Even with all the advancements in technology and science, the written word still holds amazing power over the minds and actions of people. From writing a sales https://essayzoo.org/ copy to a manifesto, you can convince people to say or do anything. There are many types of writing that you can try your hand at, but creative writing holds a special place because of its nature. No cap on subjects, no general rules, and no limitation on your treatment of both the language and subjects. That’s why art plays a major role in helping writers gain their voice and stand out among their peers.
In this blog, we will take a look at the elements that define creative writing and then go through the applications before summarizing the discussion.
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Defining Creative Writing Through its Elements
Unlike other scientific terms and phenomena, creative writing is a hard thing to define. Experts define the term through different lenses. Some believe that any writing is creative writing since it stems from the mind of a writer. Others believe it is a formal type of writing that has to fulfill certain conditions.
The best way to explain or define creative writing is through its elements. Like the building blocks of a structure, we can define the term by discussing the core elements it is made of. As a writer, you can use art as a source and rely on these elements to bring your writing to life!
Characters
Creative writing is supposed to move the readers so it has to have some humane elements. This is where characters make their way into the story. The characters are the people who inhabit stories and essays and endure and do things that define the story, other characters, and the moral of the story. What makes characters important in writing is their relatability to readers.
Environmental Factors
When a story unfolds through different characters, it takes place in a distinct place. Environmental factors are also described as the scene and surroundings. Your character walking through a corporate building or a deserted trail makes a lot of difference to the story. It depends on your treatment of the story whether it can have a single or multiple scenes and surroundings for its entirety.
Plot
Whenever someone hears the word “plot”, they get either confused or stoked to talk about it. In simple terms, a plot is a series of events that the characters go through from the beginning to the end. It does not matter if you are a seasoned writer or a newbie, you need to pay special heed to this element to ensure that all the bases of the writing are covered. Loose plots can leave a nasty taste in the minds of the readers.
Conflict
Action movies have this trope that drives the main character or protagonist to do or achieve something. The opposing force or antagonist goes head to head with the protagonist taking the narrative forward, and driving the plot. It is a necessity of any creative writing piece because no one is interested in reading about the boring daily routines of fictional people unless they are soldiers, spies, or persons going through special circumstances.
Writing Style
Another important element of creative writing is the style. Being an essayist or a fiction writer, you need to develop a distinct voice and style. Think about the last time you bought the book of your favorite author. Did you go through the reviews? In most cases, you didn’t bother because you were stoked to read the amazing prose in his signature style. This is the importance of having a distinct style. If you are planning on making your mark in the world of creative writing, you ought to develop one. Remember that there is no need to stress this fact. Try to write naturally and incorporate literary devices in your writing and soon you will have a style of your own.
Point of View
Think of yourself sitting in a big hall with hundreds of other people. Although you all are in a distinct space at a specific time, what you can see can be a lot different than the rest of the attendees. That’s why your description of the party and what went down can be poles apart from other accounts. Point of view is an essential part of creative writing because it gives a distinct character and voice to the whole narrative.
There are three popular points of view – first, second, and third person. Depending on your choice and the treatment of the subject matter, you can employ either or multiple POVs in different chapters.
Application of Elements in Creative Writing
When you are new to creative writing, it can be difficult to steer through elements and come up with something meaningful. Using a piece of art as inspiration is a great way to get started. You can create something unique and exciting by making the back story or sequel of what the piece shows. For instance, you can write a short story on what happened before or after The Last Supper or the Birth of Jesus. Depending how you want to treat the source material is up to you but you have the ingredients to make something original!
Here are some of the different aspects of application that you can use in your creative writing.
Observation
One of the reasons why art is important is because it makes things to come at a halt. You are passing through a gallery and you see a portrait that will make you stop and admire the painter. By observing the brush stroke, the selection of color, and inter-play of other elements, you can get a lot, even about the mental or psychological state of the painter.
If you are looking for a mental exercise, you can ask several questions to get things started.
- Explaining the painting in only five words
- What color combination makes you feel
- Single or multiple focal points
- How does it act with the surroundings
Based on the answers to these questions, you can build a lot on the creative base of the paintings and other works of art.
Interpretation
The reason why art is called so is because of its subjectivity and its openness to interpretation. Critics and experts have interpreted and re-interpreted classic and modern pieces with different perspectives. As a creative writer, you have to shed off naivete and get at the helm of things. Instead of just observing for what it is, go into the details of how it can change other things. Before rushing to the interpretation, give yourself time and go through what others have written on the same subject. This way, you can explore certain angles that were missed by others!
Communication
Once you have covered the initial bases of observation and interpretation, it is time to put these two into text. There is no need to confine the findings to yourself. Rather, share them with like-minded people. A lot of online forums and channels are dedicated to creative writing based on art and culture and you can share your take on these. At this point, you might be exploding with new ideas and thoughts so sharing them with others can help you sorting which ones are worth pursuing further. Keep in mind that communicating clearly and openly is the key because otherwise you will miss alot on the opportunity.
Creation
When all the three applications are done, you will have a rough structure to begin with. You will know the direction you want to go and the characters you want to explore through your creative writing. Here are some of the exercises and prompts that you can use to kick-start the process:
- Tell a story from the points of view of both protagonist and antagonist highlighting their values and characteristics
- Think of yourself as something inanimate: a tree or a pencil, and then write from that thing’s perspective
- Consider yourself as the alter-ego of your protagonist and then write about the change of the situation
- Introduce a twist to the story through dialogues between two characters
- Think of yourself as a mentally unstable person and narrate things through the lenses
Summing Up the Discussion
A persisting problem with new writers is that they lack a moving subject in their writings. When you base your writing on art, you have a solid foundation that can help you get better at different literary elements. Through core elements and their applications, you will be able to create moving pieces of creative writing and carve a die-hard fanbase for yourself. This blog post is all about how you get from the point of uncertainty and despair to success and adulation!
Michael Chandler is a senior editor at Eduwriter.ai – a reputed AI essay writer app. His favorite pastime activities are reading classics and writing essays on art and culture.