-up of these books… and, well, you’ve probably heard of them, but here are 7 of the most recommended books on writing:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – With her guided practice on how to rejuvenate your art over the course of 16 weeks, Cameron has fashioned an enduring classic about living and breathing your craft (for artists as well as writers). This book is perhaps best known for popularizing the morning pages method.

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner – If you want to better understand how fiction works, John Gardner will be your guide in this timeless book.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – A beloved writing book on process, craft, and overcoming stumbling blocks (both existential and material).

On Writing by Stephen King – A must-read hybrid memoir-craft book on the writer mythos and reality for every writer.

Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose – A core writing book that teaches you how to read with a writer’s eye and unlock the ability to recognize and analyze craft for yourself.

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin – Many writers consider this to be their bible on craft and storytelling.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg – A favorite of many writers, this book takes an almost spiritual approach to the art, craft, and experience of writing.

I’m aiming for under-the-radar books on writing on my list.

These books are all in print.

Over the years, I’ve picked up several awesome books on creative writing from used bookstores. Oh, how I wish I could recommend these! But many of them are out of print. The books on this list are all available new either as eBooks, hardcovers, or paperbacks. I guess this is the right time for my Affiliate Link disclaimer:

This article contains affiliate links, which means I might get a small portion of your purchase. For more on my affiliate link policy, check out my official Affiliate Link Disclaimer .

You’ll notice a lot of the books focus on the business of writing.

Too often, money is a subject that writers won’t talk about. I want to be upfront about the business of writing and making a living as a writer (or not ) with these books. It’s my goal to get every writer, even poets!, to look at writing not just from a craft perspective, but from a commercial POV, too.

And now on to the books!

Part i: the best books on writing craft, the anatomy of story by john truby.

For you if: You want to develop an instinctive skill at understanding the contours of storytelling .

All I want to do as a writer, my MO, is tell good stories well. It took me so long to understand that what really matters to me is good storytelling. That’s it—that’s the essence of what we do as writers… tell good stories well. And in The Anatomy of Story , legendary screenwriting teacher John Truby takes you through story theory. This book is packed with movie references to illustrate the core beat points in story, and many of these example films are actually literary adaptations, making this a crossover craft book for fiction writers and screenwriters alike.

How to read it: Purchase The Anatomy of Story on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The art of memoir by mary karr.

For you if: You’re writing a memoir book or personal essays .

Nobody is a better person to teach memoir writing than Mary Karr, whose memoirs The Liar’s Club and Lit are considered classics of the genre. In The Art of Memoir , Karr delivers a master class on memoir writing, adapted from her experience as a writer and a professor in Syracuse’s prestigious MFA program. What I love about this book as an aspiring memoirist is Karr’s approach, which blends practical, actionable advice with more bigger-picture concepts on things like truth vs. fact in memoir storytelling. Like I said in the intro to this list, I didn’t include many nonfiction and poetry books on this list, but I knew I had to make an exception for The Art of Memoir .

How to read it: Purchase The Art of Memoir on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The emotional craft of fiction by donald maass.

For you if: Plot isn’t your problem, it’s character .

From literary agent Donald Maass, The Emotional Craft of Fiction gives you the skill set you need to master emotionally engaging fiction. Maass’s technique is to show you how readers get pulled into the most resonant, engaging, and unforgettable stories: by going through an emotional journey nimbly crafted by the author. The Emotional Craft of Fiction is a must-have work of craft to balance more plot-driven craft books.

How to read it: Purchase the The Emotional Craft of Fiction on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

How to Write Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

For you if: You need a quick-and-dirty plotting technique that’s easy to memorize .

I first heard of the “Snowflake Method” in the National Novel Writing Month forums (which, by the way, are excellent places for finding writing craft worksheets, book recommendations, and online resources). In How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method , the Snowflake Method is introduced by its creator. This quick yet thorough plotting and outlining structure is humble and easy to master. If you don’t have time to read a bunch of books on outlining and the hundreds of pages that would require, check out How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method for a quick, 235-page read.

How to read it: Purchase How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Meander, spiral, explode: design and pattern in narrative by jane alison.

For you if: You want to do a deep dive understanding of the core theory of story, a.k.a. narrative.

A most unconventional writing craft book, Meander, Spiral, Explode offers a theory of narrative (story) as recognizable patterns. According to author Jane Alison, there are three main narrative narratives in writing: meandering, spiraling, and exploding. This cerebral book (chock full of examples!) is equal parts seminar on literary theory as it is craft, and it will make you see and understand storytelling better than maybe any book on this list.

How to read it: Purchase Meander, Spiral, Explode on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The modern library writer’s workshop by stephen koch.

For you if: You’re wondering what it means to be the writer you want to become .

This is one of the earliest creative writing books I ever bought and it remains among the best I’ve read. Why? Reading The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop echoes the kind of mind-body-spirit approach you need to take to writing. The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop doesn’t teach you the nuts and bolts of writing as much as it teaches you how to envision the machine. Koch zooms out to big picture stuff as much as zeroes in on the little details. This is an outstanding book about getting into the mindset of being a writer, not just in a commercial sense, but as your passion and identity. It’s as close as you’ll get to the feel of an MFA in Fiction education.

How to read it: Purchase The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Romancing the beat by gwen hayes.

For you if: You write or edit the romance genre and want a trusted plotting strategy to craft the perfect love story .

If you’re writing romance, you have to get Gwen Hayes’s Romancing the Beat . This book breaks down the plot points or “beats” you want to hit when you’re crafting your romance novel. When I worked as a romance novel outliner (yes, a real job), our team used Romancing the Beat as its bible; every outline was structured around Hayes’s formula. For romance writers (like myself) I cannot endorse it any higher.

How to read it: Purchase Romancing the Beat on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Save the cat writes a novel by jessica brody.

For you if: You have big ideas for a plot but need to work on the smaller moments that propel stories .

Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel adapts Blake Snyder’s bestselling screenwriting book Save the Cat! into story craft for writing novels. Brody reworks the Save the Cat! methodology in actionable, point-by-point stages of story that are each explained with countless relevant examples. If you want to focus your efforts on plot, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is an excellent place to go to start learning the ins and outs of what makes a good story.

How to read it: Purchase Save the Cat! Writes a Novel on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Story genius by lisa cron.

For you if: You’re a pantser and are terrified at outlining yet also realize you might have a “plot problem .”

More than any other book, Lisa Cron’s Story Genius will get you where you need to go for writing amazing stories. Story Genius helps you look at plotting differently, starting from a point of characterization in which our protagonists have a clearly defined need and misbelief that play off each other and move the story forward from an emotional interior and action exterior standpoint. For many of my fellow MFA students—and myself— Story Genius is the missing link book for marrying plot and character so you innately understand the contours of good story.

How to read it: Purchase Story Genius on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Wonderbook: the illustrated guide to creating imaginative fiction by jeff vandermeer.

For you if: You’re writing in a speculative fiction genre—like science fiction, fantasy, or horror—or are trying to better understand those genres.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Wonderbook is a dazzling gem of a book and a can’t-miss-it writing book for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers. This book will teach you all the skills you need to craft speculative fiction, like world-building, with micro-lessons and close-reads of excellent works in these genres. Wonderbook is also one to linger over, with lavish illustrations and every inch and corner crammed with craft talk for writing imaginative fiction (sometimes called speculative fiction). And who better to guide you through this than Jeff VanderMeer, author of the popular Southern Reach Trilogy, which kicks off with Annihilation , which was adapted into a feature film.

How to read it: Purchase Wonderbook on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing picture books by ann whitford paul.

For you if: You’re looking to write picture books and/or understand how they work .

This book is the only one you need to learn how to write and sell picture books. As an MFA student studying children’s literature, I’ve consulted with this book several times as I’ve dipped my toes into writing picture books, a form I considered scary and intimidating until reading this book. Writing Picture Books should be on the shelf of any writer of children’s literature. a.k.a. “kid lit.”

How to read it: Purchase Writing Picture Books on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Writing with emotion, conflict, and tension by cheryl st. john.

For you if: You need to work on the conflict, tension, and suspense that keep readers turning pages and your story going forward .

Mmm, conflict. As I said earlier, it’s the element of fiction writing that makes a story interesting and a key aspect of characterization that is underrated. In Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict , bestselling romance author Cheryl St. John offers a masterclass on the delicate dance between incorporating conflict, the emotions it inspires in characters, and the tension that results from those two factors.

How to read it: Purchase Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Part ii: the best books on the productivity, mfas, and the business of writing, 2k to 10k: writing faster, writing better, and writing more of what you love by rachel aaron.

For you if: You struggle to find the time to write and always seem to be a chapter or two behind schedule .

If you’re struggling to find time of your own to write with competing obligations (family, work, whatever) making that hard, you need Rachel Aaron’s 2k to 10k . This book will get you in shape to go from writing just a few words an hour to, eventually, 10,000 words a day. Yes, you read that right. 10,000 words a day. At that rate, you can complete so many more projects and publish more. Writers simply cannot afford to waste time if they want to keep up the kind of production that leads to perpetual publication. Trust me, Aaron’s method works. It has for me. I’m on my way to 10k in the future, currently at like 4 or 5k a day for me at the moment.

How to read it: Purchase 2k to 10k on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 3 a.m. epiphany by brian kitele.

For you if: You’re going through writer’s block, have been away from writing for a while, or just want to loosen up and try something new .

Every writer must own an an exercise or prompt book. Why? Because regularly practicing your writing by going outside your current works-in-progress (or writer’s block) will free you up, help you plant the seeds for new ideas, and defrost your creative blocks. And the best book writing exercise book I know is The 3 A.M. Epiphany by Brian Kiteley, an MFA professor who uses prompts like these with his grad students. You’ll find that this book (and its sequel, The 4 A.M. Breakthrough ) go beyond cutesy exercises and forces you to push outside your comfort zone and learn something from the writing you find there.

How to read it: Purchase The 3 A.M. Epiphany on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

The 4-hour workweek by timothy ferriss.

For you if: You think being a writer means you have to be poor .

The 4-Hour Workweek changed my life. Although not strictly about writing in the traditional sense, The 4-Hour Workweek does an excellent job teaching you about how passive income can offer you freedom. I first heard about The 4-Hour Workweek when I was getting into tarot in 2013. On Biddy Tarot , founder Brigit (author of some of the best books on tarot ) related how she read this book, learned how to create passive income, and quit her corporate job to read tarot full time. As a person with a total and permanent disability, this spoke to me because it offered a way out of the 9-to-5 “active” income that I thought was the only way. I picked up Ferriss’s book and learned that there’s more than one option, and that passive income is a viable way for me to make money even when I’m too sick to work. I saw this come true last year when I was in the hospital. When I got out, I checked my stats and learned I’d made money off my blog and books even while I was hospitalized and couldn’t do any “active” work. I almost cried.; I’ve been working on my passive income game since 2013, and I saw a return on that time investment when I needed it most.

That’s why I’m recommending The 4-Hour Workweek to writers. So much of our trade is producing passive income products. Yes, your books are products! And for many writers, this means rewiring your brain to stop looking at writing strictly as an art that will leave you impoverished for life and start approaching writing as a business that can earn you a real living through passive income. No book will help you break out of that mindset better than The 4-Hour Workweek and its actionable steps, proven method, and numerous examples of people who have followed the strategy and are living the lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of but never thought was possible.

How to read it: Purchase The 4-Hour Workweek on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum

For you if: You’re serious about making a living as a writer and publishing with a Big 5 or major indie publisher .

Courtney Maum’s Before and After the Book Deal addresses exactly what its title suggests: what happens after you sell your first book. This book is for ambitious writers intent on submission who know they want to write and want to avoid common pitfalls while negotiating terms and life after your debut. As many published authors would tell you, the debut is one thing, but following that book up with a sustainable, successful career is another trick entirely. Fortunately, we have Maum’s book, packed with to-the-moment details and advice.

How to read it: Purchase Before and After the Book Deal on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Diy mfa: write with focus, read with purpose, build your community by gabriela pereira.

For you if: You’re stressed out wondering if you really need an MFA .

The MFA is under this header “business of writing” because it is absolutely an economic choice you make. And, look, I’m biased. I’m getting an MFA. But back when I was grappling with whether or not it was worth it—the debt, the time, the stress—I consulted with DIY MFA , an exceptional guide to learning how to enrich your writing craft, career, and community outside the structures of an MFA program. I’ve also more than once visited the companion site, DIYMFA.com , to find a kind of never-ending rabbit hole of new and timeless content on the writing life. On DIYMFA.com and in the corresponding book, you’ll find a lively hub for author interviews, writing craft shop talk, reading lists, and business of writing articles.

How to read it: Purchase DIY MFA on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Mfa vs. nyc by chad harbach.

For you if: You’re wondering how far an MFA really gets you—and you’re ready to learn the realities of the publishing world .

About a thousand years ago (well, in 2007), I spent the fall of my sophomore year of college as a “Fiction Submissions and Advertising Intern” for the literary magazine n+1 , which was co-founded by Chad Harbach, who you might know from his buzzy novel, The Art of Fielding . In MFA vs NYC , Harbach offers his perspective as both an MFA graduate and someone deeply enmeshed in the New York City publishing industry. This thought-provoking look at these two arenas that launch writers will pull the wool up from your eyes about how publishing really works . It’s not just Harbach’s voice you get in here, though. The book, slim but mighty, includes perspectives from the likes of George Saunders and David Foster Wallace in the MFA camp and Emily Gould and Keith Gessen speaking to NYC’s writing culture.

How to read it: Purchase MFA vs. NYC on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Scratch: writers, money, and the art of making a living – edited by manjula martin.

For you if: a) You’re worried about how to balance writing with making a living; b) You’re not worried about how to balance writing with making a living .

Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living is alternately one of the most underrated and essential books on writing out there. This collection of personal essays and interviews all revolve around the taboo theme of how writers make their living, and it’s not always—indeed, rarely—through writing alone. Some of the many contributing authors include Cheryl Strayed ( Wild ), Alexander Chee ( How to Write an Autobiographical Novel ), Jennifer Weiner ( Mrs. Everything ), Austin Kleon ( Steal Like an Artist ), and many others. Recently a young woman asked me for career advice on being a professional freelance writer, and I made sure to recommend Scratch as an eye-opening and candid read that is both motivating and candid.

How to read it: Purchase Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

Write to market: deliver a book that sells by chris fox.

For you if: You don’t know why your books aren’t selling—and you want to start turning a profit by getting a real publishing strategy

So you don’t have to be an indie author to internalize the invaluable wisdom you’ll find here in Write to Market . I first heard about Write to Market when I first joined the 20Booksto50K writing group on Facebook , a massive, supportive, motivating community of mostly indie authors. Everyone kept talking about Write to Market . I read the book in a day and found the way I looked at publishing change. Essentially, what Chris Fox does in Write to Market is help you learn to identify what are viable publishing niches. Following his method, I’ve since published several successful and #1 bestselling books in the quotations genre on Amazon . Without Fox’s book, I’m not sure I would have gotten there on my own.

How to read it: Purchase Write to Market on Amazon and add it on Goodreads

And that’s a wrap what are some of your favorite writing books, share this:, you might be interested in.

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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