Creative Writing
WRITING FROM WHAT YOU KNOW
The more you know about a subject, the more you will be able to write about it and create a fictional world around it. This is likely the most comfortable place to begin.
WRITING FROM THE UNKNOWN On the other hand, you can start from the completely unknown. This way, you can imagine and invent a world as well as the rules and not be bothered by the laws of your reality.
 Marrying WHAT YOU KNOW with WHAT YOU DONâT This is probably the most effective method of writing. Memory is fragile and influenced by mood, emotion, and others. The successful way seems to be writing an experience and add a measure of exploration of the unknown. Donât just write what is true to you and donât be scared to exaggerate â dare to take on themes larger than yourself.
 PLOT 1. What happened to the characters in the story 2. How it happened 3. Why it happened
The answers to these questions can be simple or complex, depending on your preferences. Adding human emotion makes the plot richer.
 Josip Novakovich explains it well in the book Fiction Writerâs Workshop: âPlot clearly depends on basic values. What do your characters treasure most? Put it at stake. Let them fight for it. Let them fight for life, love, money, jobs. If your characters care about nothing, the actions around them might become random. Without passion, forget about plot.
 ELEMENTS OF A PLOT
1. Exposition â The backstory of the background that gives the reasons for the characterâs driving forces.
2. Complications â they are introduced to add tension and to build the way to the climax.
3. Climax â the point of the most intense conflict, often marked by a moment of discovery, realization or change in the character (âplot twistâ).
4. Resolution â the final moments of a story, where the problems are wrapped up and normality is restored.
Not every writer follows this format, nor applies all of the elements. To deviate from the traditional structure, itâs important to understand how it works.
 CHARACTER
Characters are what often stay with the people. They add voice, purpose, and meaning to a story. The plot unfolds as a consequence of their actions.
There are two types of characters:
âą Major â the figure at the center of the action, dynamic, changes throughout the course of the story.
âą Minor â they support the major characters by highlighting, aggravating or accentuating the conflict. Theyâre almost always static and change little.
 CREATING CHARACTERS
Fictional characters should be complex, round, crossing various planes, which is very human. A character can be deepened in many ways. Some effective methods are to add elements of interest:
1. Physical Traits â Small physical characteristics can help establish personality and motivation. Helps distinguish characters from one another and turn your story more realistic.
2. World View â the writer needs to understand the characterâs worldview in other to create adversity and know how they will react. The ideas that influence their decisions.
3. Internal Conflict â the culmination of passion, flaws, worldview and external influences. The struggle between need/want. They will decide in order to resolve the internal conflict.
4. Flaws â a flawless character is not believable. Flaws add a tragic element to the character, which enhances the dimension and the probability of sympathy.
5. Passions â without passion, a character becomes flat. The character must want something out of his reach and must fight to achieve it.
6. Mannerisms â a nervous twitch, repetitive fidget, knuckle crack. These recurring elements add reliability.
 POINT OF VIEW
FIRST PERSON The narrator is a character in the story (âIâ, âmeâ, âweâ). Personalizes the story and provides sympathy more easily, for all readers to have a focused viewpoint and may connect with the character in that way.
Meanwhile, in a first person POV, the writer canât know what other characters think or do. Secondary characters must be characterized through impressions of the main character.
 THIRD PERSON In this POV, the narrator is uninvolved in the story (âsheâ, âheâ, âtheyâ). By nature, this type of narrator is omniscient, unlike the previous one. However, the writer can choose what to say and what to omit. They can have limited omniscience â about the past, the future, the characters.
The narrator can be more reliable. Gives a broader perspective and several stories can be told. However, it can be difficult to develop an inner monologue.
 INSPIRATION It can come from a passion and be driven by encouragement from others, small sparks, other literary works. Most writers have reading as one of their main inspirations, for it feeds the imagination.
 CHALLENGES Rejection, misfortune, discouragement â how can one overcome them? Time can also be a challenge. The idea of failure seems to inspire some authorsâ projects. Being a young writer means being a bird in a tree, observing life without being noticed. Dealing with critics can be a challenge as well, but it helps a writer to harden up and keep perspective.
The realization that life isnât always happy and quiet can be painful. The main challenge is to understand that it all belongs in the process of experience and life. Times of crisis can be defining for some and a good way to surpass the expectation of failure is to train oneself to not think what will happen in the future, and just write. Relying on your family, friends, significant other or people you trust can help one find balance and perspective.
 METHOD Setting a Routine â it can help you create habits and structure your life. Most writersâ lives have no structure, so implementing one can be decisive to develop your work.
Making Room for a New Plan â be flexible and try to find harmony between the conscious and unconscious mind; plans can evolve into something else, as well as creative processes. Accept change.
Doing the research â it doesnât matter when you do your research (if before, during or after writing), as long as you do it. It adds validity to a story and can help it come to life.
Plotting and Structuring the Novel â it can be an arduous process. A story may take time to plan and pile up and it can be incredibly challenging to manage all of it.
 ADVICE FROM AUTHORS
1. You have to read in order to be a writer.
2. People will love or hate your story more than you expect. Accept criticism.
3. Live life â travel, meet people, talk to people, listen without interrupting, listen to your grandparents speak of their families. Be curious in a neutral way, be open and look at whatâs in the world.
4. Value the comments of your loved ones.
5. Read everything you can.
6. Life changes faster than you think. Embrace change.
7. Develop your own philosophy.

















