Creative Writing Tips for Beginners
Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!
I've always toyed with this idea, but I never got so far as to actually see it through to fruition. However, I’ve always been drawn to becoming a natural storyteller in the sense of being a creative writer.
Whether that’s through writing a full-blown novel, perhaps penning a series of short stories, or even conjuring up a screenplay for TV or film, I believe in the power of words and the impact a good story has on a person. I’ve always found great joy in reading and I feel purposed to produce stories so that others can enjoy them as well.
As an adult, I feel like I am able to take many real-life situations and bring them to light in a way that speaks to others in an artistic and elegant way. And that’s one of the many reasons I write on Medium. That’s exactly how Millennial Mama was born. I want to resonate with an audience. But, perhaps there’s more to my creative abilities than just limiting myself to articles. What if I could write fiction? Now that I’m a mother, could I dabble in children’s stories? The keyboard is my creative oyster.
I wanted to share with anyone who may want a few tips on how to start creative writing either for themselves or for others. It’s truly a therapeutic experience and it’s a hobby to have fun with and hone in with incredible practice and skill over time.
Read Often
You can’t write incredibly well if you don’t read often. By reading (doesn’t matter what it is), you’re strengthening your muscle memory to retain proper sentence structure, correct spelling and grammar, and intelligent wordsmith techniques. I always read a couple of online articles a day at the very least. I regularly read day through Medium and other lifestyle publications. Always read content that is relevant to you. If you want to write lifestyle content like me, read lifestyle publications or blogs. If you aren’t interested from the get-go, you won’t find the drive to succeed in your journey.
Write Something Almost Everyday
One way to get into the habit of writing creatively is to just start — and that may mean to just write one thing every day. It doesn’t matter what it is, and it can be so crappy, that not even your mother would be proud of it. But, as long as you do it, consistency is key. And practice always makes perfect.
Write About What You Know
The best way to avoid writer’s block? Write about what you know, of course. Take a life experience and twist it into something that works for you, or flat out retell a story that has happened to you.
Plan Stories Ahead of Time
If you’re serious about writing creatively, you need to plan accordingly. Will your work take shape as long-form stories or short content articles? If you’re writing fiction, how many characters are involved and what kind of world do they live in? With all these things to consider, it's best to map all of this out prior to writing your first chapter or sentence. When it comes to blog articles, a content calendar or schedule of some sort is an excellent way to lay out all ideas and pick which topic to write about in a heartbeat.
Show; Don’t Tell
It’s very important to show what you’re writing about, especially in fiction. When you’re depicting something visual, it’s easy to tell your reader about it. But you have to put yourself in the shoes of your reader. There are no visual aids to help guide them, and think about it — that can work to your advantage, It allows the reader to make their own interpretations of your work. By depicting something or anything in full detail, you are essentially painting that image in their minds. It makes the piece much easier to visualize and valuable as it resonates more with your reader.
Get Feedback
When you’re ready, gain the trust of an individual or small group of peers who can read your work without judgment to provide some necessary feedback. Gaining insight from an outside source allows you to see where you can improve in your writing or perhaps spark further inspiration to deepen the piece or plant the seed for another story or future chapter.
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Also — please highly consider following Millennial Mama, a publication documenting my journey into new motherhood!
