• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Enchanting Marketing

Writing advice for small business

10 Creative Writing Techniques

Learn how to add pizzazz to any type of writing.

The articles below show you how to use creative writing techniques in fiction or non-fiction. Each article features a series of examples so it becomes easier to apply the technique.

Content of this page

Click the links below to go to a specific section:

Personification

Show don’t tell

Repetition in writing

Contrast in writing

The rule of three in writing

1. Metaphors

creative writing techniques - metaphors

Learn how to use metaphors and get inspired by these examples …

Learn how to use metaphors >>

Metaphor examples >>

creative writing techniques - simile

Get inspired by over 10 simile examples by various authors …

Simile examples >>

3. Analogies

creative writing technique #3

Get inspired by these analogy examples …

Analogy examples >>

what are the creative writing techniques

Improve your writing style

Learn how to write better and find your voice. Get free writing tips in your inbox.

Get free writing tips >>

creative writing technique #4

Get inspired by these imagery examples …

Imagery examples >>

5. Personification

creative writing technique #5

Learn how to use personification to make your writing sparkle …

Personification examples >>

6. Show don’t tell

creative writing technique #6

Get inspired by these examples of “show, don’t tell” …

Show don’t tell examples >>

7. Repetition in writing

creative writing technique #7

Get inspired by these examples of word repetition …

Examples of repetition in writing >>

8. Contrast in writing

creative writing technique #8

Discover how to use contrast in your writing …

Examples of contrast in writing >>

9. The rule of 3 in writing

creative writing technique #9

Get inspired by these examples of the rule of 3 …

The rule of 3 in writing >>

10. Switch the point of view (POV)

creative writing technique #10

Discover how to switch the point of view …

Point of view examples >>

You may also like …

creative writing examples

Creative writing examples

Learn how to inject creativity in any writing.

creative writing exercises

Creative writing exercises

Try these exercises to add a touch of creativity to your writing.

Share this page:

what are the creative writing techniques

Books and courses

Follow proven templates for specific writing tasks, practice your skills, and get professional feedback so you become a confident business writer. Take on any writing project with gusto. Learn more about books and courses

what are the creative writing techniques

About Henneke

I never saw myself as a writer, but in my early forties, I learned how to write and discovered the joy of writing. Now, I’d like to empower you to find your voice, share your ideas and inspire your audience. Learn how I can help you

Popular topics

Sales copywriting

Blog writing for business

Your writing voice

Tips for beginning writers

The writing process

Improve your writing skills

Writing examples

Popular blog posts

Recent blog posts

Free Snackable Writing Course

Get 16 concise emails and learn how to write more persuasive content.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Book your place on our Yale Summer School or  UC Berkeley Summer School . Limited places available, don’t miss out. Speak to an advisor here  or  enrol  online

Other languages

Image shows the Tin Man, Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.

You wouldn’t have thought that essays have much in common with creative writing.

You should also read…

Creative writing , by definition, involves being ‘creative’: making things up, letting your imagination run wild. Essays are about being factual and objective, communicating ideas and arguments in the clearest way possible and attempting to enhance the reader’s knowledge, rather than their imagination. But while the literary devices and colourful tales we associate with creative writing are indeed out of place in an essay, these two very different kinds of writing actually have a few similarities. Above all, they’re both meant to be read by other people, and that means that they need to sustain the reader’s interest. So, are there any writing techniques you can borrow from creative writing to help make your essays more interesting and original? Yes there are, and in this article, we’re going to show you how.

1. Think about your reader

Image shows a stack of paper.

With creative writing, as with any kind of writing, your reader is your most important consideration. You need to know and understand whom you’re writing for if you’re to do a good job of keeping them interested. Let’s think for a moment about the kind of person you’re writing for when you’re writing an essay and what you need to do to write specifically for them:

What all these points boil down to is the importance of keeping your reader interested in what you have to say. Since creative writing is all about holding the reader’s interest, there must be some lessons to be learned from it and techniques that can be applied within the more limited style constraints of the academic essay. We’ll now turn to what these are.

2. Three-act structure

Image shows Hamlet clutching a skull, with his father's ghost in the background.

The three-act structure is a writing device used extensively in modern writing, including for film and television dramas. These ‘acts’ aren’t as distinct as acts in a play, as one follows seamlessly on from another and the audience wouldn’t consciously realise that one act had ended and another began. The structure refers to a plotline that looks something like this:

This structure sounds all very well for made-up stories, but what has it got to do with essay-writing? The key similarities here are:

So, applying the three-act structure to an essay gives you something like this:

Using this structure keeps you focused on the central point, and stops you from waffling, because everything you write is working towards resolving your argument. The use of the inciting incident in the first ‘act’ encourages you to get to the point early on in your essay, thereby keeping the reader interested. The principles of good plot-writing are centred around the connection between different events that show cause and effect, and this central tenet of the three-act structure has obvious parallels with the way in which essays work through presenting evidence in support of arguments.

3. An attention-grabbing opening

Image shows a painting of a group of people standing around the body of a murdered woman.

An oft-spouted piece of advice in creative writing is to use an attention-grabbing opening. One way of doing this is to start with a ‘flashback’, which could disrupt the chronology of events by transporting the reader directly back to the midst of the action, so that the story begins with maximum excitement. In a murder mystery, for instance, the writer might skip a slow build-up and instead use the murder itself to form the opening of the novel, with the rest of the story charting the efforts of the detective to uncover the perpetrator and perhaps telling the events prior to the murder in a series of flashbacks. The same principle can be applied to essays, though it’s easier to use in some subjects than others. To take an example, let’s say you were writing about how the First World War started. Rather than building up slowly with the various factors, an attention-grabbing opening could (briefly) describe the drama of the Battle of the Somme, perhaps citing some statistics about the number of men involved and killed, and quoting some war poetry about the horrors faced by the soldiers on the Front Line. Then, to introduce the purpose of the essay and launch into your argument about what started the war, a phrase such as, “It seems hard to imagine that all this began with…”. Alternatively, a rhetorical question: “But how did these tens of thousands of soldiers end up in the mud and horror of trench warfare? The story begins several years earlier, with…” It may not be the standard way of writing an essay, but you’ll certainly score points for originality and perhaps ruffle a few feathers.

4. Extended metaphors

Image shows Romeo and Juliet about to touch their palms together.

Creative writing often makes use of extended metaphors. For example, when Shakespeare wrote the passage in Romeo and Juliet referring to “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!” he was using an extended metaphor. With this in mind, it’s time to revisit a point we made in a previous article about writing more original essays , in which we argued that, rather than battling on with trying to explain a complex concept in a straightforward way, it might be easier to use an analogy to convey the meaning by drawing comparisons, which people find easier to understand. A metaphor is a kind of analogy, so the similarities with creative writing are strong here. In our previous article we used the example of radioactive decay. An analogy for this is the pressure with which water escapes from a hole in a bucket. It does so exponentially, just as radioactive substances decay exponentially. In both instances, the rate of a consumptive process depends on how much there is left of whatever is being depleted, which results in an exponential rate of decay. This concept is so much easier to explain using the analogy of water flowing from a hole in a bucket, as you give your reader something familiar to visualise in order to explain a concept with which they are unfamiliar.

5. Interesting details about setting and location

Image shows a statue of the Emperor Augustus.

Another way of keeping your reader interested is to bring your essay to life with details about setting and location, just as creative writers do. Essays can become quite dry if you focus solely on the academic problems, but you can make them more interesting by peppering them with details. This may not work quite so well for a scientific essay, but it’s certainly relevant for some humanities subjects, in particular English literature, history and archaeology. For example, an essay about the Roman emperor Augustus could mention that he lived a famously modest lifestyle, quoting details from Roman writers and archaeological evidence that support this: Suetonius mentions his “low bed” (interesting because of what it says about accepted standards of Roman beds!) and coarse bread and cheese diet, and the relatively small and non-lavish remains of his house on the Palatine Hill in Rome back up the idea of his having lived a modest life. Incidental details like these can actually prove to be more significant than you initially realise, and you can use them to build your argument; in the case of Augustus, for example, his modest lifestyle is particularly important when seen in the context of Rome’s troubled history with kings. As he gradually acquired more power and became Rome’s first emperor, he had to avoid coming across as being too ‘regal’, and the little details we know about his way of life are significant in light of this. So, not only have you brought your essay to life, but you’ve raised an interesting point, too.

Few writers get it right first time . Once you’ve written a first draft, read through it and think about whether the order of your points is optimal and whether what you’ve written actually makes sense. It’s easy in the age of computers to chop and change – you can simply copy and paste part of your essay into another part where it might fit better, and then make minor changes to your wording so that it flows. After you’ve finished editing, have a final read through and check that you’re happy with the wording. Don’t forget to proofread to ensure that your spelling and grammar is impeccable!

7. And finally… record your ideas

Image shows someone writing in a notebook.

Creative writers swear by having a notebook with them at all times, ready to jot down any ideas that suddenly spring to mind. You can adopt the same principle for your essay-writing, because you never know when the inspiration might strike. Have a think about your essay topic when you’re out and about; you’d be surprised what occurs to you when you’re away from your normal place of study. As you can see, there are more similarities between two apparently unrelated kinds of writing than you might have realised. It is, of course, possible to go too far with the creative writing idea when you’re essay-writing: literary devices aren’t always appropriate, and your essay still needs to retain objectivity and conform to the more formal conventions of academic writing. But there are certainly techniques to be borrowed from creative writing that will help your essays stand out from the crowd and give your teacher or lecturer a welcome break from the monotony of essay-marking.

See also our fabulous guide explaining more about ” What is Creative Writing ”.

Image credits: banner ; papers ; Hamlet ; Wizard of Oz ; murder mystery ; Romeo and Juliet ; Augustus ; notebook .

One response to “7 Techniques from Creative Writing You Can Use to Improve Your Essays”

I happen to be writing to make you understand what a exceptional experience my friend’s girl undergone using yuor web blog. She realized a lot of issues, most notably how it is like to have an incredible helping spirit to get the mediocre ones without difficulty understand specific very confusing matters. You undoubtedly surpassed our own expected results. I appreciate you for providing those helpful, dependable, explanatory as well as easy tips on this topic to Gloria.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Extended offer: all courses at ₽690

Top 10 Best Creative writing tips for beginners

Starting out in creative writing can be a daunting task, with many writers struggling to know where to begin and how to improve their skills. However, there are plenty of exercises that can help you develop your writing abilities and bring your ideas to life on the page. With practice and persistence, you can turn your thoughts and imagination into beautiful works of art through creative writing.

etienne girardet creative writing

These tips will help you to become a much better creative writer:

- Find the Best Environment: Everyone has different writing preferences, whether it's a quiet coffee shop or a busy park. Experiment with different writing environments to find what works best for you.

- Freewriting: Set a timer for a few minutes and write whatever comes to mind without worrying about structure or grammar. This can help you get past writer's block and generate new ideas.

- Know Your Characters: Spend time getting to know your characters before you start writing. Develop their backstories, motivations, and personalities to create fully-formed characters that readers can connect with.

- Don't be Scared of Drafting: Remember that writing a first draft is just the beginning. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or write imperfectly. You can always revise and improve later.

- Keep a Writing Log: Keep a notebook or digital log of your writing ideas, snippets of dialogue, or interesting observations. This can help you capture ideas as they come and have a resource to refer back to when you need inspiration.

- Never Stop Reading: Reading widely is essential for improving your writing skills. Read a variety of genres and styles to see how other writers use language and structure their stories.

- Explore Your Emotions: Writing can be a powerful way to explore your emotions and experiences. Don't be afraid to write honestly and vulnerably, even if it's just for yourself.

- Get Perspective: Take breaks from your writing to get perspective. This can help you see your writing with fresh eyes and come up with new ideas.

- Research!: Research can add depth and authenticity to your writing. Spend time researching your setting, characters, and topics to make your writing more believable.

- Explore Ideas: Don't be afraid to experiment with different ideas and concepts. Even if you don't end up using them in your writing, exploring different ideas can help you find your unique writing voice and style.

creative writing

Here are some concrete exercises that can help you improve your creative writing :

Describe a scene: Choose a scene or setting and describe it in detail, using all of your senses. Try to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind, using specific details and descriptive language.

Write from a different perspective: Take a story or event and write it from a different character's perspective. This can help you develop your ability to write in different voices and points of view.

Create a character: Think of a character and write a short story or scene that features that character. Try to give the character a unique personality, backstory, and motivations.

Rewrite a story: Take a classic story or fairy tale and rewrite it in a different style or genre. This can help you develop your ability to write in different genres and experiment with different storytelling techniques.

Use writing prompts: Writing prompts can be a great way to generate ideas and practice your writing skills. Choose a writing prompt or use a writing prompt generator to come up with new ideas for stories or scenes.

Practice writing dialogue: Dialogue is an important part of creative writing. Practice writing dialogue between characters, focusing on making it sound natural and believable.

Write a story in six words: This exercise challenges you to write a complete story using only six words. It can help you develop your ability to write concisely and effectively.

aaron-burden creative writing

By practicing these exercises regularly, you can improve your creative writing skills and develop your unique voice as a writer. Remember to be patient with yourself and enjoy the process of learning and growing as a writer.

And last but not least, here are ten quotes from famous writers about creative writing:

"The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself." - Albert Camus

"You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children." - Madeleine L'Engle

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou

"One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple." - Jack Kerouac

"The scariest moment is always just before you start." - Stephen King

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou

"Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words." - Mark Twain

"If there's no passion in your writing, then it's not worth writing at all." - Jules Renard

"A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." - Thomas Mann

 joanna-kosinska creative wirting

Enjoy this incredible list of courses which help you to go to the next level in your creative writing:

- Writing a Novel Step by Step - Introduction to Narrative Writing - Creative Writing for Beginners: Bringing Your Story to Life - Narrative Techniques for Children’s Books - Script Writing for Movies and Television

Harry Flosser

Recommended courses

Writing a Novel Step by Step. Writing course by Cristina López Barrio

Writing a Novel Step by Step

A course by Cristina López Barrio

Learn the keys to writing a novel and stimulate your imagination with practical exercises that connect you with your inner world

Writing Exercises: From the Blank Page to Everyday Practice . Writing course by Aniko Villalba

Writing Exercises: From the Blank Page to Everyday Practice

A course by Aniko Villalba

Engage in creative writing exercises that document and generate ideas, and transform it into a regular practice

Creative Writing for Beginners: Bringing Your Story to Life. Writing course by Shaun Levin

Creative Writing for Beginners: Bringing Your Story to Life

A course by Shaun Levin

Learn how to sketch with words and use the details of your imagination to write a memorable story

Log in or sign up to comment

Get domestika's news delivered to your inbox.

what are the creative writing techniques

Introduction to Creative Writing for Students

But what exactly is it all about? And if you’re new to the subject, how can you get started? 

Creative writing is all about using your imagination and creativity to express ideas and thoughts in a way which is personal to you. Quite simply, it’s about adding your own ‘flair’ to writing, going beyond the traditional boundaries of academic or other technical forms of literature.

Learn more about what creative writing is, what the different types are, as well as some top tips on how to get started - all with this helpful guide and introduction to creative writing.

What is creative writing?

As the name suggests, creative writing is a form of writing that goes beyond the traditional realms of normal, professional, academic or technical forms of writing. 

Instead, it encompasses a number of different genres and styles across a whole range of fields of both fictional and non-fiction writing; storytelling, playwriting, poetry, prose, journalistic, and more. 

Though the definition can be quite vague, creative writing can, for the most part, be considered as any type of writing that is original and expressive of oneself. Typically, it can be identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, focusing on elements such as character development, narrative and plot, infusing its structure with imagination, invention and story. 

In this sense, creative writing can technically be considered any writing of contemporary, original composition - it's bound by no standard conventions and uses a whole range of elements in its craft.

In an academic setting, creative writing is typically divided into fiction, poetry, or scriptwriting classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, not defined by pre-existing structures and genres. 

What are the different types of creative writing?

Creative writing comes in many forms, encompassing a number of genres and styles. There are lots of different types of creative writing, which can be categorised as fiction or non-fiction. Some of the most popular being:

1 (3).png

What makes a good piece of creative writing?

First and foremost, it’s important to note that there is no pre-defined description of what it means to create a ‘good’ piece of creative writing. As the very name suggests, creative writing is an imaginative process, created by the individual with all their quirks and personalities.

Creative writing doesn’t fit one set genre and therefore there will never be an umbrella definition to describe the ‘perfect’ piece. Just think about a Gothic short story and then compare it to the features of a great Romantic poem - the two are so very different - it wouldn’t be unfair to judge them together. 

However, with that being said, there are a few general principles that you can follow to make your creative writing as strong as it can be - by making it as authentic and true to you as possible:

Know your audience - All great stories begin with a target audience in mind - because it’s exactly what you need to know in order to really tailor your writing and connect with them. Therefore, any creative writer should begin their writing by plotting out exactly who they want to read their work. Once you have this in mind, your writing will naturally begin to take direction and flow in a way that seems appropriate to your audience.

Write what you know - Quite often, the best stories are those which we can connect to and relate in one or another way to our own lives. Or, they’re stories which seem so authentic that you could imagine it to be about the writer’s own life. Now, this doesn’t mean that you quite literally have to write about your life, but drawing on knowledge you have about different elements of our lives to give your story some authenticity and more believability.

Creativity is key - Creativity is one of the most important elements of creative writing. It’s what sets you apart from other pieces of writing in your genre. Of course, this doesn't demand that you write a tale about a totally fantastical and mythical world with unique creatures - but simply use your creativity to think a little outside the box and put a unique twist on things; using literary devices like metaphors, alliteration, and varied sentence structure to make your work unique and interesting.

Push your imagination - One of the great things about creative writing is that there is no definition or rules on ‘how’ to write. It’s a much more subjective genre, and one which relies heavily on your own interpretations. Therefore, you should push your imagination to the limits to see what the end result could be. Some of the most interesting pieces of literature are thought-provoking or make us question the writing or world around us - where could your story take us?

Plot a loose story arc - Despite the loose bounds of creative writing, it is still advisable to plot a loose story arc for any piece of literature you create. Story arcs are critical at giving your writing direction and purpose, helping you to write the whole piece at a good pace, without writing any superfluous content or ‘waffle.’ Follow your story arc, and your writing will have a strong structure, pace and direction - keeping your readers more engaged.

What are some techniques used in creative writing?

To make their writing stand out, writers often employ several creative writing techniques and literary devices, including:

Character development - The process of creating a well-rounded, realistic character with depth, personality, and clear goals or motivations.

Plot development - The story of your piece of writing - how it develops, unfolds, and moves along in time.

**Point of view **- The perspective from which a narrative is told. It indicates who is telling the story and how the information is conveyed to the reader. Quite often writers will play with the point of view of the central character or protagonist to trick the reader and twist their perspective. 

Dialogue - Refers to the speech and conversations characters use to speak to one another. Dialogue and the language choices a character makes can be pivotal in helping define their personality.

Literary devices - Such as metaphors, similes and alliteration to make creative writing more imaginative and descriptive. These are used in a myriad of ways by writers to make their writing more vivid, interesting and engaging.

2.png

Can creative writing be taught?

Of course! Creative writing can be taught, and is a very popular subject for university students, and for those who attend our summer courses . 

Those who pursue the subject of Creative Writing will typically study a variety of texts from different periods of time to learn more about the different genres of writing within the field. They’ll become familiar with some of the leading creative writers from generations past to present, as well as some lesser-known and emerging writers in the industry.

Inspired by what they’ve learnt in the classroom, it’s not uncommon for Creative Writing students to also participate in regular workshops and scratch sessions, where they bring a piece of their writing along to class and have it read by other students and the tutor. They’ll leave with constructive feedback on how to improve their writing, or recommendations of other works which they may want to read to take influence from.

How to start creative writing

If you’re interested in getting those creative juices flowing and improving your writing craft, read some of our tips below on how to start creative writing :

Read as much as you can - For creative writers, inspiration comes from a whole range of sources, but most commonly, from other writers. There’s some excellent examples of creative writing throughout history that all writers should be inspired by. Read a variety of genres by different authors to get a real feel for what type of writing you may want to do. Need some inspiration? Check out our blog: 15 Classic Books to Read

Start journaling - Starting a journal can really help to unleash your inner creativity. Getting into the habit of writing each day about literally anything that’s preoccupied you that day will help you practice the art of writing. The more regular you journal, the more you’ll build your confidence. You never know, you could even find your next great idea from something you’ve journaled about!

Attend a Creative Writing summer course - If you’re just starting out as a creative writer and looking to collaborate, share ideas with others and workshop your writing, then joining a creative writing summer school could be a great option. Our creative writing summer courses are designed to help you extend your creative writing toolkit; you’ll analyse some of the industry’s greatest writers, as well as workshop some of your own writing with your peers.

Practice using literary devices - Literary devices, such as metaphors, similes and rhyme can really help you write more vividly and create really descriptive, imaginative scenes. Practice using them regularly and you’ll soon watch your own creative writing start to flourish. Need some ideas to help you get practising? Look around your house and pick a random object. Then, practice using 5 literary devices to describe that same object - see where your creativity can take you!

Write, write, write! - When it comes to how to start creative writing, one of the biggest pieces of advice we can offer is to pick up your pen or laptop, and start writing. Whether you have a single conversation starter for a character, or a complete narrative arc, you will only begin your creative writing journey when you physically do it. Even if you have no idea on what to write - look for writing prompt inspiration from all around you. The more you practice unleashing your creativity, the easier it will be to write over longer periods of time.

Creative writing is an expressive form of literature; one which demands you to use your own creativity, imagination and story to portray a particular message, emotion, or plot. It defies the traditional bounds of other forms of writing and is completely subjective to our own preferences and experiences.

For those looking to get started with creative writing, it’s important to really immerse yourself in the world of literature, reading and writing as much as you can - and even workshopping your work where possible. Creative writing summer schools and evening classes are a great way to meet other like-minded students, share knowledge and feedback, and really upskill yourself.

Study Creative Writing in Oxford or Cambridge

Interested in joining a Creative Writing summer course? Learn tried and tested writing techniques from some of Oxford and Cambridge's greatest published tutors on our 2-week English Literature and Creative Writing summer course .

Whether you’re new to the subject or looking to advance your skill set, our programme will help develop your own writing voice and style, while learning crucial elements of structure to help your work flow. You’ll learn from our expert tutors - made up of literary critics, authors, and university lecturers - in either the historic city of Oxford or Cambridge . 

It’s the most influential learning environment, with the most inspiring tutors - guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing!

Contact us to find out more or apply today to reserve your place.

Share this article

What is creative writing? Get to grips with the subject fundamentals and improve your skill with our introduction to creative writing.

Get Our Newsletter

Oxford Summer Courses Limited

18 Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2NA, United Kingdom

+44 01865 818403

Oxford Summer Courses is an organisation which contracts with the colleges of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London for the use of facilities, but which has no formal connection with the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London.

Oxford summer courses © 2023, oxford summer courses is a company registered in england and wales with company number 08011543.

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!

Creative writing tips

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.

Related Posts

10 Techniques to Improve Your Child's Handwriting

Comments loading...

what are the creative writing techniques

Tons of fun story ideas, writing activities, lessons, printables and much more - ALL FREE forever!

All to help you write your own stories in no time.

what are the creative writing techniques

Sign-up to our community for FREE writing resources and tools to inspire you!

We use cookies to make this website secure and effective for all its users. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.

Continue Change Settings

Need help submitting your writing to literary journals or book publishers/literary agents?  Click here! →

what are the creative writing techniques

Creative Writing Techniques And Craft Tips For Poems, Short Stories, Essays, Novels, and Creative Nonfiction

Looking for tips on creative writing craft and techniques? You’ve come to the right place! We’ve collected our most informative articles on both the craft of writing and the best creative writing techniques—all here, in one convenient place. You’ll find great advice on: characterization, writing description, showing vs. telling, beginnings, endings, sagging middles, and much more. We also cover many creative writing techniques for authors of novels (and all books), poetry, short stories, personal essays, memoir, and other nonfiction.

If you like our Writing Craft And Technique Tool Kit, be sure to check out our additional free Publishing Tool Kits, available via the Leads & Tips drop-down menu on our navigation bar!

Writer’s Relief is an author’s submission service that has been helping creative writers get published since 1994. Find out how we can help you get published!

Submit to Review Board

Techniques For All Genres | Better Prose | Memorable Characters | Books | Poetry | Short Story | Essay

Craft And Technique Tips For All Writing Genres

Sentence Length: The Power Of Placing Periods —With good technique, your period placement can have a big impact on readers. Here’s how!

Repurposing Words: Surprise Your Readers With Unusual Word Choices —Craft exciting sentences by using unexpected, creative words.

Putting Verve In Your Verbs —Let’s zero in on your verbiage, or verb usage, and harness the tremendous power of active verbs!

How To Find Your Voice As A Writer —If you’re trying to find your voice as a writer, you’re not alone.

How To Write A Great First Line (With 12 Unforgettable Examples) —Here are some examples of first lines from literature that offer great insight into opening line techniques.

How To Craft A Great Title For Your Book (Or Story Or Poem) —A weak title can deter editors and agents before they read a single sentence of your work. Here’s how to craft a great title.

The Forgotten Fifth Sense: Are You Making Use Of This Little Used Writing Technique? —Most writers routinely use four of the five senses. Are you missing the fifth?

9 Rhetorical Devices You’ve Never Heard Of But Might Already Be Using —In addition to familiar rhetorical devices like metaphor and alliteration, many literary techniques with obscure-sounding names also add impact to your writing. In fact, you’re probably already using them—at least occasionally!

Creating Mood And Atmosphere In Your Writing —To become a better writer, you need a conscious, practical sense of the tools you can use to manipulate mood, atmosphere, and tone in your writing.

Be Honest: 5 Self-Editing Tips For Increased Objectivity —It can be hard to “see” your own writing as it truly is. These editing tips will help.

Mail Call: Is It Okay To Reuse Phrases From Your Own Work? —Have you written a line so perfect, you want to use again (and again)? You’re not alone. Here’s what to do.

The Moral Of The Story: 7 Tips For Socially Or Politically Conscious Creative Writing —If you want to influence the world with your writing, you need to be well-informed, bold, and aware of your own predispositions and intentions.

Literary Locales: What Great Books Teach Us About Setting —Setting will be important in almost every piece you write. Here’s how to craft great, evocative settings.

Four Ways To Organize Your Writing (Or Not) Before You Sit Down To Write —Put your best foot forward each time you start writing by using these smart techniques.

The One Thing All Great Love Stories Have In Common—And What It Means To Your Writing —If you’re crafting anything with a romantic element, you must know this important writing technique.

Words And Phrases You Don’t Hear Anymore —We’ve dusted off some of the more unique words and phrases you don’t hear anymore! Perhaps some of these will add a sense of nostalgia or historic accuracy to a story or poem you’re writing.

How To Write A Happy Ending That Doesn’t Fall Flat (A Checklist) —You’ve undoubtedly experienced the unhappiness of a quickly resolved, artificial happy ending. When writing a book or story, don’t let your eagerness to please your audience backfire!

Will Your Characters’ Love Story Stand The Test Of Time? Take Our Self-Test! —Writing a love story? Take this quiz to see if your couple’s romance will resonate.

7 Tips For Writing Realistic War Stories —Writing about war can be tricky: Some readers might be sensitive about graphic depictions of war and violence; others may have a hard time understanding what’s happening if you don’t go into detail.

The Author’s Unofficial Guide To Critique Translation.  Having your writing critiqued during a workshop or  writers group meeting  can be an emotional minefield. But being able to  accept critique  and make effective use of good feedback is what most writers should strive for.

What Is Women’s Fiction? —While romances, mysteries, and sci-fi novels often have pretty clear characteristics, women’s fiction is so wide, the parameters are difficult to define.

4 Creative Essentials For Better Sports Writing —You might think that writing about sports is limited to news articles and sound bites. But with the right training (and eating your Wheaties), you can develop the skills to write about sports creatively and effectively.

Sex And Literary Journals: Are Your Sex Scenes Killing Your Shot At Publication? —You’ve heard the old maxim “sex sells.” But when it comes to submitting to literary journals, your sex scenes might just be  too much of a good thing !

9 Tips For Writing Believable Horror And Suspense.   Smart writers of horror and suspense know all the tricks for preying on the fears of their readers. Suspense is in the details!

How Important Is “Writing For The Market?” —You’ve mastered craft and technique. But what about market considerations?

You Want Me To Do What? Dealing With Agent Or Editor Revision Requests .  Here’s what to do if a literary agent or editor demands a change to your writing.

15 Exercises To Strengthen Your Writing —Looking for ways to build your writing muscles? Check out these 15 exercises!

Ways To Back Up Your Writing In The 21st Century .  The twenty-first century offers easy ways to effectively back up your writing so it’ll never be lost and can quickly be recovered. Find out what they are here!

7 Sneaky Ways Writers Get Distracted From Work Without Realizing It .  Some distractions seem legitimate, but are actually—gasp—procrastination in disguise! Learn about these distractions and how you can ignore them to better focus on your writing.

How To Come Up With The Right Title For Your Poem (With Examples) .  Writing a poem is hard. Coming up with a title can be harder! Find out here how to come up with the right title for your poem!

Writing Career Need A Boost? These 8 People Can Help. These 8 people can help writers boost their writing careers. Get support from writers and professionals in the publishing business.

4 Things You Should Know When Writing A Character Based On An Actual Person. Here are 4 questions to consider when writing a character based on an actual person in order to avoid pitfalls due to motive, genre, research, and legal issues.

10 Shortcuts, Workarounds, And Hacks That Give You More Time To Write . Not sure how to budget your writing time? Check out these tips and tricks to give yourself more time to write!

5 Elements Found In Great Titles Of Books, Short Stories, and Poems . Though opinions may vary, Writer’s Relief has found some common themes among exceptional titles. Here are five key elements that can help your title stand out and command attention.

Writer: Make Figurative Language Work For You ! If you know how to use figurative language correctly, you’ll add color and life to your writing. Here are different types of figurative language and tips on how to make them work in your writing.

8 Unbeatable, Strong Ways To Start Your Story, Poem, Or Essay . Here are the best tips and techniques for creating an attention-grabbing, strong start to your story, poem, or essay.

5 Writing Tips To Improve Your Final Draft . The experts at Writer’s Relief know that there’s a good chance you still have more work to do before you’re ready to submit to literary editors and agents. Use these writing tips to improve your final draft and boost your odds of getting published.

Should Writers Write Every Day? The Pros And Cons . “Write every day” isn’t advice that works for every writer. Check out the pros and cons of writing every day!

Writers: How To Edit And Revise Your Work—Ask Writer’s Relief . In this latest installment of our “Ask Writer’s Relief” series, we’ve collected the best advice on how to edit and revise your work without losing your original inspiration.

5 Tips For Writing A Multi-POV Short Story Or Novel . While using multiple POVs can make your writing dynamic and hook your readers, it can be very difficult to pull off—there’s a lot to juggle! Here are some tips for writing a successful multi-POV short story or novel.

The Best Writing Advice…From Animation Artists . Here’s the best writing advice from an unexpected source: animation artists! Writers can learn a lot from the skills animators use to breathe life and energy into their work.

Writers: Eye Care Tips To Reduce Eyestrain . It’s important for writers to take care of their vision and protect their eyes! Here are our best eye care tips to help reduce eyestrain while writing.

Cool Writing Tips…From An Ice Cream Scooper . Here’s the scoop on how to entice and delight an audience right from an expert—an ice cream scooper at an ice cream shop. Turns out there’s more to pick up from behind the ice cream counter than a stray M&M or sprinkles!

Writing Tips And Support…From The IT Help Desk . The experts at the IT help desk are pros at troubleshooting your computer. The same skills can be used to reboot your creativity and bust through writer’s block.

How To Edit Your Writing And (Almost) Kill Your Darlings . When you’re reluctant to hit the delete button to edit your writing, we have a tip that can help: Almost kill your darlings!

3 Pieces Of Writing Advice You Can Safely Ignore . Check out these three pieces of writing advice that you can safely ignore right now and still create great work that literary editors, agents, and readers will enjoy.

How To Write A Great Fight Scene For Your Story . Our writers here have some tips that really pack a punch! Here’s how to write a great fight scene for your story or book.

How To Bring Your Old Writing Back From The Dead . Your buried, unfinished projects or old submissions might just garner your next acceptance letter. Here’s how to effectively revive your old writing and breathe new life into your acceptance rate.

Writing With A Co-Author: The Pros And Cons . Some writers choose to collaborate with a co-author to share responsibilities. However, working with another writer can also introduce new hurdles to overcome. Here are the pros and cons of writing with a co-author.

Why You Should Leave “Gaps” In Your Writing . A skilled writer understands the importance of letting readers interact with the text so they can fill in the details that are left out (aka the “gaps”). Here’s how to successfully leave gaps in your writing for your readers.

How To Rewrite Myths, Legends, And Fairy Tales . There are several tricks to successfully updating a classic favorite. Here’s how to rewrite myths, legends, and fairy tales so they are fresh, new, and worth reading.

Know When To Give Up On A Writing Project .  Should you keep trying, or give up on a piece that seems to be going nowhere? To guide you in making that decision, the experts at Writer’s Relief have a list of signs to help you know when to give up on a writing project.

Improve Your Powers Of Observation To Be A Better Writer . Improving your powers of observation is a learned skill. With these tips, you can become more descriptive and enhance your creative writing skills.

3 Ways Perfection Can Hurt Your Writing . Constantly striving for perfection might actually hinder your ability to finish your work or get published. Watch out for the 3 ways perfection can hurt your writing.

How To Write Powerful Climate Fiction . If you want to write powerful climate fiction that will engage your readers—and maybe even influence change—here are a few guidelines.

5 Writing Mistakes That Are Surprising Opportunities . Some writing mistakes can actually become surprising opportunities! Here’s how to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

Writing With Humor: Flex Your Funny Bone !  Flex your funny bone and enhance your writing with some humor with these tips!

How Using Analogies Can Improve Your Writing .  An analogy is a great way to get your readers to use logic, make inferences, and understand highly specific dynamics. Here are our best tips on how using analogies can improve your writing.

How Using Vivid Verbs Improves Your Writing .  The verbs you use can display emotion, enhance setting, and bring your story to life. Here’s how using vivid verbs improves your writing and keeps your readers engaged!

Can’t Write? Then S.I.N.G.!   You feel like you can’t write, but don’t give up yet! If you can’t write, just S.I.N.G.!

Use Color Theory To Improve Your Writing .  Adding the right colors to your writing can bring images to life for your reader. Here are our best tips for using color theory to improve your writing.

Meanwhile: How To Write The Passage Of Time .  How do you write the passing of time? Here are the best ways to effectively show the passage of time in your story.

How Beat Sheets Work For Creative Writers .  A “beat” is a moment that moves the story forward, and a “beat sheet” can be a useful tool for outlining short stories, novels, and memoirs! Here are some tips on how beat sheets can work for creative writers.

How Cognitive Bias Can Affect Your Writing . Cognitive bias is an error in thinking that occurs when what we’re interpreting doesn’t match up with our sense of logic, so we draw our own conclusions—which may or may not reflect reality. Here’s how cognitive bias can affect your writing.

How To Get Back To Writing After A Break .  The great thing about writing is that you can always start up again! However, it may seem difficult to get back into your creative routine. Here are our best tips on how to shake off the dust and get back to writing after a break.

Don’t Lose Your (Writer’s) Voice!   When outside influences or lack of use threaten to silence what’s unique about your writing, here’s how to ensure you don’t lose your writer’s voice.

What To Do About THAT And Other Filler Words . A multitude of filler words lurk in writing submissions. Here’s what to do about “that” and other filler words weakening your writing.

Why Writers Should Procrastinate More Often .  Believe it or not, dawdling and delaying can help improve your writing! Here’s why writers should procrastinate more often.

How To Write For A Global Audience .  How can you ensure your writing appeals to and is understood by a diverse audience? Wherever your readers are, these writing tips will guide you in how to write for a global audience.

How To Write A Romance Story Readers Will Love . Your romantic storyline should intrigue readers and get them invested in how things will turn out between your characters. Here’s how to write a romance story readers will love!

Don’t Let Your Creative Writing Be Run By Committee .  While your readers and writing community can offer input that might improve your work, don’t let your creative writing be run by committee. Here’s how to accept or reject advice and not lose your unique voice.

Common Writing Questions And The Best Answers . From how to create a great title, to composing dialogue, to sending out submissions and more, we have several articles to help writers improve both their craft and their odds of getting published!

6 Creative Writing Tips For Beginners .  After evaluating thousands of writing submissions, we’re offering the 6 best creative writing tips for beginners!

Why You Might Want To Write Scenes Out Of Sequence . It might seem odd or messy to write out of sequence, there are benefits to creating scenes out of order—and also one caveat. Here’s why you might want to write scenes out of sequence!

How To Conduct Writing Research Like A Pro .  Even if you’re writing fiction, it’s important to get your facts right. Here are some great tips and advice to share about how to conduct writing research like a pro.

HINT: Learn more about staying motivated and inspired while you improve your writing craft and technique!

Techniques For Crafting Better Prose

Fiction Or Nonfiction? Memoir Or Novel? Know What To Call Your Story Or Book —First things first: What is it that you’re writing, exactly?

Is It Prose Poetry, Short Prose, Or Flash Fiction? —Not sure that your writing is really, um, “prosey” enough to be called prose? Here’s what to call your short creative piece.

How To Write A Good First Line (For Books, Novels, Short Stories, Essays, and Articles) —Start off write—we mean, right! —with these first line techniques.

Point of View Techniques —Few decisions are as important as deciding who should tell your story. Here’s how you choose the right POV for the right tale.

“Show, Don’t Tell”: This Essential Craft Axiom Finally Explained —All writers have heard, “show, don’t tell.” Here’s how to make this timeless writing technique work for you.

The Goldilocks Approach To Writing Description: Not Too Little, Not Too Much —Some descriptions go on too long. Some are lacking. Here’s how to get it just right.

I Have A Dream: 8 Heart-Stopping Rhetorical Techniques Of King’s Speech —MLK might be the king of rhetorical techniques; all these years later, he still has lots to teach writers!

5 Strategies You Can Use To Get The Most Out Of A Writing Prompt —Use these writing techniques to turn a simple writing prompt response into a masterpiece!

9 Key Elements Of Great Endings For Books And Stories —Here are the writing techniques that will show you how to take your ending from good to great.

Writing Sex Scenes: How Much Is Too Much? —Read up on ways to write sex scenes in mainstream fiction. Why? Because bad sex scenes are REALLY bad.

Setting: Using Scene To Enrich Your Writing Craft —Set the scene for a great story or poem by focusing on your setting.

The Craft Of Fear Mongering: How (And Why) To Scare Your Readers —Many people love reading something scary! Here’s how to amp up the fear factor, whether you’re writing about zombies or family picnics.

How To Write Fiction Based On Real Life —Is your true story the stuff of fairy tales or nightmares? Here’s how to turn real life into fiction.

Stop Sagging Middle Syndrome: 5 Plot Devices That Will Amp Up Your Story —Whether you’re writing a short story, memoir, or novel, you’ll need to keep readers turning the pages, especially through the middle of your story. Use these creative writing techniques.

Writing Advice From A Snowstorm —Grab a blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, and your laptop or your favorite pen. Here are our best snowstorm-inspired tips for writers.

7 Short Story No-Nos That Smart Writers Always Ignore —At Writer’s Relief, we know not many writing rules are set in stone. Some of these no-no’s may actually help your writing!

Quick! Here’s How To Write Great Flash Fiction —How do you write a whole story in a super-condensed form? Writer’s Relief outlines the best tips and pointers to help you write great flash fiction.

5 Easy Exercises To Help You Write Believable Dialogue —Check out these few tricks and exercises that will help you write engaging, believable dialogue.

The 5 Most Important Elements Of Great Short Stories —Here are some must-have elements that make the difference between a “good” story and a “great” short story—which will also boost your odds of getting an acceptance from a literary journal editor.

How To Spot And Fix Plot Holes In Your Short Story Or Novel — Fix the plot holes in your short story or novel by using these expert tips.

5 Techniques To Tighten Your Story’s Sagging Middle . If editors and readers lose interest in the middle, they’re not going to stick around until the story’s end. Here’s how to tighten your story’s sagging middle and keep readers interested.

Writing Strategies: Should You Plot It Or Wing It ? Should you plot your story, or let an idea take you where it may? That depends on the writer. Here’s how you can determine if you should plot it or wing it when writing.

How To Best Shorten Your Short Story . If you want to boost your odds of getting published, it’s important to shorten your short story and make it as tight and concise as possible without losing anything essential.

10 Genius World-Building Tips For Sci-Fi Writers . Sci-fi readers are sticklers for accuracy, even if the book is grounded in fantasy. Here are the best world-building tips from the sci-fi and fantasy (SFF) geniuses at Writer’s Relief.

Write Like Hemingway: What You Should Leave Out . If you find you tend to overwrite, taking a few lessons from Papa Hemingway’s technique can help you cut back and tighten your writing.

How To Avoid Passive Voice In Your Writing . The best way to avoid grammar mistakes is to have all the facts. Here’s how to avoid using passive voice in your writing and sentence construction.

How To Write A Vivid Setting And Improve Your Story .  Setting can be more than just a pretty backdrop. A vivid setting is capable of holding influence over character and plot and can be used as a tool to improve your story and enhance your writing.

How To Include Foreign Language In Your Fiction . At Writer’s Relief, we know adding layers to your characters and worldbuilding helps create a believable narrative. Here’s how to accurately and effectively include foreign language in your fiction writing.

Writing An Unreliable Narrator: Our Best Tips . When readers encounter an unreliable narrator, they are challenged to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions. Use these tips to create an unreliable narrator!

How To Write A Short Story Or Novel With Multiple Protagonists . A story with multiple protagonists can be compelling if written properly, but could also be confusing for your readers. Here’s how to successfully write a short story or novel with multiple protagonists.

How To Build Tension And Suspense In Your Writing . There are two main elements to tension and suspense: pressure and momentum. Here’s how to build tension and suspense in your writing.

How To Write Plot Twists Readers Will Enjoy .  A well-written plot twist can boost a book’s or short story’s odds of success. Here’s how to write plot twists that your readers will enjoy.

Using Tropes When Writing: The Pros And Cons . A trope can act as shorthand for your readers so they have clear expectations. But they can also be overdone. Here are some pros and cons of using tropes when writing.

The 6 Best Ways To End A Blog Article . The ending of your blog post will leave the biggest impression on your readers. Here are the 6 best ways to end a blog article so that your readers stay engaged and keep coming back for more!

How To Write A Flashback Scene That Makes Sense .  Because they can affect the momentum of your short story or novel, creating an effective flashback can be tricky. Here are some writing tips and advice on how to write a flashback scene that makes sense and works in your story.

What’s An Inciting Incident And Why Write One?   An inciting incident is an event that changes the character’s course and thrusts them into the action of the plot. The experts at Writer’s Relief have some advice and a few tips about writing an inciting incident—and why you should.

How To Write Foreshadowing That Hooks Readers .  Foreshadowing allows you to build tension by leaving a subtle trail of clues to maintain your readers’ interest. Here are some great tips on how to write foreshadowing that hooks your readers!

How Story Maps Can Improve Your Writing .  Often used to help organize story elements, story maps are an excellent addition to any author’s writing tool kit. Check out how story maps can improve your writing by helping you manage your plot, characters, and themes!

How The First 1,000 Words Can Make Or Break Your Story . Your short story or novel has, at best, only a few paragraphs to grab your reader’s interest. Make your first 1,000 words count!

Characterization: Techniques For Crafting Memorable Characters

Character Development In Stories And Novels —New to the concept of character development? Start here!

5 Ways To Make Your Characters More Three-Dimensional —Flat characters are forgettable. Dazzle readers with well-rounded characters using these writer techniques.

5 Ways To Craft Characters That People Care About —Sympathetic characters are compelling characters. Here’s how to make us love your MCs!

Characters We Love To Hate: How To Pull Off Unlikable Characters —We love to read about cringe-worthy characters. Are they unlikable? Unsettling? Yes. Can we possibly sympathize and like them anyway? You bet!

How To Pick The Right Names For Your Characters —It can be hard to come up with the right name for your characters; here’s how to choose!

Main Characters: How To Kill Your Protagonist Without Killing Your Fanbase —If you’re going to kill your MC, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it.

Write Strong Female Characters Without Being Cliché.   From superheroes to career women to stay-at-home moms, strong women come in many forms. Here are some tips to help you create a believable, well-rounded, strong female protagonist.

Fictional Politicians: 8 Things They Teach Us About Effective Characterization Techniques —Politicians are perennial favorites with readers—and with good reason! Cast your vote for the most useful writing craft tips here!

4 Things You Should Know When Writing A Character Based On An Actual Person.  Before you write a character based on a real person, here are four questions you should consider.

Character Archetypes From A To Z. The writers at Writer’s Relief (yes, we’re writers too!) assembled a list of the most identifiable and popular character archetypes from A to Z.

6 Tips For Writing A Protagonist Readers Will Love . Why are some characters so popular with readers—and how can you craft a similar protagonist for your novel or short story? Here are some tips for writing a protagonist readers will love.

5 Ways To Write Character Flaws .  Human imperfections can make your characters more relatable. Here are 5 ways to write flaws that will make your character three-dimensional without making them unlikeable.

How To Write Insecure Characters .  Characters with insecurities can help build empathy with your reader, as well as impact story progression. Here’s how to write insecure characters who will resonate with readers.

9 Ways To Make Your Characters More Compelling .  Compelling characters are those that have agency and dimension—they draw in your audience so that readers become invested in their decisions and future. Here are 9 ways to make your characters more compelling.

Writing Craft And Technique: Just For Book Writers

Mail Call: Should A Writer Finish His/Her Book Before Submitting? —Okay, this isn’t exactly a craft question. But the answer is important to your success!

Genre Fiction Rules: Find Out If Your Novel Meets Publishers’ And Literary Agents’ Criteria For Publication —Once you’ve mastered your craft and technique, be sure to master your book genre (including word count)!

How Do You Know If Your Novel Is Literary Or Mainstream Fiction? —How long is a general fiction book? Craft plays a key role in deciding whether a book is literary or mainstream (commercial). Let us be your guide.

How To Revise Your Novel —Are you in the beginning stages of revision? Start here to get the best results.

Think Like A Doctor: Diagnose And Cure What Ails Your Book —Grab your stethoscope and listen to these time-honored techniques of self-editing.

Why Your Opening Pages Are Key To Landing A Literary Agent —Not convinced that your first five pages need to display your very best writing techniques? Let’s try to change your mind!

Five Tips For Your First Five Pages —Make the opening pages of your book shine with these important craft tips.

5 Things Novelists Can Learn From Screenwriters —Here’s your ticket to the blockbuster plotting and characterization techniques of screenwriters.

5 Tips For Creating A Strong Excerpt From Your Novel Or Memoir —Excerpts can help you get your book published! Here’s how to create a buzz-worthy stand-alone excerpt.

7 Best-Seller Elements To Make Literary Agents Want Your Book —Have you crafted a book with strong popular appeal? Read this to find out!

The Book That Everyone Will Love: Writing For Young Adult And Adult Audiences —Some authors can write books that appeal to young and old readers alike; here are the key techniques for reaching such a wide audience.

New Adult Fiction: The Next Big Thing In Publishing? —New adult fiction readers are between the ages of 18 to 30. Here’s how to reach them!

How To Craft A Synopsis For A Novel —Write a killer synopsis with these important tips.

5 Common Synopsis Mistakes That Fiction Writers Make —Avoid these synopsis writing pitfalls!

6 Ways An Outline Helps You Write A Book Faster (And One Way It Might Not) —One of the best ways to get yourself organized so you can write your book faster is to create an outline. Write your outline with these tips!

How To Use Screenwriting Techniques To Improve Your Novel . There are screenwriting techniques and tips that can help improve a novel and make it more engaging for readers. Here’s what novelists can learn from screenwriters!

12 Key Differences Between Middle Grade And YA Books . If you’re thinking about writing for teen or tween audiences, it’s important to know all the ways that Middle Grade books and Young Adult books differ. Here are the key differences between Middle Grade and YA Books.

The Craft Of Poetry: Creative Writing Techniques For Poets

Is It Prose Poetry, Short Prose, Or Flash Fiction? —If your poetry reads like prose, it may be more difficult to define your genre. But we can help.

Free vs. Formal Verse Poetry: A List Of Types Of Poems —Know your free verse from your formal, traditional styles.

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry Submissions —Editors receive sooo many poetry submissions. Make sure your poetry stands out by using these techniques!

Poetry Submission Turnoffs: Styles And Formatting That Make Editors Cringe —There are no written-in-stone rules for crafting poems. But today’s editors eschew these poetic notions!

Length Matters: The Best Length For Submissions —Did you write a poem that is prohibitively long or short? Find out here!

Un-Think Your Poetry: How To Craft Better Poems —Want better results when you make submissions to literary journals? Don’t think about it—read this!

Rhyming Poetry: DOs, DON’Ts, And DEFINITIONS —Rhyme is tricky. If you are going to make rhyming submissions, know how to craft a good rhyming poem.

Rhyming Poetry Techniques That Don’t Annoy Readers —Good rhyming poetry is difficult to write well—but not impossible. Consider this a master class in rhyme.

Ten Writing Techniques To Make Your Poetry Submissions Stand Out In A Crowd —Competition for literary magazine space can be tough! Here’s how to make sure your poems are exceptional!

How To Craft Confessional Poetry —Your poems may be deeply confessional. But are they publishable? What your confessional poetry must do to get an editor’s attention.

Fostering Originality In Poetry Submissions —Yes, it’s all been done before. But maybe you can do it better.

The 8 Signs You’ve Written A Good Poem —It can be difficult to know whether you’ve written a good poem. Here are some signs that a poem is solid, successful, and has a good chance of getting published.

Make It Easy For Editors To Say YES To Your Poems —Use these poetry writing techniques to improve your chances of getting an acceptance letter.

The Nature Of Nature Poetry: 5 Techniques For Writing Your Best Nature Poems —How to craft inspiring nature poems.

3 Ways To Improve Your Poetry In Under Ten Minutes . Want to give your poetry a quick, effective boost? Try one of these methods!

Short Story Craft: Techniques For Short Story Writers

Short Story Or Novella? Where To Publish Shorter Fiction —Will your short prose be more publishable as a story or as a novella? We’ll help you decide.

Short Prose Genres: Defining Essay, Short Story, Commentary, Memoir, and Mixed Genre —If your short story incorporates any elements of nonfiction, read this!

Starved For Inspiration? 12 Ideas to Get Your New Story Started —What should you do when you’re trying to write a short story, but you can’t find inspiration to get started? Don’t quit —try one of these suggestions!

8 Techniques To Up The Drama Factor In Your Short Stories —Craft a more dramatic and emotional short story using these tips.

5 Techniques To Develop Your Short Story Into A Novel —You wrote a great short story—here’s how to expand your idea into a novel!

5 Ways To Shorten Your Short Stories —Check out these can’t-miss techniques for concise story writing.

Short Story Shortcuts: 4 Techniques For Making A Big Impact In Few Words —Every word in your short story must multitask if you want it to make a big impression.

Short Story Checklist: Techniques For Getting Short Stories Published —Use our checklist to see if your short story is ready for possible publication!

Is Your Short Story Publisher-Friendly? 8 Ways To Make It Easier For Editors To Say YES! —These short story techniques will make it easier for editors to send you an acceptance letter.

Want To Publish Your Short Stories? Be Fresh! —Here are the best writing techniques for imbuing your short story with originality.

The Long And The Short Of It: What’s The Best Length For A Short Story? —The word count of your writing submission can make or break your odds of getting an acceptance. Learn how to determine the best length (word count) for a short story here!

Free Tutorial: New Short Story Ideas For Timeless Topics — Use this free tutorial and short story idea generator to come up with new short story ideas for timeless topics.

How To Arrange Short Stories In A Collection . If you’re determining which stories to include in a collection, check out these helpful tips on how to arrange short stories in a collection.

How To Pace Your Story: 1-2-3 Writing Tips. The pace of your story will help keep your readers moving through the story as events and scenes unfold. Here are our best writing tips for how to pace your story.

Nonfiction Writing Craft And Technique Tips: Memoir, Personal Essays, And Other Nonfiction

Fiction Or Nonfiction? Memoir Or Novel? —Know what to call your story or book: Is your story based partly on real life? Or maybe you’ve disguised names and places? Here’s how to determine your genre.

Can You Make Up Dialogue In Memoirs Or Nonfiction Books? —As a memoirist, you can’t be expected to remember every word spoken to you. So how should you craft dialogue?

Not-So-Great Advice: 7 Needless Errors Self-Help Writers Make When Trying To Get Published —Avoid these self-help writing pitfalls when crafting your book!

How, Why, And When To Write An Introduction For A Nonfiction Book —Readers (and editors, and agents) love to see introductions for nonfiction books. Master the technique by starting here.

Creative Nonfiction: How To Stay Out Of Trouble —How “creative” can you really be when writing creative nonfiction or your memoir? Use these smart nonfiction writing techniques to avoid problems and legal pitfalls.

The Art of the Nonfiction Book Proposal —Here’s the best way to organize and write a proposal for a nonfiction book.

Is It Worth Your Time To Write A Memoir? —Some people say you have to be a celebrity to publish a memoir. We weigh in.

In With The Old; Publishing Memoir In The New Year —Writer’s Relief president Ronnie Smith talks about the importance of writing memoir.

How And Where To Submit Creative Nonfiction For Publication —Creative nonfiction is fast becoming one of the most popular literary genres. But it’s important to find the right  publisher(s) for your creative nonfiction  (aka narrative nonfiction).

Writers: How To Write a Great Personal Essay—Ask Writer’s Relief —In this installment of our Ask Writer’s Relief series, you’ll find plenty of tips and tricks to help you write a great personal essay that will intrigue literary editors and readers alike!

Writers: How To Write A Great Memoir—Ask Writer’s Relief . In this installment of our Ask Writer’s Relief series, you’ll find lots of great advice to help you write a memoir that will intrigue literary agents and readers alike!

8 Tips To Transform Your Writing From Blah To Ah! If your writing has become a bit “ho-hum,” these tips from the experts at Writer’s Relief will help you transform your writing from “boring” and “Blah” to “vivid” and “Ah! Wonderful!”

5 Ways To End Your Creative Nonfiction Essay . You can’t change the facts, but you can change how you present them. How you ultimately end your creative nonfiction essay will make the difference between an intriguing, engaging read and one that falls flat.

Autobiography Or Memoir: What’s The Difference? Many writers are confused about the distinctions between autobiography and memoir. Here are the differences, as well as writing tips to help you get started.

How To Write A Personal Essay Worth Publishing . Literary editors and readers enjoy personal essays that share lessons and explore the quirks of human nature in a relatable way. Here’s how to connect with your readers and write a personal essay worth publishing.

How Nonfiction Writers Can Connect With Readers .  How do you keep readers interested in your nonfiction book? Here are some tips and advice to help nonfiction writers effectively connect with readers!

Closing Notes: Improve Your Craft And Your Technique As A Writer

We hope you’ve found this collection of articles about writing craft and technique to be helpful. Please stop back again soon: We regularly update this Free Writers Tool Kit with great new links!

For more information about how the team here at Writer’s Relief can help you submit your creative writing for publication in literary journals (or representation at literary agencies), visit our About Us page. And if you’d like to repost any of our articles, you can! Just contact us for details.

In the meantime, please SHARE this page with other writers you know. They—and we—will appreciate your kindness!

what are the creative writing techniques

See ALL the services we offer, from FREE to Full Service!

Click here for a Writer’s Relief Full Service Overview

what are the creative writing techniques

Services Catalog

what are the creative writing techniques

Free Publishing Leads and Tips!

what are the creative writing techniques

Featured Articles

what are the creative writing techniques

Featured Video

what are the creative writing techniques

WHY? Because our insider know-how has helped writers get over 18,000 acceptances.

close-link

Pin It on Pinterest

what are the creative writing techniques

Creative writing techniques that really work

Creative writing techniques are hard to pin down, as writers are all so different. But which are useful to the beginner? Here are 5 practical techniques that my creative writing students have found most helpful.

1. Beginning, middle, end

This is a well-worn writing mantra, but what does it really mean? Every piece of writing begins and ends, after all. So just having a ‘beginning, middle and end’ itself isn’t enough. It’s the quality of each that counts.

The beginning has one job to do, and that’s to pull the reader in. It’s a bit like inviting someone to dance, old-style. You need to attract their attention, take them by the hand, and lead them onto the floor.

Once you’ve got their attention and persuaded them to stay with you, the middle begins. Stories are essentially a character’s journey from A to B, with obstacles in the way. So the middle, too, has an underlying shape that pulls the reader through. As long as you create that sense of narrative traction, the reader will stay with you.

Endings are the feeling the reader goes away with. They have an impact way out of proportion to their length. Imagine a theatre audience going out into the night, and the feelings they carry with them on the way home. The chat and discussion they’ll have with each other. The thoughts that mill in your head. That’s the job of the ending.

Thinking about “beginning, middle and end” in an experiential way like this is a useful technique for helping you to focus on the reader.

You’re building a relationship, not just transmitting information. Try thinking of seduction, sustain and farewell , rather than beginning, middle and end .

Read on for more about each element.

2. Writing a strong start

Creative writing techniques often mention story hooks . It’s true – you do need to attract the reader’s attention. But a hook doesn’t need to be a big, flashy event. It just needs to intrigue the reader into reading on. That’s its main job.

So, does your first paragraph intrigue the reader? Does it create tension, ask a question or arouse curiosity in some way? Does it have a visual element that starts to build the world for the reader?

The commonest problem I see is story openings with far too much information. For example, the writer has introduced three or four characters in the first paragraph. Or, they’ve written a page in one character viewpoint or location, then hopped quickly to another.

It’s as though the writer is so excited and full of ideas that everything spills out at once.

But too much information at once can overwhelm the reader. It takes time for readers to settle into a story, tune into it properly, and to get to know characters.

Writers need tight control of how information unfolds. Think of leading the reader on a journey, rather than bombarding them in a scattergun way.

It’s often helpful for writers to concentrate on just “three things”, to give their opening a tight focus. A character, a place, an object .

And then a direction of travel or transformation – from x to x .

This clarity will give you the foundation for writing a scene. The narrow focus will help the reader to get to know the character more easily. A single compelling character in the opening paragraph is more engaging than three or four glanced over.

3. Write a mighty middle

Creative writing techniques for the middle of stories are hard to pin down. However, a lack tension is by far the commonest problem. This happens even in stories with loads of action. In fact, high-action stories without character change can be the most boring and lifeless of all.

The middle of a story needs character change, pivot or transformation. If this doesn’t happen, the story is linear – in a straight line. Even if there’s plenty of action, and an escalating plot, it’s still linear.

Structurally, this kind of story is more like a report or anecdote .

In a well-shaped story, the story has a major hinge or turning-point where the character undergoes a significant transformation.

They do this by confronting challenges, and emerging changed from the encounter. If they don’t evolve in this way, it’s hard to connect deeply with them as readers. And it’s hard to care. A story without a character change doesn’t have a point. It’s just a list of events.

A feeling of connection comes from identifying with the character at some level, and experiencing some of their inner conflict and change by proxy .

To create a mighty middle with this kind of change, it can be useful to think of stories as having a ‘beginning, muddle, end’.

If you make the middle messy for your character, giving them inner as well as outer conflict, they can grow and show what they’re made of.

To do this, put them under pressure. Give them a tough decision to make. And make sure the stakes are high .

Choices determine character. Give your character difficult choices, and the middle will have the knotty quality it needs for a strong story shape.

For example, your heroine wants to leave their hometown to pursue their dream. But to do this, they need to leave their loved one behind. What do they decide? This kind of dilemma is at the heart of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life .

4. Write a resonant ending

The ending is the impression your readers are left with. It leaves a disproportionate effect on how they feel about your book. So it needs really careful thought.

Note – the end of a narrative isn’t the same as the climax.

The climax is the high point of the action – say, when the hero says goodbye to his lover, or the evil antagonist dies.

After this high point, the reader needs “comedown” time. Time to process events. If the story ends too abruptly, the reader won’t feel satisfied.

If the high point is the climax, think of the ending as the afterglow.

This doesn’t mean tying all the plot strands off neatly. It just means giving a sense of closure, to ease the reader out of the story world.

Think about how you want your audience to feel when they finish reading. Thoughtful? Happy? Devastated? Bereft?

Read the endings of your favourite stories and analyse them.

How do they make you feel? How has the writer achieved that effect?

Of course, the final moment needs to be “earned” through the story as a whole.

But the very last sentence and paragraph have a disproportionate effect on how readers feel on leaving the story.

So consider the emotional tone you want to leave in the air.

Even the very last word can transform the reader’s experience. I once heard a radio play about a curmudgeonly old judge who seemed to have a difficult relationship with his wife. But his very last word to her was “darling”. In a single word, he redeemed himself. The author left us with a feeling of hope about the characters. It was a tremendously powerful choice.

It’s often effective to write an ending which has a sense of opening out or possibility. That way, the story can stir questions in the reader, and resonate on in their minds.

For example, a departure is the start of a new journey. Closing a shop opens up a new phase of life. See if you can find a way to introduce a note of “onwards” to extend the life of your story in your readers’ minds.

what is method writing?

5. Use objects to dramatise story action

One of the most powerful creative writing techniques I teach is how to use objects in your fiction. Objects big and small are a great way to bring a story to life, and dramatise the action and conflict between characters. Whether big objects such as houses, cars, sofas or trees, or small objects such as rings, books, feathers or eggs, they can have great power.

Why objects are powerful in storytelling? Because they’re external to the characters. When you put the characters on opposite sides of the object, you’ve instantly created a dynamic relationship.

For example: both characters want the ring with equal passion. Or, one character wants to protect the egg, the other to break it and eat it. One character can read the secrets in the book. The other can’t, but wants to.

Right away, you’ve created conflict between the characters.

Try starting a story just with an object and two characters. Choose an object and brainstorm verbs that characters can use to interact with it (eg throw, lose, break, discover…).

Try pairing the verbs with actions of opposite force (throw/catch; break/mend; lose/find; discover/conceal). Maybe these actions can bookend the story?

Using objects with verbs like this is a way of dramatizing internal conflict. Think of the movie The Piano and the way the piano is used in different ways, broken apart, floating, and even played as an instrument!

Objects can also be used in rituals. Rings and birthday cakes are classic examples. So are gifts, crowns, and many kinds of clothing.

Familiar rituals are useful because they can act as a handy shorthand for the status quo .

We all know what a typical birthday or archetypal wedding is meant to be like. That’s why a “disruption at the wedding” scene creates strong tension in movies.

Look at the objects associated with familiar rituals and see whether you can disrupt their use in a new way.

Share with friends

Latest posts.

By clicking the Accept button, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc.

Manage cookies

8 Creative Writing Tips and Techniques

Hannah Yang headshot

Table of Contents

What is creative writing, forms of creative writing, top 8 creative writing tips, how to get better at creative writing.

Creative writing transcends the realms of technical, business, and academic writing and focuses on elements such as plot, creative development, and narrative structure.

There’s no set formula for creative writing , but there are ways you can improve your writing technique.

If you want to learn more about creative writing , keep reading as we discuss what creative writing is, its various forms, and tips on how to get started.

creative writing definition

Creative writing is a style of writing that is focused on expressing the writer’s imagination and creativity.

Creative writing often involves the creation of fictional or nonfictional works that go beyond the formal, professional, and traditional styles of writing. This type of writing allows writers to express themselves in a more personal and original way.

What Do You Do in Creative Writing? 

Creative writing gives writers the opportunity to be original and express themselves. It involves the use of literary techniques and devices to tell a story or to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

There are many different forms of creative writing, such as novels, poems, screenplays, and even songs.

The main goal of creative writing is to entertain, inspire, or convey an idea or message to the reader. It is a form of self-expression that allows the writer to explore their thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

It can also be a way for writers to explore new ideas, to entertain and inspire readers, and to share their perspectives and experiences with others. 

Ultimately, the purpose of creative writing is to connect with the reader on a deep level and to leave a lasting impression.

what are the creative writing techniques

Write like a bestselling author

Love writing? ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of your stories.

Creative writing is an expressive form of writing that takes many forms and styles. Let’s look at a few examples of creative writing forms.

Fiction Writing

Fiction involves the creation of imaginary characters, settings, and plots. You can write fiction in many different genres, such as mystery, romance, fantasy, and more.

You can also write fiction in any length you want. For example, flash fiction is shorter than 1,000 words, while the average novel is around 90,000 words.

Poetry is a type of creative writing that uses expressive language. Poets use techniques such as rhyme, meter, and figurative language to create meaning and convey emotions and ideas.

Poems come in many different forms. You can try writing a haiku, a sonnet, a free-verse poem, or any other poetic structure that appeals to you.

Screenplays

A screenplay tells a story through the medium of film or television. It includes descriptions of characters, settings, and actions, as well as dialogue and stage directions.

A play is meant to be performed on stage. It includes dialogue, stage directions, and descriptions of characters and settings. Plays can be a powerful way to engage the audience’s emotions and imagination to convey complex themes.

Songs are a musical expression of creative writing . Songs can be written in a variety of genres, such as pop, rock, folk, hip-hop, and more. They can be written to express a wide range of emotions and ideas, from love and heartbreak to social and political issues.

Graphic novels

A graphic novel is a type of creative writing that combines text and illustrations to tell a story. It can be a work of fiction or nonfiction and can be written in a variety of genres.

Nonfiction Writing

Creative writing is typically associated with fiction, but there are nonfiction works that fall under the creative categories, too. These nonfiction works deal with real events, people, and ideas. Creative nonfiction can take the form of personal essays, memoirs, biographies, or even news articles.

creative writing tips list

There’s no scientific formula for creative writing . It all comes down to your own self-expression and the limitlessness of your imagination. However, there are a few creative writing techniques you can use in your next writing.

Here are eight ways you can improve your creative writing skills.

1. Find Inspiration

The first step for any creative writing project is to find your inspiration. This can come from a variety of sources, such as your own life experiences, your interests and passions, or even something as simple as a newspaper article or a conversation with a friend.

Take some time to think about what inspires you, and use that as the foundation for your writing.

2. Read Widely

To be a good creative writer, you need to be a good reader. Reading widely exposes you to different styles, genres, and techniques, and it can help you develop your own voice as a writer.

You’ll get to learn from a variety of authors, and you may discover new ways of structuring a story, creating compelling characters, or using language in a way that resonates with readers.

So read widely, and don’t be afraid to try out new genres or authors.

3. Try Freewriting

Freewriting is a writing exercise in which the writer allows their thoughts and inspiration to flow onto the page without any prescribed structure or editorial oversight.

It involves letting the mind wander and following the impulses of your subconscious, allowing you to tap into your creativity and explore new ideas.

While the first time you try freewriting you may end up with mostly unusable material, with practice, it can help you refine your writing style and unleash your creativity.

4. Write Often

The more you write, the better you’ll be. By writing every day, you’ll develop a habit that will make it easier to sit down and write even when you don’t want to.

Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, use that time to jot down some ideas or work on a scene. 

5. Use Literary Devices

Literary devices are techniques writers use to add depth, interest, and emotion to their writing. By using these devices, you can create vivid imagery, convey complex ideas, and engage the reader’s emotions in a way that goes beyond simple storytelling.

For example, you can use descriptive language to paint a picture of a character’s appearance, which allows readers to feel like they are truly immersed in the story. Other literary devices include symbols, allegory, emotional language, metaphors, and similes.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro, incorporating these techniques into your writing can help you craft more compelling and engaging stories.

6. Get Feedback

Getting feedback from other people helps you improve your creative writing skills.

Sometimes it feels intimidating to share your work, especially when you’re new to creative writing, but it’s a crucial step to help you progress.

Ask a trusted friend or family member to read your work and tell you what they think. Alternatively, you can attend a workshop for writers, where you can get more targeted feedback.

You can also join writing communities to meet like-minded creative writers. Spaces such as ProWritingAid’s Community allow writers to come together and support each other in their writing journey. You’ll get access to feedback and constructive criticism on different aspects of your writing, such as plot, character development, setting, and language use.

7. Edit Your Work

The editing process is an essential part of creative writing . Once you’ve finished your first draft, it’s important to continue making changes to your work, whether it’s cutting unnecessary words, reworking a scene, or adding details.

Many successful creative writers suggest editing after you’ve finished writing so it doesn’t interrupt your creative flow.

Editing can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it to produce the best work possible. You can use an editing software like ProWritingAid to show you where you can improve your writing.

ProWritingAid goes beyond just correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation issues by also showing you style improvement suggestions. Plus, if you’re looking to improve your creative writing skills, you can use ProWritingAid to compare your work to your favorite authors.

8. Have Fun

Creative writing is all about originality and self-expression, so above all, have fun with your writing. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and to take things too seriously, but it’s important to remember that writing is supposed to be enjoyable. 

So relax, let your creativity flow, and have fun with it.

Creative writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to use your imagination and creativity to share your ideas and thoughts in a unique way.

Venturing into creative writing can be intimidating at first, but remember that you’ll get better with practice.

Take time to read widely, try writing exercises, and gather feedback on your work. Don’t be afraid to join creative writing communities so you can access support in your writing journey. 

And above all, remember: there’s no limit to your creativity. 

Hannah Yang

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

16 Writing Techniques to Make Your Articles Shine

what are the creative writing techniques

In this article

Are you struggling to bring your writing to life?

It can be frustrating when you can’t find the right words to express yourself. It all sounds great in your head until you try to put it on paper. But did you know you can learn how to write better if you use the right techniques?

The writers in our very own  content marketing agency  use it on a daily basis.

Here are some of the best writing techniques you can use when you feel stuck – and how to apply them.

But before we start, let’s dig into the topic a bit.

Disclosure: These reviews are reader-supported. We might earn a small commission if you purchase something through our site. Learn more

Make Writing Fun Again!

Set and forget your writing conventions by running  Grammarly  in the background.  Save 20% with our exclusive link .

Grammarly Premium Walkthrough Video

what are the creative writing techniques

Grammarly Best All-Around

What are Writing Techniques?

Writing techniques refer to different styles and literary devices a writer can use to communicate a message to the reader. Creative writing techniques are particularly important to follow if you plan on having anybody enjoy your writing.

In your career, you’ll need to write various types of writing meant for different target readers. Knowing how to apply the best writing techniques can help you adjust your style to the audience you’re writing for and reach your goal.

Most of these writing techniques are also covered in MasterClass where you can learn from famous writers such as Neil Gaiman to name a few.

#1: Use metaphors

A metaphor is a literary device where you refer to an object by describing something else similar (especially when readers are more familiar with that something else). Using metaphors isn’t desirable when you need to write directly, but there are topics that allow more creativity.

This technique can make your article more interesting and lively. Keep in mind that the metaphor is an effective literary device that can bring your creative writing to a whole new level.

Compared to a metaphor, a simile directly compares two things and can be used much more frequently, albeit often lacking the desired narrative effect that a good metaphor can bring to a story. Metaphors also shine in a poem or a memoir, where similes might fail in that regard for being too unimaginative.

#2: Storytelling

It’s one of the most popular writing techniques in marketing. Storytelling allows you to use narration, description, and create the whole event in the mind of your reader. It’s particularly useful in persuasive writing, like when you’re telling a client’s story to gain the trust of a prospective one.

A solid narrative writing technique is critical to master if you plan on telling a story that people will actually want to listen to. It might sound odd, but the fact is that this is even more important for writing something like a short story, when you want to convey a full story in just a few pages.

Fiction writers often have a much harder time with storytelling as it’s all made up out of thin air, and not based on real life. Having good grammar is crucial because you could be a great storyteller but your story would have less of an impact if the reader notices little errors every now and then.

#3: Use euphemisms

A milder expression used to avoid offending someone or sounding too negative is called a euphemism. If you think your article sounds too pessimistic, you can use euphemisms to make it sound more cheerful. For example, instead of saying that something is annoying, you can use “not very pleasant.”

Example screenshot of writing techniques (euphemisms).

( Image Source )

#4: Use empathy

Using emotive language and showing empathy for your readers means you describe their feelings and showing them you understand. This technique makes your writing more relatable and establishes a good relationship between you and your audience.

Empathy is a great literary device to use in expository writing, when you want people to listen to the truth and to side with your opinion.

#5: Be specific

Instead of being vague and using general information, don’t be afraid to be more specific when writing. Don’t say you use many writing techniques to improve your writing – tell your readers what they are. It will contribute to them perceiving you as an expert.

Yeah, it all starts with an idea, but it needs to be a specific and refined idea if you want it to make sense in the grand scheme of things.

#6: Use active voice

Putting the verbs in the active voice will make your article more dynamic. When you use too many passive constructions , it can slow down your storyline and make it unclear. But when you express the verbs in the active form, you can encourage your audience to take some action.

#7: Use colloquial language

Sometimes, your topic will require a conversational tone. It’s like you’re talking to a friend. This technique is common when your readers are young. They can relate better to an article that doesn’t feature too many “big” words that they might have to look up. When it comes to things like business writing however, using colloquial language might not be the best idea.

#8: Use hyperbole

When you need to emphasize a point in your article and you don’t want to repeat yourself, you can use a hyperbole. It refers to excessive exaggeration, like in the following example: I told you a million times to stop biting your nails.

Example screenshot of writing techniques (hyperbole).

You can also use this technique for persuasion purposes. Take a look at this example from Mark Twain’s “Old Times on the Mississippi.” Using hyperbole can often be an effective tool to use in persuasive writing.

#9: Target positive emotions

Using a light tone and lots of positive words in your article can provoke positive emotions in your readers. Focus on love, empowering messages, humor, and optimism when writing.

One of the best recent examples is the story of the fireman who saved numerous animals from a fire in Australia. The photo of him giving water to a koala quickly went viral, giving people hope.

#10: Use descriptions

Describing is one of the basic writing techniques. Use adjectives and consult a thesaurus to find more picturesque synonyms for your words. It’s something like painting with words – you’re helping the reader visualize your story. That’s why we sometimes don’t like the choice of actors when watching a movie based on a book.

We’ve been imagining them differently. The paragraph in the picture illustrates the point perfectly.

#11: Create an unexpected turn

Letting your reader think that the plot will go one way and then creating an unexpected turn of events can make them sit up and listen. The best thrillers are based on this writing technique. Sudden changes in the storyline can make the reader race to the end of the text.

#12: Use assonance and alliteration

These writing techniques refer to the use of specific words where sounds and vowels repeat. It can add to a better flow of your article or make it sound more poetic, if necessary. It can also sound very catchy if you’re writing slogans, for instance.

You’ve probably heard of Jaguar’s slogan: “Don’t dream it. Drive it.”

This is an example of alliteration — one of the best literary devices out there in terms of descriptive writing that really pops off the page.

Example screenshot of writing techniques: assonance and alliteration.

#13: Avoid digressions

Among all the writing techniques, this one may be the toughest when you’re writing about a personal experience. Make sure you stick to the main storyline and skip unnecessary details and digressions. You don’t want to leave the reader confused – they may miss the point of your article.

#14: Use the PAS formula

PAS stands for “problem, agitate, solution.” This is a great template to follow if you’re not sure where to start. It’s quite good for writing “how to” articles. First, identify the issue. Then agitate to make it more painful (but not too far). Then offer a solution.

#15: Use a proven structure

A familiar structure, such as the one we all use for writing essays in school, can prevent you from losing track. Introduce the topic, analyze the existing data, raise counterarguments, and then conclude. Sticking to a structure like this will create a logical flow and make your writing look neat.

#16: Write in the first person

Writing in first person may sound more persuasive. If you’ve written an article, but it doesn’t feel trustworthy to you, it probably won’t sound convincing to your readers either. If you put the whole article into the first person, it may have the effect of a testimonial and higher validity.

Example screenshot of writing techniques: first, second and third person.

Academic Writing Techniques

While the above techniques are great for general use articles, novels, and professional writing, there is a notable exception that requires a different set of rules.

Academic writing much prefers the use of passive voice. Sentences in a passive voice might appear dull and boring, but they are much better at conveying objectivity and distance from the subject of the academic paper at hand. 

However, some recent scientific papers have also called for the increased use of active writing to make researchers and scientists appear more involved in the process rather than merely being observers.

The use of passive voice can also apply to writing an essay. In education, knowing how to best approach a subject and write objectively about it is the key to submitting a successful academic paper, no matter your knowledge or education level.

Additionally, using hyperbole or colloquialism is highly discouraged. A scientific paper aims to convey facts, and as such, the related writing process will naturally differ from the works of a fiction writer, who has much more freedom. 

Additionally, it helps to write in the third person, as these have to be rather impersonal. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the memoir, which is the incarnation of subjectivity.

Can Online Tools Help?

If you don’t think you have a handle on the above-mentioned techniques, there are several apps available that can help you with them.

English writing technique assistants have evolved from simple grammar and spell checker software to become AI-powered and effective at helping writers achieve their potential.

Microsoft Word has a basic spell checker and punctuation module that will eliminate small errors that can ruin what is generally good writing. Google Docs have a similar feature. However, these don’t have the necessary robustness to be sufficient for fiction writing or story crafting.

Grammarly is a great online tool that has a free version to get you started on your writing journey. While the free add-on is pretty bare-bone, only focusing on basic sentence structure, misspellings, and punctuation, the Premium version includes more options. These include repetition checking, as well as the detection of generally overused words or phrases. 

Grammarly can also be set according to your writing technique and writing style, meaning that you can use it for an academic paper, essay, poem, or story.

Another great app for this purpose is Writer . However, it focuses more on professional writing, brand awareness, and a cohesive writing style among groups of writers. It also has several advanced features, such as improving a writing method by suggesting words already used or favored by your company. 

With Writer , you can craft a story related to your brand that resonates across the platforms you use and captivates your target audience with good writing, storytelling, and character.

On the other hand, the Scrivener app is all you need to craft a compelling story, outline your memoir, or decide where to go next with your narrative. It has excellent features that make a story easy to sort, separate, and overview, as well as great character sheets that can be used for reference at any time.

Find What Works for You

We hope this article helps you understand writing techniques better. It’s essential to remember that you should experiment and mix different techniques until you find what works for you and your audience. The bottom line is that it’s the reader that needs to enjoy and understand your writing.

If you experience the writer’s block, just select one of these and start writing whatever comes to your mind. It’s an excellent way to break the blockade.

Get long-term ROI.

what are the creative writing techniques

Top Creative Writing Tips: A Beginners Guide (2023 Updated)

Creative writing is a type of writing in which imagination, originality, and invention are used to convey a narrative through powerful written images with an emotional effect, such as in poetry, short story writing, novel writing, and other forms of writing. through the use of imagery, story, and drama, creative writing, a form of artistic expression, uses imagination to convey meaning. character development, narrative, and storyline are all important components of creative writing, which infuse its framework with creativity and tale. in this article, i will share some simple yet important creative writing tips that will surely help you..

what are the creative writing techniques

Poetry, fiction (novels, short stories), scripts, screenplays, and creative non-fiction are all examples of this genre. Outside of the more formal realm of technical writing or academic writing, creative writing covers a variety of distinct genres and approaches.

What is Writing?

Writing may be defined as a method of communication between two or more people that involves the use of symbols such as alphabets, symbols, punctuation, and spaces to communicate in a form that is readable to the other person. We usually write using a pen or pencil or type on a keyboard. We generally write on white paper or a whiteboard when we use a pen and paper.

When we write using a keyboard, it is usually connected to a computer, a typewriter, or a mobile device. In today’s technology, we also have the option of using speech recognition for individuals who are unable to use their hands or are physically challenged.

Learn to create compelling content for different platforms with the Best Online Content Writing Course

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a well-known kind of content creation. This kind of content writing, as the name implies, prioritizes originality over other writing techniques.

Nowadays, many individuals want to be creative authors. Creative writing is any type of writing that goes beyond professional writing, such as journal writing, academic writing, or literature (technical forms), and focuses on narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes.

Though the term might be a little unclear, creative writing is generally defined as any form of writing that is unique and self-expression. A concentration on narrative craft, focusing on components such as character development, narrative, and plot, infusing its framework with creativity, innovation, and tale, is typically recognizable.

In this sense, creative writing can be defined as any work of current, original composition that is free of traditional norms and employs a wide range of techniques.

Check out the Best Online Creative Writing Courses

Elements of Creative Writing

Here are the aspects that make up creative writing, and why they’re all equally vital.

Unique Plot:

The fact that creative writing usually includes a story of some type – and a distinctive one is what sets it apart from other genres of writing. Remakes are considered creative writing as well; however, most creative authors develop their own plots based on their own original ideas. There is no tale if there isn’t a storyline.

And, without a story, you’re just a journalist, scribbling facts on paper. Learn how to plot your novel and you’ll be able to write at a better level without having to spend as much time searching for your tale.

Creating a Character:

In order to write creatively, you’ll need characters. While it is possible to write a novel imaginatively utilizing the second-person point of view (which I will discuss below), you must still create the character in order to deliver the tale.

Character development is the process of discovering who a character is and how they evolve throughout the course of a tale. Readers should be able to fully comprehend your major characters from beginning to conclusion.

Theme Underpinnings:

Almost every tale contains an underlying theme or message, even if the author didn’t intend for it to be there. However, creative writing must have a subject or purpose in order to be complete. That’s one of the things that makes this type of work so appealing. You may also impart lessons by narrating a tale.

Illustrative Descriptions:

You don’t frequently read pages of details detailing the surroundings of where the events took place in a newspaper. Visual descriptions are often reserved for use in creative writing.

More Professional Courses at IIM SKILLS:

Types of Creative Writing

Free writing:.

Just start writing in a notepad or on an electronic document. Allow unusual words and images to appear on the page. Nothing is off-limits! Freewriting, often known as stream-of-consciousness writing, is the apex of creative writing.

Any written log is referred to as a journal. A gratitude notebook, a memory journal, a dream journal, or a goals journal are all options. Many authors use concept diaries or all-purpose Omni-journals for anything from daily freewriting to brainstorming and project planning.

A diary is a sort of journal where you keep track of your everyday activities. Some diaries are formatted like letters (“Dear Diary…”). It’s a good idea to start maintaining a journal if you ever intend to write a memoir.

Letter Writing:

Writing a letter is a vital skill since the capacity to communicate effectively is becoming increasingly valuable. Because letters have a long history of being published, be especially cautious while sending emails to friends, family, and business partners. Writing letters to the editor of a news outlet is one technique to be published if you don’t have a lot of clips and credits.

Memoirs are publications that feature personal narratives (or stories) that focus on individual events. They are a type of creative nonfiction. A journey memoir, for example, may be written.

Personal essays, descriptive essays, and argumentative essays are all examples of writings that may be extremely creative (and not especially academic).

Journalism:

Some types of journalism are more innovative than others. Journalism used to be about objective reporting on facts, people, and events. To make their works more appealing or convincing, journalists nowadays frequently include opinion and narration into their writing.

It is a popular yet underappreciated style of writing, and it is unquestionably the most aesthetic. Form poetry, free-form poetry, and prose poetry are all options.

Write scripts for cinema, television, theatre, or video games to get your name on the big screen or on the stage. Be aware that cinema is a medium for directors, not for writers, yet it has the capacity to reach a non-reading audience.

Effective Creative Writing Tips

Writing is similar to other talents in that the more you practice it, the better you get at it. That is why it is critical to practice your creative writing abilities. Here are some fantastic creative writing tips to help you succeed in your writing endeavors.

Take Notes from The Greatest, but Don’t Imitate Them:

It’s crucial to read well-known authors as examples of what great writing and great writers may achieve. Seek for the genre’s highlights, depending on your writing style. If you want to create young adult literature, turn to classics like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps world, or Judy Blume’s heartbreaking coming-of-age tales.

Study the works of Isaac Asimov and Neil Gaiman if you want to write science fiction. Consult J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy if you want to write fantasy books. Try H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King if you like horror.

However, don’t mistake the voices of these authors for your own. As a starting point, use your favorite novels. To be genuinely creative, you must have ideas, styles, and a point of view that are all distinct from others.

Make a Figure That is Inspired by Someone You Know:

According to Joel and Ethan Coen, they came up with the plot for The Big Lebowski by writing a hardboiled detective thriller starring their real-life buddy as the investigator. As part of a fantastic book concept, many authors have mined the qualities of a best friend, family member, or coworker.

So, the next time you’re in the company of individuals you know, scribble down a few notes about their behavior—either mentally, in a notepad, or on your phone—and see if it sparks any story ideas. It’s possible that a major supporting character, or perhaps the main character, is made up of individuals you know.

To Brainstorm, Use The Snowflake Approach:

It is a method for creating a novel from the ground up by beginning with a simple plot synopsis then layering in additional components. It’s suitable for a wide range of creative writing projects. You have to express a big-picture narrative concept in one line. “Two adolescents uncover a secret cave that houses valuables concealed by a bunch of crooks,” for example, might be the phrase.

The snowflake technique then asks you to turn that sentence into a paragraph, which you can then use to generate numerous character descriptions. Then you take those descriptions and utilize them to construct a series of tales involving those people, each of which ties back to the central notion of your “snowflake.”

Find a Place that Inspires You to be Creative:

Selecting an environment is one of the best creative writing tips. Allow the thoughts to flow and don’t stop until you’ve found a “boom” moment. The writers accomplish this by offering writing assignments that encourage creativity and by creating a forum where authors may interact with one another.

Consider enrolling in an intense writing program if you’ve never done it before. Even an online creative writing course can teach you how to write in a variety of styles, from character development to factual tales to poetry.

Freewrite for a While:

The process of writing without a defined framework, such as outlines, cards, notes, or editorial control, is known as this creative writing approach. Allow the words on the paper to be inspired by your stream of mind.

You could wind up with largely useless content the first time you try freewriting. However, you may utilize your freewriting exercise to improve your skills and ultimately unlock your creativity with writing practice.

Creative Writing Tips to be Remembered Before Writing a Piece of Content

Don’t undervalue your audience:.

You have a wonderful narrative, believable characters, and a perfect location, and you want to make sure that the reader understands every last detail. Great!

The only issue is that you could be tempted to give your reader a lot of personal information so that they view it precisely as you do. Although detailed details can be beneficial and successful, don’t go overboard. Keep your writing tidy and concise; don’t waste space with extensive, meandering descriptions of topics that aren’t relevant to your plot.

Wouldn’t it be great if editors got submissions and opted to overlook the errors and bad formatting because they thought the narrative had potential? The truth is that if your work is riddled with mistakes or fails to adhere to the required criteria, it will be discarded.

If you make a mistake and still spell a legitimate term, the computer will not alert you. When your lovely heroine meets the bog (guy) of her dreams, what happens next? What is the affluent doctor’s golf ball doing on his tea (tee)?

Use Powerful Words:

One of the amazing creative tips is to use terms that convey the idea if you want your writing to seem authoritative. But be careful not to go overboard: you don’t want to use terms that the reader won’t comprehend, and you want to employ powerful words rather than ones that are confusing or excessive.

Sure Your Commas are in Order:

While commas can be useful, many new writers tend to use them liberally in their sentences. Commas, when used wrongly, may break up your sentences and even change their meaning. Brush up on your high school grammar; it will improve your work on its own.

Get the Reader’s Attention Right Away:

Because that’s precisely what you want them to be, opening lines are sometimes referred to as ‘the hook.’ You grab the reader’s interest and hold it throughout the tale. To get your tale going, do something dramatic.

For example, “Mark’s back cracked audibly,” “Eliza didn’t understand she was becoming blind,” and “The gunshot that penetrated Henry’s back and crippled him was meant for a homeless man.” Each of these sentences prompts the reader to ask, “Why?” After this, the reader will continue reading until the solution is found.

Provide a Satisfying Conclusion for Your Reader:

At the end of your narrative, you can leave the reader guessing or wondering why, but attempt to resolve as much as possible. If your reader is still asking questions about what occurred to who and why after the last sentence, you still need to tie up the loose ends. It is definitely one of the best creative writing tips.

what are the creative writing techniques

Frequently Asked Questions- FAQs

Q1. what are some creative writing examples.

Scriptwriting, copywriting, sketch and short story writing, and other types of creative writing are only a few examples.

Q2. What are the prospects for a career in creative writing?

Given the current state of the business, creative writing may be a lucrative career choice. However, unlike other types of content writing, it needs a high level of imagination as well as a thorough grasp of how information is seen online.

Q3. What are the best creative writing tips a novice writer can follow?

Read, read, and read some more. When you don’t have any references to draw from, it’s far more difficult to master creative writing. Reading is one of the most effective creative writing tips for improving your writing skills.

Conclusion:

That was only a small part of what creative writing and its professional elements entail. Overall, creative writing is the easy process of creating content that is only designed to keep audiences engaged rather than to rank, which is one of the primary reasons why many SEO strategies are ignored when it comes to creative writing.

Creative writing has a lot of potentials since the material created really engages the audience and persuades them to take action, whether it’s subscribing, clicking a link, like a post, sharing, commenting, buying a product, attempting a demo, or even signing up for a service.

Once you’ve mastered all the creative writing tips, anyone can confidently become an excellent writer. Many creative writing tips and approaches, many of which entail a variety of creative processes, are mentioned here.

Creative writing is all about using language in new ways, and it’s a great way to get through writer’s block . The basic notion of creative writing is the playful use of language. These creative writing tips and recommendations will help you come up with ideas for a narrative that could be the year’s best selling.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Need Help? Chat Via WhatsApp

You May Also Like To Read

Social ecommerce in 2023: role of social media, top 11 bba colleges in india in 2023 (updated), a detailed guide on diploma in elementary education, a practical guide on how to become a content writer in india, top 10 digital marketing topics to learn in 2023, who are responsible for financial outsourcing and how does it work, a nine-step framework to find your writing voice, 23 best content writing tools for improved productivity, the importance and prospect of seo in india in 2023, share your contact details.

Download Course Brochure (.pdf)

Request for online demo.

Download Mock Test

Request to speak with mba advisor, take first online coaching, download course brochure, download course brochure (.pdf) & also speak with our expert advisors.

what are the creative writing techniques

Talk To Our Agent

Request for a callback.

what are the creative writing techniques

How to Teach Creative Writing

Last Updated: April 29, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 111,306 times.

Creative writing is one of the most enjoyable types of writing for students. Not only does it allow students to explore their imaginations, but it helps them to structure their ideas and produce writing that they can be proud of. However, creative writing is a relatively difficult type of writing to teach and offers challenges to both new and seasoned teachers alike. Fortunately, though, with some work of their own, teachers can better develop their own abilities to teach creative writing.

Providing Students with the Fundamentals

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 1

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 2

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 3

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 4

Guiding Students through the Process

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 5

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 6

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 7

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 8

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 9

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 10

Spurring Creativity

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 11

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 12

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 13

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 14

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 15

Image titled Teach Creative Writing Step 16

Expert Q&A

Christopher Taylor, PhD

You Might Also Like

Teach Storytelling

About This Article

Christopher Taylor, PhD

To teach creative writing, start by introducing your students to the core elements of storytelling, like theme, setting, and plot, while reminding them that there’s no formula for combining these elements to create a story. Additionally, explain how important it is to use tone and atmosphere, along with active verbs, to write compelling stories that come alive. When your students have chosen their topics, have them create story outlines before they begin writing. Then, read their rough drafts and provide feedback to keep them on the right path to storytelling success. For tips from our English reviewer on how to spur creativity in your students, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

Reader Success Stories

Yunzhe Yang

Yunzhe Yang

Mar 27, 2017

Did this article help you?

what are the creative writing techniques

Daniel Hesse

Dec 5, 2016

Am I a Narcissist or an Empath Quiz

Featured Articles

Respect Autistic People

Trending Articles

Plan for a Long Weekend

Watch Articles

Cook Rice in a Microwave

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

IMAGES

  1. Pin by Brittany Bice on Art Tips & Techniques

    what are the creative writing techniques

  2. PPT

    what are the creative writing techniques

  3. Advanced Creative Writing Techniques

    what are the creative writing techniques

  4. Creative writing

    what are the creative writing techniques

  5. Hone Your Writing Skills: 10 Tips for Creative Writing

    what are the creative writing techniques

  6. 7 Tips for Teaching Creative Writing

    what are the creative writing techniques

VIDEO

  1. creative way to write 'S'

  2. How to have Brainstorming & Creative Writing for CSS

  3. Writing Skill| Principles of Writing ,#Creativity ,#writing ,#languagelearning ,#publishyourbook

  4. #writing #writingcommunity #writer #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #writingabook #writersblock

  5. #creative #writing

  6. The Simple Truth Behind WRITING STYLE!

COMMENTS

  1. 10 Creative Writing Techniques: Explanation + Examples

    7. Repetition in writing. No matter what you write, whether it's a blog post, sales copy, or poetry, purposeful repetition can add power and pizzazz to your writing. Word repetition adds rhythm, strengthens your message, and helps shape your voice. Get inspired by these examples of word repetition ….

  2. What Is Creative Writing? Types, Techniques, and Tips

    Types of Creative Writing. Examples of creative writing can be found pretty much everywhere. Some forms that you're probably familiar with and already enjoy include: • Fiction (of every genre, from sci-fi to historical dramas to romances) • Film and television scripts. • Songs. • Poetry.

  3. Creative Writing 101: Everything You Need to Get Started

    Creative writing is writing meant to evoke emotion in a reader by communicating a theme. In storytelling (including literature, movies, graphic novels, creative nonfiction, and many video games), the theme is the central meaning the work communicates. Take the movie (and the novel upon which it's based) Jaws, for instance.

  4. 8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing

    8 Tips for Creative Writers. Follow these tips if you want to boost your creativity and improve the way you write: 1. Always be writing. Don't ignore the random ideas that pop into your head. Even bad ideas can inspire good ones, and you never know what will trigger inspiration for a better idea later.

  5. 7 Techniques from Creative Writing You Can Use to Improve Your Essays

    1. Think about your reader. Chances are your teacher or examiner will have a lot to read - so keep them interested. With creative writing, as with any kind of writing, your reader is your most important consideration. You need to know and understand whom you're writing for if you're to do a good job of keeping them interested.

  6. How to Write Better: 6 Techniques to Improve Your Writing

    Good writing is effective on both a story and sentence level. Use the below techniques to improve your grammar, voice, and writing style. 1. Appeal to the Senses. To make your descriptive writing really shine, you need to master sensory imagery. Since we, in real life, experience the world through a combination of sight, sound, touch, taste ...

  7. Writing Skills

    Writing techniques. Throughout your own story, you will also need to use writing techniques that will work to keep your reader engaged and absorbed. An important skill is to put clear images of ...

  8. Top 10 Best Creative writing tips for beginners

    Here are some concrete exercises that can help you improve your creative writing:. Describe a scene: Choose a scene or setting and describe it in detail, using all of your senses.Try to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind, using specific details and descriptive language. Write from a different perspective: Take a story or event and write it from a different character's perspective.

  9. Introduction to Creative Writing for Students

    What are some techniques used in creative writing? To make their writing stand out, writers often employ several creative writing techniques and literary devices, including: Character development - The process of creating a well-rounded, realistic character with depth, personality, and clear goals or motivations.

  10. 26+ Creative Writing Tips for Beginners ️

    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.

  11. How to Boost Creativity and Improve Your Creative Writing

    5. Capture your daydreams. Allow yourself to daydream about your stories and take notes. Go on a walk, Joyce says, and then return home and write down any thoughts about a particular story: characters, details, dialogue. If you repeat this action for a few days, you'll likely have the disjointed outline of a story. 6.

  12. Creative Writing Techniques and Craft Tips

    You'll find great advice on: characterization, writing description, showing vs. telling, beginnings, endings, sagging middles, and much more. We also cover many creative writing techniques for authors of novels (and all books), poetry, short stories, personal essays, memoir, and other nonfiction. If you like our Writing Craft And Technique ...

  13. 14 Creative Writing Tips (Plus 5 Jobs in This Career Field)

    Creative writers may use a wide variety of literary techniques to tell a story, including figurative language, metaphors and idioms. The goal of creative writing is to engage readers by communicating ideas, feelings and stories in an original way. Here are some elements of creative writing: Plot development. Dialogue.

  14. Creative writing techniques that really work

    5. Use objects to dramatise story action. One of the most powerful creative writing techniques I teach is how to use objects in your fiction. Objects big and small are a great way to bring a story to life, and dramatise the action and conflict between characters. Whether big objects such as houses, cars, sofas or trees, or small objects such as ...

  15. 8 Creative Writing Tips and Techniques

    Creative writing is a style of writing that is focused on expressing the writer's imagination and creativity.. Creative writing often involves the creation of fictional or nonfictional works that go beyond the formal, professional, and traditional styles of writing. This type of writing allows writers to express themselves in a more personal and original way.

  16. 16 Writing Techniques to Make Your Articles Shine

    Writing techniques refer to different styles and literary devices a writer can use to communicate a message to the reader. Creative writing techniques are particularly important to follow if you plan on having anybody enjoy your writing. In your career, you'll need to write various types of writing meant for different target readers. ...

  17. Top Creative Writing Tips: A Beginners Guide (2023 Updated)

    Creative writing is a type of writing in which imagination, originality, and invention are used to convey a narrative through powerful written images with an emotional effect, such as in poetry, short story writing, novel writing, and other forms of writing. Through the use of imagery, story, and drama, creative writing, a form of artistic ...

  18. Easy Ways to Improve Creative Writing: 11 Steps (with Pictures)

    Download Article. 1. Block off time to write every day. Your writing skills will improve with practice. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes (or longer, if you can) to write about anything you want to. Try keeping a journal and writing about your day, or use a notebook to sketch out character ideas and book plots.

  19. How to Teach Creative Writing (with Pictures)

    Download Article. 1. Allow students to pick their topic. The first step in guiding students through the writing process is to allow them to pick their topic. Picking their topic will allow your students to own their writing and to use their own creative energy to craft an engaging story.

  20. 8 Sharp Techniques to Improve Your Creative Writing Skills

    1. Have a Broad Understanding of the Subject. Writing creatively requires a focused approach and broad understanding of the subject in order to create a larger picture for the reader to visualize. You should spend time researching and conducting informational interviews in order to gain this knowledge about the subject.