Creative Writing - A Beginners Note

Any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic and technical forms of writings. Novels, epics, short stories, poems, Screen writing and play writing also falls into the category of Creative Writing. Creative writing is also treated as a study program which trains individuals to perfect their skills in writing. Creative writing is a more contemporary and process oriented name for what has been known as literature. Creative writing is believed to focus on student’s self-expression. Creative writing has evolved into a discrete discipline now offered through BFA’s (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and MFA’s (Master of Fine Arts). The courses are kind of bridge between the artistic pursuits and academic study. Creative writing students are encouraged to get involved in extra-curricular writing based activities such as publishing clubs, school based literary magazines or newspapers, writing contests, writing colonies or conventions and extended educational classes.  Creative writing is taught in a workshop format rather than seminar style. Some notable terms that crop up in these sessions are – peer critique, format, re-writing, editing, structural techniques, genres, idea generating, unblocking the writer’s block. There are two main arguments supporting creative writing as an academic program

1)      It helps to improve the writing skills of learners.

2)    It also enables an in-depth study of literary terms and mechanisms that can be applied.  (Instead of learning about the literary terms it is be better to use the same in creative adventures of our own.)

Some academicians feel that creative reading should go hand in hand with creative writing. The former gives the necessary boost to the writer. Creative writing makes us wake up.  Creative Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood from your forehead. Creative writing is a kind of writing that uses language in imaginative and bold ways. Creative writing falls into two main categories fiction and non – fiction. Fiction is writing that tells about made-up events and characters. Novels and short stories are examples of fiction. Fiction that contains imaginary situations and characters that are very similar to real life is called realistic fiction. Nonfiction is a type of writing about real people and events. Essays, biographies, autobiographies and articles are all examples of nonfiction.