As compared to other forms of writing, creative writing is a much more mind intensive activity. Generally, various degrees of thinking are required by writing but there is a particularly complex level of thinking needed when it comes to creative writing. Regardless of the topic, as a creative writer, you must have your creative juices flowing in order to ensure that you produce a good if not a great piece of work.
Creative Writing Notes
It is recommended that you commit to writing as much as possible on a regular basis. You can break it up into a series of sessions. Write, write a little bit more, and then some more. Let your mind and hand dictate how much and how long each writing session should last.
When you hit a writer’s block, it is highly recommended that you take a break and return after a short breather. Alternatively, you can also choose to overcome it by writing about something else or simply by taking a short creative writing class. The purpose of writing something else is to get the flow unclogged. Keep it short if you need to take a break. A prolonged break is not recommended as it can make it more difficult for you to take-off from where you left off.
You don’t have to be tidy and neat about where and when to stop. In fact, you should stop in the middle of a sentence since it will allow you to come back and just go on and finish the sentence. When you don’t have to think of a new sentence, re-connecting becomes easier. However, you need to be comfortable with your re-connections and breaks.
Creative Writing Checkpoints
The above-mentioned notes will guide you towards completing your work. However, there are two critical checkpoints that will determine the quality of your work. These include the following:
Editing
Reviewing the parts of the story would be helpful as you write it. However, once you have finished the story, it is recommended that you review the written work as a whole with a view to making as much improvement to it as possible. Is the storyline flowing as intended? Is there anything impeding the flow? Is the story unfolding in a way you envisioned? Can you remove the part impeding the flow? If not, how can you improve it?
Proofreading
Proofreading is all about checking and re-checking the written content for any errors either in grammar or spelling. It is recommended that you correct the errors as you spot them since doing it later can make it very difficult for you as there is a possibility that you will ignore them due to being familiar with them. Although you can proofread your own work, it is recommended that you get someone else to do it as well. As a creative writer, you know what you want to write. You write what you think you want to create. However, sometimes it may not be possible for you to spot your own mistakes. That’s why hiring someone else to proofread is beneficial.
Creative writing, whether it’s creative writing for a career or creative writing for primary school – requires dedication and hard work. Keeping the above-mentioned checkpoints and notes will help you achieve your goal in an efficient manner.
