Category Archives: creative writing

Writing and the Creative Imagination – How to Avoid Writer’s Block

http://craigswritingarticles.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/writing-and-the-creative-imagination-how-to-avoid-writers-block/
writers block

This short article was a reply to a question in a literary magazine on how I use my creative imagination (or subconscious mind) to help overcome writer’s block . Thought I’d share a few simple thoughts on how to use the amazing powers of your creative imagination to the fullest in overcoming “writer’s block”…

*

Just letting you know that I start all my novels with a basic plot and a central theme or message (a simple plan) and don’t have much idea how it’s all going to end up (“pan out”). I don’t consciously use techniques, like “mind-mapping” and have found that by writing one chapter at a time then simply “letting go”, the story simply flows onto the next naturally (at least I think it does!). It’s simply a matter of taking one step at a time, then waiting for “inspiration“*, which may take an hour, a day, a week, or perhaps even a month (if you are a very patient writer – definitely not one of my virtues!).

* By the way, the word “inspire” translated from the ancient Greek language, literally says, “God breathed life into”.

Not that it’s Greek to me – this “not classical language scholar”!

When I get “stuck” for a while, I take a break with a long walk along the stunningly beautiful beaches here, which really relaxes me and then the thoughts simply “flow into my head.”

This takes hold and I get a clear vision of the next small step ahead (always) – through the amazing powers of the
subconscious mind, which is where our INSPIRATION* comes from… and this leads, impels (nice word!) us into ACTION. Thought seeds energy, which results in the choice of action)

Its up to us to ACT on our “creative feelings”. I study and write quite a bit about the amazing powers of the human mind… and truly believe the ‘powers’ are available to ALL writers, when they simply relax and trust their intuition.
Imagination leads to intuition (“the way God communicates with us” via the antennae of the subconscious mind, I believe). So use the amazing and unlimited powers of your creative subconscious mind…

then

‘Let Go and Let God, the Universe reveal plot (or any idea to move forward) to you through your CREATIVE IMAGINATION…

and it never fails to work for me (in all areas of life, I believe)!

Writing in the Zone

https://raceinthezone.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/writing-in-the-zone-2/

Writing “In The Zone”

“This happens when finding the right words is no longer a struggle. Words simply flow into your head faster than you can write them down (or press the keyboard). You read what you have just written and say: “Bloody hell. That’s good. Did I really write that? Wonder where all that came from.”
– A “nony-moose” writer
click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogPZ5CY9KoM

London author Harry Johnson doesn’t want to write a literary biography, but is bullied into it by his publisher Rob to avoid “being so f …d that you have to work as an academic, or even worse… teach creative writing.”

London author Harry Johnson doesn’t want to write a literary biography, but is bullied into it by his publisher Rob to avoid “being so f …d that you have to work as an academic, or even worse… teach creative writing.”

“A Simple Recipe for Writing Success”: How To Write Creatively (from Online Creative Writing Course)

Article Title: “A Simple Recipe for Writing Success”: How To Write Creatively (from Online Creative Writing Course)
Author: Craig Lock
Category (key words): Writing, Creative Writing, Writing Hints/Tips, Writing Course, 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.http://creativewritingcourse.blogtown.co.nz

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 piece (as with all my articles) may be freely reproduced, 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.”

*
Sharing Some Writing Tips: “A Simple Recipe* for Writing Success” (extracted from Online Creative Writing Course)

* That’s a metaphor, btw

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

“I got sick and tired of waiting for writing success… so just carried on without it.”

“Writing to me is like gasoline to an automobile, without it I would be immobilized.”
Carla J. Curtis, The Inspirational Literary
Entrepreneur

Here is a short article in the form of a bit of advice for aspiring writers, which I hope may be helpful.

My advice for aspiring writers* is as follows…

* What’s the definition of an aspiring writer? A waiter!

(Don’t worry, I was one too… though I spilt more than was left in the glass; so no wonder I just had to carry on writing!

* Write something every day. Regularity and practice makes “purrfect”.

* “Remember that getting published takes a great deal of
commitment and hard work.

* Learn patience. “Heaps!” Things move slowly in the world of publishing – usually far longer than initial promises.

* Treat writing as your career; so take it seriously.

* Learn everything you can about the writing “business” and the craft of writing… creatively, of course.

* Be open to criticism from your peers. Still far easier to
criticise than create, eh? Incidentally, there has never been a monument built honouring a critic!

* Listen to your heart, your intuition, the “core of your being” (sounds “real airy-fairy stuff” that, craig!). Write what you love – not what the MARKET wants (unless you are desperate for purely financial rewards from your writing). That’s not a “true writer”, I believe!

* Join a writers’ association and mix with other strange
“arty-farty, airy-fairy intellectual artistic/creative types”.

* “Write as you talk yourself.” – Maeve Binchy.

* Write as honestly as you can.

Writers help people to see the world differently – from the writer’s perspective. I believe that the writer’s obligation to readers is to instruct, entertain, or somehow extend one’s perceptions of life.

“I write because something inside myself, inner and unconscious forces me to. That is the first compulsion. The second is one of ethical and moral duty. I feel responsible to tell stories that inspire readers to consider more deeply who they are.”
– anon

“When you’re writing there are times when you feel it’s a bit of a struggle. However, at other times you’re in what is called ‘the zone’ and writing just feels effortless. This happens when finding the right words is no longer a struggle; but this heightened state, as with most crafts usually comes with practise. Then words simply flow into your head faster than you can write them down (or can press the keyboard). But you have to really push your writing limits to get this kind of experience. “

Then later you look what you’ve written and think: “Bloody hell. That’s good. Did I really write that seemingly without much effort? Wonder where all that came from (a cerebral thing or “outer space”!”

– A “nony-moose” writer

To the sounds of click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogPZ5CY9KoM

#

My writing “journey” of my various books is my life journey: one of ideas, beliefs, values and so on – of growth as a person and a human ‘bean’, hopefully. And* I write to try to make some difference, a better world in my ‘own litle way’.

* Can I begin a sentence with the conjunctive (big word, eh!) ‘And’?
Yes, ‘cos it’s your article, craig.

To end off, always remember,

* Make your story real. Be totally honest to the story that is being told.

* Writing is hard (and sustained) work – a writer has to work hard every day, even when one does not feel inspired. So I make sure I’m inspired at 6 or 7am (and sometimes earlier) each day.

* Small ideas become bigger, when you leave to your creative subconscious mind. Seek inspiration (from within and or externally from God, “the Ultimate Source”) regularly.

* Revise your work constantly; but one has to “call a halt”
sometime.

* Strive for perfection, but accept excellence in your writing.

* Believe in yourself and in the quality of your work. You have something unique to offer the world: in the form of your creative imagination, together with the gift of sharing something of yourself.

Finally,

There is tremendous power in imagination: YOUR creative imagination. Albert Einstein stated: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Napoleon believed that “the human race is governed by it’s imagination.”

Pascal: “Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice and happiness, which is everything in this world.”

Use it well and it’s amazing power will astound you –
in your writing as well as in all areas of your life.

Remember that dreams can come true in your writing…
and in your life.

Happy writing and good luck*

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions Books)

* which is sometimes defined as where ‘preparedness meets opportunity’

“The world would have you agree with its dismal dream of
limitation. But the light would have you soar like the eagle of your sacred visions.”
– inspiring words from Alan Cohen

What’s the definition of an aspiring author?
A waiter!

What’s the difference between a writer and a family pizza?
The pizza can feed a
family of four!

About the author:
Craig is a writer, who believes in (and loves) sharing information with a touch (“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.

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” (including ‘Write Rite and be Published’: All that I Know about Writing, How to Write Creatively., as well as his other books on the art of writing) are available at

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.http://creativewritingcourse.blogtown.co.nz

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 world’s smallest and most exclusive bookstore”

All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children – MINE!

Don’t worry about the world ending today…
as it’s already tomorrow in little scenic and tranquil New Zealand

THIS ARTICLE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

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.”

Creative Writing Course: How to Write Creatively

 

Creative Writing Course (online NZ): How to Write Creatively

A brand new online course (and book) based on the “original and hugely popular” New Zealand Eagle Productions online Creative Writing Course, together with lessons and assignments

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe