Creative Writing

I’ve always liked writing poetry, but was told from early on that rhyming poetry was a sure sign of being an amateur. That nearly killed the poet inside me. I was devastated to say the least. But, I kept on writing my poems and learning about the craft.

That’s when I found a different poetry style that I actually felt comfortable writing. Personally, I’m not that good at free verse. I feel like I’m stumbling over the words, because there is no rhyme or reason to them, no pun intended.

This style is called a Cinquain, and it’s incredibly easy to do. There is a basic structure to the Cinquain, that goes as follows:

Line 1=2 syllables
Line 2=4 syllables
Line 3=6 syllables
Line 4=8 syllables
Line 5=2 syllables

The Cinquain can be written with any theme or topic you choose. Whatever your personal style may be, you can write a Cinquain. For instance, your Cinquain can be silly:

Monkey
Sitting so still
Waiting for the right time
Entertaining the laughing crowd
For change

Or, you can write a Cinquain that is totally serious:

Sorrow
Cries in the night
Another child is lost
Seduced by a chemical love
Of drugs

Your Cinquain can be about life in general or things in nature:

Thunder
Shaking the sky
Warning of things to come
Echoing through the darkened night
Rolling

Or your Cinquain can be all about love:

True Love
One that will last
Like the stars in the sky
Forever between lovers hearts
As one

It can even have a more artistic feel to it:

Stories
Tales of life
Worded works of great art
Characters that seem more than real
Timeless

In a nutshell, Cinquains are a way for any writer to express themselves, no matter what they have to say. It’s an easy form of poetry, and flows very nice. This is one of my favorite forms of poetry today.

When I first started writing online, I was writing poetry. Now mind you, my poetry is rhyming verse. I’ve been writing in this style since I was in junior high school, and absolutely loved it. I’ve got hundreds of notebooks and binders filled with my poems, but when I tried to find a place for them online, I was quickly told that rhyming poetry is a sure sign of being an amateur. I was devistated.

I tried writing free verse after that, but found out immediately that I sucked at it. So, I thought my days as a poet were over. That’s when it came to me. Rhyming poetry would be a great way to break into the greeting card market. I’ve always been one of those people who stood in the greeting card isle for hours reading all the cards. So, I started submitting my prose to every greeting card company I could find an address for. I also found out that the greeting card industry is filled with a lot of tough competition.

I was just about ready to give up when it came to me to do my own greeting cards. The cool thing is that anyone can do this. Doesn’t matter whether you want to do e-cards or if you’re looking to create actual greeting cards. All it takes is a few creative lines and some ingenuity.

The first thing you want to think about is who you’re creating the cards for. Are they going to be birthday cards, sympathy cards, or just a little something to say hi? The best part about this is that you can make greeting cards for ANY occasion. I’ve even seen some that say Congratulations on your Divorce.

If you can put together a few poetic lines, you can make your own greeting cards. You can go so far as to put together a webpage and sell them online. If you can make cards that are just off the wall enough, you’ll have people knocking down your virtual door to get to them. As far as the card design, that’s totally up to you. You can go with a good printer and some free clip-art pieces. Or, you can glue little pieces of fabric or whatever and create “hand-made” cards. It’s amazing what people will look for online.

If you’re one of the people out there who have a knack for writing rhyming poetry, but aren’t sure what to do with it, try creating your own greeting cards. Who says rhyming poetry is amateurish. Greeting card companies are making millions of dollars every year because of it. Who knows, you could be the next Hallmark on the block.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, I get a few of my ideas from the keyword searches for my site (sites). As I was going through my search word list, I found that someone had looked up the term “How do I create a creative writing blog”. That got me to thinking, and I’ve come up with a few things that a person may want to do if thinking about creating their own site. First of all, please understand that I do not think of myself as an expert. I’m simply someone who’s been working on this for the past 10 years online. I can’t promise that what I’m about to tell you will make you successful, because if it does, please tell me how you did it. However, I can tell you that the following has worked for me.

Throw “What You Know” out the window–From the first time I started writing online, I visited every site/forum/message board I could find. And on each of those sites, I was told to write what I know. For someone just getting started, this is great advice, but I quickly found that this really limited my options for publications. So, I started looking into topics that I knew nothing about. Guess what, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

The bigger picture–Creating a creative writing blog doesn’t just have to be about creative writing as a whole. There are a lot of topics within this one topic. For instance, you could write about creative poetry or writing creative non-fiction. You could do a creative writing blog on romance stories or ideas for creative fantasy stories. Sometimes, the more narrow you’re topic, the better.

Talk up, not down–Don’t assume that any of your readers are new to the craft. In fact, it’s a good idea to write as if you’re talking to a room full of experts. Why? Because you’re readers will be able to tell if you’re talking down to them. Remember that you’re readers are also your fellow writers. They’re probably looking more for new ideas than for ways to become a creative writer. Just talk to your readers as though you’re all sitting down to coffee together.

It’s not all make believe–Not all creative writers are fiction writers. In fact, in order to write non-fiction, you’ve got to be very creative in your wording and your ideas. I’ve written both fiction and non-fiction, and I’ve found that fiction is usually easier. When writing non-fiction, you’ve got to be able to stand out from the rest of the pack, without copying someone else’s work.

Be true to you–If you’re going to put together a creative writing blog, remember to just be yourself. You don’t have to try and be the most intelligent person online, nor do you have to know all the biggest words in the dictionary. You only have pass on the information you’ve picked up in your own experiences. You’ll find that within a short amount of time, you’ll have a small following of readers who will look forward to each and every post, and will offer their own insights. Before you know it, you’ve created a creative writing blog and a great writing resource that will last for years to come.

Up to this point, I’ve only talked about ways for you to tap into your creative side.  But, when I came across this, I had to pass it along.  I got a comment in my last post from a gentleman who wanted me to check out his site, but really didn’t want to bang it out there because it might look like spam.  That really caught my attention and I feel that I must repay his kindness.  The site is called CompletelyNovel.com, and looks like it could become a great social resource for all writers.  The one thing that I do need to mention is that this site is currently by invitation only.  However, you can fill out the form on the homepage in order to be added to their waiting list. 

Here’s the thing, though.  They are currently holding a free writing competition through September 1st, for all writers over the age of 18.  The theme for this contest is “And now for something completely different…”.  I love it.  Gotta love Monty Python.  Basically, they are looking for stories about change, imagination, and innovation.  The stories cannot be more than 2500 words, and must be previously unpublished.  The 5 top stories will have be published in the first ever CompletelyNovel anthology.  Plus, the winning authors will have the chance to publish any other manuscript.  This includes typesetting, file converstion, and even 10 paperback copies of your book.

Finally, I’ve got to talk about the CompletelyNovel blog.  You don’t have to be invited to enjoy this part of the site.  Here, you really get a chance to “meet” the people behind the website.  You’ll also find interesting news and tidbits of writing information among the posts.  The site is relatively new, but from what I can see, this is going to be a great resource for writers. 

No matter what genre you write, one thing is certain for all writers.  You’ve got to hone your skills on a constant basis.  So, how do you do this?  Well, that depends on the person.  Some people like to write poetry, some write editorials, while others simply write letters.  One of the ways I work on my creative skills is by writing reviews.

Writing reviews is a great way to work on your creative side.  So, what should you review?  Anything you want.  Review your favorite t.v. show.  Talk about the characters, the plot line, the actors, anything that has to do with the show.  You can review a recent movie you’ve seen in theaters, or one you’ve rented and taken home.  There are a ton of things that can be reviewed.  Me, I review commercials, among other things.

Want to get really creative?  Review something you’d never normally think of.  For instance, review the way your mail carrier delivers the mail, or review the cashier at your local grocers.  They might think you’re a little nuts for watching them, but who cares, you’re a writer.  We’ve always been thought of as a little eccentric.

Here’s one for you, review a local sports team.  This can be your child’s little league team, or a favorite college team.  You can even review your favorite professional team.  Doesn’t matter, just try your hand at reviewing.  It’s actually a lot of fun.  And the best part is that if you get good enough at it, you can actually make a few bucks in the process.

Next time you’re sitting there staring at a blank computer screen or sheet of paper, and can’t think of a thing to write about, write a review.  If nothing else, review yourself.  It will get you writing, and will get your creative side moving.

When was the last time you really challenged your creative side?  I don’t mean tried to write a hundred articles in a single day, but really challenged the limits of your own potential?  I recently had the chance to do just that.  I was hired to write 15 articles about a subject I knew nothing about, well almost nothing.  I had to write 15 articles about cellulite.

The thing about this was that I knew very little about the subject.  I knew what it was for the most part, I knew why I had it, and I knew that it wouldn’t have been my first choice in article topics.  But, I took the gig and began doing my research.  I read everything I could find on medical websites, health and fitness sites, even exercise equipment sites.  If it had to do with cellulite, I was reading it.  When I had finished the articles, I knew more about cellulite than I ever wanted to know.  But, I had learned something.

Being a creative writer isn’t something only meant for fiction writers.  Those who write non-fiction sometimes have to be even more creative.  The non-fiction genre is a tough crowd.  There is a lot of competition and everyone is out to top everyone else.  In order to be part of the game, you not only have to know what your talking about, you have to do it in a way that makes you stand out.  That’s the hardest part.

Whatever you write, I challenge you to go above and beyond what you’ve done so far.  Challenge yourselves to move beyond the “what you know” scene and become informed about any subject you know nothing about.  Once you’ve broke that boundary, I challenge you to do it again.

Creativity is what makes us human.  Since the dawn of modern man, it’s been our creativity that has brought us to where we are today.  They say necessity is the mother of invention.  But I believe that creativity is the mother of identity.  Our earliest ancestors set themselves apart from the rest of the animal kingdom through their creative ideas.

Many people don’t believe they have a creative bone in their bodies.  I’m not buying it.  Everybody is good at something, and when you’re good at something, you tend to find creative ways to work with it.  Carpenters find creative ways to brighten up a home.  Farmers find creative ways to work their fields.  Athletes find creative ways to make the game more interesting.

As creative writers, we have the best of both worlds.  Not only do we have the ability to find creative ways to express our emotions, we can create whole new worlds.  We can create ways to promote ourselves and we can create ways to vent our frustrations.  We can create fantasies for the world to share.

One of the greatest creations in the history of man was when we created a system of writing.  It gave us the power to communicate, to motivate, and to assimilate our way through the ages.  So tell me, my friend, what do you create?

I apologize for not posting for so long, but I was going through a bit of a dry spell.  Yes, you can even run out of creative ideas on creative ideas.  However, I got a chance to go out and find some new creative ideas.  How?  I got away from it all.  A real vacation and it was a blast.  It was time for me to get out and see the sights.  No kids, no computer, and no thoughts of the daily grind.

My husband and I went on a short vacation to the Colorado mountains, and I found all kinds of things that could inspire the writer’s mind.  For instance, we visited a small mining town that is now one of the biggest gambling destinations in the state.  But the historic value of the place was worth the trip.  I wondered about the way the town was in the 1800’s.  How many different stories could I find there?  Stories about gunmen who roamed through town.  Stories about the miners who went into those mountains in search of their fortunes.  Stories about the women who did whatever it took to survive.

As we drove around and took in all the sites, it dawned on me that there thousands of writing opportunities all around me.  Do reviews of the restaurants we visited. Making up characters based on the people I met along the way.  Creating whole scenes around an old building.  Even an idea for a romantic getaway story.

I found that the best way to gain some new creative ideas was to step away from the mundane.  When you’re in need of some new ideas, don’t just sit around and wait for them to come to you.  Go out there and find them.  They’re all around if you just stop to see them.  Walk around the neighborhood and take in all the sights you usually take for granted.  Create characters from the people you see around you.  Incorporate visual tidbits you’ve come across.

The ideas are out there, waiting to be turned into something wonderful.  All we have to do is go out there and get them.

I’ve found an interesting technique in coming up with ideas to write about. If you run a website of any kind, chances are you have access to a list of keyword searches that people have used to find your site. This is a really great way to come up with things to write about. I’ve found words and phrases that have led people to my site that had nothing to do with anything I had written up to that point.

The best thing about using the keyword search list is that you know for a fact that someone out there is looking for that exact phrase. You might also notice that the same phrase is used several times, just worded differently. It gives you an idea of what people are wanting to read and that gives you an upper hand. This is where the creativity comes in.

As you look through the list of keywords and phrases, make a mental note of the different ways the same ideas are worded. If you work it right, you can take that one idea and turn it into several posts. For instance, a few of the things listed in the keyword search for this site are “creative writing”, “creative writing ideas”, and “creative story ideas”. On the one hand, they’re all basically saying the same thing. However, with a little work I can turn those 3 phrases into 3 totally different posts on my blog.

A couple of the best ways of finding out the keywords that lead to your blog are by either having Google Analytics installed into your blog, or by having a social site such as MyBlogLog on your site. They are a big help in finding out who’s searching for your creativity.

If you’re a member of a creative writing group or forum, you might find that there are times when the discussions become bland and stale. You can get the creative juices flowing again by starting a few creative writing games for the group to play.

1.) Never-Ending Story–Start a thread or discussion where each person has to add to a story. You can do this by having each post be only a few words, or a complete sentence. Each person can add their own take on the story, as long as it compliments the phrase or sentence before theirs. This can get really strange before it’s finished.

2.) Create A Character–This is a fun game, as each member creates a character based on a few details you give. For instance, your post would start out like: “Tell me about Fred Jones, from Texas”. Each member would then write out a description and bio on Fred Jones of Texas.

3.) Poetically Linked–This is an easy game to play. You start out by creating a poetic verse, then each member of the group or forum adds a line or verse to the poem. You might decide up front as to whether or not you want the poem to be in rhyme, or free verse, but you don’t have to. It can be very interesting to let your members decide for themselves.

4.) First Line/Last Line–Simply put, you create a sentence that is either to be used as a first line, or the last line in your members work. It’s totally up to you, but make sure to let them know where it’s supposed to be placed. You will be amazed at how many stories can come from the same first or last line.

5.) Time and Place–Just like it says, you tell your members the time and place of the story. But let them create everything else in between. Time and place can be a year and a city, or a time of day and a specific location. For example: Time–1947, Place–Chicago. Or: Time–3:15am, Place–A parking garage.

6.) Role Playing Games–Now, I’ve only done this game a couple of times, but I had a blast. With a role-playing game, you get to create the scene, the characters, and the plot. However, your members get to bring life to the characters you’ve chosen for them. This is a great way to get everyone to thinking.

7.) Scene Stealers–Challenge your members to create a short story by giving them the scene. For instance, you might start out with “A dark room in an old hotel near the ocean”. From there, your members can create the rest of the story.

8.) Props–This is really simple. You give your members 3 or 4 prop ideas for their story. An example might be, “a pencil, a roll of duct tape, a rolling pin, and a bottle of lotion”. Let your members do all the creating in this process. You’ll be amazed at what will come out of it.

9.) The Title Is–All there is to this one, is you giving your members a title to their work. Give them the option to create a work of fiction or non-fiction. Of course, it will all depend on the title, but for the most part your members should be able to go in a hundred different directions.

10.) The Name Game–No, not like the old 60’s song. This is like a round-robin type thread or discussion. You start out by creating a name and a little something about that person, then an introduction to the next person. Here’s an example: “April Davenport is a 24 yr. old college student from New Hampshire. She has a brother named…”. Then, the next person would write a little something about the brother, then introduce another character. This can go on forever.

Try a few of these the next time your creative writing group or forum is getting a little boring. It will help everyone involved come up with new ideas for their writings.