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Last updated on Feb 14, 2023

10 Types of Creative Writing (with Examples You’ll Love)

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Savannah Cordova

Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery". 

About Rebecca van Laer

Rebecca van Laer is a writer, editor, and the author of two books, including the novella How to Adjust to the Dark. Her work has been featured in literary magazines such as AGNI, Breadcrumbs, and TriQuarterly.

A lot falls under the term ‘creative writing’: poetry, short fiction, plays, novels, personal essays, and songs, to name just a few. By virtue of the creativity that characterizes it, creative writing is an extremely versatile art. So instead of defining what creative writing is , it may be easier to understand what it does by looking at examples that demonstrate the sheer range of styles and genres under its vast umbrella.

To that end, we’ve collected a non-exhaustive list of works across multiple formats that have inspired the writers here at Reedsy. With 20 different works to explore, we hope they will inspire you, too. 

People have been writing creatively for almost as long as we have been able to hold pens. Just think of long-form epic poems like The Odyssey or, later, the Cantar de Mio Cid — some of the earliest recorded writings of their kind. 

Poetry is also a great place to start if you want to dip your own pen into the inkwell of creative writing. It can be as short or long as you want (you don’t have to write an epic of Homeric proportions), encourages you to build your observation skills, and often speaks from a single point of view . 

Here are a few examples:

“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

This classic poem by Romantic poet Percy Shelley (also known as Mary Shelley’s husband) is all about legacy. What do we leave behind? How will we be remembered? The great king Ozymandias built himself a massive statue, proclaiming his might, but the irony is that his statue doesn’t survive the ravages of time. By framing this poem as told to him by a “traveller from an antique land,” Shelley effectively turns this into a story. Along with the careful use of juxtaposition to create irony, this poem accomplishes a lot in just a few lines. 

“Trying to Raise the Dead” by Dorianne Laux

 A direction. An object. My love, it needs a place to rest. Say anything. I’m listening. I’m ready to believe. Even lies, I don’t care.

Poetry is cherished for its ability to evoke strong emotions from the reader using very few words which is exactly what Dorianne Laux does in “ Trying to Raise the Dead .” With vivid imagery that underscores the painful yearning of the narrator, she transports us to a private nighttime scene as the narrator sneaks away from a party to pray to someone they’ve lost. We ache for their loss and how badly they want their lost loved one to acknowledge them in some way. It’s truly a masterclass on how writing can be used to portray emotions. 

If you find yourself inspired to try out some poetry — and maybe even get it published — check out these poetry layouts that can elevate your verse!

Song Lyrics

Poetry’s closely related cousin, song lyrics are another great way to flex your creative writing muscles. You not only have to find the perfect rhyme scheme but also match it to the rhythm of the music. This can be a great challenge for an experienced poet or the musically inclined. 

To see how music can add something extra to your poetry, check out these two examples:

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

 You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah 

Metaphors are commonplace in almost every kind of creative writing, but will often take center stage in shorter works like poetry and songs. At the slightest mention, they invite the listener to bring their emotional or cultural experience to the piece, allowing the writer to express more with fewer words while also giving it a deeper meaning. If a whole song is couched in metaphor, you might even be able to find multiple meanings to it, like in Leonard Cohen’s “ Hallelujah .” While Cohen’s Biblical references create a song that, on the surface, seems like it’s about a struggle with religion, the ambiguity of the lyrics has allowed it to be seen as a song about a complicated romantic relationship. 

“I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie

 ​​If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark

You can think of song lyrics as poetry set to music. They manage to do many of the same things their literary counterparts do — including tugging on your heartstrings. Death Cab for Cutie’s incredibly popular indie rock ballad is about the singer’s deep devotion to his lover. While some might find the song a bit too dark and macabre, its melancholy tune and poignant lyrics remind us that love can endure beyond death.

Plays and Screenplays

From the short form of poetry, we move into the world of drama — also known as the play. This form is as old as the poem, stretching back to the works of ancient Greek playwrights like Sophocles, who adapted the myths of their day into dramatic form. The stage play (and the more modern screenplay) gives the words on the page a literal human voice, bringing life to a story and its characters entirely through dialogue. 

Interested to see what that looks like? Take a look at these examples:

All My Sons by Arthur Miller

“I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.” 

Arthur Miller acts as a bridge between the classic and the new, creating 20th century tragedies that take place in living rooms and backyard instead of royal courts, so we had to include his breakout hit on this list. Set in the backyard of an all-American family in the summer of 1946, this tragedy manages to communicate family tensions in an unimaginable scale, building up to an intense climax reminiscent of classical drama. 

💡 Read more about Arthur Miller and classical influences in our breakdown of Freytag’s pyramid . 

“Everything is Fine” by Michael Schur ( The Good Place )

“Well, then this system sucks. What...one in a million gets to live in paradise and everyone else is tortured for eternity? Come on! I mean, I wasn't freaking Gandhi, but I was okay. I was a medium person. I should get to spend eternity in a medium place! Like Cincinnati. Everyone who wasn't perfect but wasn't terrible should get to spend eternity in Cincinnati.” 

A screenplay, especially a TV pilot, is like a mini-play, but with the extra job of convincing an audience that they want to watch a hundred more episodes of the show. Blending moral philosophy with comedy, The Good Place is a fun hang-out show set in the afterlife that asks some big questions about what it means to be good. 

It follows Eleanor Shellstrop, an incredibly imperfect woman from Arizona who wakes up in ‘The Good Place’ and realizes that there’s been a cosmic mixup. Determined not to lose her place in paradise, she recruits her “soulmate,” a former ethics professor, to teach her philosophy with the hope that she can learn to be a good person and keep up her charade of being an upstanding citizen. The pilot does a superb job of setting up the stakes, the story, and the characters, while smuggling in deep philosophical ideas.

Personal essays

Our first foray into nonfiction on this list is the personal essay. As its name suggests, these stories are in some way autobiographical — concerned with the author’s life and experiences. But don’t be fooled by the realistic component. These essays can take any shape or form, from comics to diary entries to recipes and anything else you can imagine. Typically zeroing in on a single issue, they allow you to explore your life and prove that the personal can be universal.

Here are a couple of fantastic examples:

“On Selling Your First Novel After 11 Years” by Min Jin Lee (Literary Hub)

There was so much to learn and practice, but I began to see the prose in verse and the verse in prose. Patterns surfaced in poems, stories, and plays. There was music in sentences and paragraphs. I could hear the silences in a sentence. All this schooling was like getting x-ray vision and animal-like hearing. 

This deeply honest personal essay by Pachinko author Min Jin Lee is an account of her eleven-year struggle to publish her first novel . Like all good writing, it is intensely focused on personal emotional details. While grounded in the specifics of the author's personal journey, it embodies an experience that is absolutely universal: that of difficulty and adversity met by eventual success. 

“A Cyclist on the English Landscape” by Roff Smith (New York Times)

These images, though, aren’t meant to be about me. They’re meant to represent a cyclist on the landscape, anybody — you, perhaps. 

Roff Smith’s gorgeous photo essay for the NYT is a testament to the power of creatively combining visuals with text. Here, photographs of Smith atop a bike are far from simply ornamental. They’re integral to the ruminative mood of the essay, as essential as the writing. Though Smith places his work at the crosscurrents of various aesthetic influences (such as the painter Edward Hopper), what stands out the most in this taciturn, thoughtful piece of writing is his use of the second person to address the reader directly. Suddenly, the writer steps out of the body of the essay and makes eye contact with the reader. The reader is now part of the story as a second character, finally entering the picture.

Short Fiction

The short story is the happy medium of fiction writing. These bite-sized narratives can be devoured in a single sitting and still leave you reeling. Sometimes viewed as a stepping stone to novel writing, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Short story writing is an art all its own. The limited length means every word counts and there’s no better way to see that than with these two examples:

“An MFA Story” by Paul Dalla Rosa (Electric Literature)

At Starbucks, I remembered a reading Zhen had given, a reading organized by the program’s faculty. I had not wanted to go but did. In the bar, he read, "I wrote this in a Starbucks in Shanghai. On the bank of the Huangpu." It wasn’t an aside or introduction. It was two lines of the poem. I was in a Starbucks and I wasn’t writing any poems. I wasn’t writing anything. 

This short story is a delightfully metafictional tale about the struggles of being a writer in New York. From paying the bills to facing criticism in a writing workshop and envying more productive writers, Paul Dalla Rosa’s story is a clever satire of the tribulations involved in the writing profession, and all the contradictions embodied by systemic creativity (as famously laid out in Mark McGurl’s The Program Era ). What’s more, this story is an excellent example of something that often happens in creative writing: a writer casting light on the private thoughts or moments of doubt we don’t admit to or openly talk about. 

“Flowering Walrus” by Scott Skinner (Reedsy)

I tell him they’d been there a month at least, and he looks concerned. He has my tongue on a tissue paper and is gripping its sides with his pointer and thumb. My tongue has never spent much time outside of my mouth, and I imagine it as a walrus basking in the rays of the dental light. My walrus is not well. 

A winner of Reedsy’s weekly Prompts writing contest, ‘ Flowering Walrus ’ is a story that balances the trivial and the serious well. In the pauses between its excellent, natural dialogue , the story manages to scatter the fear and sadness of bad medical news, as the protagonist hides his worries from his wife and daughter. Rich in subtext, these silences grow and resonate with the readers.

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Perhaps the thing that first comes to mind when talking about creative writing, novels are a form of fiction that many people know and love but writers sometimes find intimidating. The good news is that novels are nothing but one word put after another, like any other piece of writing, but expanded and put into a flowing narrative. Piece of cake, right?

To get an idea of the format’s breadth of scope, take a look at these two (very different) satirical novels: 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

I wished I was back in the convenience store where I was valued as a working member of staff and things weren’t as complicated as this. Once we donned our uniforms, we were all equals regardless of gender, age, or nationality — all simply store workers. 

Keiko, a thirty-six-year-old convenience store employee, finds comfort and happiness in the strict, uneventful routine of the shop’s daily operations. A funny, satirical, but simultaneously unnerving examination of the social structures we take for granted, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman is deeply original and lingers with the reader long after they’ve put it down.

Erasure by Percival Everett

The hard, gritty truth of the matter is that I hardly ever think about race. Those times when I did think about it a lot I did so because of my guilt for not thinking about it.  

Erasure is a truly accomplished satire of the publishing industry’s tendency to essentialize African American authors and their writing. Everett’s protagonist is a writer whose work doesn’t fit with what publishers expect from him — work that describes the “African American experience” — so he writes a parody novel about life in the ghetto. The publishers go crazy for it and, to the protagonist’s horror, it becomes the next big thing. This sophisticated novel is both ironic and tender, leaving its readers with much food for thought.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is pretty broad: it applies to anything that does not claim to be fictional (although the rise of autofiction has definitely blurred the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction). It encompasses everything from personal essays and memoirs to humor writing, and they range in length from blog posts to full-length books. The defining characteristic of this massive genre is that it takes the world or the author’s experience and turns it into a narrative that a reader can follow along with.

Here, we want to focus on novel-length works that dig deep into their respective topics. While very different, these two examples truly show the breadth and depth of possibility of creative nonfiction:

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

Men’s bodies litter my family history. The pain of the women they left behind pulls them from the beyond, makes them appear as ghosts. In death, they transcend the circumstances of this place that I love and hate all at once and become supernatural. 

Writer Jesmyn Ward recounts the deaths of five men from her rural Mississippi community in as many years. In her award-winning memoir , she delves into the lives of the friends and family she lost and tries to find some sense among the tragedy. Working backwards across five years, she questions why this had to happen over and over again, and slowly unveils the long history of racism and poverty that rules rural Black communities. Moving and emotionally raw, Men We Reaped is an indictment of a cruel system and the story of a woman's grief and rage as she tries to navigate it.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

He believed that wine could reshape someone’s life. That’s why he preferred buying bottles to splurging on sweaters. Sweaters were things. Bottles of wine, said Morgan, “are ways that my humanity will be changed.” 

In this work of immersive journalism , Bianca Bosker leaves behind her life as a tech journalist to explore the world of wine. Becoming a “cork dork” takes her everywhere from New York’s most refined restaurants to science labs while she learns what it takes to be a sommelier and a true wine obsessive. This funny and entertaining trip through the past and present of wine-making and tasting is sure to leave you better informed and wishing you, too, could leave your life behind for one devoted to wine. 

Illustrated Narratives (Comics, graphic novels)

Once relegated to the “funny pages”, the past forty years of comics history have proven it to be a serious medium. Comics have transformed from the early days of Jack Kirby’s superheroes into a medium where almost every genre is represented. Humorous one-shots in the Sunday papers stand alongside illustrated memoirs, horror, fantasy, and just about anything else you can imagine. This type of visual storytelling lets the writer and artist get creative with perspective, tone, and so much more. For two very different, though equally entertaining, examples, check these out:

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine and valleys of frustration and failure." 

This beloved comic strip follows Calvin, a rambunctious six-year-old boy, and his stuffed tiger/imaginary friend, Hobbes. They get into all kinds of hijinks at school and at home, and muse on the world in the way only a six-year-old and an anthropomorphic tiger can. As laugh-out-loud funny as it is, Calvin & Hobbes ’ popularity persists as much for its whimsy as its use of humor to comment on life, childhood, adulthood, and everything in between. 

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell 

"I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." 

Comics aren't just the realm of superheroes and one-joke strips, as Alan Moore proves in this serialized graphic novel released between 1989 and 1998. A meticulously researched alternative history of Victorian London’s Ripper killings, this macabre story pulls no punches. Fact and fiction blend into a world where the Royal Family is involved in a dark conspiracy and Freemasons lurk on the sidelines. It’s a surreal mad-cap adventure that’s unsettling in the best way possible. 

Video Games and RPGs

Probably the least expected entry on this list, we thought that video games and RPGs also deserved a mention — and some well-earned recognition for the intricate storytelling that goes into creating them. 

Essentially gamified adventure stories, without attention to plot, characters, and a narrative arc, these games would lose a lot of their charm, so let’s look at two examples where the creative writing really shines through: 

80 Days by inkle studios

"It was a triumph of invention over nature, and will almost certainly disappear into the dust once more in the next fifty years." 

Named Time Magazine ’s game of the year in 2014, this narrative adventure is based on Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. The player is cast as the novel’s narrator, Passpartout, and tasked with circumnavigating the globe in service of their employer, Phileas Fogg. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the game uses its globe-trotting to comment on the colonialist fantasies inherent in the original novel and its time period. On a storytelling level, the choose-your-own-adventure style means no two players’ journeys will be the same. This innovative approach to a classic novel shows the potential of video games as a storytelling medium, truly making the player part of the story. 

What Remains of Edith Finch by Giant Sparrow

"If we lived forever, maybe we'd have time to understand things. But as it is, I think the best we can do is try to open our eyes, and appreciate how strange and brief all of this is." 

This video game casts the player as 17-year-old Edith Finch. Returning to her family’s home on an island in the Pacific northwest, Edith explores the vast house and tries to figure out why she’s the only one of her family left alive. The story of each family member is revealed as you make your way through the house, slowly unpacking the tragic fate of the Finches. Eerie and immersive, this first-person exploration game uses the medium to tell a series of truly unique tales. 

Fun and breezy on the surface, humor is often recognized as one of the trickiest forms of creative writing. After all, while you can see the artistic value in a piece of prose that you don’t necessarily enjoy, if a joke isn’t funny, you could say that it’s objectively failed.

With that said, it’s far from an impossible task, and many have succeeded in bringing smiles to their readers’ faces through their writing. Here are two examples:

‘How You Hope Your Extended Family Will React When You Explain Your Job to Them’ by Mike Lacher (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency)

“Is it true you don’t have desks?” your grandmother will ask. You will nod again and crack open a can of Country Time Lemonade. “My stars,” she will say, “it must be so wonderful to not have a traditional office and instead share a bistro-esque coworking space.” 

Satire and parody make up a whole subgenre of creative writing, and websites like McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and The Onion consistently hit the mark with their parodies of magazine publishing and news media. This particular example finds humor in the divide between traditional family expectations and contemporary, ‘trendy’ work cultures. Playing on the inherent silliness of today’s tech-forward middle-class jobs, this witty piece imagines a scenario where the writer’s family fully understands what they do — and are enthralled to hear more. “‘Now is it true,’ your uncle will whisper, ‘that you’ve got a potential investment from one of the founders of I Can Haz Cheezburger?’”

‘Not a Foodie’ by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell (Electric Literature)

I’m not a foodie, I never have been, and I know, in my heart, I never will be. 

Highlighting what she sees as an unbearable social obsession with food , in this comic Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell takes a hilarious stand against the importance of food. From the writer’s courageous thesis (“I think there are more exciting things to talk about, and focus on in life, than what’s for dinner”) to the amusing appearance of family members and the narrator’s partner, ‘Not a Foodie’ demonstrates that even a seemingly mundane pet peeve can be approached creatively — and even reveal something profound about life.

We hope this list inspires you with your own writing. If there’s one thing you take away from this post, let it be that there is no limit to what you can write about or how you can write about it. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll drill down into the fascinating world of creative nonfiction.

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Exploring the Different Types of Creative Writing

• on Sep 26, 2022
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: November 16th, 2023

Writing comes in all forms and sizes. But in order for a work to be considered creative writing, it must come from a place of imagination and emotion. 

This is something many people pursuing a  creative writing degree online  at first struggle to get a handle on. Take for example what Franz Kafa said about creative writing, “Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” 

Many authors who choose to follow Kafka’s advice—to write “mercilessly” and from the soul—find it comforting that their writing doesn’t have to conform to one style. But this variety of types and forms might leave some writers a bit confused. 

That’s why, in this article, we are going to walk you through the most popular types of creative writing, with some great examples from authors who absolutely rocked their respective forms.   

In this article:

• Creative Writing Definition
• Creative Writing Techniques
• Free Writing
• Journal Diaries
• Personal Essays
• Short Fiction
• Novels/Novellas

What Is Creative Writing?

Think of creative writing as a form of artistic expression. Authors bring this expression to life using their imagination, personal writing style, and personality.

Creative writing is also different from straightforward academic or technical writing. For instance, an economics book like Khalid Ikram’s The Political Economy of Reforms in Egypt is an academic monograph. This means that readers would rightfully expect it to contain analytic rather than creative writing.   

So what are some elements that make a written piece more creative than analytic?

Popular Techniques Used in Creative Writing

Despite the fact that creative writing can be “freer” and less traditional than academic writing, it is likely to contain one or more of the following six elements:

1. Literary Devices

Many creative writers use literary devices to convey the meaning and themes of their work. Some common literary devices are allegories , metaphors and similes , foreshadowing , and imagery . These all serve to make the writing more vivid and descriptive .

2. Narrative

Authors often use this technique to engage readers through storytelling. Narrative isn’t limited to novels and short stories; poems, autobiographies, and essays can be considered narratives if they tell a story. This can be fiction (as in novels) or nonfiction (as in memoirs and essays).

3. Point of View

All creative writing must have a point of view; that’s what makes it imaginative and original. The point of view is the perspective from which the author writes a particular piece. Depending on the type of work, the point of view can be first person, third person omniscient, third person limited , mixed (using third- and first-person writing), or—very rarely—second person.

4. Characterization

Characterization is the process by which authors bring their characters to life by assigning them physical descriptions, personality traits, points of view, background and history, and actions. Characterization is key in creative writing because it helps drive the plot forward. 

5. Dialogue

An important element used in many creative writing works is dialogue . Assigning 

dialogue to characters is a way for authors to show their characters’ different traits without explicitly listing them. 

Dialogue also immerses readers in the narrative’s action by highlighting the emotions and tensions between characters. Like characterization, it also helps drive the plot forward.  

6. Plot 

The plot is the sequence of events that make up a narrative and establish the themes and conflicts of a work . Plots will usually include an exp osi tion (the introduction), rising action (the complications), climax (the peak in action and excitement), falling action (the revelations and slowing down of events), and denouement (the conclusion). 

The Main Types of Creative Writing (With Examples)

What’s great about creative writing is that there are so many types to choose from. In this section, we’ll walk you through the most popular types of creative writing, along with some examples. 

Type 1: Free writing 

Free writing, also known as stream-of-consciousness writing, is a technique that allows words and images to spill onto the page without giving thought to logic, sequence, or grammar. Although authors often use it as an exercise to get rid of the infamous writer’s block , free writing is also useful within a larger work. 

For instance, let’s take a look at this excerpt from Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.  

Beloved by Toni Morrison [an excerpt]

the air is heavy I am not dead I am not there is a house there is what she whispered to me I am where she told me I am not dead I sit the sun closes my eyes when I open them I see the face I lost Sethe’s is the face that left me Sethe sees me see her and I see the smile her smiling face is the place for me it is the face I lost she is my face smiling at me

Note how the author uses free writing to convey the character’s disjointed and agitated thoughts. Even punctuation has been set aside here, adding to the rush of the character’s fear and confusion. The imagery is powerful (“the sun closes my eyes”; “her smiling face is the place for me”) and relies on repetitions like “I am not dead” and “I see” to immerse the readers in the character’s disturbed mental state. 

Type 2: Journals and Diaries 

A journal is a written account of an author’s experiences, activities, and feelings. A diary is an example of a journal, in which an author documents his/her life frequently. 

Journals and diaries can be considered creative writing, particularly if they offer more than just a log of events. For instance, if a diary entry discusses how the writer ran into an old friend, it might include details of the writer’s emotions and probably use literary devices to convey these feelings.   

It’s almost impossible to read the word “diary” and not think of Anne Frank. Let’s look at this excerpt from her work The Diary of a Young Girl . 

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl [an excerpt]

Saturday, 20 June, 1942: I haven’t written for a few days, because I wanted first of all to think about my diary. It’s an odd idea for someone like me to keep a diary; not only because I have never done so before, but because it seems to me that neither I—nor for that matter anyone else—will be interested in the unbosomings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Still, what does that matter? I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart. 

In the extract above, Anne adopts a reflective tone. She uses the rhetorical question “what does that matter?” to illustrate how she arrived at the conclusion that this diary will help bring out what is “buried deep in her heart.” 

In this way, the diary serves as a log of events that happened in Anne’s life, but also as a space for Anne to reflect on them, and to explore her resulting emotions. 

Type 3: Memoir

Although they might seem similar at first, memoirs and diaries are two different creative writing types. While diaries offer a log of events recorded at frequent intervals, memoirs allow the writer to select key moments and scenes that help shed light on the writer’s life.  

Let’s examine this excerpt from the memoir of Roxanne Gay, author of Bad Feminist .

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxanne Gay:

I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.

Roxanne Gay offers readers a powerful work on anxiety, food, and body image by taking them on a journey through her past . Using evocative imagery in the excerpt above (“I buried the girl I was”; “I was trapped in my body”) the author shares her psychological trauma and resulting tumultuous relationship with food. 

As with most memoirs—and diaries—this one is intimate, allowing readers into the dark crevices of the author’s mind. However, unlike a diary, this memoir does not provide an account of the writer’s day-to-day life, but rather focuses on certain events—big and small—that the author feels made her who she is today. 

Type 4: Letters

Unlike diary and journal entries—which usually don’t have a specific recipient—letters address one target reader. Many famous authors have had collections of their letters published, revealing a side of them that isn’t visible in other works. 

Letter writing uncovers the nature of the relationship between sender and recipient, and can include elements of creative writing such as imagery, opinion, humor, and feeling. 

Here is an excerpt from a letter by Truman Capote, author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood . 

Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote , edited by Gerald Clarke 

Dear Bob;  Have come, am here, am slowly freezing to death; my fingers are pencils of ice. But really, all told, I think this is quite a place, at least so far. The company is fairly good… I have a bedroom in the mansion (there are bats circulating in some of the rooms, and Leo keeps his light on all night, for the wind blows eerily, doors creak, and the faint cheep cheep of the bats cry in the towers above: no kidding. 

In his letter to editor and friend Robert “Bob” Linscott, Truman paints a scene of his new setting . He uses hyperbole (“freezing to death”) and a powerful metaphor (“my fingers are pencils of ice”) to convey the discomforting cold weather. Truman also uses sound imagery (“doors creak”; “wind blows eerily”; “cheep cheep of the bats”) to communicate the creepy, sinister mood to his reader. 

Type 5: Personal Essays

Many of us don’t normally think of essays as creative writing, but that’s probably because our minds go to academic research essays. However, there are many types of essays that require creative rather than analytic writing, including discursive essays, descriptive essays, and personal essays. 

A personal essay, also known as a narrative essay, is a piece of nonfiction work that offers readers a story drawn from the author’s personal experience. This is different from a memoir, in which the primary focus is on the author and their multiple experiences. 

A personal essay, on the other hand, focuses on a message or theme , and the author’s personal experience is there to communicate that theme using memorable characters and setting , as well as engaging events . These, of course, all have to be true, otherwise the personal essay would turn into a fictional short story. 

Here is an excerpt from a personal essay by writers Chantha Nguon and Kim Green.

The Gradual Extinction of Softness by Chantha Nguon and Kim Green

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge informed the Cambodian people that we had no history, but we knew it was a lie. Cambodia has a rich past, a mosaic of flavors from near and far: South Indian traders gave us Buddhism and spicy curries; China brought rice noodles and astrology; and French colonizers passed on a love of strong coffee, flan, and a light, crusty baguette. We lifted the best tastes from everywhere and added our own.

The opening of this paragraph establishes the author’s strong and unwavering opinion : “we knew it was a lie.” Instead of providing a history of Cambodia, she demonstrates the country’s rich past by discussing its diverse “flavors”: “spicy curries”; “strong coffee”; “light, crusty baguette”, etc. 

Using gustatory imagery , which conveys a sense of taste , the authors reveal their personal version of what makes Cambodia wonderful. The writer communicates the essay’s theme of food and memories through a story of her childhood. 

Type 6: Poetry 

Robert Frost once wrote: “Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” Good poetry is effective because it uses the power of imagery to convey what it is to be human. Every word in a poem counts, and the best poems are those that evoke the reader’s emotions without unpacking too much. 

As one of the most diverse types of creative writing, poetry can come in many forms. Some poets prefer to write in the more traditional forms such as sonnets , villanelles , and haikus , where you have particular structures, rhyme, and rhythm to follow. And others prefer the freedom of free verse and blackout poetry . 

Let’s take a look at this excerpt from Maya Angelou’s powerful lyric poem , “Still I Rise.”

“Still I Rise” from And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems by Maya Angelou

Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.

Packed with powerful language, this excerpt from Angelou’s poem gives us absolute 

chills! The refrain “I rise” is repeated 7 times in these two verses alone, 

hammering home the idea that the speaker cannot be defeated. 

The imagery, repetition, and rhyme scheme all work together to convey the emotions of pride and resilience. Both verses also rely heavily on metaphors (“I’m a black ocean”; “I am the dream and the hope of the slave”) to convey the speaker’s power. She is not like an ocean or a dream; she is both, and she is unstoppable. 

Type 7: Song Lyrics 

Song lyrics are in many ways similar to poems, except that lyrics are meant to be sung . They are a form of creative writing that allows writers to surpass the rules of grammar and punctuation in favor of creating rhyme and rhythm . This means that the creativity of a  song lyricist is free from the traditional restrictions of language. 

Type 8: Scripts 

Scriptwriting is a form of creative writing that relies heavily on character dialogue , stage directions , and setting . Scripts are written for films and TV shows (known as screenplays and teleplays), stage plays, commercials, and radio and podcast programs. 

Like song lyrics, scripts are written with the intention of reaching a non-reading audience. In other words, scriptwriters must bear in mind how their writing will be 1) interpreted by other storytellers , such as directors, designers, etc., and 2) performed by actors.   

Let’s examine the iconic opening scene from the screenplay of the film Forrest Gump . 

Forrest Gump , screenplay by Eric Roth [an excerpt]

THE MAN Hello, I’m Forrest. I’m Forrest Gump.  She nods, not much interested. He takes an old candy kiss out of his pocket. Offering it to her:  FORREST (cont’d) Do you want a chocolate? She shakes “no.” He unwraps it, popping it in his mouth.  FORREST (cont’d) I could eat about a million and a half of these. Mama said, “Life was just a box of chocolates. You never know what you gonna get.”

From the dialogue and stage directions in this opening scene, the audience can see that there is something innocent, kind-hearted, and simple about the character Forrest Gump. This is conveyed through the way he introduces himself with a slight repetition (“I’m Forrest. I’m Forrest Gump.”) to a complete stranger, and the way he quotes his mother to her. 

Moreover, the action of  Forrest “popping” the candy in his mouth is almost childlike , and that the stranger is reluctant to communicate with him foreshadows the fact that the people Forrest meets are initially suspicious of him and his innocence. Thus, the pauses and silences in the scene are just as important to the work as what is explicitly said. 

Type 9: Short Fiction

Short fiction is a form of creative fiction writing that typically falls between 5,000 to 10,000 words ; however, there is definitely room to go lower than 5,000 words, depending on the topic. 

For instance, flash fiction is a form of short fiction that can be 1,000 words or less. In the case of flash fiction, the author unpacks the “skeleton” of a story in as few words as possible. For instance, legend has it that Ernest Hemingway wrote a 6-word “story”:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn. 

 In just six words, the reader is led to understand that this is a story of death and loss. 

Nevertheless, the average short story is usually structured around the following elements: characterization , setting , plot , and conflict . Many fiction authors start out writing short fiction because it enables them to nail all the essential elements, which they can then expand upon in longer works. 

Let’s look at an excerpt from Janet Frame’s short story, “The Bath”

“The Bath” by Janet Frame [an excerpt]

She leaned forward, feeling the pain in her back and shoulder. She grasped the rim of the bath but her fingers slithered from it almost at once. She would not pancic, she told herself; she would try gradually, carefully, to get out. Again she leaned forward; again her grip loosened as if iron hands had deliberately uncurled her stiffened blue fingers from their trembling hold. Her heart began to beat faster, her breath came more quickly, her mouth was dry. She moistened her lips. If I shout for help, she thought, no-one will hear me. No-one in the world will hear me. No-one will know I’m in the bath and can’t get out. 

In this paragraph, there is an image of a frail, old woman, physically unable to get out of her bathtub. The diction , or word choice, serves to convey the woman’s sense of fear and helplessness. For instance, words like “grasped,” “slithered,” “uncurled,” and “stiffened,” demonstrate the immense effort it takes for her to try to get out.

 The image of her “moistening” her lips illustrates that fear has turned her mouth dry. And the repetition of “no-one” in the last few sentences highlights the woman’s loneliness and entrapment —two of the story’s main themes. Indeed, the bath symbolizes the unavoidable obstacles brought about by old age. 

Type 10: Novellas / Novels

Novels are one of the most popular forms of creative writing. Though they vary in length, depending on the subject, they’re generally considered a long form of fiction , typically divided into chapters . 

Novellas, on the other hand, are shorter than novels but longer than short stories. Like short stories, novels, and novellas contain characters , plot , dialogue , and setting ; however, their longer forms allow writers a chance to delve much deeper into those elements. 

Type 11: Speeches 

Speeches are a form of writing similar to essays in that both forms are non-fiction , and both usually entail a discussion of the writer’s personal experiences and include engaging events and a particular theme.  

However, speeches differ from essays in that the former are meant to be recited (usually in front of an audience), and tend to be persuasive and inspirational. For instance, think of the purpose of graduation speeches and political speeches: they aim to inspire and move listeners. 

One of the most well-known speeches from the 20th century is Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”. Let’s examine the excerpt below:

“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King [an excerpt]

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

What immediately catches the eye (and ear) in this paragraph is the speaker’s usage of anaphora : the repetition of the phrase “now is the time” serves to emphasize the urgency of the matter being discussed (i.e. the prevalence of racial injustice). 

The speaker’s repetition of the pronoun “our” is an appeal to his audience’s emotions and their sense of unity. Both he and they are in this together, and thus he is motivating them to take on the challenge as one. 

Moreover, the use of figurative language is abundant here and can be found in similar inspirational and motivational styles of creative writing. The imagery created by the metaphor and alliteration in “the d ark and d esolate valley of segregation,” and its juxtaposition with “sunlit path of racial justice,” together aim to convey the speaker’s main message. Segregation has brought nothing but darkness and ruin to American society, but there is hope and light on the path toward racial equality.

Final Thoughts

Creative writing acts as a medium for artistic expression. It can come in a variety of forms, from screenplays and speeches to poetry and flash fiction. But what groups all of these different types of creative writing under the “creative” umbrella, regardless of form, is their display of a writer’s imagination, creativity, and linguistic prowess. 

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I appreciate you offering such a thought-provoking perspective. It should be useful for academic writing in addition to creative writing, in my opinion. Each method you listed is pertinent and appropriate.

You’re absolutely right! Many of these writing methods can be applied to both creative and academic writing, enhancing the depth and effectiveness of communication.

Robert smith enago

Thank you for sharing this enlightening blog post on the various types of creative writing. Your exploration of different writing methods and styles provides an inspiring perspective on the boundless possibilities within the realm of creativity.

It is remarkable to see how creative writing encompasses an array of forms, each with its unique allure and artistic essence. From poetry, fiction, and drama to screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and even songwriting, each avenue offers writers a chance to express their thoughts, emotions, and imagination in captivating ways.

We truly appreciate your kind words! Creative writing is indeed a vast and fascinating world with endless opportunities for self-expression 🙂

eminem rapboy hoodie

Absolutely Creative writing is a beautiful blend of imagination and emotion. It’s about crafting stories that resonate deeply, whether through prose, poetry, or any other form It’s a journey of expression and connection thank you for posting helpful content

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Thank you for your nice words. We are glad you found our content helpful 🙂

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What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

12 Types of Creative Writing to Explore

Kate is an experienced writer who has written hundreds of articles for publication.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Creative writing isn't just limited to novels, short stories, and poems; in fact, this type of writing encompasses at least a dozen different types, each suited to specific situations and kinds of personal expression. Try them all to find out which ones you enjoy the most.

You may think of writing a song as a purely musical form of creative expression, but if your song has lyrics, you'll also be doing some creative writing. Lyrics are similar to poetry in that they can have many forms, although some type of rhyme scheme is common. See examples of some of the most popular song lyrics at MetroLyrics .

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From haiku to sonnets, there are dozens of different poetic forms to try. In general, the key to writing poetry is to create evocative images and make every word count. You can write about anything, from nature to love to your family . You can even write poems for specific occasions, such as a wedding ceremony or a funeral .

3. Vignettes

Vignettes are a short form of fiction or creative non-fiction that sets up a scene for the reader. There may not be a central conflict to drive the story forward, and there may not even be characters. Length can range from a single paragraph to a few pages. Generally, the entire piece takes place in one location. Ernest Hemingway's In Our Time features several examples of vignettes.

4. Short Fiction

Short fiction offers more of a "story" than a vignette. It includes short stories and even modern fan fiction. Writing a short story is a great way to learn about how fiction is structured, including plot, characters, conflict, and setting. You can even make money writing short fiction. A great example of this genre is A&P by John Updike.

5. Novellas

Longer than a short story but not quite as long as a novel, a novella goes into great detail about all the elements of the story. It may or may not have chapters. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a good example of a novella.

Novels are perhaps the best known form of fiction, and you'll see them in many genres, including romance, thrillers, and science fiction. In this long form of fiction, you have time to explore the plot, characters, and other elements more fully. Writing a novel is a huge undertaking and a great way to improve your skills as a writer. If you're considering such a project, look at what works in some of the best novels of all time.

Scripts, for everything from TV commercials to radio programs and even movies, are another form of creative writing. The length can vary significantly, but the key is that the words you write will be recited by actors and recorded. An audience will view or listen to the piece later. Find movie scripts to review as examples of this form of writing.

Like a script in that the dialogue you write will be recited by actors, plays are designed to be performed in front of an audience. They are usually divided into several acts, although short, one-act plays are also popular. Writing a play is a great way to see your story ideas come to life. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is a good example if you're looking for inspiration.

9. Personal Essays

Not all creative writing is made up. In fact, creative non-fiction comes in several important forms. One of these is the personal essay in which the writer explores his or her own life experiences or opinions. Writing an essay on yourself isn't always easy, but it's an important skill to have for everything from college applications to family history.

10. Journals and Diaries

More than just a therapeutic exercise or a way to record the day's events, journals can also be a type of creative writing. This is especially true if you infuse your entries with your emotions and personal experiences. Take some time to read journal writing prompts and try your hand at this creative writing form.

11. Memoirs

A longer form of the personal essay or journal, a memoir is a type of creative nonfiction that explores a person's life or experiences. You can focus on a single period or your entire life. This is different from an autobiography in that it includes feelings and thoughts - not just the facts of what happened. There are even websites with examples of memoirs and tips for writing your own.

12. Letters

Because they contain more than a basic reporting of the facts, letters can also be a type of creative writing. This is especially true if they discuss emotion or opinion. Even love letters can be creative.

Try All the Forms

There are many more forms of writing that can become creative if they expand beyond the basic facts. For instance, some blogs and literary journalism articles are very creative too. There are so many types of creative writing to explore that it makes sense to try them all. You're sure to find one (or several) that you love.

10 types of creative writing with examples

Do you aspire to be the following voice of your era? If so, you will need to research greater about innovative writing and begin trying to find concepts. In this newsletter, we will discover specific types of innovative writing, from poetry to screenplays, and delve deeper into this world of creativeness and creativity. By the end of this guide, you should have a good understanding of what creative writing is and what field you should specialize in.

Table of Contents

What is Creative Writing

Creative writing is a form of artistic expression. It evokes writers to use their creativity to deliver personality and aptitude to their work. It does not consciousness entirely of greater conventional, technical kinds of writing along with journalistic and academic patterns, but alternatively presentations of imagination and invention.

It offers a platform for writers to specify themselves and attention to regions which include man or woman improvement, narrative, and story. When it comes to innovative writing, you can break free from traditional writing norms and let your imagination roam freely. There is an extensive range of different patterns and genres that you can concentrate on, which we will discuss in element under.

Also Read- What Does Copywriting Mean in Marketing?

Types of Creative Writing

There are various forms of creative writing to explore. Let’s delve into the ten most popular types, helping you choose the one where you can fully express yourself.

The artistic area of poetry is one of the greater popular sorts of creative writing that you could specialize in. There are many exceptional kinds of poetry, inclusive of free verse, haiku, sonnet, limerick, and more. If you are just beginning to test with formative writing, poetry is an outstanding location to start. You can set the length, writing style, and complexity of your poems, tailoring your work to your selected fashion.

It also encourages you to play with different literary techniques, including alliteration, simile, imagery, and irony. Poetry serves as an excellent gateway to grasp the effective use of literary devices and when to employ them. Whether you prefer long-winded prose or short, concise rhymed poems, this serves as a great opportunity to get in touch with your creative side and begin some highly imaginative written work.

Song Lyrics

If poetry floats your boat, chances are you also enjoy writing song lyrics. When you’re learning to write creatively, lyrics can be an excellent introduction to this world, especially if you’re interested in music. Although matching your lyrics to music can be a lot of fun, it can also be very challenging. You not only have to think about the written side of song creation but also the genre of music you’re writing for. This can also be a great group exercise with friends. Especially if you are not particularly interested in music and want to hear how your songs are performed during a performance. 

Also Read- What is Article Writing Meaning, Types, and Formats

Journals and Diaries

Written accounts of one’s experiences and feelings, journals, and diary entries are great ways to express yourself and document your life. It qualifies as a type of creative writing if you’re doing more than just keeping a log of events, and instead focusing more on emotions and storytelling. 

Whether you decide to keep your work private or publish it is entirely your choice. Either way, journaling can be a great way to use your writing skills and experiment with different techniques like imagery, foreshadowing, and flashbacks. Keeping a journal or diary can also be great for your mental health, helping you express how you feel without having to do it verbally.

Plays and screenplays

If you’ve always dreamed of a career in the dramatic arts, exploring your originative writing talents through plays and screenplays might be the perfect fit for you. Plays have been written for centuries and remain an extremely popular art form today. If you want to have your written work brought to life and performed on a stage near you, creating a play is a great way to get your story heard and show off the characters. Writing a script encourages you to think outside the box, create character dialogue, and stage direction, and bring ideas together.

Personal Essays

Focusing on the writer’s life and experiences, a personal essay is a form of creative non-fiction that functions almost as an autobiography. A personal essay focuses on a message or theme, with the writer using his or her personal experience to communicate his or her story. However, the main elements of the story must be true, otherwise it will become a piece of short fiction. If you have a personal story you wish to share, personal essays provide an ideal entry point into creative writing, allowing your narrative to resonate with others.

Short Fiction

If you don’t have time to write a novel but have lots of wonderful, imaginative ideas that you want to combine into fiction writing, short stories are for you. By using short stories, you can create an engaging piece that won’t take the reader long to digest.

In a constantly changing world where people are short of time and are always in a hurry, short stories provide a great alternative to novels and are becoming popular on a large scale. If you have ambitions to write novels then this is a good place to start, as it can help you hone your writing, develop your storytelling abilities, and develop the right literary techniques like imagery and foreshadowing.

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Letters differ from journal and diary entries in that they focus specifically on a target reader. Again, this is a great example of originative writing where you can create a personal account of a particular event or examine in depth the relationship between two people. 

With letters, you can use hyperbole, flashbacks, and motifs to creatively reveal the dynamics of sender and recipient, which can make for an excellent story in its own right. Many famous writers publish their letters, as it allows them to showcase a different side of their personality and experiment with a completely different written format.

As soon as someone mentions creative writing, the first thing that often comes to mind is writing novels. One of the maximum famous styles of creative writing, novels are fictional works that inspire you to imaginatively inform a story to communicate with your reader. Usually divided into chapters, novels are a longer form of creative writing that takes time and commitment to get right. To write the best novel you’ll need to be patient and notably prompted.

Writing an e-book may be pretty worthwhile, which is why such a lot of innovative writers decide to take this, to begin with a difficult venture. It permits you to work with an entire range of literary devices, from metaphors and personification to imagery and symbolism.

Free Writing

If you need to allow your creativeness run wild and get the creative juices flowing speedy, freelance writing ticks all of the right boxes. This type of innovative writing lets you write without any consideration of common sense, sentence shape, or grammar. Freewriting is something to do with, encouraging you to place phrases and snapshots onto a web page as you spot healthy. Freelance writing may be a remarkable exercise when you first start writing, as it gives you complete freedom to experiment and test many special writing techniques without putting any stress on the final results.

An iconic speech will spring to thoughts for everybody analyzing this. Good speeches are usually remembered, but handing over them effectively can be very hard. Whether they’re motivational, inspirational, or instructional, speeches let you hook up with your target audience and explicit yourself. Skilled speechwriters are always sought after, whether it’s for a corporate function, wedding, award ceremony, or any other public event. That’s why speechwriting can be an invaluable ability and one worth gaining knowledge of. Ultimately, the motive of a speech is to inspire and motivate the target market, so as soon as you have mastered speech writing, you will be able to turn your hand to most other forms of innovative writing.

Creative writing serves as a medium of inventive expression. This can come in many bureaucracy, from screenplays and speeches to poetry and flash fiction. But what businesses these kinds of exceptional sorts of creative writing below the “innovative” umbrella is the display of a writer’s imagination, creativity, and linguistic abilities.

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Top 10 Elements of Creative Writing: All you Need to Know

Learn the art of storytelling with our comprehensive blog on the Elements of Creative Writing. Discover the vital components that transform ordinary words into extraordinary tales. Dive into character development, plot intricacies, and more as we cover the core aspects of crafting captivating narratives. Read more to find out!

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Whether you're an aspiring novelist, a poet, or simply someone who loves to pen down your ideas, understanding the key Elements of Creative Writing can significantly enhance your skills. In this blog, we will explore the top 10 Elements of Creative Writing that are essential for creating compelling and impactful written works, along with tips. 

Table of Contents  

1) The i mportance of Creative Writing elements 

2) Top 10 Elements of Creative Writing 

   a)  Imagery and descriptive language  

   b)  Character development 

   c)  Plot structure 

   d)  Dialogue and conversations 

   e)  Point of View (POV) 

   f)  Setting and world-building 

   g)  Tone and Style 

   h)  Conflict and resolution 

   i)   Theme and symbolism  

   j)  Editing and revision 

3)  Conclusion 

The importance  of Creative Writing elements  

Creative writing isn't confined to the pages of novels or the lines of poetry; it's a fundamental human expression that predates recorded history. It has been a conduit for cultural preservation, knowledge transfer, and emotional catharsis. But how exactly mastering these elements can improve your writing?   

Every art has its tools, and Creative Writing is no different. The elements we'll delve into aren't just guidelines; they're the building blocks that transform your words from ordinary to extraordinary. By understanding and mastering these Creative Writing elements, you'll be equipped to craft narratives that draw readers in, keep them engaged, and leave an indelible mark on their minds and hearts. 

Unlock your creative potential with our expert-led Creative Writing Training – Register now to ignite your imagination!  

Top 10 Elements of Creative Writing    

Generally, there are various Elements of Creative Writing, each possessing its own unique features. However, many forms of Creative Writing also share some common features. Here’s a detailed explanation of each element every Writer must follow:  

1) Imagery and d escriptive l anguage   

Imagery and descriptive language are the brushes with which writers paint vivid mental pictures for their readers. By skillfully weaving sensory details, you bring scenes to life and evoke emotions. The rustling leaves, the scent of freshly baked bread, the gritty texture of sand beneath one's feet—these details create a sensory symphony that immerses readers in your world.    

Metaphors, similes, and analogies act as bridges, connecting the familiar with the unfamiliar. Through them, you can compare the indescribable to the known, enriching your narrative with layers of meaning. Mastery of imagery and descriptive language transforms passive reading into an active experience where readers can taste, smell, hear, see, and feel the world you've created.   

Tips :   

a)  When selecting details, focus on the ones that have the most impact and avoid including unnecessary clutter.   

b)  Use metaphors and similes sparingly, making them truly resonate.   

c) T ailor your descriptions to the tone and mood of the scene or story. 

2) Character d evelopment   

Character development is the art of breathing life into your fictional personas. Well-crafted characters are not only relatable but also complex, with layers of personality, desires, flaws, and history. They drive the plot forward, compelling readers to invest emotionally in their journeys. Backstories provide context, explaining why characters behave the way they do.   

Effective character development allows readers to understand, empathise, and even dislike characters. The key lies in making them authentic and evolving. Just as people change, so should your characters. They learn, grow, and adapt, making their arcs believable and satisfying. The beauty of character development is in its ability to mirror the human experience, forging connections between fictional worlds and real hearts.  

a)  Explore your characters' pasts to understand their motivations and fears.  

b) Create a character profile detailing their appearance, background, and personality traits. 

c) Show character development through actions and decisions rather than telling.  

3) Plot s tructure   

Plot structure is the architecture that holds your narrative together. Think of it as a roller coaster, with highs and lows that keep readers engaged. The introduction sets the stage, introducing characters, settings, and the initial conflict. Rising action builds tension, propelling the story forward. At its peak is the climax, the turning point that determines the characters' fate.   

Falling action allows for a gradual untwisting of events, leading to the resolution. Effective plot structure balances pacing, ensuring readers remain intrigued without feeling rushed. Twists and turns add surprise, while cause-and-effect relationships maintain coherence. A well-structured plot keeps readers invested, eagerly flipping pages to discover what happens next.  

a)  Introduce the main conflict early to hook readers' curiosity.  

b) Use cliffhangers and unexpected twists to maintain suspense.  

c)  Ensure each scene contributes to character development or plot progression.  

4) Dialogue and c onversations   

Dialogue and conversations are windows into your characters' minds and hearts. Natural and dynamic dialogue conveys information and reveals personalities and relationships. Each character's speech patterns, vocabulary, and tone should be distinct, reflecting their backgrounds and emotions .   

Through dialogue, conflicts can be ignited, alliances forged, and secrets unveiled. Subtext—the unspoken thoughts beneath the spoken words—adds depth and intrigue. Conversations can quicken the story's pace, providing relief from dense narrative passages. Dialogue-driven scenes foster engagement, inviting readers to eavesdrop on captivating interactions that fuel the narrative's fire.  

a)  Listen to real conversations to capture natural rhythms and speech patterns.  

b)  Use interruptions and nonverbal cues to make dialogue dynamic.  

c)  Balance dialogue with narrative to avoid overwhelming the reader.  

5) Point of View (POV)  

Point of view (POV) is the lens through which your story is perceived. The choice of POV shapes the reader's relationship with characters and events. First-person offers intimacy, allowing readers to see the world through a character's eyes. Second person immerses readers directly into the narrative. Third person limited provides insight into a character's thoughts, while third-person omniscient offers a broader perspective.   

Consistency in POV is vital; changing viewpoints can confuse readers. The chosen POV influences what readers know and when they know it. It also affects emotional connection and empathy. Selecting the appropriate POV requires consideration of the story's needs and the desired reader experience.  

a)  Experiment with different POVs to find the best fit for your story.  

b)  Consider the level of intimacy and distance you want between characters and readers.  

c)  Be aware of the limitations and advantages of each POV.   

6) Setting and w orld- b uilding   

The setting isn't just a backdrop; it's a dynamic element that influences mood and plot. A well-defined setting isn't merely a stage but an active participant, influencing characters and events. You transport readers to a different reality through meticulous detail, allowing them to immerse themselves fully.  

Effective world-building extends beyond the physical, encompassing societal norms, rules, and even magic systems in speculative fiction. The environment can reflect themes and impact mood. Whether in a fantasy realm or a contemporary city, the authenticity of the setting enhances the reader's experience.   

a)  Research settings thoroughly to ensure accuracy and authenticity.  

b)  Show how characters interact with their environment to convey their experiences.  

c)  Create a sense of place by using unique and specific details.  

7)   Tone and style   

Tone and style are the fingerprints that make your writing uniquely yours. The tone is the distinctive way you express yourself through words—a combination of tone, diction, and syntax. It reflects your personality as an author. Style encompasses sentence structure, pacing, and word choice, influencing the overall feel of your work .   

A comedic style might employ wordplay and witty dialogue, while a dramatic style could use evocative descriptions and emotional introspection. Finding your voice and style involves self-discovery and experimenting with different approaches until you uncover what feels authentic. A strong voice and style leave an indelible mark on readers, making your work instantly recognisable   

a)  Read more to familiarise yourself with different writing styles.  

b)  Practice writing in different tones to discover your preferred voice.  

c)  Revise with a focus on refining your voice; eliminate elements that don't align. 

8)  Conflict and r esolution   

Conflict and resolution are the engine that drives your narrative forward. Conflict introduces challenges that characters must overcome, making their journeys compelling and relatable. There are various types of conflict—internal struggles within characters, external conflicts with other characters or nature, and interpersonal conflicts between characters. Conflict creates tension, propelling the story toward its climax.   

The resolution, whether happy or bittersweet, provides closure and offers insights into the characters' growth. Well-crafted conflicts test characters' limits, forcing them to confront their fears, flaws, and desires. Through the resolution, readers witness the transformation and the culmination of the character's arcs. 

a)  Vary the types of conflict to maintain reader engagement.  

b)  Build tension gradually; escalate the stakes as the story progresses.  

c)  Avoid convenient solutions; resolutions should arise from the characters' choices and actions.  

Supercharge your writing skills with our Speedwriting Masterclass – Register now and amplify your productivity!  

9) Theme and symbolism  

Theme and symbolism lend depth and layers to your writing. Themes are the underlying ideas, beliefs, or messages that resonate with readers. They can explore love, friendship, power, or mortality, connecting the narrative to universal human experiences. Symbolism employs objects, actions, or concepts to convey abstract ideas, often adding an element of intrigue.  

A red rose might symbolize love or passion, while a broken mirror could represent self-perception. Themes and symbols intertwine, enriching the story's interpretation and emotional impact. Skilful use of theme and symbolism transforms a tale into an exploration of human nature and society.  

Tips:   

a)  Reflect on the themes that resonate with you and explore them in your writing.  

b)  Use recurring symbols to reinforce thematic elements.  

c)  Allow themes to emerge naturally from the characters' struggles and growth. 

10) Editing and r evisi on    

Editing and revising are the crucial phases that turn your initial draft into a polished masterpiece. Writing is rewriting; the initial draft is a raw exploration of ideas. Editing involves refining sentences for clarity, coherence, and flow. It ensures grammar and punctuation are correct. Revising delves deeper, examining plot holes, character consistency, and thematic resonance.  

Seeking feedback from peers or professionals is invaluable, offering fresh perspectives. The revision process is where your story truly comes to life. It's an opportunity to tighten narrative threads, enhance descriptions, and amplify emotions. Embrace the iterative nature of editing and revising; each pass brings your writing closer to its full potential.  

a) Revise in multiple passes, focusing on different aspects in each round.  

b)  Cut unnecessary details or scenes that don't contribute to the narrative.  

c)  Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling to ensure a polished final product.  

Conclusion   

Creative Writing is a journey of discovery, both for the Writer and the reader. In this blog post, we've explored the essential elements that constitute effective Creative Writing. From the foundation of imagination to the nuances of dialogue, style, and conflict, each element plays a pivotal role in crafting a compelling narrative. By mastering these top 10 Elements of Creative Writing, you'll be equipped to create stories that resonate, inspire, and captivate audiences.  

Elevate your Copywriting skills to new heights with our Copywriting Masterclass – Join today and craft compelling content that captivates your audience!  

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18 Types of Creative Writing

• September 14, 2022
• One Comment

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics. Due to the looseness of the definition, it is possible for writing such as feature stories to be considered as one of the type of creative writing, even though they fall under journalism because the content of features is specifically focused on narrative and character development. Both fictional and non-fictional works fall into this category of different types of creative writing. This list of different types of creative writing also includes novels, biographies, short stories, and poems. In the academic setting, creative writing is typically separated into fiction and poetry classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, as opposed to imitating pre-existing genres such as crime or horror. Writing for the screen and stage—screenwriting and playwriting—are often taught separately, but fit under the creative writing category as well. Source: Wikipedia

What are the different types of Creative Writing?

Whether you’re a reader or a writer, understanding different types of creative writing can be confusing. The category is so vast and so rich that it is easy to lose your bearings. Worry not- we’ve made a list of the major types of creative writing. Equipped with this, you will be able to tell the difference between all the major types of creative writing!

( P.S – Check out the examples for extra clarification on the types of creative writing. ) 

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Types of Creative Writing

Novels are one of the most popular types of fiction around. Any work of fiction that is of considerable length, and uses characters to tell a story may be considered a novel. The essential components in a novel are generally agreed to be the characters, the plot, the setting, the conflict, and the resolution. The traditional structure for a novel includes the exposition, the climax, and the conclusion. Novels may be standalone or part of a series. 

Because novels consist of such a vast category, there are many, many different kinds of novels that form sub-categories. These subcategories may be on the basis of language, genre, style, literary school, time period, or setting. 

Example: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 

Learn more about ‘Writing Feature Articles’ from our blog post HERE .

02. Novella

A novella is essentially a short novel. Generally, if a work of fiction is between 20,000-50,000 words, it may be considered a novella and not a novel. Just like novels, novellas can be of many types. 

Example: A Flight of Pigeons by Ruskin Bond

03. Short stories

Short stories are pieces of narrative fiction writing that are considerably shorter than novels and novellas. A short story is prose that deals with imaginary events and characters and are less complex than a novel. They can be of various types, and span most genres.

Example: The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond

04. Flash Fiction

Flash Fiction is fiction that is shorter than a short story- in other words, a very short story. Structurally, it is similar to a short story but generally less complex. Flash fiction can even be a sentence long, as long as it is an entire story. 

Examples: Unseen by Jose Varghese

Brush up on your knowledge of writing styles with our blog post – Different Kinds of Writing Styles with Examples

05. Vignettes

A vignette is a very short piece of fiction writing. It differs from flash fiction in one crucial aspect. Flash fiction must have a plot. A vignette can be less structured and is generally used to evoke a feeling. It can be a brief account of anything but does not need to follow a strict structure. 

Example: Various excellent examples can be found in Ruskin Bond’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life: Roads to Happiness’. 

06. Narrative Nonfiction

Narrative Nonfiction is writing where real events are narrated in the style of a fictional novel or story. It is also known as literary or creative nonfiction. This is also a vast category under which various types of narratives can be classified. A common and popular example of narrative fiction is travel books and accounts. 

Example: Shadow City: A Woman Walks Kabul by Taran Khan

07. Biography and Autobiography

Biographies and autobiographies are both nonfiction books that narrate the life of a person. Autobiography refers to an account of a person’s life written by said person. A biography is written by someone else. Some biographies are approved by the individual whose story is being told. Other times, especially where historical figures are concerned, many people attempt to write biographies. How a biography is written depends on who is writing it, and why. Where scholarly biographies may be concerned with certain details of someone’s life, a personal biography may focus on completely different details. 

Example: And Then One Day: A Memoir by Naseeruddin Shah

Practice is the only way you can improve your writing. So, here’s a list of 8 Free Writing Platforms in India to keep you going.

An essay is a short piece of writing focused on a particular topic. It could be written to analyze, persuade or explain. Essays can be of many different kinds, but broad categories include descriptive, narrative, and argumentative essays. A descriptive essay, as the name implies, focuses on describing an event, an object, or something else. Narrative essays are similar to short narrative nonfiction or fictional short stories. Argumentative essays are opinion pieces that are meant to persuade readers to accept a certain side of an argument, while clearly outlining the debate.

The usual structure of an essay includes an introduction, the main body, and the conclusion. The introduction generally contains a thesis statement, which poses the main question of the essay. The conclusion should include the restatement of the thesis statement. While this does not apply to every essay, for most types it is a useful rule of thumb. 

Examples: Walking with the Comrades by Arundhati Roy 

Poetry is a form of writing that is difficult to define. According to Merriam-Webster, poetry is ‘writing that uses rhythm, vivid language, and often rhymes to provoke an emotional response.’

Because poetry is so loosely defined, it encompasses vastly different styles from all over the world. Poems may be classified by style, literary school, era, language, region, content, or form. Poems may follow a rigid structure or no structure at all. They are not necessarily narrative in nature. Generally, poems are shorter than prose, though there are works of epic poetry that are novel length and longer. 

Example: On Killing A Tree by Gieve Patel

10. Songwriting 

Songwriting may be considered a form of poetry. However, it is specifically poetry that is meant to be sung, with accompanying music. Unlike a poet whose work is meant to be read, the songwriter is concerned much more closely with rhythm, beat, and rhyme.

Songwriting has to take into account that their work will be composed and sung, and be mindful that the lyrics are compatible with the song. Often, songwriters compose the music for their own lyrics, but it is equally common for the composition to be done by someone else. 

Example: Empire of Fear by Anoushka Maskey 

Rap is a form of songwriting, and by extension, poetry. Associated with hip-hop, rap is a very specific kind of performance poetry. Rap is a type of music that involves fast speech, strong rhyme, and rhythm. It is not sung. It is also strongly associated with street culture and the poetry of resistance and anger. 

Examples: On My Own by Brodha V 

12. Screenplays

Screenplays are scripts for movies, TV and web series, and short films. Writing screenplays requires not only an understanding of prose writing but also the movie-making process. For example, it is important to keep in mind that the dialogues written will be spoken on screen by actors. Similarly, a director and cinematographer will decide what the content looks like on screen. Screenplays are divided into scenes and within scenes, shots. The location is clearly established, and dialogues are of utmost importance. 

Example: The Disciple by Chaitanya Tamhane 

We have gathered information on Screenwriting Agents in India : What do they do? Who are the best ones? for you.

13. Playwriting

Playwriting is a kind of dramatic writing. It is the writing of scripts that are to be performed on the stage. There are many, many kinds of plays that are different from each other in almost every respect. For example, the absurdist theatre has very little in common with classical theatre, and the respective playwrights use a variety of different tools. However, all plays are supposed to be performed, so there are many practical commonalities between playwrights. 

Example: Harlesden High Street by Abhishek Majumdar

A blog is a personalized online platform where a person writes about any topic that is of interest to them. Sometimes, organizations and companies also have a blog with a theme and different writers contribute to it.  The style of writing, as well as the content, can vary hugely. Blog writing is a fairly flexible medium that allows for different kinds of expression. 

Example: 82 Women Writers on The Himalayan Writing Retreat blog by Vanya Singh 

15. Speeches

Speeches are generally addressed to the public and have a purpose behind them. Political figures and leaders of all sorts need to make speeches all the time. They may be to inspire, persuade or explain. Speeches are written with a clear aim in mind, and try to evoke strong emotion of some sort. 

Example: ‘Tryst with Destiny’ by Jawaharlal Nehru

16. Journalism

Merriam Webster defines journalism as the act of collecting and editing news for presentation through the media. Journalists write for different media- print, radio, and television being the most prominent. The presentation of news in all of these follows different formats, as does the job of a journalist. However, the fundamental role of the journalist- the collection of relevant news, and editing remain common. 

Example: Newslaundry

17. Comic Strips/ Graphic Novels

Comic strips and graphic novels are interesting avenues for creative writing. They essentially present a collaboration between writers and artists. The artist draws the comic panels, and the writer writes in them. The way characters and stories are developed through this medium is very different from other types of fiction. The collaborative aspect, as in film and stage, cannot be forgotten. 

Example: Corridor by Sarnath Banerjee

Here are 10 Secrets of Ghostwriting in India that I bet you didn’t know.

18. Letter Writing

Letters are addressed to people and fall into two broad categories. Formal letters, and informal letters. Formal letters are written in an official or professional capacity. For example, letters to the municipality complaining about an issue is a formal letter. Informal letters are more personal in nature and more relaxed in their tone and use of language. For example, a letter written by a sister to her brother is an informal letter. 

Example: Letters From A Father to His Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru

Conclusion 

While this list is by no means exhaustive, an effort has been made to include the main types of creative writing. All of the above can be published- but there are also other types of creative writing, like personal diaries and journals that are usually kept private.

We hope this helps you to better navigate the wonderfully chaotic world of reading and writing!

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It is true that creative writing can be very rewarding. It can also be very difficult. your article is very helpful for writers thanks for sharing with us!

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6 Types of Writing Styles Every Writer Should Know

If you’ve got decent writing skills, you’re armed with the ability to inspire, entertain, persuade, and instruct. You can help others explore an entirely new point of view, immerse readers in an unfamiliar world, and make complicated knowledge more accessible.

No doubt about it. There’s tremendous power in writing. At least, there is if you know how to adapt your technique for the goal you want to achieve.

That’s where writing styles come into play.

You see, the objective that guides your work should always inform the way you write; you’d likely use different words for a business letter than you would for a poem. Your sentence structure, rhythm, and pace would be different, too. 

Those distinctions are what define different types of writing styles. And when you know how to name and categorize those different styles, you’re better prepared to discuss your craft as an author, your assignments as a student, or your qualifications as a professional.

So let’s take a tour of the most common types of writing styles. In this article, you’ll learn all about:

• Narrative writing
• Descriptive writing
• Expository writing
• Persuasive writing
• Technical writing
• Creative writing

You’ll get to know the goals for each one, see a few examples, and even pick up a few tricks for mastering the style.

Before we get into all that, I’d like to clear up one potential point of confusion:

Aren’t You Supposed to Find Your Own Writing Style?

If you spend much time around DabbleU or any place where people love talking about creative writing, you may have heard the term “writing style” referred to as an individual technique, rather than an entire category of written communication.

That’s because the literary world is confusing, and sometimes we use one word for two different things. Like sequel and sequel .

In creative writing, an author’s writing style is their own unique combination of voice , tone , diction , and syntax. It’s the literary fingerprint you develop over time, and you can learn how to do that here .

In this article, however, we’re talking about writing styles as broad categories that indicate what the author wants to achieve and how the piece should be written to achieve that goal.  

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s start exploring the six most common types of writing styles.

Narrative Writing

The goal of narrative writing is to tell a story. There’s a main character who confronts a challenge in their pursuit of a goal . The character makes choices that have consequences—good and/or bad—and it all comes to some sort of resolution . 

Most of the time, the purpose of the story is to entertain or connect with the reader on an emotional level. 

However, advertisers can use narrative writing to persuade consumers to buy a product. Historians can use it to highlight the humanity and modern relevance of past events. Speechwriters can tap into their narrative writing skills when they want to energize listeners with an inspiring tale.

This style of writing is so powerful because it engages the reader’s emotions and invites them to imagine unfamiliar experiences.

Narrative Writing Examples 

The most common forms of narrative writing include:

• Short stories
• Flash fiction
• Autobiographies /biographies
• Narrative nonfiction
• Narrative poetry

The goal of narrative writing is to draw the reader into the setting and immerse them in the story. That means this particular style uses dialogue , a lot of descriptive language, a distinctive voice, and a strong point of view. You know, stuff like:

Sam Vimes sighed when he heard the scream, but he finished shaving before he did anything about it. – Night Watch

“‘You are,’ he says, ‘the absolute worst idea I've ever had.’” – Red, White, and Royal Blue

Narrative Writing Tips

To nail narrative writing, you need:

A main character readers will love - This usually means creating a blend of vulnerability , virtue, and flaws .

A compelling conflict - The stakes should be high for your main character, and the conflict should grow more serious as the story progresses.

Vivid sensory details - Strong imagery pulls your readers into the narrative and helps them empathize with your characters’ experiences.

Deeper meaning - Use the narrative to explore deeper themes your audience can connect to.

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing aims to help readers imagine an environment, person, or experience. 

While all the other types of writing styles in this article can stand alone, descriptive writing is often used to support other styles.

For example, it comes in handy when you want to describe the setting of a novel. You could also use this style to paint a picture of your neighborhood at rush hour if you were writing a persuasive article about the need for more traffic lights in your town.  

Ultimately, the purpose of descriptive writing is to convey essential information or evoke specific emotions by creating an image in your readers’ minds.

Descriptive Writing Examples

You can find a ton of descriptive writing in fiction, like this:

“...by the time I met her she was already a rather bizarre old woman with shoulders rounded into two gentle humps and with white hair coiled around a sebaceous cyst the size of a pigeon egg crowning her noble head.” –The Stories of Eva Luna

You’ll also see it in nonfiction.

“A fox steps from the woods, its shoulders are bright, its narrow chest is as white as milk. The wild eyes stare at the geese. Daintily it walks to the pond’s edge, calmly it drinks.” – The Ponds  

You see descriptive writing pretty much everywhere description is needed.

Descriptive Writing Tips

Here are some quick suggestions for the next time you need to describe a scene like a pro:

Nail down what you really want to say - What do you want to communicate to your readers? What feelings or actions are you hoping to inspire? Choose words and images that will help create the mood and message you’re going for.

Engage the five senses - Use concrete details to conjure scents, sights, tastes, sounds, and physical sensations for your audience. This is the heart of the “show, don’t tell” rule. If you’re not familiar with it, you can learn about it here .

Stick to essential details - Rather than painting every detail, focus on the images that indicate the overall tone or theme. If you show the reader the morning glories winding up the trellis and offer them the scent of orange blossom on a soft breeze, they’ll fill in the rest of the picture themselves.

Expository Writing

In expository writing, the goal is to share information that’s relevant to the reader in the current context.

That is to say, this writing style is all about the facts: who, what, when, where, and why. 

Entire works can be categorized as expository writing. Textbooks fall under this category. So do news articles.

But you might sometimes hear the term “expository writing” used in relation to fiction, which is confusing, because the entire point of fiction is that it’s not based on fact.

In this context, expository writing—more commonly called “ exposition ”—refers to relevant information that would be considered factual within the world of the story.

More specifically, it’s additional information the reader needs in order to fully understand the narrative. For example, in a novel where the protagonist refuses to fall in love, details about their past heartbreak would count as expository writing.

Expository Writing Examples

This writing style includes things like:

• Instruction manuals
• News stories
• Encyclopedias
• Guides and how-to articles (like this one you’re reading!)

In the context of fiction, this style of writing looks like this:

“In Mallard, you grew up hearing stories about folks who’d pretended to be white. Warren Fontenot, riding a train in the white section, and when a suspicious porter questioned him, speaking enough French to convince him that he was a swarthy European...” – The Vanishing Half

That passage offers insight into the protagonist’s upbringing, shedding light on the way that character processes a situation she’ll wrestle with throughout the entire novel.

Expository Writing Tips

Here are some tricks for making sure your expository writing is clear, engaging, and relevant:

Know your audience - Your goal is to convey essential information, so make sure you speak in a language your readers will understand. This is especially true for textbooks and other educational materials.

Organize information logically - What does your reader need to understand first in order to understand everything else? How can you divulge this information as clearly as possible? If you’re writing fiction, at what point in the story would it be most helpful for your reader to gain this insight?

Stick to what matters - Resist the temptation to share everything you know on a given topic or—in the case of fiction—every little fact you’ve dreamed up. Only share what’s relevant to this reader at this moment.

Persuasive Writing

This is a fun one. In persuasive writing, your goal is to convince the reader of something.

Maybe you want them to take a certain action like buying a product, funding a nonprofit, or calling their representative. Maybe you just want them to see things your way. Whatever your specific objective is, the big idea is that you’re harnessing the power of language to make it happen.

In many cases, persuasive writing calls on several other types of writing styles. Narrative and descriptive writing can stir readers’ emotions, which can sway personal opinions and inspire action. And expository writing can play a persuasive role by providing compelling facts and statistics.

Persuasive Writing Examples

If someone is trying to get someone to act or think a certain way, it’s persuasive writing. That includes:

• Advertising in all its forms
• Cover letters
• Business proposals
• Grant proposals
• Query letters
• Product reviews
• Political speeches

You can even throw a little persuasive writing into your Nobel Prize speech if you want to, like so:

“Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.” –Malala Yousafzai

Persuasive Writing Tips

Want to get your readers to do your bid—I mean, see things your way? Here are some tips for nailing a persuasive piece:

Empathize - Know your audience, including their dreams, fears, frustrations, and values. This allows you to meet them where they are and speak to their priorities.

Help them empathize with you - This is where those narrative and descriptive writing skills pay off. Paint a clear picture of your own experiences, challenges, fears, or visions for the future. Make it easy for your audience to see things from your perspective.

Provide supporting evidence - Emotional appeal is the secret to snagging your reader’s attention, but facts and figures will help them feel better about taking your side.

Technical Writing

Ready for the driest writing style on this list?

That’s not entirely fair. Technical writing can be fun. But it’s usually not. Fun is not the goal here. The only function of technical writing is to translate specialized knowledge into information that’s clear and accessible to the reader. 

User guides, company handbooks, case studies… these are all forms of technical writing.

In this particular style, there’s no need to spark emotion—in fact, that could hurt your goal of translating complex information. Technical writers rarely seek to convey a specific tone or write in an engaging voice. It’s just clear, direct instruction.

Technical Writing Examples

A lot of technical writing looks like this:

“From the Start Menu, open the Control Panel and select Sound.” –the Samson Q2U manual sitting on my desk

But it’s not all step-by-step instructions. Within this writing style, you’ll also find:

• E-learning content
• Case studies
• Academic writing
• Training manuals
• Corporate handbooks
• Corporate memos

…and pretty much anything else that demystifies techspeak or corporatespeak into something the average person can understand.

Technical Writing Tips

If you want to master this particular writing style, start with these tips:

Know your reader - The entire point of technical writing is to create clarity for your audience. So it’s essential that you understand what their current level of expertise is. That way, you won’t talk down to them or over their heads.

Use direct, precise language - Don’t worry about making it sound lovely. Fancy words and figurative language will only cloud your meaning.

Structure information logically - Think carefully about how you lay out knowledge. What details does your reader need to understand in order to make sense of the rest of the information?

Creative Writing

Creative writing is a massive category. It includes all work that emphasizes creativity and personal expression rather than conveying objective information.

Under the vast umbrella of creative writing, we have fiction, creative nonfiction , and poetry. Each of those categories includes multiple forms and genres. 

For example, novels, short stories, novellas, flash fiction, plays, and screenplays all fall under the heading of fiction. Within each of those sub-categories there are genres like science fiction and romance . 

There are even sub genres, but if you really want to get into all that, you can learn about it here .

All this to say, the term “creative writing” encompasses a lot . But, really, it all comes down to using words to communicate our subjective interpretations of what it means to be human.

Creative writing includes stuff like:

• Screenplays
• Personal essays
• Travel writing
• Nature writing

Because this writing style is all about experimenting with words to discuss abstract concepts like love and grief, creative writers tend to use a lot of literary devices and figurative language in their work. That results in engaging work like this:

“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” – One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

“You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.” 

–”Wild Geese”

Creative Writing Tips

You can find just about all the creative writing tips you could possibly want in DabbleU . There are hundreds of articles in there, covering everything from choosing your story structure to avoiding purple prose .

But if you want a few quick tips before you browse DabbleU, here are some big ones:

Immerse the reader in your world - This is where that old “show, don’t tell” advice comes in handy. Whether you’re writing a fantasy novel , a personal essay, or a haiku, include specific, concrete details that help your audience disappear inside your universe.

Explore a theme - Even a whodunit written purely for funsies has something to say… about human nature, about trust, about the importance of small details. What’s the underlying message of your piece?

Find your voice - What unique perspective do you bring to your writing? What tone do you slip into naturally when you write? What type of diction do you tend to use? Work to find your voice, and you’ll be able to craft creative prose that is distinctly your own.

Master Your Writing Style

I hope this little romp through writing styles has given you enough clarity to feel like you can discuss each style like a pro. Or at least like an informed beginner.

Of course, as you may have guessed, there’s a lot more to learn. And if it’s creative writing you want to learn about, stick with us.

Not only are there hundreds of free articles available in DabbleU, but you can also have advice and inspiration sent directly to your inbox once a week! All you have to do is click here to sign up for our free newsletter—loads of knowledge, zero spam.

And, of course, a lot of style.

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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What's the defining line between sci-fi and fantasy? There's actually a lot more to it than magic versus technology.

Does science fiction alone feel too limiting for your vast imagination? Do you feel like your fantasy world could use a dash of futuristic technology?

Prose describes how you write your book, and it can be challenging to get right. So, in this article, we cover what makes good prose.

A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

by Melissa Donovan | Mar 4, 2021 | Creative Writing | 12 comments

Try your hand at writing creative nonfiction.

Here at Writing Forward, we’re primarily interested in three types of creative writing: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

With poetry and fiction, there are techniques and best practices that we can use to inform and shape our writing, but there aren’t many rules beyond the standards of style, grammar, and good writing . We can let our imaginations run wild; everything from nonsense to outrageous fantasy is fair game for bringing our ideas to life when we’re writing fiction and poetry.

However, when writing creative nonfiction, there are some guidelines that we need to follow. These guidelines aren’t set in stone; however, if you violate them, you might find yourself in trouble with your readers as well as the critics.

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Telling True Stories (aff link).

What sets creative nonfiction apart from fiction or poetry?

For starters, creative nonfiction is factual. A memoir is not just any story; it’s a true story. A biography is the real account of someone’s life. There is no room in creative nonfiction for fabrication or manipulation of the facts.

So what makes creative nonfiction writing different from something like textbook writing or technical writing? What makes it creative?

Nonfiction writing that isn’t considered creative usually has business or academic applications. Such writing isn’t designed for entertainment or enjoyment. Its sole purpose is to convey information, usually in a dry, straightforward manner.

Creative nonfiction, on the other hand, pays credence to the craft of writing, often through literary devices and storytelling techniques, which make the prose aesthetically pleasing and bring layers of meaning to the context. It’s pleasurable to read.

According to Wikipedia:

Creative nonfiction (also known as literary or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing truth which uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service to its craft.

Like other forms of nonfiction, creative nonfiction relies on research, facts, and credibility. While opinions may be interjected, and often the work depends on the author’s own memories (as is the case with memoirs and autobiographies), the material must be verifiable and accurately reported.

Creative Nonfiction Genres and Forms

There are many forms and genres within creative nonfiction:

• Autobiography and biography
• Personal essays
• Literary journalism
• Any topical material, such as food or travel writing, self-development, art, or history, can be creatively written with a literary angle

Let’s look more closely at a few of these nonfiction forms and genres:

Memoirs: A memoir is a long-form (book-length) written work. It is a firsthand, personal account that focuses on a specific experience or situation. One might write a memoir about serving in the military or struggling with loss. Memoirs are not life stories, but they do examine life through a particular lens. For example, a memoir about being a writer might begin in childhood, when the author first learned to write. However, the focus of the book would be on writing, so other aspects of the author’s life would be left out, for the most part.

Biographies and autobiographies: A biography is the true story of someone’s life. If an author composes their own biography, then it’s called an autobiography. These works tend to cover the entirety of a person’s life, albeit selectively.

Literary journalism: Journalism sticks with the facts while exploring the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a particular person, topic, or event. Biographies, for example, are a genre of literary journalism, which is a form of nonfiction writing. Traditional journalism is a method of information collection and organization. Literary journalism also conveys facts and information, but it honors the craft of writing by incorporating storytelling techniques and literary devices. Opinions are supposed to be absent in traditional journalism, but they are often found in literary journalism, which can be written in long or short formats.

Personal essays are a short form of creative nonfiction that can cover a wide range of styles, from writing about one’s experiences to expressing one’s personal opinions. They can address any topic imaginable. Personal essays can be found in many places, from magazines and literary journals to blogs and newspapers. They are often a short form of memoir writing.

Speeches  can cover a range of genres, from political to motivational to educational. A tributary speech honors someone whereas a roast ridicules them (in good humor). Unlike most other forms of writing, speeches are written to be performed rather than read.

Journaling: A common, accessible, and often personal form of creative nonfiction writing is journaling. A journal can also contain fiction and poetry, but most journals would be considered nonfiction. Some common types of written journals are diaries, gratitude journals, and career journals (or logs), but this is just a small sampling of journaling options.

Writing Creative Nonfiction (aff link).

Any topic or subject matter is fair game in the realm of creative nonfiction. Some nonfiction genres and topics that offer opportunities for creative nonfiction writing include food and travel writing, self-development, art and history, and health and fitness. It’s not so much the topic or subject matter that renders a written work as creative; it’s how it’s written — with due diligence to the craft of writing through application of language and literary devices.

Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Here are six simple guidelines to follow when writing creative nonfiction:

• Get your facts straight. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your own story or someone else’s. If readers, publishers, and the media find out you’ve taken liberties with the truth of what happened, you and your work will be scrutinized. Negative publicity might boost sales, but it will tarnish your reputation; you’ll lose credibility. If you can’t refrain from fabrication, then think about writing fiction instead of creative nonfiction.
• Issue a disclaimer. A lot of nonfiction is written from memory, and we all know that human memory is deeply flawed. It’s almost impossible to recall a conversation word for word. You might forget minor details, like the color of a dress or the make and model of a car. If you aren’t sure about the details but are determined to include them, be upfront and include a disclaimer that clarifies the creative liberties you’ve taken.
• Consider the repercussions. If you’re writing about other people (even if they are secondary figures), you might want to check with them before you publish your nonfiction. Some people are extremely private and don’t want any details of their lives published. Others might request that you leave certain things out, which they want to keep private. Otherwise, make sure you’ve weighed the repercussions of revealing other people’s lives to the world. Relationships have been both strengthened and destroyed as a result of authors publishing the details of other people’s lives.
• Be objective. You don’t need to be overly objective if you’re telling your own, personal story. However, nobody wants to read a highly biased biography. Book reviews for biographies are packed with harsh criticism for authors who didn’t fact-check or provide references and for those who leave out important information or pick and choose which details to include to make the subject look good or bad.
• Pay attention to language. You’re not writing a textbook, so make full use of language, literary devices, and storytelling techniques.
• Know your audience. Creative nonfiction sells, but you must have an interested audience. A memoir about an ordinary person’s first year of college isn’t especially interesting. Who’s going to read it? However, a memoir about someone with a learning disability navigating the first year of college is quite compelling, and there’s an identifiable audience for it. When writing creative nonfiction, a clearly defined audience is essential.

Are you looking for inspiration? Check out these creative nonfiction writing ideas.

Ten creative nonfiction writing prompts and projects.

The prompts below are excerpted from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts , which contains fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction writing prompts. Use these prompts to spark a creative nonfiction writing session.

1200 Creative Writing Prompts (aff link).

• What is your favorite season? What do you like about it? Write a descriptive essay about it.
• What do you think the world of technology will look like in ten years? Twenty? What kind of computers, phones, and other devices will we use? Will technology improve travel? Health care? What do you expect will happen and what would you like to happen?
• Have you ever fixed something that was broken? Ever solved a computer problem on your own? Write an article about how to fix something or solve some problem.
• Have you ever had a run-in with the police? What happened?
• Have you ever traveled alone? Tell your story. Where did you go? Why? What happened?
• Let’s say you write a weekly advice column. Choose the topic you’d offer advice on, and then write one week’s column.
• Think of a major worldwide problem: for example, hunger, climate change, or political corruption. Write an article outlining a solution (or steps toward a solution).
• Choose a cause that you feel is worthy and write an article persuading others to join that cause.
• Someone you barely know asks you to recommend a book. What do you recommend and why?
• Hard skills are abilities you have acquired, such as using software, analyzing numbers, and cooking. Choose a hard skill you’ve mastered and write an article about how this skill is beneficial using your own life experiences as examples.

Do You Write Creative Nonfiction?

Have you ever written creative nonfiction? How often do you read it? Can you think of any nonfiction forms and genres that aren’t included here? Do you have any guidelines to add to this list? Are there any situations in which it would be acceptable to ignore these guidelines? Got any tips to add? Do you feel that nonfiction should focus on content and not on craft? Leave a comment to share your thoughts, and keep writing.

12 Comments

Shouldn’t ALL non-fiction be creative to some extent? I am a former business journalist, and won awards for the imaginative approach I took to writing about even the driest of business topics: pensions, venture capital, tax, employment law and other potentially dusty subjects. The drier and more complicated the topic, the more creative the approach must be, otherwise no-one with anything else to do will bother to wade through it. [to be honest, taking the fictional approach to these ghastly tortuous topics was the only way I could face writing about them.] I used all the techniques that fiction writers have to play with, and used some poetic techniques, too, to make the prose more readable. What won the first award was a little serial about two businesses run and owned by a large family at war with itself. Every episode centred on one or two common and crucial business issues, wrapped up in a comedy-drama, and it won a lot of fans (happily for me) because it was so much easier to read and understand than the dry technical writing they were used to. Life’s too short for dusty writing!

I believe most journalism is creative and would therefore fall under creative nonfiction. However, there is a lot of legal, technical, medical, science, and textbook writing in which there is no room for creativity (or creativity has not made its way into these genres yet). With some forms, it makes sense. I don’t think it would be appropriate for legal briefings to use story or literary devices just to add a little flair. On the other hand, it would be a good thing if textbooks were a little more readable.

I think Abbs is right – even in academic papers, an example or story helps the reader visualize the problem or explanation more easily. I scan business books to see if there are stories or examples, if not, then I don’t pick up the book. That’s where the creativity comes in – how to create examples, what to conflate, what to emphasis as we create our fictional people to illustrate important, real points.

Thanks for the post. Very helpful. I’d never thought about writing creative nonfiction before.

You’re welcome 🙂

Hi Melissa!

Love your website. You always give a fun and frank assessment of all things pertaining to writing. It is a pleasure to read. I have even bought several of the reference and writing books you recommended. Keep up the great work.

Top 10 Reasons Why Creative Nonfiction Is A Questionable Category

10. When you look up “Creative Nonfiction” in the dictionary it reads: See Fiction

9. The first creative nonfiction example was a Schwinn Bicycle Assembly Guide that had printed in its instructions: Can easily be assembled by one person with a Phillips head screw driver, Allen keys, adjustable wrench and cable cutters in less than an hour.

8. Creative Nonfiction; Based on actual events; Suggested by a true event; Based on a true story. It’s a slippery slope.

7. The Creative Nonfiction Quarterly is only read by eleven people. Five have the same last name.

6. Creative Nonfiction settings may only include: hospitals, concentration camps, prisons and cemeteries. Exceptions may be made for asylums, rehab centers and Capitol Hill.

5. The writers who create Sterile Nonfiction or Unimaginative Nonfiction now want their category recognized.

4. Creative; Poetic License; Embellishment; Puffery. See where this is leading?

3. Creative Nonfiction is to Nonfiction as Reality TV is to Documentaries.

2. My attorney has advised that I exercise my 5th Amendment Rights or that I be allowed to give written testimony in a creative nonfiction way.

1. People believe it is a film with Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson and Queen Latifa.

Hi Steve. I’m not sure if your comment is meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but I found it humorous.

My publisher is releasing my Creative Nonfiction book based on my grandmother’s life this May 2019 in Waikiki. I’ll give you an update soon about sales. I was fortunate enough to get some of the original and current Hawaii 5-0 members to show up for the book signing.

Hi, when writing creative nonfiction- is it appropriate to write from someone else’s point of view when you don’t know them? I was thinking of writing about Greta Thungbrurg for creative nonfiction competition – but I can directly ask her questions so I’m unsure as to whether it’s accurate enough to be classified as creative non-fiction. Thank you!

Hi Madeleine. I’m not aware of creative nonfiction being written in first person from someone else’s point of view. The fact of the matter is that it wouldn’t be creative nonfiction because a person cannot truly show events from another person’s perspective. So I wouldn’t consider something like that nonfiction. It would usually be a biography written in third person, and that is common. You can certainly use quotes and other indicators to represent someone else’s views and experiences. I could probably be more specific if I knew what kind of work it is (memoir, biography, self-development, etc.).

Dear Melissa: I am trying to market a book in the metaphysical genre about an experience I had, receiving the voice of a Civil War spirit who tells his story (not channeling). Part is my reaction and discussion with a close friend so it is not just memoir. I referred to it as ‘literary non-fiction’ but an agent put this down by saying it is NOT literary non-fiction. Looking at your post, could I say that my book is ‘creative non-fiction’? (agents can sometimes be so nit-picky)

Hi Liz. You opened your comment by classifying the book as metaphysical but later referred to it as literary nonfiction. The premise definitely sounds like a better fit in the metaphysical category. Creative nonfiction is not a genre; it’s a broader category or description. Basically, all literature is either fiction or nonfiction (poetry would be separate from these). Describing nonfiction as creative only indicates that it’s not something like a user guide. I think you were heading in the right direction with the metaphysical classification.

The goal of marketing and labeling books with genres is to find a readership that will be interested in the work. This is an agent’s area of expertise, so assuming you’re speaking with a competent agent, I’d suggest taking their advice in this matter. It indicates that the audience perusing the literary nonfiction aisles is simply not a match for this book.

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16 Types Of Writing Every Writer Should Master

Discover our guide with types of writing you can use in your next writing assignment; there are many different forms of writing to explore today!

As someone who makes a living writing for other people’s websites, I often adapt my writing style for different audiences and situations. The way I write conveys meaning beyond the words I use or what I say. Some forms of writing paint a picture, convince readers to act, or communicate facts using reliable sources. Choosing from the different types of writing and adapting to the requirements of a professor, business, or client is crucial to writing success.

Below, I’ll share the different types of writing you can practice and learn how to become a better writer .

1. Expository Writing

2. narrative writing, 3. persuasive writing, 4. descriptive writing, 5. technical writing, 6. diary writing, 7. business writing, 8. copywriting, 9. content writing, 11. critical writing, 12. scientific writing, 13. travel writing, 14. blogging, 15. technical writing, 16. academic writing, the final word on types of writing, how do i choose the right writing style for a piece, how can i learn to write in various styles.

Expository writing focuses on providing facts and research about a given topic. With some forms of writing like this, you’ll explore an idea in detail and expand on that idea using factual statements. 

When writing an expository essay, you don’t seek to prove a point, persuade, or evoke emotions. Your goal is to explain something in an objective and balanced way. Read our guide to the best essay writing topics . Here are some examples of expository writing you’re probably familiar with, whether you’ve written them or read them:

• Journalistic articles
• How-to manuals
• Assembly instructions

Stories are everywhere around you and provide ample opportunity to express your imagination.

In forms of writing like narrative writing, you tell a story that’s 100 percent truthful, primarily factual but embellished for reader enjoyment or fiction. Stories are everywhere around you and provide ample opportunity to express your imagination.

Examples of the narrative style include:

• Biographies and autobiographies
• Short stories
• Narrative journalism

The journalist Hunter S. Thompson popularized this type of writing in his articles and essays, whereby his journalism often reads like a novel. If you’d like to learn more about this style, read our guide to narrative essays .

In a persuasive essay, your goal is to convince the reader to agree with you through strategic argumentation. To accomplish this, you employ various argumentation techniques like presenting supporting evidence for your argument, laying out points logically that slowly generate buy-in from the reader, and telling a story that evokes emotion to make the case. Politicians and leaders use persuasive writing to popularize ideas like Barack Obama’s book The Audacity of Hope . If you’d like to learn more, read our guide to persuasive essays .

Examples of persuasive writing include:

• Advertisements and marketing campaigns
• Cover letters
• Letters of recommendation
• Business proposals
• Persuasive essays
• Persuasive social media posts
• Persuasive journalism

Descriptive writing is a type of writing style that overlaps with others in this list. It’s one of the most common types of writing, as students often write descriptive essays in school. One of the essential concepts in descriptive writing is to “show, not tell.” Rather than simply saying what happened, explain the how and the why behind it to paint a picture. If you’d like to learn more, read our guide to descriptive essays . You’ll use numerous literary devices to accomplish this, such as:

• Foreshadowing

For this writing style, you’ll choose a point of view to relate to readers. The POV can change the tone of the piece, with the third-person often sounding more formal and objective, while the first and second can seem informal. You may need a combination of more than one POV for the piece to work. Examples of POV usage:

• First-person – I, We 
• Second person – You, Understood You 
• Third-person – He, She, It, They

Technical writing involves communicating something complex in a way the audience can understand. To accomplish this, the technical writer must have in-depth knowledge of the topic they’re explaining and an understanding of the audience’s experience level. Technical writing is devoid of personal opinions. Instead, it explains a topic or concept step-by-step or logically. If you’d like to learn more, read our guide explaining how to become a technical writer . Examples of technical writing include:

• Research papers
• Legal documents
• Some textbooks
• White papers
• Academic writing
• Medical journals
• Technical documentation for products and software

 Diary writing is a more personal form intended to log events in a person’s life and often their emotions. If you think you might be famous someday, keeping diaries could one day be resource materials for your auto-biography! Read our guide explaining the differences between a diary and a journal .

That point aside, many people use diaries as an external way to process how they’re feeling to deal with anger, regret, grief, fear, jealousy, and sadness. It’s cheaper than therapy. Diary writing can be a positive experience. People often write about what they’re grateful for, express their joy around fortuitous events, or set life goals and celebrate accomplishments.

Examples of diary writing include:

• The Diary of Anne Frank
• Leonardo Da Vinci’s diaries
• Charles Darwin’s diaries
• Marie Curie’s notebooks

Business writing is a commonly misunderstood type of writing. Many consider business writing stuffy and formal, but it’s a stimulating and well-paying field. A business writer follows a company style guide to convey an idea or concept for internal and, sometimes, external use.

For example, a business writer could take notes from an executive and turn them into a compelling business case for the wider team. They could also articulate the values of a business in everyday concise language for a presentation, pitch deck or company manifesto.

Copywriting describes using words to sell products and services to a target audience. A copywriter produces copy for websites, sales pages and email funnels. They aim to convince readers to act, for example, opting in for a lead magnet with their email address, taking out a trial or buying a product. A copywriter can also branch into social media and content writing. Copywriters can earn high-five and even six figures annually by providing this service to companies or clients.

The art of copywriting involves holding the attention of readers. For this reason, it’s a valuable skill for those writing online. A good copywriting formula can help a writer finish an article or blog post quickly. Learn how to become a copywriter .

Content writing is similar to copywriting. A content writer produces blog posts, articles, ebooks and guides for companies or online businesses. They may also write YouTube video scripts and social media posts.

A content writer typically charges clients a per-word rate, usually between four and ten cents, depending on the complexity of the topic. Content writing has become more popular for freelancers because most online businesses thrive on content.

A well-run niche website, for example, publishes a set number of SEO-optimized articles each month to increase traffic and revenue. The owner of this site depends on a team of knowledgeable content writers to achieve their publication and revenue goals. If you’d like to try this discipline, read our guide explaining what does a content writer do ?

Poetry is something most writers try for fun. It’s a surprisingly rewarding discipline as a writer can play around with words, imagery and sensory language. Usually, an aspiring poet isn’t trying their hand at this type of writing to supplement their income. Instead, it’s a creative challenge .

Perhaps the most accessible type of poetry to start with is Haiku. It’s a type of Japanese poetry whereby the first line contains five syllables, the second 7 and the third 5. Haiku is only one form of poetry to explore. Read our guide to the most common types of poetry . For example, consider this ancient Haiku by Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō:

An old silent pond A frog jumps into the pond— Splash! Silence again. – Matsuo Bashō

A critic considers a piece of popular media and analyzes it for a general audience. The most obvious example is a film critic who watches a film and then explains whether readers should watch it in newspaper articles or online.

Critical writing is often subjective rather than objective because it’s written from the reviewer’s point of view. After all, one person’s art is another’s trash! However, writing reviews requires deep knowledge and understanding of the topic or medium in question… or at least an ability to entertain readers with your point of view. Popular forms of critical writing include:

• Film reviews
• Game reviews
• Music reviews

Scientific writing involves writing literature reviews, peer-reviewed journal papers, and grant proposals. They read the prevailing literature about a topic, review current thinking and then provide a synopsis and evaluation. A scientific writer backs up their argument or points with evidence and citations. Ideally, a scientific writer demonstrates precision, clarity and objectivity.

However, they’re usually writing for an expert audience who understands the topic, prevailing literature or works in the field. Therefore, a scientific writer doesn’t always have to explain basic concepts and ideas as they can assume their audience knows the basics.

Travel writing describes writing about your experiences while visiting a country, city or location. It sounds like a glamorous profession because you get paid to go on holiday! However, professional travel writers are often under strict deadlines and must see and do as much as possible quickly. That often cuts out any socializing. Travel writers also face competition from locals who can write about a location with more expertise than a visitor. Travel writers can earn a nice side income by blogging and writing about their trips online. For more, read our guide explaining how to become a travel writer .

Blogging is an immensely rewarding form of writing that started in 1997. If you’re going to start a blog today, expect competition. Reportedly, over 600 million blogs exist worldwide.

However, a writer can find success more easily if they write within a specific niche about topics readers are searching for, rather than their day or personal lives. The best blogs are self-hosted on WordPress and monetized through display advertising, affiliate promotions, and digital products. To learn more, read our guide to blogging for writers .

Technical writing is a specialized skill where writers take complex information and display it in a way that’s easy for readers to understand. Often, technical writing involves creating diagrams, graphs, charts and visuals to help explain the topic. Various sectors like finance, technology, IT, healthcare and STEM utilize technical writers to create articles and guides on specific topics. For more, learn how to get paid to write reviews .

Academic writing is used for all scholarly contexts, like school essays or college dissertations. It will almost always follow a structure and usually follows formatting guidelines like MLA or APA. Writing for academic purposes will involve research and narrative in a passive or third-person voice to maintain objectivity. Many resources are available to help with academic writing; check out our guide with the best essay-writing apps to get started.

Writers can explore many different styles, from creative to commercial. Selecting the right one depends on the reader, editor, publication, and writing goals . If you’re bored with one style, you can always try another for fun or to flex your creative muscles. 

FAQs About Types Of Writing

Consider your audience and the style guide for the publication in question. Identify what type of writing the editor expects for this topic, publication, situation, or brand. Consider how your piece can inform, educate, inspire or entertain readers.

Reading their examples is one of the best ways to learn writing styles. Notice how the writer grabs your attention, unfolds their main points, and communicates with you. Then practice, and ask someone–preferably a writer–to give you some feedback.

Home › Study Tips › Creative Writing Resources For Secondary School Students

What Is Creative Writing? Is It Worth Studying?

• Published October 31, 2022

As loose as the definition of Creative Writing is, it’s not always easy to understand. Sure, writing a story is Creative Writing. What about poems or personal essays?

Also, how does Creative Writing even help one succeed in university and career life? We empower our Creative Writing summer school students to grasp the power of creative writing and how to use it.

How? By giving them access to personalised tutorials with expert Creative Writing tutors from prestigious universities such as the University of Oxford and Cambridge.

Creative Writing doesn’t have to be confusing or intimidating. In this article, we’ll take you through a simple explanation of what Creative Writing is and why it’s helpful and relevant.

What is Creative Writing? 

The simplest description of Creative Writing is what it’s not: it doesn’t revolve around facts like technical writing.

Technical Writing vs Creative Writing

You encounter technical writing in your daily life. You’ll find it in newspapers, journal articles, and textbooks. Do you notice how the presentation of accurate information is necessary in each of these mediums? 

Because the goal of technical writing is to explain or relay information as it is .  

But in creative writing, such is not the case. The primary goal of Creative Writing is not to present complex information for the sake of educating the audience. 

Instead, the goal is to express yourself. Should you want to share information via Creative Writing, the objective becomes persuading your readers to think about it as you do.

Hence, if you contrast Technical Writing and Creative Writing within this context,

• Technical Writing: share information without biases
• Creative Writing: self-expression of how one feels or thinks about said information.

If reducing personal opinion in Technical Writing is virtuous, in creative writing, it is criminal .

Self-Expression in Creative Writing

One must express oneself in Creative Writing to entertain, captivate, or persuade readers. Since Creative Writing involves one’s imagination and self-expression, it’s common for Creative Writers to say that they “poured a part of themselves” into their work. 

What are the different ways you can express yourself in Creative Writing?

Types of Creative Writing: 2 Major Types

The two major umbrellas of Creative Writing are Creative Nonfiction and Creative Fiction.

1. Creative Nonfiction

“Nonfiction” means writing based on actual events, persons, and experiences. Some forms of creative nonfiction include:

• Personal Essay – here, the writer shares their personal thoughts, beliefs, or experiences.
• Memoir – captures the writer’s memories and experiences of a life-changing past event.
• Narrative Nonfiction – a factual event written in a story format.

2. Creative Fiction

The bulk of Creative Writing literature is found under the Creative Fiction category, such as:

• Short Story – shorter than a novel, containing only a few scenes and characters.
• Novel – a full-blown plot line with multiple scenes, characters, and subplots.
• Poem – uses specific rhythm and style to express ideas or feelings
• Play – contains dialogue and stage directions for theatre performances.
• Screenplay – script to be used for film production (e.g. movies, video games.)

In short, Creative Fiction involves stories . Do you want more specific examples of Creative Writing? Then, you may want to read this article called “Creative Writing Examples.”

Why Is It Important to Learn Creative Writing? 

It’s essential to learn Creative Writing because of the following reasons:

1. Creative Writing is a valuable skill in school and work

As a student, you know well why Creative Writing is important. You submit written work in various situations, such as writing essays for assignments and exams. Or when you have to write a Personal Statement to apply for University. 

In these situations, your chances of getting higher grades depend on your ability to write creatively. (Even your chances of getting accepted into a top ranked creative writing university of your dreams!)

What about when you graduate? Do you use Creative Writing in your career? Convincing a recruiter to hire you via cover letters is an example of creative writing.

Once you’re hired, you’ll find that you need to write something up. It depends on your line of work and how often and complex your writing should be.

But mundane tasks such as writing an email response, coming up with a newsletter, or making a PowerPoint presentation involve creative writing.

So when you’ve practised your Creative Writing skills, you’ll find these tasks manageable. Even enjoyable! If you want to study creative writing at university, we put together what a-levels you need for creative writing .

2. Creative Writing enhances several essential skills.

Do you know that writing is thinking? At least that’s what the American Historian and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, David McCullough said.

Many people find Creative Writing challenging because it requires a combination of the following skills:

• Observation
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Reasoning skills
• Communication

Many of these skills make you a valuable employee in many industries. In fact, Forbes reports that:

• Critical Thinking
• and Emotional Intelligence

are three of the Top 10 most in-demand skills for the next decade. That’s why Creative Writing is a valuable endeavour and if you take it at university there are some great creative writing degree career prospects .

3. Creative Writing Is Therapeutic 

Do you know that Creative Writing has a significant beneficial effect on your mental and emotional health? 

A 2021 study in the Counselling & Psychotherapy Research reports that Creative Writing brought significant health benefits to nine people who worked in creative industries. Writing helped them in their cognitive processing of emotional difficulty. 

Result? Improved mood and mental well-being. 

A plethora of studies over the decades found the same results. Expressing yourself via creative writing, especially by writing in your daily journal, is beneficial for your mental and emotional health. 

4. You may want to work in a Creative Writing-related Career

Creative employment in the UK grows 2x faster than the rest of the economy. In fact, did you know that jobs in the creative industry grew by 30.6% from 2011 to 2018? 

Compare that to the average UK growth of 10.1% during the same period, and you can see the potential. 

How about in the US? The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 4% increase in employment for authors and writers from 2021 to 2031. Resulting in about 15,200 job openings yearly over the next 10 years.

The median yearly salary? It was at $69,510 as of May 2021. 

So if you’re considering a Creative Writing career, now would be a great time to do so!

How To Be A Creative Writer? 

You want to be a Creative Writer but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry! The best way to start is to learn from Creative Writing experts .

That’s why we ensure our Creative Writing summer school students have access to 1:1 personalised tutorials with expert Creative Writing tutors. 

Our Creative Writing tutors come from world-renowned universities such as the University of Cambridge and Oxford. So you’re in excellent hands!

Here you’ll learn creative writing tips and techniques , such as character creation and plot mapping. But the best part is, you’ll come out of the course having experienced what a Creative Writer is like!

Because by then, you’ll have a Written Portfolio to show for your efforts. Which you presented to your tutor and peers for receiving constructive feedback.

Another surefire way to start becoming a Creative Writer is by practising. Check out this article called “ Creative Writing Exercises .” You’ll begin building a writing routine if you practice these exercises daily. 

And trust us, every great writer has a solid writing routine!

Creative Writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to use your imagination and creativity. It can be in the form of personal essays, short stories, or poems. It is often used as an outlet for emotions and experiences. Start with creative writing by reading through creative writing examples to help get you in the mood. Then, just let the words flow daily, and you’re on the road to becoming an excellent Creative Writer!

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What is Creative Writing? | An Introduction for Students

What’s included in an oxford summer course.

Our tailored summer courses for ages 9-24 include all teaching and academic content, accommodation, meals (including Friday night formal dinners), a prize-giving ceremony, all-day trips and activities, airport transfers, access to Oxford Summer Courses Foundations, travel and medical insurance, and a welcome pack. Apply now to secure your spot in one of our comprehensive summer courses.

What is creative writing?

As the name suggests, creative writing is a form of writing that goes beyond the traditional realms of normal, professional, academic or technical forms of writing.

Instead, it encompasses a number of different genres and styles across a whole range of fields of both fictional and non-fiction writing; storytelling, playwriting, poetry, prose, journalistic, and more.

Though the definition can be quite vague, creative writing can, for the most part, be considered as any type of writing that is original and expressive of oneself. Typically, it can be identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, focusing on elements such as character development, narrative and plot, infusing its structure with imagination, invention and story.

In this sense, creative writing can technically be considered any writing of contemporary, original composition - it's bound by no standard conventions and uses a whole range of elements in its craft.

In an academic setting, creative writing is typically divided into fiction, poetry, or scriptwriting classes, with a focus on writing in an original style, not defined by pre-existing structures and genres.

What are the different types of creative writing?

Creative writing comes in many forms, encompassing a number of genres and styles. There are lots of different types of creative writing, which can be categorised as fiction or non-fiction. Some of the most popular being:

• Biographies
• Fiction: novels, novellas, short stories, etc.
• Poetry and spoken word
• Playwriting/scriptwriting
• Personal essays

What makes a good piece of creative writing?

First and foremost, it’s important to note that there is no pre-defined description of what it means to create a ‘good’ piece of creative writing. As the very name suggests, creative writing is an imaginative process, created by the individual with all their quirks and personalities.

Creative writing doesn’t fit one set genre and therefore there will never be an umbrella definition to describe the ‘perfect’ piece. Just think about a Gothic short story and then compare it to the features of a great Romantic poem - the two are so very different - it wouldn’t be unfair to judge them together.

However, with that being said, there are a few general principles that you can follow to make your creative writing as strong as it can be - by making it as authentic and true to you as possible:

• Know your audience - All great stories begin with a target audience in mind - because it’s exactly what you need to know in order to really tailor your writing and connect with them. Therefore, any creative writer should begin their writing by plotting out exactly who they want to read their work. Once you have this in mind, your writing will naturally begin to take direction and flow in a way that seems appropriate to your audience.
• Write what you know - Quite often, the best stories are those which we can connect to and relate in one or another way to our own lives. Or, they’re stories which seem to authentic that you could imagine it to be about the writer’s own life. Now, this doesn’t mean that you quite literally have to write about your life, but drawing on knowledge you have about different elements of our lives to give your story some authenticity and more believability.
• Creativity is key - Creativity is one of the most important elements of creative writing. It’s what sets you apart from other pieces of writing in your genre. Of course, this doesn't demand that you write a tale about a totally fantastical and mythical world with unique creatures - but simply use your creativity to think a little outside the box and put a unique twist on things; using literary devices like metaphors, alliteration, and varied sentence structure to make your work unique and interesting.
• Push your imagination - One of the great things about creative writing is that there is no definition or rules on ‘how’ to write. It’s a much more subjective genre and one which relies heavily on your own interpretations. Therefore, you should push your imagination to the limits to see what the end result could be. Some of the most interesting pieces of literature are thought-provoking or make us question the writing or world around us - where could your story take us?
• Plot a loose story arc - Despite the loose bounds of creative writing, it is still advisable to plot a loose story arc for any piece of literature you create. Story arcs are critical at giving your writing direction and purpose, helping you to write the whole piece at a good pace, without writing any superfluous content or ‘waffle.’ Follow your story arc, and your writing will have a strong structure, pace and direction - keeping your readers more engaged.

What are some techniques used in creative writing?

To make their writing stand out, writers often employ several creative writing techniques and literary devices, including:

• Character development - The process of creating a well-rounded, realistic character with depth, personality, and clear goals or motivations.
• Plot development - The story of your piece of writing - how it develops, unfolds, and moves along in time.
• Point of view - The perspective from which a narrative is told. It indicates who is telling the story and how the information is conveyed to the reader. Quite often writers will play with the point of view of the central character or protagonist to trick the reader and twist their perspective.
• Dialogue - Refers to the speech and conversations characters use to speak to one another. Dialogue and the language choices a character makes can be pivotal in helping define their personality.
• Literary devices - Such as metaphors, similes and alliteration to make creative writing more imaginative and descriptive. These are used in a myriad of ways by writers to make their writing more vivid, interesting and engaging.

Can creative writing be taught?

Of course! Creative writing can be taught, and is a very popular subject for university students, and for those who attend our summer courses.

Those who pursue the subject of Creative Writing will typically study a variety of texts from different periods of time to learn more about the different genres of writing within the field. They’ll become familiar with some of the leading creative writers from generations past to present, as well as some lesser-known and emerging writers in the industry.

Inspired by what they’ve learnt in the classroom, it’s not uncommon for Creative Writing students to also participate in regular workshops and scratch sessions, where they bring a piece of their writing along to class and have it read by other students and the tutor. They’ll leave with constructive feedback on how to improve their writing, or recommendations of other works which they may want to read to take influence from.

How to start creative writing

If you’re interested in getting those creative juices flowing and improving your writing craft, read some of our tips below on how to start creative writing:

• Read as much as you can - For creative writers, inspiration comes from a whole range of sources, but most commonly, from other writers. There’s some excellent examples of creative writing throughout history that all writers should be inspired by. Read a variety of genres by different authors to get a real feel for what type of writing you may want to do. Need some inspiration? Check out our blog: 15 Classic Books to Read
• Start journaling - Starting a journal can really help to unleash your inner creativity. Getting into the habit of writing each day about literally anything that’s preoccupied you that day will help you practice the art of writing. The more regularly you journal, the more you’ll build your confidence. You never know, you could even find your next great idea from something you’ve journaled about!
• Attend a Creative Writing summer course - If you’re just starting out as a creative writer and looking to collaborate, share ideas with others and workshop your writing, then joining a creative writing summer school could be a great option. Our creative writing summer courses are designed to help you extend your creative writing toolkit; you’ll analyse some of the industry’s greatest writers, as well as workshop some of your own writing with your peers.
• Practice using literary devices - Literary devices, such as metaphors, similes and rhyme can really help you write more vividly and create really descriptive, imaginative scenes. Practice using them regularly and you’ll soon watch your own creative writing start to flourish. Need some ideas to help you get practising? Look around your house and pick a random object. Then, practice using 5 literary devices to describe that same object - see where your creativity can take you!
• Write, write, write! - When it comes to how to start creative writing, one of the biggest pieces of advice we can offer is to pick up your pen or laptop, and start writing. Whether you have a single conversation starter for a character, or a complete narrative arc, you will only begin your creative writing journey when you physically do it. Even if you have no idea on what to write - look for writing prompt inspiration from all around you. The more you practice unleashing your creativity, the easier it will be to write over longer periods of time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What age groups are the oxford summer courses designed for.

Our courses cater to students aged 9-24, with tailored programs to suit different age groups and academic levels.

What is included in the Oxford Summer Courses?

Our comprehensive summer courses include all teaching and academic content, accommodation, meals (including formal dinners), a prize-giving ceremony, all-day trips and activities, airport transfers, travel and medical insurance, and a welcome pack.

Can international students apply for the courses?

Yes, we welcome students from all over the world to join our summer courses in Oxford and Cambridge.

What are the benefits of taking a Creative Writing summer course?

Our Creative Writing summer courses offer students the opportunity to learn from experienced tutors, develop their writing skills, and gain inspiration from the historic surroundings of Oxford and Cambridge.

How can I apply for the Oxford Summer Courses?

You can apply for our courses online through our application portal . Once your application is submitted, we will be in touch with the next steps.

Creative writing is a remarkable voyage that invites us to unleash our imagination, share our stories, and inspire others. It offers countless personal and professional benefits, nurturing self-expression, empathy, and creativity. So, grab a pen, open your mind, and embark on this enchanting journey of creative writing with Oxford Summer Courses. Let your words paint a vivid tapestry that captivates hearts and minds under the guidance of experienced tutors from Oxford and Cambridge. Join us as we explore the magic of creative writing and discover the transformative power it holds within through the renowned Oxford Summer Courses summer school.

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Discover the enchantment of creative writing with Oxford Summer Courses. Unleash your imagination, explore different genres, and enhance your communication skills. Nurture self-expression, empathy, and creativity while gaining valuable writing techniques.

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What is Creative Writing and Its Types?

Expressing creativity through writing is an art that can be mastered. Are you someone who is looking to hone their creative writing skills? Unlu brings to you online creative writing classes by Ruskin Bond which is a sure-fire way to strengthen your grip on the basics. Now understand the essentials by diving deep into the informative ways of learning and enhancing your writing skills.

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Along with this, the learner can expect to get an in-depth understanding of what is creative writing. The many different types of creative writing, like descriptive, expository, or persuasive, can be practiced and improved throughout this course. The classes are curated with a special focus on including the many different ways, types and styles of writing. Once enrolled, the learner can kick start their career in creative writing or even as a freelancer by offering creative content.

So let’s look at the multiple aspects of creative writing and delve deeper into it.

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What is Creative Writing?

The term “creative” can be understood in a variety of ways. The following are a few examples of descriptions: “the potential to construct”, “explorative”, “constructive and innovative”, “exemplified by articulation and individuality” are all terms used to describe people who have the ability to create.

Story writing, in which the author creates situations, scenarios, and characters, and often even a setting, is sometimes known as creative writing.

The aim of creative writing is not to educate but to entertain. Its aim is to provoke a reaction by stirring emotions.

Types of Creative Writing

If you remain focused on your goal, whether you are writing essays, business materials, novels, posts, emails, or even just notes in your journal, your writing would be at its finest.

Mentioned below are the 4 different types of creative writing:

1. Expository

Since the term expository includes the word reveal, it is a good descriptor for this style of writing as it reveals, or puts out information.

It is definitely the most typical type of writing you will come across in your daily life. This type of writing can be demonstrated in newspapers, articles, essays, and journals.

A subject would be presented and set out in a clear order in an expository piece, with little regard to the author’s personal opinions. There are five types of expository essays:

• How-to: This is also known as the process essay. This type of essay answers the question, “How-to?” and explains the process to the readers.
• Problem/solution: In this essay, you identify an existing problem or an issue and suggest solutions for the problem.
• Comparison: This type of writing involves comparing two subjects and explaining their similarities and differences.
• Cause and effect: Involves writing about why an issue took place and what are the results of that issue.

2. Descriptive

The aim of descriptive writing is to help the reader imagine a character, an experience, a place, or all of these things together in great detail.

Authors use all five senses to describe the environment. Expository writing limits the writer’s creative expression, while descriptive writing does not. The types of descriptive writing are:

• B iography: A biography is a detailed work about a person. It features facts and information about that person’s life.
• T ravel writing: This writing style enables the author to use a descriptive writing style competently.
• N ature writing: Nature writing describes the beauty of nature. For instance, John Keats’ poems.

3. Persuasive

The aim of persuasive writing, often known as argumentation, is to persuade the reader to adopt the author’s viewpoint. In a typical piece, the writer may share personal views and provide reasons to persuade the reader to agree with them.

While writing a persuasive piece, the following appeals are preferred:

• Ethos – Be credible: Claims are made more believable by appealing to credibility. By writing clearly, the writer builds on their ethos.
• Lagos – Be logical: A writer persuades by appealing to logic. This type of writing requires reputable evidence. Quote by a reliable source, for instance.
• P athos – Appeal to emotions: A writer persuades by appealing to emotions.

Being logical, credible, and appealing to a writer’s emotions becomes imperative while writing persuasively.

4. Narrative

The aim of narrative writing is to showcase a plot, whether it is a true story or an imaginary one. Characters will appear in plot pieces, and the reader will experience what happens to them through the story. Dialogue is often used in narrative prose. The four common types of narrative writing are:

• Linear narrative: A linear narrative depicts the events in the order that they happened.
• Non-linear narrative: A non-linear narrative delivers the events of the story without following the order. It uses flashbacks to change the chronology of a story.
• Quest narrative: A quest narrative is a story where the protagonist works relentlessly to achieve an objective.
• Viewpoint narrative: In viewpoint narrative writing, the subjective perspective of the narrator filters the sensory details.

What are the Elements of Creative Writing?

The process of writing creatively involves many stages and parts that make the writing whole. These elements can make or break the writing and form an essential aspect. Here, we will learn about some of these elements as they make up a huge part of the learning process.

Some of the major elements of writing in a creative manner are as follows-

• Plot : Every piece of writing requires an interesting plot. It acts as the spine of the writing and provides a structure while connecting all the parts of the writing. Having a good plot is essential to the writing’s acceptance and success. The writer should always aim to come up with something unique so as to keep the readers connected and interested.
• Characters : The characters of any piece of writing depend on the plot. It is of utmost importance that the writer expresses the character’s development throughout the writing. This can be achieved by showcasing the changes throughout using vivid details. This is another way of attracting the readers’ attention and keeping them stuck to the piece of writing.
• Theme : For a writing that is creative, an underlying theme or concept is the very basic requirement. The writer should base the plot on a theme that is either unique or discuss a common theme from a different perspective. The intention can be to convey a message to the masses, express one’s own view, or simply enhance the readers’ range of imagination.
• Descriptions : It is important to note that the descriptions can be expressed in a visual manner that would assist in understanding. It is always preferable to describe a major event using visuals as it pulls the audience’s interest and keeps them intrigued.
• Point of view : A writer can express their plot from the first, second, or third person’s viewpoint. This is not fixed and can be chosen by the writer. The use of an appropriate point of view allows the writer to touch on significant points in the storyline and also allows room for the readers’ interpretation to expand.
• Language : Another point of the main focus is the use of language to write creatively. This can involve the usage of metaphors, phrases, and figures of speech. Using such an approach can create a better appeal and makes room for imagination and interpretation.

Creative Writing Tips and Techniques

Keeping in mind some basic techniques can help one in avoiding writer’s block and eases out the entire process of writing while being creative. These techniques can be used by anyone who wishes to stand separate from the crowd and take their writing several notches up. Below are some of these amazing techniques and tips that are sure to enhance the overall writing experience.

• Reading a variety of books

Once a writer gets into the habit of reading on a regular basis, it expands their point of view and fills up their mind with many different approaches, styles, and ways of expressing any situation at hand. This can be achieved by going through different genres, writing styles, etc. Look out for the experts in their genres and understand their work.

• Developing a plot

It is best to draft a plot for the piece of content that is being written. The various developments and stages can be noted down for reference while including twists and turns in the story. This can also assist in establishing a relationship between characters and providing a structure to the work.

• Use literary devices

Such devices can prove to be essential in adding details and hidden meanings ad can be used in the different forms of creative writing. Simile, alliteration, and metaphors turn out to be vital and can be used by the writer in different contexts and ways. This technique can engage the readers and pique their interest.

• Adding dialogues

This is such an important aspect of writing creatively as it adds an emotional touch and holds the power of connecting characters. By including dialogues, the writer can work towards developing the characters in the story in an engrossing way.

How to Start Creative Writing?

In order to write creatively, one needs to start doing the basics and catching up on the must-do things. The process of improvement and expertise requires effort, patience, and time and can be achieved with determination. In this section, all the major aspects have been compiled and can be put into practice to achieve perfection.

• A writer can actively engage in getting in touch with the works of established, renowned writers. This will help in getting insights along with many different ideas and knowledge.
• A writer must jot down all the creative ideas, plots, and approaches that may come to find. Maintaining a journal for the same can turn out to be fruitful in the long run.
• Another useful thing is to write without making any edits. This allows the ideas to flow and makes for a smooth experience of writing. Uninterrupted work will make longer durations of writing easier and will also provide a space to open up with thoughts and let creativity come out.
• A writer can focus on ‘What if?’ situations and unleash their creative side. This activity lets imagination expand and allows the writer to come up with new and distinguished ideas.

Can Creative Writing be Taught?

The art of creative writing does not have to sprout out naturally. It can be taught in classes and hones over time with diligent practice. The process of learning can be aided by enrolling on courses or classes. Anyone who aspires to work on their writing skills can learn it and develop their work’s quality over time. Taking online creative writing classes offers a structured learning path for the writers. It familiarizes them with the in and out of the process and acquaints them with many budding writers working alongside them.

These classes are not limited to handbooks or readings but also include interactive sessions and workshops that allow the writers to engage and grow exponentially. The learnings of these classes can be directly implemented and used in the work and do not require any additional chores. With everything available in one place, the writers can focus and utilize the resources to the best extent.

What are the Forms of Creative Writing?

Now that you know the meaning of creative writing, let us look at the different forms of creative writing. As discussed above, creative writing is explorative and innovative and therefore has several distinct forms.

1. Poetry/Poems

This category of creative writing allows the maximum space for imagination, creative thinking, and exclusive ideas. The poems can be experimented with and are free of any rules or structures. Various styles like Haiku, Ballad, Sonnets and free-verse poems form a part of the category. A few common types of poetry are:

• Haiku: This type of poetry focuses on the beauty and simplicity of nature. The poems are usually three-line stanzas.
• Free verse poems: This is an open form of poetry and hence, does not contain any pattern, rhyme, or structure.
• Ballad: A ballad is a poem that tells a story based on a legend or a folk tale.
• Sonnets: A sonnet is a one-stanza, 14-line poem, written in iambic pentameter.

Novels are certainly the most popular form of creative writing. They allow readers to escape from reality and dip in and out of the new worlds created by the novelists. There are different types of novels. For instance, mysteries, romance, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction.

3. Short stories

Also known as short fiction, short stories are a form of creative writing that is shorter than a novel and contains just a few characters. They usually fall between 3,000 to 6,000 words and hence, can be read in a single sitting. There are five elements of a short story:

• Character: A person or an animal taking part in an action of short fiction.
• Setting: The time and place when the action is taking place in the story.
• Plot: The foundation of a story with a series of events and character actions that relate to the central conflict.
• Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces is called a conflict in a story.
• Theme: The main idea or belief of a story.

Essay writing requires creative thinking therefore, they are a form of creative writing. Essays are usually associated with academic writing. However, there are different types of essays such as personal essays, descriptive essays, argumentative essays, and narrative essays.

5. Journals

Almost everything you write that does not follow a specific structure is creative writing, including your journals. A journal is a written record of your thoughts and experiences. It preserves your memories and makes you remember things crystal clear.

Understanding your purpose behind creative writing

Expository prose is an appropriate way to present facts. Textbooks, journalism (except opinion and editorial articles), corporate writing, professional writing, essays, and directions all contain facts.

Rich representation in descriptive writing evokes visualisation. You can employ it in fiction, verse, journal publishing and advertisement.

Persuasive writing attempts to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s viewpoint. It finds utility in advertisements as well as opinion and editorial pieces, ratings and job applications

A story is told in narrative prose. Fiction, poems, biographies, and anecdotes all have some degree of narration.

Ways to be More Creative with your Writing

Learn from the best, but there is no need to emulate them. Additionally, it is helpful to read well-known authors as examples of high-quality writing.

Seek out the genre’s highlights, depending on the writing style. If you want to write young adult fiction, look up to classics like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps world, or Judy Blume’s touching coming-of-age books.

Furthermore, Research the works of Isaac Asimov and Neil Gaiman if you choose to write science fiction. at the same time, do not mistake the voices of these writers for your own. Use your favourite books as a starting point. To be genuinely artistic, you must develop ideas, styles, and a point of view that are distinct from others.

To brainstorm, use the snowflake technique. The snowflake process, developed by author and writing coach Randy Ingermanson, is a method for writing a novel from the ground up by beginning with a simple plot summary and layering in additional components.

It is suitable for a wide range of creative writing projects. To initiate the snowflake process, conceive a big-picture plot concept and write a one-sentence description for it

Moreover, you can Try freewriting for a while. It is the art of writing without a predetermined format, such as outlines, cards, notes, or editorial supervision. In freewriting, the writer follows their own mental instincts, causing ideas and creativity to come to them spontaneously.

Allow the words on the screen to be inspired by the stream of consciousness.

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Begin your future at Lenoir-Rhyne – apply today. Our online application and admission process is easy to complete and our knowledgeable staff are here to help – every step of the way.   Discover the history of our campus, visit our classrooms and student housing, stop by the University Bookstore, and imagine yourself as an LR Bear. Schedule a visit today and see for yourself all that LRU has to offer. Learn more about our students and see them in action. Each student at LRU has a unique story to tell. What will your story be? Discover the history of our campus, visit our classrooms and student housing, stop by the University Bookstore, and imagine yourself as an LR Bear. Schedule a visit today and see for yourself all that LRU has to offer. Begin your future at Lenoir-Rhyne – apply today. Our online application and admission process is easy to complete and our knowledgeable staff are here to help – every step of the way.   Discover the history of our campus, visit our classrooms and student housing, stop by the University Bookstore, and imagine yourself as an LR Bear. Schedule a visit today and see for yourself all that LRU has to offer. Get the latest news, check out schedules, follow your favorite team on social media, and more on the Athletics website. The Bears Club is the official fundraising arm of Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics. Founded in 1946, the Bears Club coordinates the annual athletic fundraising, capital and endowment gifts for Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics. The purpose of the Bears Club is to support athletic scholarships and program costs for Lenoir-Rhyne’s 22 men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic teams. Begin your future at Lenoir-Rhyne – apply today. Our online application and admission process is easy to complete and our knowledgeable staff are here to help – every step of the way. Discover the history of our campus, visit our classrooms and student housing, stop by the University Bookstore, and imagine yourself as an LR Bear. Schedule a visit today and see for yourself all that LRU has to offer. --> -->
	Lenoir-Rhyne University
	Aug 21, 2024   Graduate Catalog 2024-2025     Graduate Catalog 2024-2025 | OFFERED IN ASHEVILLE The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, offered by the Thomas Wolfe Center for Narrative at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville, is designed to help students with a passion for writing hone their skills and develop their vision. Students can specialize in fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction. Students may also select classes from the Narrative Healthcare Certificate Program, also offered by the center. Program Overview The MFA in creative writing combines literary study and writing workshops to help students develop their skills as critical readers, hone their craft as writers and expand their abilities to improve their own and others’ work.  At the heart of the program are small, supportive, intensive writing workshop experiences facilitated by experienced writers and teachers.  Classes are offered through online, synchronous sessions, allowing students to join the program in Asheville or from elsewhere. All faculty in the program are appropriately credentialed. In addition to established writers, a variety of community professionals employed in various relevant settings will provide instruction and guidance. Program Structure This program is flexible enough to fit the schedule of anyone, whether entering directly from an undergraduate program, in mid-career or considering a career change. Courses are held in the evenings for the convenience of working students. The length of time to complete this program varies based on class load and the scheduling of classes. The program can be completed on average in three years or can be taken at a pace conducive to the student’s schedule. Program Admission Requirements Visit Graduate Admission for the most current Program Admission Requirements . Literary Study: (18 hours) ENG 505 - Literary Studies Seminar 3 Credits. (repeated six times with different subtitles.) Writing Workshops (21 hours) Choose one of the following writing content focus areas - to be repeated 3 times for a total of 9 hours: WRI 520 - Workshop in Writing Fiction 3 Credits. WRI 521 - Workshop in Writing Creative Nonfiction 3 Credits. WRI 522 - Workshop in Writing Poetry 3 Credits. Writing Workshop - Outside area (one of the above, not the focus area) 3 credits. Writing Workshop -  WRI 583    - Special Topic in an area related focus 3 credits. Writing Workshops - two additional workshops, in any of the areas above 6 credits. Theses Workshops (6 hours) WRI 560 - Creative Theses 3 Credits. (to be taken twice for a total of six hours.) Total Credit Hours: 45 *Each student will take three workshops ( WRI 520   ,  WRI 521   , or  WRI 522    ) in their area of concentration, one special topics workshop in a related area, one workshop in an area outside his or her concentration, and two additional workshops from the above offerings.  MFA students with an interest in Narrative Healthcare may take  WRI 545   ,  WRI 546   , and  WRI 547     in place of the “outside” and “additional” workshops. The best handwriting fonts to add personality to your designs Add a personal touch to your creations with the best handwriting fonts around. Taking advantage of handwriting fonts is a great way to give your designs a personal feel and with such a diverse selection available, there's an option to suit almost every project. Whether you need an elegant cursive script to give your design a refined elegance, or a bespoke scrawl to create an organic feel, handwriting fonts add a fantastic flourish to a range of design styles. All of the fonts listed below are free for personal use, and many accommodate commercial use too (be careful and always check the licensing terms just to be sure). If you're after a broader selection, you can check out our collection of the best free fonts , or for more specific styles, take a look at our list of the best free script fonts . Buy fonts from myfonts.com As well as the fonts below, we highly recommend myfonts.com by Monotype to find fonts for all kinds of projects. It has over 130,000 fonts, from brush fonts to display, and more than 900 of them are completely free. The best free handwriting fonts 01. soulgate. Download Soulgate from fontspace Soulgate is a delicate handwritten font created by Bluetype Studio . It has an effortless, breezy feel that pairs well with neutral and pastel tones, giving your design project an elevated rustic appeal. This intricate font is best used as a feature font for titles and headings, as its handwritten style can become trickier to read on a smaller scale. It's perfect for designs that require a delicate, classy look while maintaining the playfulness of a handwritten font. Soulgate is free for personal use – a perfect flourish for invitations or craft projects. 02. Chris Handwriting Download Chris Handwriting from 1001fonts Chris Handwriting is a bespoke effect font created by Omega Font Labs that's great for giving your projects that authentic handwritten feel. Due to its imperfect style, it works best on a larger scale so that the cursive letters don't become too crowded or illegible. It pairs well with a stripped-back minimalist design that needs a touch of class and personality – think wedding invites and personal design projects. Chris Handwriting is free for personal use. 03. Bristol Regular Download Bristol Regular from 1001fonts Bristol Regular is based on a handwritten letter to Bridge Farm School by graffiti artist Banksy back in 2016. It emulates the look of a bold felt tip marker, making it a bold change from more traditional cursive handwriting fonts. Get the Creative Bloq Newsletter Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors. Bristol Regular has a delightful illustrative feel that blends well with contemporary projects and bold graphic design. it's free to use for personal and commercial use under the SIL Open Font License. 04. Meow Script Download Meow Script from Google Fonts Meow Script is a playful handwriting font that emulates a beautiful cursive style. The monoline font comes in six stylistic sets and works harmoniously to add a fun, yet professional look to your projects. The whimsical style is perfect for invitations, posters and ads, and comes in Latin Character sets including Central, Western and Vietnamese language support. You can use Meow Script in your print and digital projects or products, whether commercial or otherwise under the Open Font License. 05. Grape Nuts Download Grape Nuts from Google Fonts Available from Google Fonts, Grape Nuts is a straightforward and charming font inspired by a popular breakfast cereal. It's simple and casual, perfect for striking an informal tone in your designs. The Google Fonts terms allow for both personal and commercial use of the font, but as always, make sure you check the fine print before publishing anything. 06. Gloria Hallelujah Download Gloria Hallelujah from Google Fonts Simple, clear and effective, Gloria Hallelujah is a solid alternative to Grape Nuts, and is also available from Google Fonts. With a playful feel, it's friendly and approachable, as well as being somewhat reminiscent of comic-strip script. It was designed by Kimberly Geswein , and based in part off the handwriting of a Korean schoolchild. 07. Homemade Apple Download Homemade Apple from Google Fonts This clever cursive font flows across the page, its glyphs linking just like real joined-up handwriting. It has an incredibly cutesy, homey feel, and looks like the sort of hand that might jot down a recipe for a homemade apple pie (hey, that's probably where the name comes from). 08. Reenie Beanie Font Download Reenie Beanie Font from Adobe Fonts Available from Adobe Fonts, Reenie Beanie is an earthy, fun handwriting fonts for those designs where you don't want to take yourself too seriously. It's based on handwriting done with a ballpoint pen, and according to the creators, it "could be used to represent the scribbling of a mad scientist, or the recipes of a genius chef". We'll let you be the judge of that one, but regardless, this is a versatile and highly readable handwriting font. 09. Dawning of a New Day Download Dawning of a New Day on DaFont An important thing to be aware of is that this font is for personal use only, not for commercial. If you're putting together party invites, birthday greetings or something of that nature, Dawning of a New Day is a simple but realistic choice of handwriting font. It's another one by calligrapher Kimberly Geswein (responsible for Gloria Hallelujah at #2) who says it was inspired by a friend of hers. 10. Vujahday Script Download Vujahday Script from Google Fonts Vujahday Script is an organic cursive font. This font comes with both a plain and a script stylistic set, as well as Latin character sets that support Western, Central, and Vietnamese languages. This font is available to use for personal and commercial use. 11. Beth Ellen  Download Beth Ellen from Google Fonts Seriously, how cute is this font? The authentic and earthy feel to this script is perfect for a range of projects. This font was inspired by designer, Rob Jelinski's mother who passed away from cancer. This font is completely free to use for personal and commercial use, but Jelinski has requested that you send a short note to someone you love every time you use the font. 12. Hiatus Handwritten Font Get Hiatus Handwritten Font from creativetacos.com For a very different but also very casual feel, the modern brushed handwritten font Hiatus offers a nice look for posters, t-shirts, branding and headlines in the right context. The free version is available for both personal and commercial use and contains uppercase, lowercase, number, punctuation and symbols. 13. Timothy Get Timothy from Behance Handwriting fonts aren't all swirly and delicate. Timothy uses block capitals and a chunky marker thickness to add a hand-written touch. Made by Ksenya Zoltsman , this quirky handwritten font was inspired by designer Timothy Goodman . It's free for personal and commercial use and could make a nice, fun choice for use in invitations. 14. Something Wild Get Something Wild from Pixelbuddha Add an authentic feel to your designs with this gorgeous handwritten type design Something Wild. Available over on Pixelbuddha, Something Wild is free for personal or commercial use and will add a touch of personality to your designs, making it perfect for poster and flyer designs. 15. Stay Classy Get Stay Classy from Pixelify This well-named free handwriting font is one of the classiest out there. Delicate and interesting without being fussy, make your designs ooze chic by using this for headers and short pieces of text paired with simple, tasteful backgrounds. It's free for personal or commercial use. 16. No Time Get No Time from Behance Graphic designer Paula Painceiras Martínez is the master behind this quirky, tongue-in-cheek handwriting font, No Time. On her Behance page she states: "Expressive, aggressive and different. This font was created by the handwriting of a stressed designer." It's a totally free license, with a request from the creator to accredit her name or link her profile. (Painceiras says she loves to see projects using this font.) 17. Ambarella Get Ambarella from Pixelsurplus Ambarella is a beautiful free typeface from Polem Studio. Free for both personal and commercial use, the design includes various swashes, alternates and Western European characters. Get Kristi from Fontsquirrel Designed by Birgit Pulk, Kristi is an elegant and quirky free handwriting font with flowing ligatures that remind us of fountain pen writing. The capital letter glyphs would work particularly well in headers. 19. Marrisa Get Marrisa from Dafont.com Imperfections are beautiful, aren't they? Marrisa reminds us of enthusiastic hand-written notes we've received from relatives; all swooping ascenders and unpredictably sized ligatures. It's full of heart, and embraces its relaxed vibe and carefully curated 'flaws'. It's free for personal use only, but commercial licenses are available. 20. Over the Rainbow Get Over the Rainbow from Google Fonts "This font always makes me smile," says the designer of this sweetly named font, Kimberly Geswein. "Something about the style of the handwriting just makes me feel happy. It is slightly connected but not a true script by any means and will lend an upbeat feel to any project you use it on." 21. Stay Writer Get Stay Writer from Behance Charming handwriting font Stay Writer is free for commercial and personal use. "A hand-drawn display font, every single letter has been carefully crafted to make your text look beautiful," the makers comment on Behance. 22. Fair Prosper Get Fair Prosper from Pixelify Another free handwriting font packed with personality, Fair Prosper is a marker pen font designed by Khurasan. Available free for personal and commercial use, this font set includes upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. It would look awesome on branding and designs that rock (and roll). 23. Claire Hand Get Claire Hand from Behance The team at Australian-based design agency Team Scope are behind handwriting font Claire Hand. Available over on Behance, the team describe the design as: "fun, bold and friendly, and its handwritten style represents our commitment to creative spontaneity (you know how the best ideas get scribbled down on a napkin?). Because we're serious design tragics, we even created each letter in two different weights so it's even more individual." This handwriting font is free for personal use, and there's a small fee if you want to use it commercially. 24. Mightype Get Mightype from Behance Free for both personal and commercial use, Mightype was created by designers Mats-Peter Forss and Adam Fathony. A hand-lettered script font, Mightype is great for packaging designs, branding and much more. Get Reis from Free Goodies For Designers This handwritten design Reis was created by art director Marcelo Reis Melo. Great for posters, logos and much more, Reis is available free for personal and commercial use, with donations to the creator (as always) appreciated. 26. Bellaboo Get Bellaboo from Free Goodies For Designers In need of an authentic handwritten font for your latest project? Bellaboo, another design by art director Marcelo Reis Melo, may be just what you're looking for. A bold design, this free handwriting font is great for creating eye-catching headlines, posters and more. It even supports Spanish, German and Swedish characters. 27. Ludicrous Get Ludicrous from Behance A free handwriting font from Missy Meyer, Ludicrous is great for giving your projects an authentic handmade feel. "With every font, I learn something new," she comments on Behance. "This time around, I did my first ligatures, and included the 15 lowercase letter pairs I thought were most common." It's free for personal use and includes one-user desktop commercial license. 28. Tragic Marker Get Tragic Marker from Behance As we've seen, Missy Meyer is a runaway talent when it comes to creating free handwriting fonts. With Tragic Marker she has created a satisfyingly chunky font that looks like it's been scribbled with a Sharpie. And most impressively of all, it was created in just one day while she learned more aspects of type creation. Get Skinny from Dafont.com An oldie but a goodie, this handwriting font is, by far, the most popular of the type designs offered online by the artist known as notfon1234. The last update to the design saw a clean up to the spacing and characters, and the font is now completely free for commercial use. 30. Gunny Rewritten Get Gunny Rewritten from Dafont.com Based on his older font Gunny Handwriting, type designer Vit Condak released this new free handwriting font Gunny Rewritten. Wanting a tidier version of his original (based on his natural handwriting style), Condak completely remade the design and now offers it as a free download for all to enjoy. 31. Halo Handletter Get Halo Handletter from Dafont.com This elegant handwriting font was developed by graphic designer Mario Arturo. One of over 20 fonts created by Arturo, who specialises in fancy and script designs, Halo Handletter is perfect example of the latter. It's free for non-commercial use only; you'll have to pay to use it commercially. 32. Whatever It Takes Get Whatever It Takes from Dafont.com The Whatever It Takes free handwriting font harks back to our school exercise books. It's free for personal and non-profit use. However, its creator, designer Brittney Murphy does ask for a $8 donation for commercial use, which we think is still a bargain. There's a bold version, too. 33. L'Engineer Get L'Engineer from Behance One of our favourite free handwriting fonts, this design by Ferdie Balderas comes in regular and italic as well as capital and lower-case letters. He's even made it supportive of a number of different languages including French, Spanish and Polish. 34. Calligraffiti Get Calligraffiti from Fontsquirrel Spanning both the genres of handwriting fonts and calligraphy fonts, Calligraffiti is an elegant and simple free single-weight font with 228 glyphs, designed by Open Window. 35. Sketch Block Get Sketch Block from Dafont.com This hand-sketched headline font was designed by artist Lukas Bischoff. He comments: "Created solely by me sketching by hand and then digitised, Sketch Block makes a perfect font to create the handmade character look, or to supplement illustrations with typography." Free for personal use only, it's one of the nicest free handwriting fonts we've seen in a long time. 36. GoodDog Get GoodDog from Fontsquirrel A contemporary and decorative font, GoodDog was created by Fonthead Design. The curly typeface is a popular choice, having been downloaded over 2.25 million times since its release. This free handwriting font comes complete with a full set of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and characters. 37. J.D Handcrafted Get J.D Handcrafted from Dafont.com J.D Handcrafted is one of 16 fonts created by Emerald City Fontwerks, the stylish design being one of the studio's most popular. The brush, script-style typeface is free for personal use, with a full set of characters at your disposal. Get Amatic from Fontsquirrel A quirky, narrow and condensed design by typographer Vernon Adams, this free handwriting font is perfectly suited to designs on the funny side, such as comedy strips. Amatic only includes uppercase letters but comes in both regular and bold styles. 39. Journal Get Journal from Fontsquirrel Created by Hans Gerhard Meier aka Fontourist, this beautiful script-style font's name explains exactly the type of design it's suited to. This font is extremely popular, and with good reason. Get Daniel from Dafont.com Daniel is one of many fonts created by designer Daniel Midgley. Free for both personal and commercial use, Daniel includes a full set of upper and lowercase characters, numbers and various special characters. 41. Scribulous Scrawlin' Get Scribulous Scrawlin' from DeviantArt We had to pop a chalk-style free handwriting font in the list and this one which was designed Alphabeta85 is a perfect addition. It comes in both capitalised and lower-case, as well as numbers, punctuation, and symbols. Make sure you only use it for personal work. Get Linny from Dafont.com This cutesy font was designed by Maya, aka Linny. This handwriting type is actually Maya's handwriting and after being asked to develop the font for personal use, she finally did! It comes in upper and lower case, as well as numbers and punctuation. 43. Fatstack Get Fatstack from Abstract Fonts We love this heavy duty, scribble-friendly font designed by Blambot Fonts . Consisting purely of capital letters, this is a free handwriting font that would be perfect for some seriously bold design work. You can also grab some punctuation and numbers in the free package. 44. Housegrind Get Housegrind from Dafont.com This cool script font was created by graphic designer Måns Grebäck, who specialises in logotypes and typography. Free for personal use only, a commercial licence for Housegrind can be purchased via Grebäck's website . 45. VersionType Get VersionType from Behance A condensed sans-serif font, VersionType was created by senior designer Victor Coreas. "It is meant to be playful and very loose," he comments. The typeface includes a full set of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters, and it's free for personal and non-profit use. Get Billy from Behance Created by Claire Joines, Billy is another font made from the designer's own handwriting. It's free for personal and non-profit use (although attribution or a thank you would be nice); if you want to use it commercially, get in touch with Claire. She'll normally ask for attribution and a small donation. 47. Novito Nova Get Novito Nova from Behance Novito Nova is a free handwriting font created by Russian designer Nina Pu. "This font was made for making people happy", she comments on Behance. A whimsical design, Novito Nova is great for providing projects with an authentic handmade feel. 48. Mink Type Get Mink Type from Behance Mink Type was created by New York-based art director Filiz Sahin . "Mink Type is a cool, hand-painted display typeface that was developed using brush tools in Illustrator," she comments. "Each letter has three variations including upper and lower cases so you can create a custom feel for your designs." 49. Dirty Boy  Download Dirty Boy from FontSpace Dirty Boy is a grungy, free font that adds a punchy attitude to any project. Emulating the look of bold paint strokes, the imperfect textured design gives your designs an effortless edgy appearance. It's best used as a statement title font due to its bold look – a great addition to make a statement with your design. 50. White Pigeon Download White Pigeon from Fontspace White Pigeon is an adorable handwriting font created by Essentials Studio. The chubby characters bring a childlike appeal to your design while maintaining a strong sense of legibility. The imperfect font has a bespoke and organic feel that adds a playful touch to any project. Use White Pigeon for personal blogs or designs that need a delightful dose of kawaii style. What are the different types of handwriting font? Many styles fall under the umbrella term of handwriting font. Most can be categorised under the following sections: monoline, chalk, brush, signature and calligraphic. Each style has its own unique features that should be considered when using them in your design. Monoline Monoline fonts feature a distinct and consistent thickness that often gives them a retro feel. Due to their bold appearance, monoline fonts have a sturdy appeal that makes them perfect for projects that need an element of authority, while maintaining a sense of playfulness. Chalk Chalk fonts have a childlike appeal, emulating the imperfect style of chalkboard writing. They add a visiual texture to your design, giving it a richer mixed-medium feel. Due to their more graphic appeal, chalk fonts are best as title fonts and headings, bringing a nostaligc charm to your design. Brush Brush fonts are a common style of handwriting font, emulating the imperfect texture of brush strokes. From fluid watercolour brush strokes to more rustic paintbrush styles, brush fonts add a bespoke appeal to your projects. Signature Signature fonts are a classy addition to your creative projects, designed to resemble personal handwriting. While these fonts may have a more rustic appeal, there are plenty of styles available to give your projects an added human touch. Calligraphic The more refined cousin of signature fonts, calligraphic fonts are inspired by the art of calligraphy. These intricate styles are often more structured and polished than other handwriting fonts, featuring delicate linework and swooping serifs that create a more classy appeal to your project. For more typographical tips, check out our typography design guide that runs you through all the terminology you need to know. If you're after more typographical inspiration, check out Fortnum & Mason's fonts which are a classy tribute to British typographic history. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Join now for unlimited access Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Alison is a freelance writer and editor from Philadelphia, USA. She's been sharing buying advice and retail news for over a decade. When she isn't hunting for deals, Alison can be found teaching/training in martial arts, fawning over skincare, and indulging in her quarantine-borne hobby: cooking. She has written for a number of publications including TechRadar, Forbes and Business Insider. Rosie Hilder Related articles 2 Procreate comes out swinging against AI 3 Apple's rumoured 'robot iPad' sounds throughly bizarre 4 Why the creator economy is a profound threat to advertising agencies 5 Artist revives iconic Obama poster design for Kamala Harris References provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each work cited in the text . Check each reference carefully against the original publication to ensure information is accurate and complete. Accurately prepared references help establish your credibility as a careful researcher and writer. Consistency in reference formatting allows readers to focus on the content of your reference list, discerning both the types of works you consulted and the important reference elements (who, when, what, and where) with ease. When you present each reference in a consistent fashion, readers do not need to spend time determining how you organized the information. And when searching the literature yourself, you also save time and effort when reading reference lists in the works of others that are written in APA Style. Academic Writer ® Master academic writing with APA’s essential teaching and learning resource Course Adoption Teaching APA Style? Become a course adopter of the 7th edition Publication Manual Instructional Aids Guides, checklists, webinars, tutorials, and sample papers for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of APA Style 246 IMAGES Types of Writing: Learn about the Variety, Choose Your Own Style four forms of creative writing 57 Tips What Is Creative Writing And Its Types With New Ideas 14 Types of Creative Writing Types of Creative Writing: A Complete Guide How to Write Creative Writing COMMENTS 14 Types of Creative Writing When we talk about creative writing, fiction and poetry often take the spotlight, but there are many other types of creative writing that we can explore. 10 Types of Creative Writing (with Examples You'll Love) From personal essays and novels to graphic narratives, short stories, and memoirs — here are 10 types of creative writing you might enjoy. Exploring the Different Types of Creative Writing What groups all different types of creative writing under the "creative" umbrella is their display of imagination and linguistic prowess. What Is Creative Writing? Types, Techniques, and Tips Learn just what is creative writing, including the different types, techniques, and tips for a compelling story. What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples) Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries. It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions. Types of Creative Writing: A Detailed Explanantion Read the blog and discover different types of creative writing offering insights and examples to help you navigate the world of literary creativity. What is Creative Writing? Definition, Types, and How to Get Started What is creative writing? Discover its different forms, the benefits it offers to you and readers alike, and how to start your journey in creative writing. 12 Types of Creative Writing to Explore Creative writing isn't just limited to novels, short stories, and poems; in fact, this type of writing encompasses at least a dozen different types, each suited to specific situations and kinds of personal expression. Try them all to find out which ones you enjoy the most. 10 types of creative writing with examples What is Creative Writing Creative writing is a form of artistic expression. It evokes writers to use their creativity to deliver personality and aptitude to their work. It does not consciousness entirely of greater conventional, technical kinds of writing along with journalistic and academic patterns, but alternatively presentations of imagination and invention. Top 10 Elements of Creative Writing: All you Need to Know The top 10 elements of Creative writing involves the imaginative and artistic expression of ideas, emotions, and stories. Creative Writing Learn the definition of creative writing. View examples of creative writing while learning the various types, elements and techniques of creative... 18 Types of Creative Writing What is Creative Writing? Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics. 6 Types of Writing Styles Every Writer Should Know What's the difference between narrative writing and expository writing? What does a technical writer do? How do you nail descriptive writing? Here's everything you ever wanted to know about the most common types of writing styles. Learn 4 Types of Writing Learn the Types of Writing: Expository, Descriptive, Persuasive, and Narrative. Whether you write essays, business materials, fiction, articles, letters, or even just notes in your journal, your writing will be at its best if you stay focused on your purpose. While there are many reasons why you might be putting pen to paper or tapping away on ... What is Creative Writing? Creative nonfiction is a broad genre that includes memoirs and biographies, personal essays, travel and food writing, and literary journalism. Ultimately, we each get to decide what is art and what is creative writing. Most of us will know creative writing when we experience it, either as a writer or as a reader. 11 Types of Creative Writing 11 Types of Creative Writing What is creative writing? What does it mean to be a creative writer? We often associate creative writing with fictional stories, but there are many more ways of being creative as a writer than this. Here are just a few examples of the different types of creative writing that are available for you to explore. A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction Here at Writing Forward, we're primarily interested in three types of creative writing: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. With poetry and fiction, there are techniques and best practices that we can use to inform and shape our writing, but there aren't many rules beyond the standards of style, grammar, and good writing. 16 Types Of Writing Every Writer Should Master Choosing from the different types of writing and adapting to the requirements of a professor, business, or client is crucial to writing success. Below, I'll share the different types of writing you can practice and learn how to become a better writer. What Is Creative Writing? Is It Worth Studying? Creative Writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to use your imagination and creativity. It can be in the form of personal essays, short stories, or poems. It is often used as an outlet for emotions and experiences. Start with creative writing by reading through creative writing examples to help get you in the mood. 8 Types of Creative Writing Every Writer Should Try Out To be a proficient writer you should really try out various types of creative writing to expand your writing repertoire. Here are 10 Types of creative writing every writer should try out. What is Creative Writing? What are the different types of creative writing? Creative writing comes in many forms, encompassing a number of genres and styles. There are lots of different types of creative writing, which can be categorised as fiction or non-fiction. Some of the most popular being: Biographies Fiction: novels, novellas, short stories, etc. Speeches What is Creative Writing and Types of Creative Writing? The many different types of creative writing, like descriptive, expository, or persuasive, can be practiced and improved throughout this course. The classes are curated with a special focus on including the many different ways, types and styles of writing. Program: Creative Writing, MFA The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, offered by the Thomas Wolfe Center for Narrative at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville, is designed to help students with a passion for writing hone their skills and develop their vision. Students can specialize in fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction. The best handwriting fonts Add a personal touch to your creations with the best free handwriting fonts around, as picked by our expert editors. References References provide the information necessary for readers to identify and retrieve each work cited in the text. Consistency in reference formatting allows readers to focus on the content of your reference list, discerning both the types of works you consulted and the important reference elements with ease. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis