If you are looking for a way to pay the bills, consider taking up writing as a career. While it may seem like an easy option to simply write what you know, the reality is that your success in this field is much more than just writing about your experiences. In fact, your ability to creatively express yourself through language and the way you approach the structure of your writing will determine just how much you can make. In addition, many publishing houses are now looking for authors who can bring a fresh perspective to their work and show the world that being a writer is not just a pastime but a viable professional choice.
The Different Stages Of Creative Writing
Although there is no exact definition of what makes up “creative writing,” the phrase is generally used to describe literary works that are innovative, well-crafted, and often involve a unique viewpoint. While there is certainly no single path to becoming a successful creative writer, there are definitely some tried and true ways to go about it. Below we will discuss the different stages of creative writing and how you can best prepare for each one.
Theory And Practice
If you are reading this, chances are you already know the difference between theory and practice. Theory is simply learning the rules and approaches to writing; practice is applying what you have learned to actually create something. When it comes to creative writing, theory and practice simply mean learning how to create works of literature that will be accepted by the public and gaining experience by writing sample essays and short stories. Although creative writing is not a set curriculum in any way, students often have to complete a writing assignment for one of the stages below before they can move on to the next.
Prose
This is the most basic and common stage of creative writing and usually involves the writing of an essay or a short story. Like with poetry, learning to write in this manner can be highly beneficial as it allows you to experiment with language and structure while still adhering to a basic form. Prose is also a great place to start for beginners as the rules are very simple and there is a lot of room for creativity.
Poetry
Unlike prose, poetry is all about using language and structure to create a work of art that can be both memorable and creative. Although the form can vary a great deal, most poetry starts with a sequence of poems called a sonnet that was first used by English poet Sir Thomas Wyatt in 1593. The sonnet itself is made up of iambic pentameter followed by a series of rhyming couplets. If you are interested in taking up poetry as a creative writing style, it’s important to learn how to write sonnets as this is what most poets use and it is very common to learn the form in school. Not only does it help you to understand how poetry works, but you will also see a lot of published works that were originally written in sonnets.
Drama
Drama is like poetry in that it can be used to both evoke an emotional response and tell a story. However, drama also involves a greater degree of creativity as you are designing and executing a performance that will be entertaining as well as informative. Like with poetry, learning to write in this manner can be highly beneficial as it allows you to experiment with character and plot while still adhering to a basic form. Many students who have taken up dramatic writing as a creative writing style have gone on to have successful writing careers.
Fiction
Fiction is a broad term that can be used to describe novels, memoirs, and any other works of non-fiction that use fictional elements. Although creative writing students usually start out with short stories, increasing attention is being paid to the craft of novel writing as it is a vastly more complicated process. Like with poetry, learning to write in this manner can be highly beneficial as it allows you to experiment with language, plot, and character while still adhering to a basic form. Memoirs and creative non-fiction are also great entry points into the world of fiction as they often use first-person narratives to provide the reader with an intimate window into the lives of the writers.
How To Be Successful As A Creative Writer
Like with any other career or calling, there is a lot that goes into being successful as a creative
writer. Below, we will discuss some of the most essential attributes that will make you
stand out from the crowd.
Research
One of the most important things that separate successful creative writers from those
who are still struggling is the amount of research that they do. If you are writing a
narrative of events that have happened to you or someone close to you, you will need to do a
significant amount of research to ensure that your writing is as authentic as possible.
Although it may seem obvious, research also means doing your homework and preparing for
meetings with your instructor or a tutor so that you can impress them with the amount of
knowledge that you have managed to accumulate during your studies. As a creative
writer, research may mean locating obscure poems or doing your own research into
historical events that you will weave into your narrative.
Patience
Above all else, patience is one of the most critical attributes for a creative
writer. Although you may be used to sticking with tasks for long periods of time, creative
writing is not a particularly patient discipline. Like with any other type of writing, your
patience will determine just how much you can produce and how effective your work will be.
Creative writing is a constantly evolving craft and although you may start out with a plan,
it is often important to be open to new ideas that may come along as you write.
Analytics
These are all about making sense of the chaos that is the written
word. Whether you are reading a novel or a document, you will need to be able to follow
the story and make sense of what is going on. Although this seems like a basic necessity,
it is a skill that is particularly difficult to develop as you will often have to decipher
complex plots and a great deal of information that may be presented in an untidy manner. To
be successful as a creative writer, develop the skill of analysis and make sense of what you
have read or are about to read in order to achieve your full potential.
At this point, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed as you have definitely managed to cover a lot of different topics. If you are looking for a flexible career that allows you to write whatever you desire, consider taking up
creative writing as a career. While there is no exact definition of what makes up
“creative writing”, the phrase is generally used to describe literary works that are
innovative, well-crafted, and often involve a unique viewpoint. While there is certainly no
single path to becoming a successful creative writer, there are definitely some tried and
true ways to go about it. Below we will discuss the different stages of creative writing and how you can best prepare for each one.