Creative writing is writing of any kind that is different from normal literacy concepts. Often it is a form of writing expressing the feelings of the author in a unique way. This guide pertains specifically to creative writing for fiction but there is no reason why non-fiction cannot be creative as well, or indeed why this guide cannot be used.
The question to think about for a beginner to creative writing is how creative to be. Unfortunately, that is not an easy question to answer. The more practice and experience a writer has, the better they know their own writing style and how to adapt that to a given situation. Creative writing is perhaps one of the easiest ways for new writes to express themselves and discover their own personal writing style. This viewpoint supports the idea that being as creative as you feel is the right approach to take.
Some key points to consider:
Be creative
The more creative you are, the more unique your writing becomes. Using cliched phrases is something to avoid. Try to use your own words to convey the same imagery. For example, instead of using the cliched metaphor "raining cats and dogs", create something yourself that feels natural to your writing style.
Pay Attention to Detail
Be very specific and explain anything the target audience may not understand. Solid research here comes to great use and don't be afraid to a use a didactic approach to your writing where appropriate. Description should be used to engage the reader and get their imagination working. Think very carefully when your write. If you see a cracked red brick wall about 5 feet high covered with graffiti, write with that amount of detail rather than just saying "a brick wall".
Brush up on Technical Skills
Being creative as a writer is important for those who want to write fiction but learning basic punctuation and rules of grammar makes what you write a whole lot easier for others to understand.
Take Risks
All writers will face rejection at some stage. Being creative means taking risks. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t.
Express Yourself!
Be clear in what you are trying to communicate and do it in the words that come naturally to you. Good writing is not necessarily complicated sentence structures and fancy use of linguistics. The word choices you make are very important as selecting a 'big' word in favour of a simpler word you are more confident using could create an inverse effect and end up sounding awkward, forced, or unnatural within your individual writing style.
