Category Archives: craig’s writing articles

What is Creative Writing?

writers block

Image

Article Title: What is Creative Writing?

Author: Craig Lock
Category (key words): Writing, Creative Writing, Writing Hints/Tips, Creative Writing Course, Writing Course, Online Writing Course (enough there for now, craig!)
Web sites:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

Brand new online creative writing course: Click on http://creativekiwis.com/index.php/creative-writing-course

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.craigswritingarticles.wordpress.com

http://writeanpublish.wordpress.com/

http://wanttowriteabook.wordpress.com/

www.nzwriter.wordpress.com and his various other blogs at http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

Publishing Guidelines:
We hope that the following article (which is a lesson from our original online writing course) may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others “out there” in any way, then we’re very happy. .

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

*
WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING (FROM ONLINE CREATIVE WRITING COURSE)

“It’s easy being a writer… the hardest part is figuring how to make a living whilst one does so.”

“It took me twenty long years of sweat and tears (no blood please, I’m very sqeamish) to become an overnight success.”

– “a nony mouse writer”

I believe ALL writing is creative (a nice short sentence to get the ball rolling). Journalism is a different form of writing in that it merely reports the facts of a particular event.

However, I believe even journalism can fall under the banner of creative writing; because it still utilizes one’s imagination in HOW you choose to report an event and the style you choose to write in (more on style coming up in a later lesson). Journalism is meant to be completely objective; yet often the biases of reporters come through in their writing. It is very hard to avoid that.

I would regard (or define) creative writing as “fully using a person’s inherent ‘creativity’ through the amazing power of the creative imagination (subconscious mind) in putting words to paper to tell a tale, or attempting to get a message or moral through to one’s readers.”

(I just wrote that in response to a query from someone doing a thesis)
*
To continue after that rather long-winded definition…

To be a published writer is one of the most rewarding occupations and pastimes – both financially and creatively. I find it a very satisfying and enjoyable activity. I can’t teach you how to write, let alone how to be a writer. I don’t have all the answers. All I can do is give you some tips and guidelines that I’ve learnt over the years (starting from the beginning of my writing “career” with writing “stirring” letters to newspapers in South Africa), which hopefully will make it a lot easier…if that is what you really want to do.

They are all based on what I have learnt by doing it myself – usually through the long process of trial and error. I hope this information is interesting and helpful to you in your quest to be a writer and getting published.

“I just write what I write. There is this tremendous drive to communicate. You want to get inside the readers skin, their mind and heart. and challenge that person, move that person, open their eyes to things they maybe hadn’t thought of before.”

– Paul Auster (author of ‘Sunset Park’)

Firstly (and most importantly)…

There are no ABC’s in writing – there is no set formula, which guarantees success. Everyone is a unique individual with their own gifts: their experiences, perspectives and highly individual style of writing. I believe having the ability to put words down on paper is only the beginning to writing. There is a great deal more to be learned on the techniques, which I’ve developed over the years. Hopefully, by the end of this course, you’ll be able to look back and see how much your writing has progressed, which gives me great gratification – nice long word that, like marmalade!). We all have our own particular style of writing. As you’ll see, I use a particular style in this course; however the style in my novels is completely different. In this course I try to inform and entertain at the same time, through “light, breezy” writing (no wind, please!).

My main aim in this course is to help develop your unique style of putting words to paper, as well as giving you some practical tips that I’ve learnt (especially from writing for the last sixteen years). I believe that writing courses and workshops (such as offered by the polytechnics here in New Zealand) can improve your writing – as long as the basic talent, your gift is there. Online courses through the internet can be a great educational tool (at a greatly reduced cost). Well I have to say that, don’t I?

All writing courses can help develop your skills by enhancing your creative powers, if you have the DESIRE to learn and grow (even dwarfs!). Why do you want to be a writer? What is your biggest motive you think? Write a few sentences on this to clarify your thinking and give you something to aim for in your writing.

For example do you want to write for pleasure or for profit…or perhaps both. I find writing my thoughts down, focuses my thinking. What are your attitudes to writing and what are your writing ambitions? What would you like to achieve in the future? It’s fine for your writing ambitions to change over time. Mine have changed drastically, as well as my “styles”; however right from the start I only wanted to write for publication – to “make a living”, as well as impacting others – hopefully making a difference through sharing my life experiences.

For example, you might just want to “dabble” in a bit of writing for your own eyes, for pleasure; then write items for close friends or family members. Then a few years down the track, you might decide that you want to write articles on your particular hobby for magazines – for MONEY. Wow! Later perhaps even a book, as I believe we all have a tale to tell deep within us.

What kind of writer do you want to be? Do you want to write for
pleasure and/or for profit? I believe, if you write for pleasure, you’ll be happy doing what you like… and it often leads to profit naturally. Because when you do something you are good at, it gives you enjoyment (or when you enjoy some activity you become better at it). This can often lead to financial rewards.

Many top writers and other artists (yes, it is an art!) earn very good money from doing what they love. To end off this piece, here are two of my favorite quotations, that help keep me inspired, daily .

“What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has
genius, power and magic in it.”
– Johann von Goethe

“Do what you love, then you’ll never have to do a day’s work in
your life.”

Happy writing…creatively, of course!

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions Books)

”Eagles may fly high, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.”

“It took me 15 years to find out that I had no talent for writing, but by then I couldn’t give it up, because by then I was too famous to give up.”
– Robert Benchley

“Asking a writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp post how it feels about dogs.”
– Christopher Hampton, British writer and dramatist

About the author:
Craig is a writer, who believes in (and loves) sharing information with a touch, a “dash or two” of humour, as well as encouraging and helping others to find their talents and gifts, to strive for and accomplish their dreams in life – whatever they may be.

Brand new online creative writing course: Click onhttp://creativekiwis.com/index.php/creative-writing-course

15 + informative and entertaining lessons. Learn the craft of writing and have fun at the same time

Craig is currently writing ‘To the End of the Rainbow’, where the reader is involved making DIFFERENT CHOICES, DIRECTIONS: DIFFERENT PATHS = DIFFERENT OUTCOMES

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” (including ‘To the End of the Rainbow’, as well as his various books on the writing journey) are available at: :

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock and
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

All proceeds go to needy and underpriviliged children –

MINE!

What’s the difference between a writer and a family pizza?

The pizza can feed a family of four!
The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.craigswritingarticles.wordpress.com

http://writeanpublish.wordpress.com/

http://wanttowriteabook.wordpress.com/

www.nzwriter.wordpress.com and his various other blogs at http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

“I make art through using materials…and words are my tools.”
– me
Art is at the highest reach of one’s creative imagination.”

“Your only limits are your own imagination.”
Together, one mind at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials

This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically, or in print

“They say that if enough chimpanzees were put in front of enough word processors for enough time, eventually one of them would write Hamlet.”

Making a Writer out of You: How to Get Started in Writing?

Image

Article Title: Making a Writer out of You: How to Get Started in Writing?

Category (key words): Writing, Creative Writing, How to Get Started in Writing, Writing Hints/Tips, Writing Course, Online Creative Writing Course

Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.craigswritingarticles.wordpress.com

http://writeanpublish.wordpress.com/

http://wanttowriteabook.wordpress.com/

www.nzwriter.wordpress.comand his various other blogs at http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981 (Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig)

Publishing Guidelines This article (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print. We hope that the following article, which is an extract from our online creative writing course) may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. If it helps others “out there” in any way, then we’re happy.

“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.”

*.

MAKING A WRITER OUT OF YOU –

WHAT DO WE NEED TO GET STARTED IN WRITING?

I hope that the following article (which is one of the first lessons on our Online Creative Writing Course) may be informative and helpful to your ezine readers or on your web site. It was originally written for the off-line world, but the principles can also be applied in “cyberspace and the real world”.

THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Anyone with reasonable literary skills can write, but not many people can write really well. Yet we all have the opportunity to use this means of expressing our creative energy. You don’t need much: no money – only time and IMAGINATION. To start writing, all you need is a place, a pen, paper and an idea (which comes through the amazing power of the human mind).

Firstly, work habits: Organise yourself (my big difficulty in all areas of life!). Decide WHERE you want to write. Which room will enable you to concentrate and lift your spirits the most? I find writing outdoors enables me to be most relaxed and therefore at my most creative.

THEN

Allocate a few hours a day when you won’t be disturbed. Then stick to it with total COMMITMENT (remember the qualities of a writer from lesson one?). What other tools are there to help you? The local library, dictionaries, like a Thesaurus. What’s that? And especially, a dictionary of quotations. Can you start a sentence with an “and”? All of these resources are extremely helpful to a writer. I find the local library especially helpful. Get to know your way around, to find out where things are. Using this resource saves a great deal of time and frustration…and most of all, money – not having to buy books (”El cheaposkate”, like me). I am constantly using the facilities of the excellent HB Williams Memorial Library here in Gisborne.

What other resources are easily available? Dictionaries: Such as the Oxford Dictionaries of Quotations. They’ll always come in handy when you’re looking for a good quote. Incidentally, good grammar and punctuation, together with presentation, is very important in getting published. I cover more on this subject in subsequent lessons. As my English teacher at school said, READ, READ, READ. It develops vocabulary (another nice long word).

Typewriter or Word Processor?

Once you’ve got this clear in your mind, ie. place, time, tools (like pen and paper), later comes the decisions about whether to buy a typewriter, word processor or computer. Word processors and computers make life so much easier for writers: you can quickly rewrite by moving words around or simply cutting them out altogether. They even have a spell check for those not too confident in this area. All writers continually revise their work many times to make the words flow better (don’t say ‘continually’ and ‘many times’ – they mean the same thing!).

Do you need one?

If you want to be published, no editor will consider handwritten work, so you will need to make that decision someday. If you want to write purely for your own pleasure, no “hassle”! My simple advice is to take your time regarding purchasing decisions. Don’t rush out and buy now, but wait and see how your writing develops. Perhaps you have an old typewriter in the attic to start on, or you may be able to borrow one from a friend in the meantime (”cheapskate”). This advice is based on what I did. Start off with a typewriter, because all your work should be typed – unless you’re writing purely for yourself. Later you can progress to a word processor.

if you really get caught up in the writing ‘bug’. I bought my word processor just before I left work after being made redundant as a Life Assurance Manager. It was the best investment I have ever made in my life! Then I progressed to learning computers. This was no easy task for me, but now working every day with one, I’ve become quite good (even if I say so myself!). However, I still use my word processer to work in the hot sun outside. Hedonistic sun freak!

What other tips are there?…

* Keep a work diary of your projects underway – keeps one on track.

* Also keep a record of your writing expenses – for the tax man. Any expenditure you incur in producing income from your writing is usually deductible from your taxable income. I’m sounding like an accountant now – sorry! More on this subject in a later lesson.

* Have a clippings file of things that interest you . . . because those are the things you are likely to write about some day in the future. I keep them on about ten different subjects, from stress to the South African economy (which leads to more stress!).

* Handy! Keep a note book handy by your bed. We often get our most creative ideas whilst sleeping when the mind is relaxed. I used to wake up with a great idea in the middle of the night. EUREKA! … but by morning it was forgotten. You can even use a small tape recorder. I have resorted to taking my dictaphone. I get lots of funny looks, but at least it stops me having to turn back before I forget my inspirational thought for the day.

GETTING STARTED

Now we have all the tools, time to get started. I believe the best training for new writers is to write as often and as much as you can. So write about ANYTHING that tickles your fancy. It doesn’t matter, as long as you WRITE!

It is practice and experience (and life experiences) that counts. As the tourist in New York asked : “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” and the cabbie replied: “Practice, mate (or the Yankee equivalent of this New Zealand and Australian expression), practice, practice.”

When I look at my first manuscripts, I can clearly see how much my writing has improved in the last six years. At least I think so!

What else can you write about? (Can I end a sentence with a “preppie”?)

* Write letters. This is becoming a forgotten art.

* You could also keep a daily diary, or journal. Write about your thoughts, your feelings, your daily experiences, your hopes your fears, your dreams. Doing this regularly hones your writing skills.

* You can take courses at universities, colleges, polytechnics, or this one. As well as the course content, I think that writing courses have a definite social function; because they keep you in touch with other like-minded people… and always remember writing is such a solitary occupation.

Hope I’m still a little bit sane then, after all these years writing in solitary ‘confinement’!

Happy writing and stay sane

Craig Lock

About the author: Craig is a writer, who believes in (and loves) sharing information with a touch of humour, as well as encouraging and helping others to find their talents and gifts, to strive for and accomplish their dreams in life – whatever they may be.

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at : http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock

All proceeds go to needy children – MINE!

‘Write Rite and be Published: All that I Know about Writing, How to Write Creatively’. This e-book is available at http://www.creativekiwis.com/ and and http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4

The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at www.craigswritingarticles.wordpress.com

http://writeanpublish.wordpress.com/

http://wanttowriteabook.wordpress.com/

www.nzwriter.wordpress.comand his various other blogs at http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com

“The worlds smallest and zaniest bookstore near the bottom of the world”

“Together, one mind, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, empower, uplift, encourage … and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”

THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

“If you have knowledge, let others light a candle to it.” – Margaret Fuller

That’s a metaphor, by the way (btw)

PPS

“They say that if enough chimpanzees were put in front of enough word processors for enough time, eventually one of them would write Hamlet