Creative Writing

Creative writing is one of the most difficult creative approaches yet it is also one of the most rewarding. To write creatively, you have to use your imagination and make to sure that you entice the reader into wanting to read. This is one of the biggest challenges that teachers can face when doing a creative writing lesson as you can not teach someone to use their imagination, or to write creatively. You can help a student chose the words they want to say, but how it comes across to the reader is something that cannot be taught.

This video talks about how writers have to write for a reader and they have to entice the reader into wanting to read.

'Creative writing certainly cannot be understood as 'immobile' even if it's end-products might often be fixed in books, magazines or journals or in the final productions of the screen arts. Thus, in Bergsonian terms, creative writing cannot be thought of as an intellectual enterprise; but, rather, as an intelligent one. Creative writing is an action, affected by the dispositions, feelings, reasons, and behaviour patterns of writers, most often individually, and by the cultural, social, and economic factors of society, most often as a whole with limited address to the individual' (Harper, 2006. P5-6.)'

This quote from Graeme Harper shows just what he believes creative writing is and I find that I agree with him. When I was doing my own schooling, for some of my English lessons we either had to write a story or a poem. Every time I tried to think of something my mind would just shut down completely. Even now, whenever I get a really good idea for a story, then it is impossible for me to place it into words.

This is the dilemma that teachers face in schools today. How to get a child to be able to translate their thoughts into words that make a small amount of sense, and to use their imagination. Children today tend to just end up playing on their X-box on their iPhone and not to use their brains anymore. Children do not play out on the streets anymore using their imaginations to make up some game, it is all about technology with children today. Stephen King (2000) believes that writing is 'telepathy', as it is something that comes from someone else's mind and goes into a different person's mind.

Creative writing is one of the most difficult creative approaches that is taught in schools today, but it can also be one of the most rewarding, if you do it correctly. Many might believe that it has no significance in education today, however if you can not write creatively, then how can you tell lies, or tell a story to your friends. Even though it is difficult, creative writing is essential today and still has significance.


Reference List
Birmingham City University (2014) Creative writing five top tips - School of English. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeYM8TKGEyc [Accessed: 27/04/2016]
Harper, G. (2006) 'Teaching Creative Writing'. (eds) 'Introduction' London: Continuum.
King, S. (2000) 'On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft'. New York: Scribner.