5 Tips That Will Make You Better at Creative Writing

Do you ever wonder if there’s a way to get better at creative writing? Are you struggling for inspiration while working on your latest novel? Do you wish writing was as easy for you as it seems for other authors? If so, this blog will help. Here is a list of 5 handy tips that will help you to become an even better creative writer. 

1. Let Real Life Inspire You

Truthfully, writing engaging content isn’t easy (no matter how others may make it seem!), especially if it’s fiction-based. Our imaginations can only stretch so far sometimes, so it makes sense to let real life inspire our stories. Next time you are sitting with family or friends, listen carefully to their real life tales and let their stories spark your imagination. 

Sometimes, one of the best things to do when you are stuck for inspiration is to simply venture out in public and be watchful. You might choose to sit at the centre of a bar or cafe and eavesdrop (subtly!) on the people around you, for example. Even different scents, sounds and scenes can often spark a thought or a memory. These things can really help to add a sense of livelihood to your writing.

2. Make Your Characters As Realistic As Possible

If you are stuck on character names, then why not use a name generator to help you decide? When you get writer’s block, sometimes a tool as simple as this helps you to resume writing again. On occasion, a whole character or narrative can be born out of a name. With lots of creative writing, portraying your characters as realistically as possible can really help readers relate to your protagonists. 

3. Read More Often

One of the best sources of inspiration for your own creative writing is other people’s. A surefire way to improve your skills is to study and familiarise yourself with the work of the best in the business. Nothing makes a good writer quite like a good reader. Head down to your local library and immerse yourself in the classics, or the latest bestsellers, and you are bound to pick up a few hints, tips, or ideas about how to make your own creative writing much better. 

4. Keep On Editing

No writer gets things spot on the first time around. It’s important to revise your drafts over and over (and over!). This will ensure your prose is as concise and readable as possible but also allow you to spot any errors. Another bonus that editing provides is the opportunity to add in any additional ideas you may have had since first drafting. If you have dreamt up a new character who needs an introduction, or want to change the direction of where your story is heading, editing provides the perfect opportunity for that. 

5. Challenge Yourself

Don’t just stick to what you know! The only way you will improve as a writer is by challenging yourself to write in new styles or for different audiences. If you have only ever written and traditionally published children’s books, then why not have a go at writing teen fiction or self publishing a nonfiction memoir, for example? Limiting yourself to a certain genre can often be restrictive when it comes to helping your writing develop and evolve. It’s important to keep challenging yourself and your creativity to help you become a better writer.

If ‘5 Tips That Will Make You Better at Creative Writing’ has been useful, click the links below for more writing related posts:

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