Creative Writing, Freewriting

     What is Creative Writing? Can it be learnt? I've been asked these questions over and over again. In journalistic writing and report writing you just need to convey basic information but when you need to express your thoughts, feelings and emotions then that's where Creative Writing comes in handy. And yes you can learn to be creative and write creatively. All you need to do is to start.

      In the first lesson on Creative Writing, I usually start by talking about the magic of words.  Students are encouraged to respond and not be afraid of giving wrong answers or saying something foolish. I usually start by saying "Words are magical. We see them everywhere, you hear them, in fact we're inundated with them and yet I say words are like magic”. Where do we see words? In the library, the newspapers, hoardings about, books, magazines, the internet. We hear words on television, the radio, in the cinema, when we talk to each other, and even in our heads.

     And why are words magical? The answers come tumbling out - "Because it helps you to communicate" "you can tell someone your thoughts".  Can you make someone feel good with your words? Yes. Can you make someone feel bad by making some remarks? Yes. Can words help you to mask your feelings? Yes. And if your words can be translated you can communicate with the whole world, books that you write can be read by the future generations just as we are able to read the works of great writers and poets of the past.

   

    

Freewriting

     Freewriting is a great tool to help overcome writers’ block. You could compare this to brainstorming. This is something that can be done everyday, particularly when you’re in a writing slump. This is a great exercise to help you declutter your mind and release your creativity. You can start writing about anything. The main thing is to write continuously without lifting the pen off the paper. Put all your thoughts down, even random ones and pay no attention to grammar, or sentence structure, punctuation etc.

   You can freewrite for five to fifteen minutes. You can use a word as a prompt or a picture or even a song lyric. Keep a timer and keep writing until the buzzer goes off. Freewriting can also help you at an emotional level. Feeling low, depressed, angry, ashamed? Freewrite about it and release the demons. If you can’t find pen and paper you could try typing it out.

     Those who’ve never tried freewriting will find it a little strange at first. Try it at least a couple of times during the week for about five to ten minutes each time. Keep writing every day, even if it’s just one page at a time. Let me know what the experience was like.

   The Secret of Happiness

   Words are magical, oh yes I’ve already said that right? But do you know that the secret of happiness lies in the following eight words? Oops the words are jumbled up. Here they are:

 Tomorrow - Today - Live - For - Better - Working - A – While

   If you figure it out (it’s quite easy) then let me know.

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   Thought for the Day:

 I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning.' Peter De Vries).