How to Plan a Creative Writing Piece
Select a format., Think of a topic., Consider adaptation., Identify your main themes., Develop an outline., Dive right in., Start anywhere you like., Write your own way., Grab the reader's attention., Present memorable characters., Select a time and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select a format.
There are many kinds of creative writing, each of which has its advantages.
Experiment with various forms until you find which ones you enjoy most.
Novels.
The novel is one of the most popular forms of creative writing, and also one of the most challenging.
A novel is a large project, with most novels containing at least 50,000 words.
Any topic can be the subject of a novel.
Certain types of novels are so popular that they belong to their own category, or genre.
Examples of genre fiction are romance, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy.
Short stories.
A work of fiction under 7,500 words is usually considered a short story.
A short story usually has all of the elements of a novel, including a structured plot.
However, experimental forms of short stories like flash fiction do away with ordinary narrative conventions and can take almost any form the author chooses.
Blogs.
The word blog is a shortened form of the term web log, which can refer to any type of writing that is published regularly on the internet.
Blogs can be stories, factual pieces, or diaries.
Poetry.
Poetry can take any number of forms, from traditional rhyming couplets to modern free-form verse.
Poets typically develop their own unique writing style and write about any topic imaginable, from situations and emotions to current events or social commentary.
Screenplays or stage plays.
These are detailed scripts written for a film or a play.
This form of writing has very specific rules about structure and formatting, but the subject matter can be anything you like. -
Step 2: Think of a topic.
Inspiration can come from any number of places, and at any time.
Some writers keep a small notebook handy to jot down ideas for future stories.Keep your eyes open for compelling stories in the news that could provide a starting point.
Draw on an interesting or unusual event that happened in your own life.
Search the web for “writing prompts” and you'll find lots of ideas to get you going, suggested by other writers. , A common variety of writing is adaptation, where the author bases the idea for their piece on an existing work.
Think about the plot to a book or film you enjoyed that would be interesting to see handled in a different way or with a different type of ending.
Use your imagination to approach the topic in an entirely new way, so that your work is uniquely your own.
The popular 1990's teen movie Clueless is a modern adaptation of Jane Austin's classic novel Emma.
The classic Greek myth The Odyssey has been re-imagined in countless ways, including the Coen Brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou? Many authors have adapted its basic story structure of a hero's quest.
Stories about vampires are all loosely adapted from Mary Shelley's Dracula, but many different writers have put their own unique spin on the concept. , What do you want to say? How do you want your reader to feel when they finish reading your piece? Is there an important social, philosophical, or environmental concept that you would like to convey?Salinger's Catcher in the Rye contains themes of alienation and coming of age.
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series addresses themes of courage, and the triumph of good over evil.
Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy plays with themes about the absurdity of life, the interconnectedness of all things, and how seemingly minor incidents can have huge consequences. , Many writers find that it helps to plan their piece before they begin writing.
If you are writing a fiction piece, you might want to plan out all your major characters and plot points.
If you are writing a non-fiction piece, research the subject carefully and then list the major ideas you want to address. , Try not to overthink things, or you might have difficulty getting started.
Once you know what you want to write, just begin writing. , You don't have to start writing a piece at the beginning.
You can work on any portion of the piece that appeals to you right now.
You could also think of how you want to end the article or story, and then think about how to want to get there. , If writing the complete piece seems daunting, consider writing individual scenes and then piecing them together as you go.
The more you write, the more familiar you will become with the methods that work best for you., Avoid excessive introductory passages, and get to the main subject or action of your article or story right away.Kurt Vonnegut grabs the reader's attention at the start of Slaughterhouse-Five quite simply, by saying, “All this happened, more or less.” Tolstoy summed up the main theme of his novel Anna Karenina in its very first sentence: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” , If your reader doesn't care what happens to your characters, they will soon lose interest in the story.
Avoid stereotypes at all costs, and try to create multi-dimensional characters that have individual personalities and complex emotions.If you are writing a work of fiction, each of your main characters has something they want, which motivates them to make the choices that drive the plot forward.
If you are writing a non-fiction work about an actual person or event, include specific details about the key players to make them more interesting to your reader. , A great story can be set anywhere you can imagine, in any time period you like.
Sometimes combining unexpected elements will lead to a fresh new take on the subject.
Think of a familiar place you encounter every day, but set the story 100 years in the future – or 1,000.
Set your story in the modern day world, but change one very key element – imagine that dinosaurs never went extinct, electricity was never invented, or aliens have taken over the planet. , Think about the type of person who will be reading this particular piece, and write just for them.
Don't try to please everybody, or your writing will end up feeling watered-down and lifeless.If you are writing something for the young adult market, focus on the things that matter most to teens and don't worry about whether older adults will like it.
If you want to write a particular type of fiction, like westerns or sci-fi, read the most popular works in that genre to understand what its readers expect.
Not everyone will appreciate your sense of humor, and that's okay – be yourself, and let your work speak to those who do. , If the idea of writing a piece seems daunting, break the work down into smaller, manageable steps.
Starting in on a small task is less intimidating, and you will get a boost of confidence every time you complete a small goal., Try to find a specific day or time of day when you are usually free to write, and promise yourself you will sit down and write on a regular schedule.
You might plan to write for two hours every day, or to complete a minimum number of words by Saturday afternoon., Just try to get words onto the page, and don't worry if they are good or not.
Avoid writer's block by reminding yourself that you can always go back and change things later., Determine how much time you will need to write your piece, to ensure you have allotted enough time to write.
Then stick to your schedule and try not to stress over the deadline. , If you feel yourself getting bogged down by details, try to reconnect with your original concept and why you chose to write that piece in the first place. , Join a local writer's group, or seek out other writers online.
For example, NaNoWriMo is an annual event that challenges writers to complete a novel in the month of November. -
Step 3: Consider adaptation.
-
Step 4: Identify your main themes.
-
Step 5: Develop an outline.
-
Step 6: Dive right in.
-
Step 7: Start anywhere you like.
-
Step 8: Write your own way.
-
Step 9: Grab the reader's attention.
-
Step 10: Present memorable characters.
-
Step 11: Select a time and setting that appeal to you.
-
Step 12: Know your audience.
-
Step 13: Set reasonable goals.
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Step 14: Make writing a habit.
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Step 15: If you get stuck
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Step 16: write anything.
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Step 17: Try not to focus too much on your deadlines.
-
Step 18: Remember the big picture.
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Step 19: Communicate with other writers.
Detailed Guide
There are many kinds of creative writing, each of which has its advantages.
Experiment with various forms until you find which ones you enjoy most.
Novels.
The novel is one of the most popular forms of creative writing, and also one of the most challenging.
A novel is a large project, with most novels containing at least 50,000 words.
Any topic can be the subject of a novel.
Certain types of novels are so popular that they belong to their own category, or genre.
Examples of genre fiction are romance, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy.
Short stories.
A work of fiction under 7,500 words is usually considered a short story.
A short story usually has all of the elements of a novel, including a structured plot.
However, experimental forms of short stories like flash fiction do away with ordinary narrative conventions and can take almost any form the author chooses.
Blogs.
The word blog is a shortened form of the term web log, which can refer to any type of writing that is published regularly on the internet.
Blogs can be stories, factual pieces, or diaries.
Poetry.
Poetry can take any number of forms, from traditional rhyming couplets to modern free-form verse.
Poets typically develop their own unique writing style and write about any topic imaginable, from situations and emotions to current events or social commentary.
Screenplays or stage plays.
These are detailed scripts written for a film or a play.
This form of writing has very specific rules about structure and formatting, but the subject matter can be anything you like.
Inspiration can come from any number of places, and at any time.
Some writers keep a small notebook handy to jot down ideas for future stories.Keep your eyes open for compelling stories in the news that could provide a starting point.
Draw on an interesting or unusual event that happened in your own life.
Search the web for “writing prompts” and you'll find lots of ideas to get you going, suggested by other writers. , A common variety of writing is adaptation, where the author bases the idea for their piece on an existing work.
Think about the plot to a book or film you enjoyed that would be interesting to see handled in a different way or with a different type of ending.
Use your imagination to approach the topic in an entirely new way, so that your work is uniquely your own.
The popular 1990's teen movie Clueless is a modern adaptation of Jane Austin's classic novel Emma.
The classic Greek myth The Odyssey has been re-imagined in countless ways, including the Coen Brothers' O Brother Where Art Thou? Many authors have adapted its basic story structure of a hero's quest.
Stories about vampires are all loosely adapted from Mary Shelley's Dracula, but many different writers have put their own unique spin on the concept. , What do you want to say? How do you want your reader to feel when they finish reading your piece? Is there an important social, philosophical, or environmental concept that you would like to convey?Salinger's Catcher in the Rye contains themes of alienation and coming of age.
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series addresses themes of courage, and the triumph of good over evil.
Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy plays with themes about the absurdity of life, the interconnectedness of all things, and how seemingly minor incidents can have huge consequences. , Many writers find that it helps to plan their piece before they begin writing.
If you are writing a fiction piece, you might want to plan out all your major characters and plot points.
If you are writing a non-fiction piece, research the subject carefully and then list the major ideas you want to address. , Try not to overthink things, or you might have difficulty getting started.
Once you know what you want to write, just begin writing. , You don't have to start writing a piece at the beginning.
You can work on any portion of the piece that appeals to you right now.
You could also think of how you want to end the article or story, and then think about how to want to get there. , If writing the complete piece seems daunting, consider writing individual scenes and then piecing them together as you go.
The more you write, the more familiar you will become with the methods that work best for you., Avoid excessive introductory passages, and get to the main subject or action of your article or story right away.Kurt Vonnegut grabs the reader's attention at the start of Slaughterhouse-Five quite simply, by saying, “All this happened, more or less.” Tolstoy summed up the main theme of his novel Anna Karenina in its very first sentence: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” , If your reader doesn't care what happens to your characters, they will soon lose interest in the story.
Avoid stereotypes at all costs, and try to create multi-dimensional characters that have individual personalities and complex emotions.If you are writing a work of fiction, each of your main characters has something they want, which motivates them to make the choices that drive the plot forward.
If you are writing a non-fiction work about an actual person or event, include specific details about the key players to make them more interesting to your reader. , A great story can be set anywhere you can imagine, in any time period you like.
Sometimes combining unexpected elements will lead to a fresh new take on the subject.
Think of a familiar place you encounter every day, but set the story 100 years in the future – or 1,000.
Set your story in the modern day world, but change one very key element – imagine that dinosaurs never went extinct, electricity was never invented, or aliens have taken over the planet. , Think about the type of person who will be reading this particular piece, and write just for them.
Don't try to please everybody, or your writing will end up feeling watered-down and lifeless.If you are writing something for the young adult market, focus on the things that matter most to teens and don't worry about whether older adults will like it.
If you want to write a particular type of fiction, like westerns or sci-fi, read the most popular works in that genre to understand what its readers expect.
Not everyone will appreciate your sense of humor, and that's okay – be yourself, and let your work speak to those who do. , If the idea of writing a piece seems daunting, break the work down into smaller, manageable steps.
Starting in on a small task is less intimidating, and you will get a boost of confidence every time you complete a small goal., Try to find a specific day or time of day when you are usually free to write, and promise yourself you will sit down and write on a regular schedule.
You might plan to write for two hours every day, or to complete a minimum number of words by Saturday afternoon., Just try to get words onto the page, and don't worry if they are good or not.
Avoid writer's block by reminding yourself that you can always go back and change things later., Determine how much time you will need to write your piece, to ensure you have allotted enough time to write.
Then stick to your schedule and try not to stress over the deadline. , If you feel yourself getting bogged down by details, try to reconnect with your original concept and why you chose to write that piece in the first place. , Join a local writer's group, or seek out other writers online.
For example, NaNoWriMo is an annual event that challenges writers to complete a novel in the month of November.
About the Author
Cheryl Collins
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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