It can be difficult to find the time to put into creating something
artistically unique when you have a job, a family, and a social life.
However, the rewards of a well-written piece can be priceless, and
there are definitely ways to make that happen even with a busy schedule.
In this article, we will discuss how to start a creative
writing piece that will have lasting value. We will cover everything
from developing an idea to structuring a proper pitch to finding a
publisher to eventually releasing your work.
Find Your Unique Voice
A common mistake that new writers make is trying to be too
original. Trying to be unique only leads to cloning or spoofing
existing characters and archetypes. It may be original in the sense
that it is something no one has ever written before, but it will
never live up to your potential if you don’t find your own voice.
In order to do this, you need to examine the pieces that
inspired you in the first place. Look at what made you interested
in the topic in the first place. That is your voice – the
combination of all the things that drew you to the project in the
first place. Don’t worry about fitting all the pieces together
perfectly. Just find the ones that speak to you the most and use
them.
Make a Plan
Even if you don’t have all the time in the world, you can still
start a creative writing piece. The key is to make a plan and stick
to it. If you want to write a short story, for example, you would
need to write every day for three weeks, and then take a break
before you submit your work. If you don’t have the time to write
every day, then commit to writing as much as you can each week. This
will help you achieve your goal of having a finished product at the
end.
Pitch, Then Plan
One of the most important things to consider when starting a
creative writing piece is pitching your idea. You have a brief
description of what your piece is going to be about, but no one
else except for you knows exactly what it is. This is why you need
to find the right person – be it a publisher, an investor, or a
lawyer – that you can trust to tell you what they think your piece
is about. Of course, you can always change the pitch midstream, but
this comes with serious risks. Going into too much detail about your
piece in the pitch stage puts you at risk of over-explaining
yourself, making your idea too easy to understand for the person
honestly trying to pitch it. Short and sweet is always the best
policy when it comes to pitching.
Find The Right Place
If you decide to write an article for a magazine, for example,
you would need to find the right magazine. Magazines have various
pitches for different articles they want to publish. Some are
looking for in-depth articles focused on specific topics, while
others are looking for quick and easy reads.
If you want to write a short story, for example, you would
need to look for a short story pitch. These pitches are usually 1,000
words or less and are usually accepted from writers who have
something new and unique to say about a specific topic.
This is not an easy task, and it takes quite a bit of
research. It is advisable to work with an agent who can search for
magazines that are interested in your specific topic. Once you have
a short list, you can start pitching your article or story to
magazines.
Choose The Right Format
When deciding which format to use for your piece, you need to
consider several things. First, you need to decide whether you are
going to use prose or poetry. If you go with prose, then you need to
decide whether to use a traditional or a non-traditional style of
writing. If you decide on a traditional style, then you need to
consider the formats available to you, such as newspaper or magazine
articles, reviews, book reports, or short stories. If you go with a
non-traditional style, you can choose from a wide array of online
publication formats including websites, blogs, and YouTube
channels. Just remember, whatever format you choose, you need to
pitch it to magazines or online publications that are willing to
publish your work.
The Biggest Risk
As with any other type of business, there is always the risk of
failure. The bigger the risk, the more you should be paid. Don’t
underestimate the risk of pitching your creative writing piece. The
more you put into it, the greater the chance of success. However, it
is still possible to fail. The only difference is that when you fail
at creative writing, you usually don’t have another chance. This is
why it is so important to pitch to trusted sources so that you can
minimize the risks as much as possible. Of course, the more you
know, the less risky it is to pitch. For example, if you know that
one of the magazines you are pitching to is not interested in
undertaking a project of this nature, then you can take that into
consideration when structuring your pitch. But, aside from this,
always feel free to change the plan at any time, as long as you
communicate this with the people you are working with. This is why it
is so important to pitch to trusted sources so that you can minimize
the risks as much as possible. Even when you are working with a
reliable source, there is still the risk of pitching a piece that
isn’t what the source is looking for.
Getting The Rights To Your Work
Once you have pitched your idea to a magazine or online
publication, you will need to secure the rights to your work. This
isn’t as difficult as it sounds because most magazines and online
publications will either propose a paid or a free deal to the
writer. It is important to secure these rights because without them,
your work will never appear exactly as you intended it to appear. It
is also important to secure these rights before you put too much
effort or investment into creating your work. Once you have
secured the rights to your work, you can move on to the next phase of
your plan.