Welcome to the World of Creative Writing

Here, The Muse Of Language Arts explores the nature, process, and personalities involved in creative writing.

about this feature

In this feature, The Muse Of Language Arts explores the nature of creative writing and cites some of the reasons why writers of all types of literature should seek to write creatively. Along the way, The Muse defines and examines the creative writing process itself.

To accomplish this exploration, The Muse identifies and examines some of the creative writing techniques, resources, and methods that writers can call upon to help them become more creative, including inner personal resources they draw on.

The Muse also points out some of the most common misconceptions concerning the true nature of literary creativity, identifies origins of these misconceptions, and repudiates them.

Hopefully, the issues explored here will assist professional, amateur, or would-be creative writers to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and to improve their craft. They also may encourage both wannabes and those who already write creatively to perfect their skills and to produce more and better creative literature.

Since readers are the consumers of creative writing, many of the issues explored in this feature also will be of interest to them, as well as to writers. Readers who understand the true nature of creativity are better positioned to look for and find it in the writing they peruse. Readers who are more sensitive and attuned to the subject have more motivation to look for these qualities in writers and value their contributions.

Understanding literary creativity will deepen everyone's insight into of the nature of creative writing and the creative writing process. Armed with this knowledge, serious and casual readers and writers will be better able to interpret and comprehend the creative literature they read and to assess and appreciate the creative spirit behind it. It will make reading and writing more rewarding.

what is creative writing?

It's common practice in literary circles to define creative writing by attempting to answer a number of questions like these:

• What is creativity?
• What is its source?
• What are the properties of a literary work that make it creative?
• What does it mean to be a creative writer?
• What does it mean for a literary work to be creative?

From a technical linguistic perspective, answers to questions like these depend on a few interrelated concepts:

To create—Whether in literature or elsewhere, to create is to cause something to come into being that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes. From a personal perspective, to create is to evolve from one's own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention.

Creativity—Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, conceptual models, mental constructs, objects of thought, or solutions to problems; it's originality, progressiveness, and applied imagination.

To write creatively—To write a creative literary work is to evolve from one's own thought or imagination original ideas or insights, subjects, modes of expression, or points of view; it's to devise and apply new and different literary concepts, features, or techniques. Writing creatively is to depart from the commonplace and mundane and to put words on paper like they've never been put before. Writing creatively is the process or act of setting down text that results in literary works which exhibit creativity.

Creative writing—From a procedural point of view, creative writing is writing that expresses an author's creative imagination and originality of thought or expression.

Creative literary works—As a written work, a piece is creative if it emphasizes narrative craft, character development (when character and personality are legitimately involved), and extensive use of literary tropes.

the nature of creative writing

Although valid as far as they go, concepts like those in the preceding section tend to be rather abstract, general, and imprecise. In fact, creative writing is a far subtler and more comprehensive subject than they imply on their surface, and one with far more scope. To solely rely on concepts like those cited above would be to invite misunderstandings.

For an example of this generality and imprecision, consider the following: To keep their discussions simple, many literati—those who specialize in literary subjects—equate creative writing with nonfiction writing. According to them, if it's creative writing, it's fiction, and if it's nonfiction, it's not creative writing. They exclude nonfiction writing from the field of creative literature.

But actually, among themselves most literati freely acknowledge that creative writing is not exclusively fictional; and furthermore, that not all fictional writing is creative. When pressed to explain, they don't hesitate to point out that there's more to the subject than meets the eye. And then they elaborate.

As another example of generality and imprecision, consider this: It may not at first be apparent from the preceding definitions that creative writing actually spans virtually every kind and style of writing. It even spans nonfiction if a piece legitimately ventures outside the bounds of normal disquisition. Thus creative writing may include professional, journalistic, scholarly, or technical literary forms and writing fields.

Moreover, the above concepts have nothing to say about what kinds of written things are not creative.

In point of fact, creative writing is not a particular type or style of written presentation; it's not a literary genre, form, or period; nor is it restricted to fiction or restricted from nonfiction. Nor is it limited to or restricted from any other literary categories, styles, or literary classes.

To avoid misunderstandings like these and to obtain a more complete understanding of the issues involved, The Muse recommends that you explore the nature of creative writing at greater length:

• Further explore the nature of creative writing. Visit The Muse Of Language Arts feature titled The Nature Of Creative Writing: tap or click here.

creative writing domains

Virtually every field of writing offers writers the opportunity to be creative, but the characteristics or circumstances for creative writers and writing in one domain are not always the same as those in other domains. At this feature, The Muse Of Language Arts explores these domains, their circumstances, and their differences.

• The Muse Of Language Arts invites you to join an exploration of creative writing domains: tap or click here.

be or become a great creative writer or reader

Want to become a creative writer? Want to know one when you see one? Want to become a great creative reader? Want to trust yourself to recognize great creative writing when you read it?

In this feature, The Muse Of Language Arts identifies writers who have produced exemplary creative writing and who have achieved greatness for it.

Not a writer? Readers who are equipped to understand the nature of great creative writing are better positioned to profit from reading it. If you're not a great creative writer yourself, The Muse offers suggestions for equipping oneself to recognize great creative writing from others. It's an ability not easy to cultivate.

• Polish your ability to recognize great creative writers and writing when you see them: tap or click here.

learn to read, write, or Teach Creative Writing

Creative writing is a superb, subtle, and complex art form; mastering it is a formidable challenge and no easy task. Acquiring skills like reading, writing, or teaching it can be a pleasure or a chore, but either way acquiring skills like these is well worth the effort.

At this feature you will explore, identify, and resolve concerns you may have about how best to learn about reading, doing, or teaching creative writing. Resolving concerns like these may help you clarify what if anything you wish to do to polish your skills, and to formulate a plan for doing it. The Muse also provides references to other Internet resources that may assist you further.

Trying to break through on the creative writing front? Trying to learn how to read or write creative works or how to teach them? Visit the feature called

Read on to find out more; you may be surprised at what you discover.

• Investigate how to do, learn about, or teach creative writing: tap or click here.

Creative writing perils—Alcohol and other addictions

Alcoholism is among the most damaging and ascendant addictions suffered by writers working in the modern world. It's a chronic physiological and biological medical disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, morbidity that may include cirrhosis of the liver, and decreased ability to function socially and vocationally.

Here The Muse of Language Arts outlines the nature of alcoholism and assesses its impact on the aesthetic and technical capacities of creative writers to produce quality work.

The Muse also looks at past and recent creative writers addicted with alcoholism or drugs, as well as those suffering from chronic excessive biological, emotional and psychological stresses and diseases.

The Muse evaluates and debunks the merits of the theory that addiction is a writer's asset, one that can inspire competent or great creative writing. The Muse also tries but fails to corroborate the claim that creative writers are prone to suffer from addiction far more than other, less creative types of people. The Muse further suggests steps addicted writers can take to rid themselves of this scourge.

Send the Muse Of Literature Your original Poem

Have you written an original poem? Do you want to write a new one for publication? In collaboration with Electricka, The Muse Of Literature invites you to submit your original poem for publication at Electricka's web site.

Join the ranks of the likes of Wordsworth, Byron, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley, Eliot, Frost, Plath, Dickenson, Stevens, Rothke, Duffy, Angelou, and hundreds of other published poets.

• Everyone is invited to publish their poetic creations. Find out how at The Poetry Corner. When at The Poetry Corner, be sure to see the guidelines for contributing a poem: click here.

To encourage you to write and submit your own original essay on this subject, The Muse has declared this feature a ByLine feature.

• For more information about this and other ByLine Features, visit the ByLine page at this web site: click here. Click the ByLine logo in the right margin of this page.

Want to learn more about poetry at Electricka's web site?

• Visit The Muse Of Literature feature titled Welcome To the World Of Poetry: click here.

Publish Your Essay or other expository prose work

Have you previously written an essay or another kind of expository prose work? Want to write one especially for publication at Electricka's web site? The Muse Of Language Arts invites to submit your original work now.

Join the ranks of the likes of essayists like Charles Lamb, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Carlyle, and thousands of others who have written and published their prose nonfiction works. Publish your essay here.

Or publish any other kind of expository prose work you've written here, not just your essay.

• Find out how to publish your essay or other kind of expository prose work now. Visit The Muse Of Language Arts feature titled Publish Your Essay. Whatever the type of expository prose work you've written, publish it here: tap or click here.

Essays are just one of many different kinds of expository prose works that appear in the Publish Your Essay feature.

• Want to explore the nature of the essay and of expository prose generally? Visit The Muse Of Literature feature titled Expository Prose And The Essay: tap or click here.
• Want to explore aspects of prose writing that help writers and readers understand and write expository prose? Visit The Muse Of Literature's feature titled Welcome To Expository Prose Writing: tap or click here.

Read original essays and other kinds of expository prose works  written by electricka's visitors

The works at this feature are essays and other kinds of expository prose works written by Electricka's visitors.

• Read them now at The Muse Of Language Arts feature titled Publish Your Essay: tap or click here.

Essays are just one of many different kinds of expository prose works.

• Want to explore the nature of the essay and of expository prose generally? Visit The Muse Of Literature feature titled Expository Prose And The Essay: tap or click here.

publish your Original essay on the subject why write?

Have you written an original essay on the subject of Why Write? Would you like to write one for publication at Electricka's web site?

The Muse Of Language Arts and The Muse Of Literature jointly invite you to write and submit an essay on the subject of why write. They urge you to write and publish your essay no matter where the nature of your writing interest lies. Your work doesn't have to be a masterpiece. You don't have to be a professional writer or be previously published and you don't have to have studied writing.

Join the ranks of the likes of Charles Lamb, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Carlyle, and thousands of others who have written and published their original essays.

• Your essay will be published at The Muse Of Language Arts feature called Publish Your Essay. Visit this feature now: tap or click here.

publish your Original essay on the subject why Read?

Have you already written an essay on why read? Want to write an original essay on why read especially for publication at Electricka's web site? Either way, The Muse Of Language Arts invites you to publish your essay on the subject why read at Electricka's web site for other visitors to see.

Why read? There are a zillion reasons. Want to offer visitors some of your own? Feel free to compare or contrast your viewpoint and experiences with those of the ETAF essayist, or take your essay in new directions. Show others the rewards and penalties of of being a reader. Explore and expound on some of the zillion other topics about reading that apply to you or others, as you see them.

When your essay is published, you and other visitors will be able to find and read it in the Publish Your Essay feature. Its title and subject will appear. The name of its author will appear there too, if you choose, and you'll get the credit you deserve.

• Find out how to publish your essay on the subject why read at The Muse Of Literature's page titled Publish Your Essay. Visit the feature called Publish Your Essay now: tap or click here.

Aids for Readers

The Muse Of Literature is pleased to offer visitors the reading aids you'll find at this feature: tap or click here.

writing aids for writers and authors

The Muses are pleased to offer writers and authors a list of writer's aids located at this web site. Some items on the list serve as references; they are information sources for writers of all kinds that may assist them while they are writing. Other items may help writers hone and polish their skills.

• For more information about the purpose of this feature, visit The Muse Of Language Arts page titled Writing Aids For Writers And Authors: tap or click here.

Technical Aspects Of Literature

The technical aspects of any written work are its properties and techniques as seen from a literary and language perspective.

All writing incorporates and is made up of technical elements like meter, form, sound (rhyme), and figures of speech. Techniques and language elements like these are common to all fields of writing; all writers use them, deliberately or subconsciously. Any particular work can by analyzed, understood, described, and classified by the combination of the writing elements it incorporates.

In this feature, The Muse Of Literature explores writing and writings from a technical and design point of view—structure, organization, tone, style, language constructions, and all the other technical aspects that make for coherent, expressive, and effective writing, or its opposite.

• Explore The Muse Of Literature's feature called Technical Aspects of Literature: tap or click here.

professional writing and documentation services

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