HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL CREATIVE WRITER By TOYIN BROWN

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!