Creative Writing

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.

There you are, sitting in front of a blank computer screen or a blinding white sheet of paper, your insatiable desire to write gnawing at you to set it free.  Yet, somehow the words seem to get stuck and each seems almost forced onto the page.  It’s not writer’s block, it’s anxiety, stress, pressures of life in general.  It’s time to allow your writing soul to take over.

Whether you refer to it as your muse or just your odd sense of humor, it comes down to your soul.  What do you hold in your soul?  Who melts your soul?  That’s where the best writing comes from.  Allow yourself to set it free across the page.  Let the words write themselves, simply be there as a mechanical implement.

Start out by just simply writing out a few words.  Doesn’t matter what those words are, just write them.  Light bulb, fishing pole, meter maid, whatever comes to mind.  Now, focus on  those words and see where they take you.  Don’t force them to go where you want them, let them lead you.  What comes to mind when you look back at each of these words or phrases?

Now, choose one or two of your words.  Just the ones that seem to jump out at you.  Let those words continue to work their magic.  I just slammed out those three phrases, and the one that jumps out at me is meter maid.  Why?  I have no idea, but I’m going to run with it.  Now, what can you do with that phrase?  You can write a romance about her, write an article about the job, or write an opinion piece about meter maids in general.  The sky’s the limit.

As you sit there and stare blankly into space, let your imagination take over.  If nothing else, embrace your own weirdness.  Do whatever it takes to get your creative side motivated.  You’ll be amazed at what the words will do if you let them write themselves.

There is more to being a writer, than simply sitting down and putting your thoughts to paper.  If you’re serious about being a freelance writer, you’ve got to think about all the other things that come along with the job.  One of the biggest things is learning how to market yourself.

The freelance writing market is full of fierce competition.  I’ve learned the hard way that no matter how much you know, someone always knows more.  Plus, it doesn’t matter how well you write if nobody knows you exist.  It’s up to you to make sure you get your name out there.  You could always hire an expensive PR firm, but that’s not an option for everyone.  There are ways, however, that you can do this with little or no cost.

There are a lot of sites on the Internet these days that pay writers for informative articles.  Sites such as Associated Content and Digital Journal pay various amounts for approved articles.  There are some people who are making a comfortable living with these outlets.  The thing with these sites is that there will be times that your work won’t be approved and you won’t be paid.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It’s still a published piece that can be added to your portfolio.

Writing groups are another way to get yourself known, while learning a few new things.  There are thousands of writing groups all over the Internet.  Some are designed to help you learn more about the craft, some are set up for specific genres, and others are market call-for-submission lists.  No matter what type of writing you do, there’s a group out there for it.

Another idea is to create an Author’s Page telling about yourself.  This doesn’t have to be a multi-million dollars advertising campaign, just a page that tells the world what your capable of doing.  Be sure to add your bio, portfolio, and a picture of yourself.  Think of it as your own personal billboard.  I strongly suggest you buy your personal name as a domain for this.  Then, add the link to this page on all your regular online activities.

There is a lot that goes into being a freelance writer.  Sometimes, the actual writing is the easy part.  You can get your name out there, but it takes a little creativity.  And creativity is what being a writer is all about.

One thing that all writers have to deal with at one point or another is the dreaded rejection letter. This isn’t just something that happens to those who write for print publications, either. I recently applied for a writing position for an online venue, and was rejected. Now that really sucks.

Some people can toss a rejection letter to the side and not think twice about it. However, many writers find that little letter to be a major roadblock. So, here are a few things you can do as a creative writer to get over the rejection hurdle.

1.) Write a thank you letter to the editor. Now, this doesn’t have to be something you’d ever send, just a little something for your own amusement. Thank the editor for things such as sending you the nicest letter you’ve ever received, or thank them for killing that wonderful day you were having. After all, you’d had way too many good things happen to you.

2.) Use those rejection letters as decor. Yes, wallpaper your room with those little letters, or tear them into four equal parts and make yourself a nice coaster set. Go get some really fancy frames and hang them up where they can be seen by all. Make them a conversation piece when company comes over.

3.) Create works of art from them. Get yourself a book on the art of paper folding and see how many little origami creations you can make. Or, cut them up into odd shapes and make a puzzle out of them. This is great fun for the whole family.

4.) Finally, you might just file these little letters away for a rainy day. After all, you never know when the next rejection letter will be in your inbox or mail box. This way, you can always look back and reflect on days when they came in by the score.

Like most writers, I feel the sting of rejection letters too. But, if we can come up with ways to deal with them in a positive and humorous approach, they stop hurting so much. We are, after all, creative writers. So, get creative with your rejection letters so you can get back to what you do best; writing.