Creative writing is often defined as the use of words to convey thoughts, feelings, and experiences in an original and creative way. It can be both a creative and critical exercise, helping the writer examine their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences and translate them into something new and unique.
However, creative writers face some challenges that professional writers don’t. One of the biggest differences is that when we’re writing creatively, we often don’t have the luxury of picking our words carefully or looking up the meaning of the words we use. When we’re writing creatively, we often don’t have the luxury of picking our words carefully or looking up the meaning of the words we use. A good rule of thumb is not to worry too much about getting every single detail right. Instead, just write from your heart and let your creative juices flow.
Here are some tips on how to write creatively and incorporate emotions into your story:
Find Your Muse
In order to write creatively, you need to find your ‘muse’. This is the person, place, or thing that inspires you to write. It can be a character, a place, or a thing. Sometimes it comes as a sudden insight, sometimes it comes slowly. It’s important to give it time to find you; you won’t always be able to identify it in the beginning. But once you do, everything else falls into place.
When you find your muse, you’re going to feel a strong connection to it. You might feel inspired to write about it, or you might just want to be there. Whatever it is that inspires you to write, give it time to find you and then lean into it. Take a walk, drink some tea, or read a book – whatever it is that helps you relax and get into the right mental space to write. When you find your muse, you’re going to feel a strong connection to it. You might feel inspired to write about it, or you might just want to be there. Whatever it is that inspires you to write, give it time to find you and then lean into it. Take a walk, drink some tea, or read a book – whatever it is that helps you relax and get into the right mental space to write. Once you find your muse, you’re going to feel that everything else falls into place.
Be Brave
Writing from the heart is easier said than done. We often have such tight grips on social standards, especially in relation to language, that we stop ourselves from saying the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, we choose our words carefully and edit out any phrases that might not be ‘appropriate’. Even then, sometimes our minds just won’t cooperate, and we have to find a creative way to get the thoughts out.
Being brave is often challenging, but it’s also what makes us human. Noticing our own fears and insecurities and being able to admit them to another is a huge step forward. Just because you don’t always feel comfortable expressing your emotions in the same way others do doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to. By being brave, you’re giving yourself a chance to find your authentic voice, and that’s what matters in the end.
Start Small
When you’re starting out writing, it’s a good idea to start small. If you’re wanting to write a novel, it might be best to write a short story first. Even if you write a short story that’s perfect, the odds are that you’ll have to fix some things later. So, it’s better to start small and work your way up. Write a short story, write a play, and then work your way up to a novel.
You can also consider writing an article for a creative journal, like Creative Writing Magazine. These are often more open to interesting and unusual content than a traditional literary magazine, which will give you some great exposure.
Make It Creative
When you write creatively, it’s important to make it creative. This means that you should put yourself into the story and infuse all the characters and settings with your own personality. Make sure that everything you write is written in a way that is original and engaging. When you give your story substance and life, the reader is more likely to connect to it and be engaged by it. They’ll feel like they’re part of the story and that what you’re writing about is something that happened to them or someone they know. It can be a truly unique and personal experience.
Embrace The Redundancy
In English, there’s a grammatical rule called ‘redundancy’. Basically, it means that if you have two words that mean the same thing, you can use them instead of one. For example, many of us would say “It’s raining cats and dogs” instead of “It’s raining” or “It’s a pouring rain”. But if you really want to be redundant, you can say “Cats and dogs are falling from the sky”. Because the two words ‘cats’ and ‘dogs’ mean the same thing, we have the option of using either one.
In the same way, when we’re writing creatively, we can use synonyms for words that have multiple meanings. For example, if I want to write about a dog that’s both adorable and fierce, I can choose to use either “cuddly” or “fierce” to describe the pup. Or, if I’m writing about a particularly strong personality, I might use “brave” in place of “courageous” or “powerful” in place of “powerful”. Just remember to be creative and use whatever words come to mind, as long as you’re making sense and haven’t used any redundancies. You can always go back and edit out any redundancies or awkward phrases that might creep in while you’re writing.
Let Your Feelings Be Known
When you write emotionally, you’re allowed to show the world how you feel. This means that you don’t have to hold back or edit the words that come to you – unless, of course, you really want to. Remember, there’s no wrong way to write about your emotions. The only thing that matters is how you choose to write about yourself and how you choose to show the world your feelings. Be as detailed and as open as possible.
For example, if I want to write about my childhood and how it shaped me into the woman I am today, I might start by talking about the specific ways that my parents’ divorce affected me. I could go into great detail about how they fought, what belongings were left behind, and how I coped. Or, I could write about the ways that my upbringing in a small town influenced me. I could talk about how I love being surrounded by people who are kind and thoughtful, and how it made me want to be the same. In the end, it doesn’t matter which details I use because it’s all part of my story and it’s all true. It’s important to write from the heart and to put things in writing that will be meaningful to you and those who read your work.
As you can see, writing creatively is not something that comes easily to everyone. There are times when we’re simply unable to put our thoughts into words. That’s okay. You don’t have to be Shakespeare to have a story to tell. All you need is a pen and some paper, and you can begin writing. Don’t worry about what others will think of your writing, or whether or not you’re using the “right” words. Just write from the heart and let your creative juices flow. You may end up with some very original and unique work that will make your reader feel as if they’ve had a direct connection to the events that you’ve written about. So, don’t be afraid to find your muse, be brave, and make it creative. You may find that the exercise is both cathartic and therapeutic, and that’s what matters.