HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL CREATIVE WRITER
No doubt that a lot of people have been
asking so many questions on how they can become creative writers. Many too have
consulted a lot of books and articles in prints and online to help improve on
their skills as creative writers. The truth is that there is no magic in it. The
fact that people are writing does not make their works creative. Some works are
written because the writers just want to write and someone who is endowed with
the special gift of writing should be able to discern between the works that
are creatively written and the ones that are “just there”.
In this article, I will take you
through some of the simple steps of becoming a successful creative writer and if
you are naturally endowed with the act of creativity, this article will also
help you to improve on your skills and become more active in your talent than
anyone else.
Now, I will take you through the dos
and then the don’ts of creative writing. We will start with the dos and then
the don’ts.
THE DOS
Ø To be a creative writer, you must be
ready to write at all times. One may wonder why this has to be the first. Yes,
you must be ready with your pen and paper wherever you go. It does not matter
what your business in a particular place is and what you are doing at a
particular point in time. Always be ready to write at all times.
Ø Be sensitive to your environment.
Observation is one of the major keys to an inspired writing. Be observant in
your environment. Physically, what do you see? Be sensitive, in what way has
the condition of the physical environment affected the inhabitants? Feel it
within you, put yourself in another person’s shoes, and let your emotions make
your fingers move to write.
Ø Read wide. Expand your knowledge and
interests. You must not be a scientist to write about science, you must not be
a feminist to write about the plight of women in the society where you come
from, you must not be Marxist to talk about how social class system has
affected the society, you must not be a politician to write on how to be a
better leader and an obedient follower. All these depend on how wide you read.
Ø Enjoy what you read from others. This
is closely related to the third point above. Do not just read because you want
to be a good writer tomorrow, but read because you enjoy reading. This will
unconsciously develop your skills both in writing and in reading.
Ø Always listen to the still small
voice within. Yes, this is what is referred to as the muse. When it comes, be
ready to listen and follow the prompt to write. This will make up your
inspiration.
Ø Talk less and listen more. It will be
very important to point out that a talkative cannot make a good creative
writer. One who listens more to people will always catch a life experience and
a character to write about.
Ø Be active. Do your exercises, eat
healthy and stay healthy all the times. A sick body lacks inspiration and the
right frame of mind to create.
Ø Learn new words every day. Develop your
vocabulary. It does not necessary mean big and ambiguous words; simple words
can make your work unique and easy to comprehend.
Ø Be yourself. Copying from other
people’s inspirations will not only make your own work an imitation but will
also make you a copycat. Note that you are reading other people’s work to
improve on your skills, not to copy from them.
Ø Be conscious of your own style in
writing. Most times creative writers are basically identified by their unique
styles in writing. Develop yours; it will make your work stand out among
others.
Ø Reflect soberly on all your
encounters during the day and if you are one who loves to write at nights I am
sure your inspiration will flow better after a sober reflection.
Ø Identify your major source(s) of
inspiration. When you check through the biographies of some great writers you
will be surprised to discover that they have one source of inspiration or the
other. So to be a successful creative writer, identify those things that always
push you to write.
Ø Lastly on this, be focused. Whatever creative
work you intend to start, be determined to finish it no matter how much time
you think it will take. The truth is that when you enjoy what you do, you will
finish it up in no time.
THE DON’TS
Ø Do not mix creativity with laziness and
leisure. Writing is not what you do when you are tired or lazy to do other
works at home or in the office. It is what you do when you are fully active and
with the right frame of mind.
Ø Do not write because your friends are
writing. It is very wrong to write because you see people do, this is when
yours will become boring and will definitely lack the necessary ingredients to
make it what it should be.
Ø Do not write just to make money. Writing
is not for profit purposes. The reasons most creative writers sell their books
are to spread their ideas to others to learn from and to cover the cost of
production, not for getting rich. So it is erroneous to write for profit
purposes.
Ø Do not talk too much while writing;
it will make you lose focus and interest in your work.
Ø After you produce your first work, do
not relax because more works are expected of you in time to come.
Ø Do not even start when you know deep
down in your heart that you will not be able to end.
Ø Do not leave your work unfinished for
a very long time. Be sure that you will lose the inspiration and it will become
uninteresting to continue.
Ø Finally, do not consider your
background and your career as hindrances to your being what you want to be. A
creative writer must first create a suitable background for himself/herself and
also make space for his creative abilities to take charge.
With all these, you see how easy it
is to become a creative writer. In all, be sure of what you wanted and then know
how to go about getting it for yourself. Write to change the society, write to
impact knowledge, write to elevate people from their present conditions, write
to create hope for freedom to those whose mentality are enslaved over time,
write to keep everyone around you happy, write to reach out to the other parts
of the world, write to liberate yourself from same situations, keep writing. Allow
yourself to be inspired at all times. Before you know it, you would have become
a good creative writer and you will be happy you wrote in the first place. Cheers!
