what are the 5 components of creative writing

Elements of Creative Writing

J.D. Schraffenberger, University of Northern Iowa

Rachel Morgan, University of Northern Iowa

Grant Tracey, University of Northern Iowa

Copyright Year: 2023

ISBN 13: 9780915996179

Publisher: University of Northern Iowa

Language: English

Formats Available

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Reviewed by Robert Moreira, Lecturer III, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 3/21/24

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Unlike Starkey's CREATIVE WRITING: FOUR GENRES IN BRIEF, this textbook does not include a section on drama.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As far as I can tell, content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant and up-to-date.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clear and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

I would agree that the text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Text is modular, yes, but I would like to see the addition of a section on dramatic writing.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics are presented in logical, clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

Navigation is good.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical issues that I could see.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I'd like to see more diverse creative writing examples.

As I stated above, textbook is good except that it does not include a section on dramatic writing.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter One: One Great Way to Write a Short Story
• Chapter Two: Plotting
• Chapter Three: Counterpointed Plotting
• Chapter Four: Show and Tell
• Chapter Five: Characterization and Method Writing
• Chapter Six: Character and Dialouge
• Chapter Seven: Setting, Stillness, and Voice
• Chapter Eight: Point of View
• Chapter Nine: Learning the Unwritten Rules
• Chapter One: A Poetry State of Mind
• Chapter Two: The Architecture of a Poem
• Chapter Three: Sound
• Chapter Four: Inspiration and Risk
• Chapter Five: Endings and Beginnings
• Chapter Six: Figurative Language
• Chapter Seven: Forms, Forms, Forms
• Chapter Eight: Go to the Image
• Chapter Nine: The Difficult Simplicity of Short Poems and Killing Darlings

Creative Nonfiction

• Chapter One: Creative Nonfiction and the Essay
• Chapter Two: Truth and Memory, Truth in Memory
• Chapter Three: Research and History
• Chapter Four: Writing Environments
• Chapter Five: Notes on Style
• Chapter Seven: Imagery and the Senses
• Chapter Eight: Writing the Body
• Chapter Nine: Forms

Back Matter

• Contributors
• North American Review Staff

Ancillary Material

• University of Northern Iowa

About the Book

This free and open access textbook introduces new writers to some basic elements of the craft of creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. The authors—Rachel Morgan, Jeremy Schraffenberger, and Grant Tracey—are editors of the North American Review, the oldest and one of the most well-regarded literary magazines in the United States. They’ve selected nearly all of the readings and examples (more than 60) from writing that has appeared in NAR pages over the years. Because they had a hand in publishing these pieces originally, their perspective as editors permeates this book. As such, they hope that even seasoned writers might gain insight into the aesthetics of the magazine as they analyze and discuss some reasons this work is so remarkable—and therefore teachable. This project was supported by NAR staff and funded via the UNI Textbook Equity Mini-Grant Program.

About the Contributors

J.D. Schraffenberger  is a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. He is the author of two books of poems,  Saint Joe's Passion  and  The Waxen Poor , and co-author with Martín Espada and Lauren Schmidt of  The Necessary Poetics of Atheism . His other work has appeared in  Best of Brevity ,  Best Creative Nonfiction ,  Notre Dame Review ,  Poetry East ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Rachel Morgan   is an instructor of English at the University of Northern Iowa. She is the author of the chapbook  Honey & Blood , Blood & Honey . Her work is included in the anthology  Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in American  and has appeared in the  Journal of American Medical Association ,  Boulevard ,  Prairie Schooner , and elsewhere.

Grant Tracey   author of three novels in the Hayden Fuller Mysteries ; the chapbook  Winsome  featuring cab driver Eddie Sands; and the story collection  Final Stanzas , is fiction editor of the  North American Review  and an English professor at the University of Northern Iowa, where he teaches film, modern drama, and creative writing. Nominated four times for a Pushcart Prize, he has published nearly fifty short stories and three previous collections. He has acted in over forty community theater productions and has published critical work on Samuel Fuller and James Cagney. He lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

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• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer’s Toolbox

Not all writing is the same and there’s a type of writing that has the ability to transport, teach, and inspire others like no other.

Creative writing stands out due to its unique approach and focus on imagination. Here’s how to get started and grow as you explore the broad and beautiful world of creative writing!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that extends beyond the bounds of regular professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is characterized by its emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or poetic techniques to express ideas in an original and imaginative way.

Creative writing can take on various forms such as:

• short stories
• screenplays

It’s a way for writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a creative, often symbolic, way . It’s about using the power of words to transport readers into a world created by the writer.

5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work. It allows writers to explore different scenarios, characters, and worlds that may not exist in reality.

2. Emotional Engagement: Creative writing often evokes strong emotions in the reader. It aims to make the reader feel something — whether it’s happiness, sorrow, excitement, or fear.

3. Originality: Creative writing values originality. It’s about presenting familiar things in new ways or exploring ideas that are less conventional.

4. Use of Literary Devices: Creative writing frequently employs literary devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, and others to enrich the text and convey meanings in a more subtle, layered manner.

5. Focus on Aesthetics: The beauty of language and the way words flow together is important in creative writing. The aim is to create a piece that’s not just interesting to read, but also beautiful to hear when read aloud.

Remember, creative writing is not just about producing a work of art. It’s also a means of self-expression and a way to share your perspective with the world. Whether you’re considering it as a hobby or contemplating a career in it, understanding the nature and characteristics of creative writing can help you hone your skills and create more engaging pieces .

For more insights into creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Styles of Creative Writing

To fully understand creative writing , you must be aware of the various styles involved. Creative writing explores a multitude of genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that uses expressive language to evoke emotions and ideas. Poets often employ rhythm, rhyme, and other poetic devices to create pieces that are deeply personal and impactful. Poems can vary greatly in length, style, and subject matter, making this a versatile and dynamic form of creative writing.

Short Stories

Short stories are another common style of creative writing. These are brief narratives that typically revolve around a single event or idea. Despite their length, short stories can provide a powerful punch, using precise language and tight narrative structures to convey a complete story in a limited space.

Novels represent a longer form of narrative creative writing. They usually involve complex plots, multiple characters, and various themes. Writing a novel requires a significant investment of time and effort; however, the result can be a rich and immersive reading experience.

Screenplays

Screenplays are written works intended for the screen, be it television, film, or online platforms. They require a specific format, incorporating dialogue and visual descriptions to guide the production process. Screenwriters must also consider the practical aspects of filmmaking, making this an intricate and specialized form of creative writing.

If you’re interested in this style, understanding creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree can provide useful insights.

Writing for the theater is another specialized form of creative writing. Plays, like screenplays, combine dialogue and action, but they also require an understanding of the unique dynamics of the theatrical stage. Playwrights must think about the live audience and the physical space of the theater when crafting their works.

Each of these styles offers unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re drawn to the concise power of poetry, the detailed storytelling of novels, or the visual language of screenplays and plays, there’s a form of creative writing that will suit your artistic voice. The key is to explore, experiment, and find the style that resonates with you.

For those looking to spark their creativity, our article on creative writing prompts offers a wealth of ideas to get you started.

Importance of Creative Writing

Understanding what is creative writing involves recognizing its value and significance. Engaging in creative writing can provide numerous benefits – let’s take a closer look.

Developing Creativity and Imagination

Creative writing serves as a fertile ground for nurturing creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and create unique and original content. This leads to improved problem-solving skills and a broader worldview , both of which can be beneficial in various aspects of life.

Through creative writing, one can build entire worlds, create characters, and weave complex narratives, all of which are products of a creative mind and vivid imagination. This can be especially beneficial for those seeking creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Enhancing Communication Skills

Creative writing can also play a crucial role in honing communication skills. It demands clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. This helps to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, making it easier to express thoughts and ideas effectively .

Moreover, creative writing encourages empathy as you often need to portray a variety of characters from different backgrounds and perspectives. This leads to a better understanding of people and improved interpersonal communication skills.

Exploring Emotions and Ideas

One of the most profound aspects of creative writing is its ability to provide a safe space for exploring emotions and ideas. It serves as an outlet for thoughts and feelings , allowing you to express yourself in ways that might not be possible in everyday conversation.

Writing can be therapeutic, helping you process complex emotions, navigate difficult life events, and gain insight into your own experiences and perceptions. It can also be a means of self-discovery , helping you to understand yourself and the world around you better.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the benefits of creative writing are vast and varied. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and how to teach creative writing . If you’re considering a career in this field, you might find our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it helpful.

4 Steps to Start Creative Writing

Creative writing can seem daunting to beginners, but with the right approach, anyone can start their journey into this creative field. Here are some steps to help you start creative writing .

1. Finding Inspiration

The first step in creative writing is finding inspiration . Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Observe the world around you, listen to conversations, explore different cultures, and delve into various topics of interest.

Reading widely can also be a significant source of inspiration. Read different types of books, articles, and blogs. Discover what resonates with you and sparks your imagination.

For structured creative prompts, visit our list of creative writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Editor’s Note : When something excites or interests you, stop and take note – it could be the inspiration for your next creative writing piece.

2. Planning Your Piece

Once you have an idea, the next step is to plan your piece . Start by outlining:

• the main points

Remember, this can serve as a roadmap to guide your writing process. A plan doesn’t have to be rigid. It’s a flexible guideline that can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your writing. The primary purpose is to provide direction and prevent writer’s block.

3. Writing Your First Draft

After planning your piece, you can start writing your first draft . This is where you give life to your ideas and breathe life into your characters.

Don’t worry about making it perfect in the first go. The first draft is about getting your ideas down on paper . You can always refine and polish your work later. And if you don’t have a great place to write that first draft, consider a journal for writing .

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

The final step in the creative writing process is editing and revising your work . This is where you fine-tune your piece, correct grammatical errors, and improve sentence structure and flow.

Editing is also an opportunity to enhance your storytelling . You can add more descriptive details, develop your characters further, and make sure your plot is engaging and coherent.

Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your first few pieces don’t meet your expectations. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on how to teach creative writing or creative writing activities for kids.

Tips to Improve Creative Writing Skills

Understanding what is creative writing is the first step. But how can one improve their creative writing skills? Here are some tips that can help.

Read Widely

Reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. By immersing oneself in a variety of genres, styles, and authors, one can gain a richer understanding of language and storytelling techniques . Different authors have unique voices and methods of telling stories, which can serve as inspiration for your own work. So, read widely and frequently!

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, creative writing improves with practice. Consistently writing — whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly — helps develop your writing style and voice . Using creative writing prompts can be a fun way to stimulate your imagination and get the words flowing.

Attend Writing Workshops and Courses

Formal education such as workshops and courses can offer structured learning and expert guidance. These can provide invaluable insights into the world of creative writing, from understanding plot development to character creation. If you’re wondering is a degree in creative writing worth it, these classes can also give you a taste of what studying creative writing at a higher level might look like .

Joining Writing Groups and Communities

Being part of a writing community can provide motivation, constructive feedback, and a sense of camaraderie. These groups often hold regular meetings where members share their work and give each other feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to connect with others who share your passion for writing.

Seeking Feedback on Your Work

Feedback is a crucial part of improving as a writer. It offers a fresh perspective on your work, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s from a writing group, a mentor, or even friends and family, constructive criticism can help refine your writing .

Start Creative Writing Today!

Remember, becoming a proficient writer takes time and patience. So, don’t be discouraged by initial challenges. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. Who knows, your passion for creative writing might even lead to creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Happy writing!

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

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Principles of Creative Writing: An Ultimate Guide

Explore the art of storytelling with our blog on the Principles of Creative Writing. Uncover the key techniques that transform words into captivating narratives. From character development to plot intricacies, we'll guide you through the fundamental principles that breathe life into your writing, helping you craft compelling and imaginative stories.

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Table of Contents  

1)  Understanding Creative Writing Principles 

2)  Principles of Creative Writing 

    a)  Imagination knows no bounds   

    b)  Crafting compelling characters   

    c)  Plot twists and turns 

    d) Setting the stage 

    e)  Point of View (POV) and voice    

    f)  Dialogue - The voice of your characters 

    g)  Conflict and tension 

    h)  Show, don't tell 

    i)  Editing and revising with precision   

    j)  The power of theme and symbolism 

    k)  Pacing and rhythm 

    l)   Emotionally resonant writing 

    m)  Atmosphere and mood 

3)  Conclusion  

Understanding Creative Writing Principles  

Before we move on to the Principles for Creative Writers, let’s first understand the concept of Creative Writing. Creative Writing is an exploration of human expression, a channel through which Writers communicate their unique perspectives, experiences, and stories.   

This form of writing encompasses various genres, such as fiction, poetry, drama, and more. Unlike Technical or Academic Writing, Creative Writing is driven by the desire to evoke emotions, engage readers, and transport them to alternate worlds.  

Take your academic writing to the next level – join our Academic Writing Masterclass and unlock the art of effective writing and communication!    

Principles of Creative Writing  

Now that you know the meaning of Creative Writing, let’s explore its principles.  

Principle 1: Imagination k nows n o b ounds   

Your imagination is a treasure trove of ideas waiting to be explored. To cultivate your creative imagination:  

a)  Allow yourself to think without limitations. 

b)  Let thoughts collide and see where they lead. 

c)  Keep a journal to jot down fleeting ideas and use them as springboards for your writing.  

Break free from conventional thought patterns—experiment with "what if" scenarios – twist familiar elements into something new. Blend genres, combine unrelated concepts, or put your characters in unexpected situations .       

Principle 2: Crafting c ompelling c haracters   

Characters are the heart of your story. Develop characters with distinct personalities, motivations, strengths, and flaws. Delve into their backgrounds, understanding their past experiences and how they shape their choices. Consider their beliefs, fears, desires, and relationships with others in the story .   

Readers connect with characters they can relate to. Make your characters multifaceted by giving them relatable qualities. Flaws make characters human, so don't hesitate to bestow imperfections upon them. Your readers will find themselves emotionally invested in their journeys as they face challenges and grow.    

Principle 3: Plot t wists and t urns   

A well-crafted story thrives on plot twists and turns. These unexpected shifts keep readers engaged, encouraging them to explore the unknown alongside your characters. The art of plot twists lies in weaving surprises that challenge characters' assumptions and drive the story in unexpected directions.   

Develop logical and unforeseen twists, leaving your audience eager to discover what happens next. Experiment with various narrative structures. Choose the structure that best serves your story's theme and tone.  

Principle 4: Setting the s tage  

Transport readers into your story's world by vividly describing its physical elements – sights, sounds, smells, and textures. The setting isn't merely a backdrop; it's a living, breathing entity that influences the mood and atmosphere of your narrative. Create an immersive experience that makes readers feel like they're living the story alongside your characters. Make the setting integral to your storytelling, whether a bustling urban landscape or serene countryside. 

Principle 5: Point of View (POV) and v oice     

Point of View (POV) and voice are essential tools that shape how your story is perceived. POV determines the perspective through which readers experience the narrative – whether through a character's eyes (first person), an external observer (third person limited), or an all-knowing narrator (third person omniscient). Each POV offers a distinct vantage point, influencing what readers know and how they connect with the characters.   

On the other hand, voice is the unique style and tone of your writing that reflects the narrator's personality and worldview. Skilful manipulation of POV and voice deepens readers' immersion and connection with the story .       

Principle 6: Dialogue - The v oice of y our c haracters   

Dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing character relationships and advancing the plot. It's the medium through which characters reveal their personalities, motivations, and conflicts. Make your dialogue sound natural by paying attention to speech patterns, interruptions, and nuances.   

Each character should possess a distinctive voice, reflecting their background, emotions, and quirks. Effective dialogue moves the plot forward, adds depth to relationships, and provides insight into characters' inner worlds.    

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Principle 7: Conflict and t ension     

Conflict drives your story forward. Whether internal (within a character's mind) or external (between characters or forces), conflicts create stakes and keep readers invested. Make conflicts meaningful by connecting them to your characters' goals and desires. Tension, on the other hand, keeps readers engaged by evoking curiosity and emotional investment.  

Principle 8: Show, d on't t ell   

"Show, don't tell" is a principle that encourages subtlety and reader engagement. Instead of directly stating emotions or information, show them through actions, behaviours, and sensory details. Allow readers to draw their own conclusions, fostering a deeper connection to the narrative.   

For example, instead of stating, "She was sad," show her wiping away a tear and gazing out the rain-soaked window. This approach not only immerses readers in the story but also invites them to interpret and empathise with the characters' experiences.  

Principle 9: Editing and r evising with p recision   

Your first draft is just the beginning. Editing and revising refine your work into its best version. Editing is not just about correcting grammar; it's about refining your prose to convey your message with clarity and impact. Read your work critically, checking for consistency in tone, pacing, and character development. Trim unnecessary elements and tighten sentences to eliminate any ambiguity. Embrace the art of revision to sculpt your rough draft into a polished masterpiece.  

Principle 10: The p ower of t heme and s ymbolism   

Themes and symbolism add meaning to your writing, inviting readers to explore more profound insights. A theme is your story's central idea or message, while symbolism uses objects, actions, or concepts to represent abstract ideas. By infusing your narrative with meaningful themes and symbolism, you create a tapestry of thought-provoking connections that engage readers on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Principle 11: Pacing and r hythm   

The rhythm of your writing affects how readers engage with your story. Experiment with sentence lengths and structures to create a natural flow that guides readers seamlessly through the narrative. Vary pacing to match the intensity of the scenes; fast-paced action should have short, punchy sentences, while contemplative moments can benefit from longer, more introspective prose. Mastering rhythm and flow keep readers entranced from start to finish.   

Principle 12: Emotionally r esonant w riting  

The goal of Creative Writing is to evoke emotions in your readers. Develop empathy for your characters and encourage readers to feel alongside them. Tap into your own experiences and emotions to connect with readers on a human level. Emotionally charged writing doesn't just entertain; it leaves a mark on readers' hearts, reminding them of shared experiences and universal truths.  

Principle 13: Atmosphere and m ood   

The atmosphere and mood of a story set the tone for readers' experiences. Through careful selection of words, sentence structures, and descriptive details, you can shape the emotional ambience of your narrative. Whether you're writing an exciting thriller, a magical fantasy, or a serious drama, infuse your writing with an atmosphere that wraps readers in the emotions you want them to feel. 

Conclusion   

The Principles of Creative Writing provide a roadmap for crafting stories that captivate and inspire. These principles allow you to transform your writing from ordinary to extraordinary easily. As you work on becoming a Creative Writer, remember that practice is key. Each principle mentioned here is like a tool in your Writer's toolbox, waiting to be improved and used effectively. 

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Table of Contents

Ai, ethics & human agency, collaboration, information literacy, writing process, the elements of style – the dna of powerful writing.

• © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - University of South Florida

Just as DNA constitutes the building blocks of life -- as illustrated in the depiction below of ions and DNA gliding through a single-walled carbon nanotube -- the 'Elements of Style' form the foundation for powerful writing. Brevity , coherence , flow , inclusivity , simplicity , and unity — these stylistic elements empower writers to enhance the clarity and power of their work. Esteemed by educators, editors, and professional writers, they serve as the essential building blocks — indeed, the DNA — of clear, compelling communication.

W hat are T he Elements of Style?

The “Elements of Style” refer to a cluster of linguistic and rhetorical conventions (also known as discourse conventions ). For example, teachers and editors may refer to any of the following intellectual strategies as “the elements of style”:

• the careful choice of words ( diction ) to select works that set the appropriate tone for the audience
• the use of sentence type , sentence structure ( syntax ), and punctuation for rhythm, and clarity
• the use of concrete, sensory language and figurative language to provide the reader, listener, or user with the detailed information they need to understand the
• the tactical application of rhetorical modes like narration , description , comparison-contrast to achieve discourse aims
• the use of voice , tone , persona , and point of view to achieve an aim of discourse .

Despite the broad range of stylistic elements, certain elements of style play a commanding role in determining the clarity and impact of a text . The most influential among these — brevity , coherence , flow , inclusivity , simplicity , and unity — go beyond shaping the text’s structure and language. They guide how readers engage with and interpret the content , directly shaping a text’s success in achieving its objectives. By understanding and applying these conventions, writers and readers enhance their communication skills within their discourse community.

As a set of discourse conventions, The Elements of Style serve as a shared language and common ground between the writer and the reader . They underpin the writer’s creative and strategic decisions during the writing process and guide the reader’s engagement, interpretation , and evaluation of the text . Thus, these elements are not just about the act of writing, but about the broader interaction between the writer , the text , and the reader within the context of established discourse conventions .

The “Elements of Style,” as a term, is often associated with the famous writing guide by Strunk and White, as discussed below. However, in a broader context, the “Elements of Style,” refers to the different components that make up the way we write and communicate in written form. Synonymous or related terms to the “Elements of Style” could include:

• Writing Principles
• Stylistic Devices
• Rhetorical Techniques
• Literary Elements
• Writing Strategies
• Composition Techniques
• Linguistic Features
• Literary Devices
• Writing Mechanics
• Style Techniques
• Writing Style

These terms, while not exact synonyms, refer to overlapping concepts and tools used in the creation and evaluation of written works. Remember, the “Elements of Style” is not a fixed list; it can vary based on context , genre , and personal or cultural writing conventions .

Related Concepts: Ableist Language ; Grammar ; Register ;  Rhetorical Analysis ;  Rhetoric ;  Rhetorical Reasoning Style ;  Tone ;  Voice .

The Elements of Style in 1918

William Strunk’s first self published The Elements of Style in 1918 to concisely summarize the basic rules and conventions writers needed to follow in order to write with clarity , impact, and authority .

Strunk conceptualized the elements of style to be composed of a few elementary rules of usage and composition, a few matters of form, and some misspelled words and misused expressions:

Guide to The Elements of Style , 2023

Since Strunk first described the elements of style  in 1918, The Elements of Style have evolved significantly, adapting to societal and technological shifts. The digital revolution has expanded the platforms for communication and redefined the norms of interaction, necessitating an evolution in stylistic conventions. As a result, some stylistic elements have assumed heightened significance, while others have emerged to join the traditional canon.

Among these, six core elements of style stand out in 2023: brevity , coherence , flow , inclusivity , simplicity , and unity

Brevity and clarity are more crucial than ever in our fast-paced, information-saturated world. Coherence and flow ensure our messages are cohesive and engaging, fostering understanding and retaining the attention of our diverse audiences.

Inclusivity acknowledges and respects the rich diversity of our global community, and design has emerged as a powerful tool of visual communication, adding another dimension to our expressiveness.

• In a digital ecosystem saturated with information, brevity’s power — using the minimum words necessary to communicate effectively — becomes increasingly significant
• Ensuring that all parts of a text logically connect and contribute to the overall message is an enduring requirement for effective writing.
• Emerging as a new element in our list, design’s role in communication has grown in tandem with the rise of visual languag e and digital interfaces.
• A smooth progression of ideas, facilitated by thoughtful sentence structure and transitions, remains crucial to engage readers and make our writing accessible.
• Reflecting societal change, inclusivity in language use, particularly in the use of pronouns , has become a new and necessary consideration in our writing.
• As we tackle increasingly complex topics, striking a balance between depth of discussion and simplicity of presentation remains a prized attribute.
• Achieving unity in a text conveys a sense of completeness, ensuring that all parts are present and contribute to a cohesive whole, a gestalt .

Why do the Elements of Style Matter?

• By following stylistic conventions such as brevity , clarity , and coherence, you can make your work easier to read and understand.
• Elements such as clarity and simplicity help to ensure that your prose style is clear and easily understood by the target audience .
• With effective use of elements like cohesion and flow , you can build compelling arguments that logically link ideas together and persuade readers.
• By using stylistic elements that enhance the flow and rhythm of the text , you can make your work more engaging and hold the audience’s interest.
• Reflecting societal change, inclusivity in language use, particularly in the use of pronouns , has become a new and necessary consideration in our writing. By using inclusive language , you can demonstrate professionalism and competence , which is particularly important in academic and professional writing contexts .
• For editors, teachers, and other critical readers, the Elements of Style provide a framework for evaluating a text and providing constructive feedback .

Which Elements of Style are most important in academic and professional writing contexts ?

Brevity is key—especially in today’s fast-paced world where readers value concise yet complete information. Clarity ensures your arguments are easy to follow and comprehend, preventing misinterpretation. Coherence guarantees that your points connect logically, making your argument or narrative more persuasive.

Flow enables a seamless transition from one idea to another, enhancing your readers’ engagement and understanding. Inclusivity is vital in the increasingly diverse academic and professional landscape, ensuring respect for all readers. Simplicity allows your work to be accessible to a wider audience, and unity provides consistency, strengthening your voice throughout the text.

While all these elements are essential, the ‘most important’ among them can vary depending on your writing task. A complex research paper might need more emphasis on clarity and cohesion, while a brief professional email might prioritize brevity and simplicity . Always consider your audience , your purpose , and your context when deciding which elements to focus on in your writing.

How do audiences — such as editors, clients, or teachers — use the elements of style as an interpretive framework ?

In academic and professional writing contexts, the elements of style function as a shared language, a shared set of textual expectations, that both writers and readers hold when engaged in acts of communication. Thus, The Elements of Style not only shape the creation of the text, but also how it is received, interpreted , and evaluated, reinforcing their importance in the broader discourse community .

Recommended Resources

Elements of style pdf.

• Strunk, William and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, 2nd Edition Available from gutenberg.org
• Strunk, William and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, 4th Edition Available from us.archive.org

Strunk, W. (1918). The elements of style. OCLC 781988921

Strunk, W., In White,  E. B., White , E. B., & White, E. B. (1957). The elements of style (3rd edition). New York: Macmillan. OCLC 878906498 .

Williams, Joseph and Joseph Bizup (2016). Style: lessons in clarity and grace, 12th Edition. Pearson Education. ISBN-13:   978-0134080413

Zinsser, W. (2006). On writing well (30th ed.). HarperCollins.

Related Articles:

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

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• Joseph M. Moxley

Brevity in writing refers to a style of writing that is concise, terse, straight to the point, direct, and professional. Brevity is a highly prized style of writing in workplace contexts...

Clarity refers to a judgment on the part of audience that a text is clear, lucid, and understandable. Clarity is a stylistic principle, an element of style. Communications that audiences...

Coherence refers to a style of writing where ideas, themes, and language connect logically, consistently, and clearly to guide the reader’s understanding. By mastering coherence, alongside flow, inclusiveness, simplicity, and unity,...

Diction refers to a writer or speaker’s word choice. Learn 3 methods to evaluate the appropriateness of your diction or the diction of others: Level of Formality, Level of Abstraction,...

• Joseph M. Moxley , Jenifer Paquette

Writing teachers, writers, and readers have different definitions for the concept of flow. For writers, flow is a mind set, a sense that you feel creative and articulate. For students...

• Barbara McLain , Joseph M. Moxley

Inclusivity – Inclusive language – refers to language that is respectful and sensitive to the perspective, values, and cultural practices of others. Inclusive language is language that is respectful and...

Simplicity is a judgment made by people (e.g., readers & users) about whether a text or design of a product or app is as simple as possible given the complexity...

Unity refers to a writer’s effort to make sure every bit of discourse — every word, phrase, clause, sentence, and paragraph — directly contribute to the main narrative or thesis....

Featured Articles

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

Professional Writing – How to Write for the Professional World

Credibility & Authority – How to Be Credible & Authoritative in Speech & Writing

• What are the main elements of creative writing?
• Self Publishing Guide

As the name implies, creative writing is a type of writing that extends beyond the traditional boundaries of normal, professional, academic, or technical writing.

Instead, it encompasses a wide range of genres and styles in both fiction and nonfiction writing, including storytelling, playwriting, poetry, prose, journalism, and more.

Read:  List of top 10 Online Dictionaries for Writers.

Though the definition is somewhat ambiguous, creative writing is generally defined as any type of writing that is original and expressive of oneself. It is usually distinguished by an emphasis on narrative craft, with an emphasis on elements such as character development, narrative, and plot, infusing its structure with imagination, invention, and story.

In this sense, creative writing can be defined as any writing of contemporary, original composition that is not bound by standard conventions and employs a wide range of elements in its craft. 

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

Here’s the list of top 9 elements of creative writing-

• Point of views

• Character

You may alsso like: 10 Effective Strategies to Improve Your Reading Habits

• Dialogues

Your characters can only be explained to an extent – to make your story more dynamic, the need of  dialogues  is abundant.  Dialogues  help people know the varieties of emotion in which the writer would convey certain sentences through a dialogues; also, it sets the characters’ personalities strongly.

• Narration

The  narration  helps you understand what all is happening together. Writing the scenes itself, the flesh of the world you’re building, is another important aspect of fiction writing.

Knowing what needs to be communicated is one of the most crucial writing methods in this. What are the folks wearing, and where are they from? What information does your target audience require? What can you omit without causing harm? A lot of unnecessary information slows down the pace of your piece.

The literary element setting involves the historical moment in time and geographic area in which a story takes place, and it helps create the main backdrop and mood for a story.  Setting  has been referred to as narrative world or milieu to incorporate a backdrop (particularly society) outside of the story’s immediate surroundings.  Setting elements  may include culture, historical period, location, and time. Setting, along with story, character, topic, and style, is regarded as a key component of fiction.

• Structure

Will you compose an ode or a sonnet, a ballad, a novel, a short tale, or a limerick? And, once you’ve made that decision, how do you deal with the particularities of these forms? Furthermore, how and why did you make that decision? The spacing, paragraph, or verse  structure  all contribute to the reader’s aesthetic experience. The  structure of your text  is the font play to display emphasis, distinct elements, or changes in different features.

Creating  conflict  is the cornerstone to effective narrative. The  conflict in a story  is established by the writer soon after the main character is introduced. Conflict is the catalyst for action and the beginning of a story. Every writer should understand how to create interesting conflict.

Read:  Sahitya Akademi Award: History, Nomination Process, History.

You can use six different sorts of conflict to move your story:

• Character vs. self
• Character vs. character
• Character vs. society
• Character vs. supernatural
• Character vs. technology
• Character vs. nature

What distinguishes creative writing from other types of writing is that the former always includes a  plot  of some kind – and a distinctive one. Yes, remakes are called  creative writing ; but, the majority of creative writers build their own plot based on their own unique ideas. There is no story without a storyline.

• Point of Views

You can express yourself in a variety of ways. However, the two most prevalent in creative writing are first person and third person.

• First Person – The narrator is the major character in this  point of view . This means that you will read sections beginning with “I” and recognize that the primary character is narrating the story.
• Second Person – This point of view is most typically employed in educational writing, such as this blog post, rather than creative writing. It’s  second person point of view  when you see the word “you” and the narrator is speaking directly to you.
• Third Person – There are several versions of this  point of view . Third person limited, third person many, and third person omniscient are all options. The first is commonly encountered. When speaking about the character you’re following, the narrator in third person limited uses “he/she/they.” Nobody else knows that character’s inner thoughts and feelings. It’s similar to first person, but instead of the character delivering the story, a narrator does. Third person multiple is similar to limited in that the narrator now knows various characters’ inner thoughts and feelings. The last form, third person omniscient, occurs when the narrator continues to use “he/she/they” but has complete knowledge. They know everything there is to know about everyone.

While non-creative writing can include conversation (as in interviews), it is not employed in the same manner that creative writing does. Aside from silent films, creative writing requires language to reinforce the tale.

A  theme  is the central topic of a piece in contemporary literary studies. The most popular modern definition of theme is an idea or point fundamental to a story that can often be summed up in a single word (e.g. love, death, betrayal). A story can have multiple themes.  Themes , which are usually inferred rather than addressed openly, frequently examine historically widespread or cross-culturally recognizable topics, such as ethical problems.

Read:  List of Most Prestigious Literary Awards in 2022

These elements are the soul of your story. Keeping them all in will help you create an enigmatic and alluring story that compels the readers to read your book.

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Fundamentals of Creative Writing

7 minutes reading time

• 03. Characters
• 04. Setting
• 05. Point-Of-View (POV)
• 07. Dialogue
• 09. Learn The Elements Of Creative Writing With An Accomplished Writer

Like any other form of writing, creative writing takes time to excel at. However, it may be complicated to grasp because of the layers that make up a good piece of creative work.

It demands a set of skills and elements combined to form valuable work. And an author cannot succeed in their creative writing career unless they use every aspect in their writing.

Therefore, if you wish to practice and master them, you should register for online creative writing courses .

In the meantime, here are the key elements of creative writing to brush up on:

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You might be thinking, what is creative writing , and how does it have themes? A theme isn't the plot of the story; instead, it is the fundamental message being passed on.

Themes are usually common narratives, which means readers can easily perceive the subject of the story regardless of the culture they belong to or the country they live in.

A few great themes for you to practice creative writing include:

• Good vs. evil
• Circle of life

While themes convey moralistic messages, they must never be openly instructive. This is known as didacticism – preaching a subject so openly that readers lose interest in the story and ignore its true meaning.

There may be primary and secondary themes in a story. And books for kids usually only have a single primary theme, which is the central message of the story.

However, books for older people might have more than one theme as adults are capable of greater understanding.

Furthermore, creative writing embraces two kinds of themes:

• Explicit theme : A theme openly and directly stated
• Implicit theme : An indirectly hinted or indicated theme

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Style in creative writing is defined as the kind of language used. A writer is responsible for creating a writing style as they put their words together to form a story.

Most story writers use a standard writing style. It might sound natural at first, but when you read it closely, you may realize that it is quite formal.

Utterances like "uh," are avoided, and the sentences are better tied together. Moreover, the use of contractions is also minimized. And as easy as it is to understand, it is nothing like conversational English.

Stories written in conversational style are informal as they sound like regular speech. The storyteller's part and the character's dialogues both sound like a normal conversation.

However, a decorative or unusual style of creative writing is used in historical fiction or extreme-fantasy novels.

Furthermore, the earlier editions of traditional English literature might have some examples of unusual writing styles.

But, unfortunately, old-age poetry also uses the same style, so it is pretty challenging to read and comprehend.

Log story short, authors use a various mix of styles to write captivating stories.

Character development is the most crucial element of creative writing! It is the element that explains your narrative to the readers and investigates your subject.

Yet, characters are more than that. They permanently reside in the memories due to the impact they make on the reader's mind.

Characters are often used to help the reader relate to the story. Readers connect themselves to the personalities in the novels they read, which creates a sense of intimacy.

Spending long hours thinking about the best possible character arcs is an essential element of composing fiction.

Any story holds two main types of characters:

• Protagonists : The main character in the story's plot
• Antagonist: The opposing force against the good character. This could also either be a person, civilization, nature, or destiny

Other characters in the story are considered side roles or minor roles. Therefore, they have little effect on the proceedings.

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The setting  involves the location and the era in which the story occurred, according to the writer.

However, it might not have as significant an impact on the story as other elements of creative writing have.

There are two types of settings in creative writing;

• Integral setting is crucial and relevant to the plot as it inspires the kind of activities, characters, or subject that any other location could not have
• Background setting, on the other hand, is comparatively less plot-pertinent. We can say that it plays the role of a bland curtain or regular scenery set in a theater

However, it depends on the readers to interpret the setting as they like. For instance, if the story should occur in a vast city, it could be considered an integral setting. This is better explained in these tips .

But other readers might perceive the same location differently because the story could occur in any city according to them.

The setting is still an essential element of creative writing as it simplifies conflict, highlights characters, and influences moods.

Furthermore, if the conflict is "human against nature" then, the setting can play the antagonist's role in the story.

Point-Of-View (POV)

Point of view is the storyteller's perception of the characters and events. In fictional stories, it is either shared by using a first person or third person speech.

The first-person point of view is always a self-witnessed opinion by the author, while the third-person point of view helps describe the events happening to other characters.

A plot is an artistic tool used by writers to structure the events in a story . It is the responsibility of the plot to introduce an occasion, event, or defining moment .

Then, this moment may lead to tension, struggle and bring up the primary narrative in the book. The plot always leads to a series of events that are associated with unlocking the dramatic mystery.

Often, it may also involve a conflict, which is usually the main fight between the protagonist and antagonist.

Either way, it is supposed to be a life-altering event for the protagonist as they either defeat their fears, foes, or inhibitions.

Meanwhile, the beginning of any story holds incredible worth. It needs to:

• Catch the reader's interest
• Define the characters
• Lay the setting
• Materialize the conflict mentioned above

Moreover, the beginning also weaves into the eventual plot of the story. This plot also ends up developing towards the ending of the story.

This is how a plot focuses on maintaining the reader's attention throughout the story. The goal is that the story leaves the reader with a feeling of fulfillment and content.

Another valuable element of creative writing is creating natural scenes. To compose great scenes in your tale, you must already be able to visualize them.

A writer needs to realize what their scenes will be about and what they want the characters to say – the dialogue!

Dialogues are not just about what the characters say; it is also about what they wear and where they reside.

A good writer figures these details out beforehand. However, if you are just beginning your creative writing career , you should focus on the following questions to comprise a great dialogue:

• What details is your audience to be told?
• Is there any information you can skip without hurting the quality of your piece?

Details are good; they allow the reader to imagine and see the writer's story practically. But adding unnecessary amounts of irrelevant information can curtail your writing progress.

This might also bore your readers and make them lose interest. Remember, the dialogue and scenes should always be moving towards the climax.

The last question you should consider is how you will compose your dialogue. If you wish to learn how to be a good composer, you must focus on your dialogues' tempo, sound, and fluency.

The tone is the most crucial element of creative writing as it sets a connection between the reader and the writer.

It can be described as the attitude displayed by the writer towards their subject of writing. To put it simply, the tone is the gravitas that you, as a reader, get from the author's writing.

You may have noticed that it is pretty difficult to describe the concept of tone. This is because the tone is the toughest creative writing element – it is easy to identify but harder to put into words.

Authors use various tones in their novels; however, humor is the easiest one to identify. Therefore, if you are trying to describe the style of your writing to a friend or professor, you should use adjectives like:

• Straight-forward
• Suspenseful

Learn The Elements Of Creative Writing With An Accomplished Writer

This might have provided you with a detailed understanding of the elements of creative writing.

However, if you wish to practice, learn and improve your writing, sign up with Superprof for the best creative writing classes.

Superprof is a platform where teachers and students can find each other. Enter your preferences and choose from a list of experienced professionals in your area.

You may find someone who will offer a free first lesson alongside flexible class schedules and creative writing guides.

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The Crucial Things to Consider in Creative Writing.

17 January 2020

7 minutes to read

• 01. The Main Elements of Prose Fiction.
• 02. The Main Elements of Screenwriting and Stage Writing.
• 03. The Essential Features of Poetry.
• 04. Other Creative Writing Skills You Need to Know.

Like all artistic endeavours, there is no one skill that creative writing demands . Rather, it is a collection of lots of different skills and elements that need to hang well together.

Creating a compelling character, for example, is not the same skill as writing a beautiful description of a place or action. Nor is profundity and originality of thought the same as metrical fluency or ability to rhyme.

All of the different elements of creative writing require different skills – and to write a masterpiece they all need to coalesce, balance, and complement each other. A novel with a cracking plot can easily fall down if the characters aren’t convincing, or if the writing style is clumsy or jarring.

When you are writing your own work, fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, you will need to ensure that you practice all of the skills that you will need to make your work a marvellous whole. And that means cracking every single one of these main elements of creative writing.

So, let’s take a look at what they are – for your fiction writing, your poetry writing, and your playwriting. Whilst some elements are shared between forms, they feature in different ways.

At the end, we’ll take a look at three of the main skills that are relevant to all of the major forms of creative writing too. Find out more in our article,  What is Creative Writing ?

The Main Elements of Prose Fiction.

Prose fiction is the form of creative writing that is written in continuous prose – and that is fictional... Forms like the short story and the novel fall under this category, whereas prose texts such as the personal essay fall under the remit of creative nonfiction.

In prose fiction, you are going to be wanting to create compelling character and engaging plots – enabled by convincing dialogue strong descriptive writing when it is necessary.

Why you need to register for a a creative writing course .

Character Development.

Some people will tell you that character development is the most important element of novel writing. And they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.

Characters are the things through which you propel your narrative forward, and they are vehicles through which you explore your theme . But they are more than that too: they are what make people remember books, they are what allow people to relate and empathise.

Making time to think about who you want your characters to be is a crucial part of writing fiction.

Plot Development.

What is it that happens in your novel or piece of short fiction? A novel needs to have some forward motion, there needs to be some sort of events, conflicts, tensions, crises, and resolutions. Unless you are Samuel Beckett or Raymond Queneau, of course, who determinedly wrote books in which nothing happens.

Despite this, there has to be a reason why your audience will keep reading . Plotting out the main events – even if these are purely cerebral happenings – can help you make sense of the structure of your fiction.

Writing convincing dialogue in an age of realism is a notoriously difficult skill . Yet, it is one of the really crucial elements of effective fiction.

The novelist, Will Self, has spoken of how, during his writing process, he would go to cafes just to listen to people talk. Listening carefully to the cadences of real speech enables you to render them well – whilst banal imperatives like ‘write like you talk’ are never quite as easy as they seem.

Whilst writing dialogue, think about whether the speech in your fiction needs to be directly spoken , or whether it can sit indirectly in your prose.

Find out how to improve your creative writing !

Descriptive Writing.

Another major feature of fiction writing is writing the scenes themselves, the flesh of the world that you are creating.

And one of the most important writing techniques in this is knowing what actually needs to be said. What are people wearing and where do they live? What details does your audience need to know? What can you leave out without harm? Too much irrelevant information bogs down the flow of your piece.

Finally, how are you going to write this? To learn how to write well – in terms of the cadence, fluency, and sound of your sentences – is just as important as everything else here.

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The Main Elements of Screenwriting and Stage Writing.

Now, it is a little unfair here to collapse writing for screen and writing for stage. The professional writers among you will surely have something to say about this.

Yet, the difference between writing a text to be read and a text to be heard is huge – and if you are juggling both prose and drama, you’ll need to keep this in your head the whole time. Good writing in theatre or film is not the same as good writing when you are writing a novel.

Dialogue, of course, is the main element of these texts – and you will need to hone your dialogue skills if you hope to stand a chance in the world of scriptwriting.

A screenwriter and playwright needs to use dialogue in a different way. Dialogue is the action on stage – as much as it is the character. And it is much more alive than it can possibly be in a book.

On stage or screen, there is no way to verbally describe a character as there is in a book. You can show them, yes, or you can reveal their nature through the things that they say.

A creative writer therefore needs to feed details about their character through that character’s own words , or through the words of other characters.

The characters need to be more unified too – as they don’t have the markers that they can hide behind in novels.

Check out our introduction to creative writing for more!

The Essential Features of Poetry.

You’ll see that creative writing courses split up those people interested in writing poetry from the writing program for novelists. This is because reading and writing poetry is completely different to writing fiction , or even drama: being a good novelist does not make you a good poet – and vice versa.

In a poetry workshop you will focus on completely different things than you would in a creative writing course for fiction or creative non-fiction. In poetry, language takes on a different form, a difference as large as that between travel writing and technical writing.

If you are a poet yourself, you won’t need to be told that the crucial feature of poetry is metre and rhythm. Take a writing sample from any poet in the history of English and you will see that rhythm takes centre stage.

Finding a way to write both naturally and within the confines of the form is the great negotiation that a poet has to make, so that metrical alertness becomes second nature within the creative process.

Structure and Form.

Are you going to write an ode or a sonnet, a ballad or a limerick? And how do you engage with the specificities of these forms once you have made that decision? Moreover, indeed, how have you made that decision, and why?

As the very essence of a poem, the form is the thing that gives the poem sense. And according to your personal poetics, you’ll give it that sense you feel most appropriate.

Meaning and Symbolism.

When we write poems, what happens to language? Does it become more compressed? More ambiguous? More symbolic, allusive, elusive?

‘Meaning’ in the conventional sense doesn’t quite function in the same way. Language shimmers here, whilst it takes on much more of a solid form in a poem.

What you are trying to say – or what you want the poem to be – matters.

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Other Creative Writing Skills You Need to Know.

All of the above are elements that you will need to decide on with the form of your creative piece – whether a prose poem or a selection of personal essays.

However there are elements of creative writing that go unseen in the finished work. These are the processes of research, planning and editing, which hold the book together and bring it into existence.

Research is everything that happens to a text before it is written into words . It is the ideas, the inspirations, the considerations of style, the factual details and descriptive phrases that you need to pin down and be sure of.

No novel is possible without research.

Planning brings together the research with the framework you will create. How is one event or idea going to follow the next one? And why? And is that the best way to do it?

Once you have finished your writing, you still have more writing to do. That writing is what we conventionally call editing.

Find out about jobs in creative writing !

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Quite informative and highly beneficial contents

The Key Elements of the Creative Process

I have always thought that learning how your brain works is one of the best ways to overcome any resistance or fear of writing as this knowledge with enable you to make the most of your creativity. This is why I want to tell you about the creative process (also known as the search for an idea or solution to a problem) which is an internal battle we all have to fight before we begin to write.

Every creative process goes through four stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.

1. Preparation This first stage may vary slightly depending on whether you know what you want to write about or not. Let’s take a look at an example. Suppose you’re not sure about your story’s details, but you have decided you want to write a war novel. In this case, you can begin with the documentation process. It won’t be a thorough research (that will come later) as you know very little about your story, but you can leaf through books and magazines related to the main topic, watch films and documentaries, go to exhibitions, and interview people. There’s no better starting point.    Now, assuming you don’t know what you want to write about, the most effective method to find a good idea is to do a free search for information where you read, watch, listen to, and learn about anything that interests you. During this phase of the creative process, your mind is similar to an empty cocktail shaker that you can fill with many different ingredients.

2. Incubation The second stage is like “being on holiday.” Your mind is so full of images, sounds, and words that you just have to wait for the results that come from that mixture. When I reach this phase, I feel like a pot about to boil over. I have many things running through my head, but they are unfinished and disjointed.    The solution to this problem is do something like go for a drink with your friends, cook a delicious meal, take a long walk, play sports, paint, etc. It’s up to you! Your subconscious mind works better when you’re relaxed. The only thing you’re allowed to do during this stage is jot down any thoughts about the direction your story can take, but don’t get obsessed with finding it at all costs.

3. Illumination The illumination comes when all the pieces fit together, and you say, “Eureka! I’ve got it!” I’m sure you’re familiar with the experience of when you stop thinking about a problem and do something else (take a shower, go to sleep, attend a family meal, etc.), the solution reveals itself as if by magic. Intuition is sometimes more reliable than logic! Needless to say, when the “eureka” moment arrives, make sure you have a pen and paper handy!

4. Verification In the final stage, you must put your idea to the test by turning it into a story (gather information about the characters and the setting, outline the plot, develop your research, etc.). Don’t worry if you don’t know how to do it because I shall return to this topic later.    For the moment, remember to treat your ideas with respect. They’ll come to you all throughout the creative process, and the worst thing you can do is censor them outright. Creativity is about being able to dream, imagine, and let yourself go just like a child.

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The Practice of Creative Writing

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A friendly, supportive book especially for creative writers Whether you’re a fiction writer, a poet, a playwright, or memoirist, The Practice of Creative Writing teaches the essential techniques for crafting powerful work. Rather than constraining you or your writing, this course embraces creative play, experimentation, and five-minute, flash and micro forms.  Included in this volume are dozens of writing prompts, resources for publishing and presenting your work, and a wide range of engaging samples by popular contemporary authors. Be bold. Write well. Have fun.

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Heather Sellers

Heather Sellers is professor of English in the graduate and undergraduate writing programs at the University of South Florida, where she was honored with a university-wide teaching award. She offers courses for creative writers in hybrid and experimental writing, fiction, memoir, essays, and poetry as well as a course for teachers of creative writing. Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, she earned her PhD in English/Creative Writing at Florida State University. She has taught at New York University, the University of Texas–San Antonio, St. Lawrence University, and for almost two decades, Hope College, where she was elected Professor of the Year. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Fiction and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers award for her short story collection Georgia Under Water, she has published widely in a variety of genres. Her work appears in the New York Times; The Pushcart Prize anthology; The Best American Essays; O, the Oprah Magazine; Good Housekeeping; Reader’s Digest; Parade; Real Simple; On the Seawall; Adroit; Longreads; Creative Nonfiction; and frequently in The Sun Magazine. Her memoir You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know: A True Story of Family, Face Blindness, and Forgiveness was a Michigan Notable Book of the Year and Editor’s Choice at The New York Times Book Review. Other publications include Drinking Girls and Their Dresses: Poems; and Spike and Cubby’s Ice Cream Island Adventure, a children’s book. She lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Her website is heathersellers.com .

Be bold. Write well. Have fun.

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