Teacher Guide to Creative Writing
Creative writing can be both fun and rewarding. It gives you the chance to get creative and use your imagination in a positive way - hopefully by producing something that allows you to escape to somewhere new. Writing in this way is open to experimentation, although there are some basic guidelines you should follow to produce the best creative piece you can.
Look for inspiration - Practically any object, person or place can be used as inspiration for your piece. Even pieces of music can get your thinking juices flowing - giving you the chance to create something unique and special. Even if you don't intend on getting your worked published, it's still great fun to explore different thoughts and ideas.
Have patience - Even the greatest authors start off small - with one or two ideas as the basis of their creative writing piece - so you shouldn't be too critical of yourself. You will probably pick up new ideas that you can combine with your initial thoughts to make something worthwhile eventually, but this process does take time.
Re-visit your piece regularly - You may already know from reading novels that it is very difficult to restart halfway through a book after a period spent away from it. Generally, this rule applies to creative writing, and you can get 'rusty' and lose your passion for the piece after a time without returning to it.
Even if you only have 15 minutes a day, this is better than nothing. Try and keep the themes fresh in your mind, even if you don't add anything.
Don't be scared - If you get an idea but feel unsure about it: write it down anyway. You can always get rid of it eventually if you're 100% certain you don't want it in your creative work, but there's nothing worse than omitting something and then wanting it back, as you may be unable to recall exactly what it was.
If there's no time limit, don't make one! If there's no deadline for finalizing your work, avoid implementing one: this will only make things stressful. There is an art to writing creatively, and it should be enjoyed. Take your time and give your thoughts chance to mature before using them.
Re-read, re-read, re-read - Read it over again. And again. And again. No matter how many times you read your creative work, you are likely to make changes for the better. It's of key importance to look over your piece, delete parts, add bits here and there, and check your grammar, spelling and punctuation. If you wish for it to be published and you don't manage to the first time around, don't scrap it straight away; see what modifications you can make, and you may strike the jackpot next time, or the time after!
The above guidelines should be loosely adhered to in order to be successful when writing in a creative style. Improvise when you feel this is suitable, but try and work in concordance with these simple rules when you can - they should help you on the road to success.
Related Teacher Resources That Are Worth A Look:
- Creative Writing and Storytelling Ideas
- "No More Words"
- Quick Teacher's Guide to Teaching Writing
- Teaching Creative Writing
- Ten Creative Writing Activities