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A Definitive Guide To Getting Started In Creative Writing In 2023
Getting started in creative writing can be a fun and fulfilling experience. Yet, it can be a lonely and difficult journey if you think it requires just writing anything that comes to your head or testing out your imagination or even showcasing to the world that you’re an excellent writer through big and daunting grammar. Creative writing is much more. I wish I knew this when I started on October 25th 2018 (peep my first blog post here. *winks – it’s been a wild journey) but I’m glad I know better now. It is my desire that you don’t take the lonely and unsure path but the more knowledgeable path.

This is why this article would guide you on everything you need to know about creative writing; how to get started in creative writing, the different ways to improve your creative writing and the important writing skills you need as a creative writer.

What Is Creative Writing

It is important you know the definition of creative writing before getting started in creative writing.

In simple terms, Creative Writing is any content written with creativity at its forefront.

But this definition by Idreels Patel sums it all up.

“Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature.”

But that is not all.

“Creative writing is any writing that is written to entertain and educate.”

Creative writing asks “How far can your mind go? Or how weird can you be in your imagination”

When your clothes get ruined by going to work on a rainy day for something trivial that would have simply been fixed by opening your PC at home, how do you tell that story in a way that is entertaining, innovative, and exciting so that it registers in the mind of the readers is what creative writing does.

Creative writing is written with creativity at its core. This is why I love creative writing, it has no set of rules like academia, essays, etc. It is not boxed up by old rules. It gives room for new ideas to get the message passed across.

Creative Writing is a way for people to express themselves in new and exciting ways.

Its purpose is to express oneself or a situation, whether feelings, thoughts, or emotions.

Types and Genre of Creative Writing

Free Writing

Just start writing in a notepad or on an electronic document. Allow unusual words and images to appear on the page. Play with your imagination and let your imagination fine expression with your words. Nothing is off-limits in Freewriting.

Fiction

The fiction genre includes all works conceived primarily out of the writer’s imagination. Subgenres under fiction are novels, short stories, or novellashttps://chikajonah.net/2018/10/25/old-path-new-path/.

Creative Non-Fiction

Writers of creative non-fiction develop stories based on true-to-life events but often infuse their personal views and experiences in their work. Subgenres under creative non-fiction are personal essays, book reviews, memoirs, interviews, autobiographies, biography, etc.

Poetry

Poetry includes writing meant to be heard out loud as well as read on the page. Although poetry can take many forms, its foundation is built on a balance of rhythm, imagery, metaphor, and other techniques used to communicate abstract ideas to readers. Subgenres under poetry are haikus, sonnets, free verse, prose poems, etc.

Drama

The genre of drama can include both the fictitious and the fact. In a drama, the story is primarily conveyed through dialogue between characters. Subgenres under drama are movie scripts, ten-minute plays, screenplays, written stage productions, etc.

Scripts

Write scripts for cinema, television, theatre, or video games to get your name on the big screen or the stage. Be aware that cinema is a medium for directors, not for writers, yet it can reach a non-reading audience.

Journal

Any written log is referred to as a journal. A gratitude notebook, a memory journal, a dream journal, or a goals journal are all options. Journaling can be a way to write a day in your life, daily intrusive thoughts, project plans, or brainstorming

Diaries

A diary is a sort of journal where you keep track of your everyday activities. Some diaries are formatted like letters (“Dear Diary…”). It’s a good idea to start maintaining a journal if you ever intend to write a memoir.

Letter Writing

Writing a letter is a vital skill since the capacity to communicate effectively is becoming increasingly valuable. Because letters have a long history of being published, be especially cautious while sending emails to friends, family, and business partners. Writing letters to the editor of a news outlet is one technique to be published if you don’t have a lot of clips and credits.

Memoirs

Memoirs are publications that feature personal narratives (or stories) that focus on individual events. They are a type of creative nonfiction. A journey memoir, for example, may be written.

Essays

Personal essays, descriptive essays, and argumentative essays are all examples of writings that may be extremely creative (and not especially academic).

Journalism

Some types of journalism are more innovative than others. Journalism used to be about objective reporting on facts, people, and events. To make their works more appealing or convincing, journalists nowadays frequently include opinion and narration in their writing.

How To Get Started In Creative Writing. 7 Ways To Getting Started In Creative Writing

Getting started in creative writing can be exciting and fulfilling. Here are a few steps you can take to begin your creative writing journey:

Start Reading:

To become a good writer, you need to read a lot. Start reading the works of authors whose style you enjoy. Pay attention to the structure of their stories, their character development, and their use of language.

Practice Writing:

Begin writing regularly. Write about anything that interests you, and don’t worry too much about quality at first. The more you write, the better you’ll become.

Find Your Voice:

As you write, you’ll begin to develop your unique voice. Embrace it, and don’t try to mimic someone else’s writing style. Stay unique to your voice.

Know your writing style:

Are you more descriptive in your writing in a way that shows more by giving a lot of details?

Are you very narrative, in a way that you tell more?

Are you expository in your writing in a way that you answer a lot of questions with facts?

Are you more persuasive in a way that you’re always trying to convince readers in your writing?

Answer these questions and figure out which writing style best suits you.

Join a Writing Group:

Consider joining a writing group (Our writing community with over 100 writers is open to all. Contact me here to indicate your interest) This will allow you to get feedback on your work and learn from other writers.

Experiment with Different Forms:

Try writing in different genres and styles. You might discover that you have a talent for poetry, short stories, or screenplays.

Edit and Revise:

Once you’ve written something, go back and revise it. Editing is an important part of the writing process and can help you improve the overall quality of your work.

Embrace Criticism:

Be open to feedback and criticism. It can be difficult to hear negative comments about your work, but it can also help you improve.

Creative Writing vs Content Writing

Most writers get confused about understanding both terms. This is why it would be incomplete if we were discussing getting started in creative writing without explaining in clear terms the difference between creative writing and content writing.

Creative writing is the form of writing that expresses the writer’s thoughts, emotions, ideas, and experiences in creative form. These writing forms can be poems, short stories, novels, and other types of creative write-ups.

On the other hand, content writing is writing for digital media such as news or business websites. These forms of content are blogs, social media content, web page content, services, and other SEO-friendly content.

What does Creative Writing entail?

Below are some components of creative writing
- It’s the artistic manner to express a writer’s thoughts engagingly.
- It is generally used for fiction and nonfiction texts.
- Creative writing also informs the audience.
- It presents a variety of points of view most straightforwardly and creatively.
- It’s the art of writing complex things in the simplest medium.
What does Content Writing entail?

Content writing is quite different from creative writing; let’s understand its components to get more depth information.
- It’s designed to write for a specific audience base.
- It requires following an efficient writing process to explain desired things.
- Content writing has a faster turnaround than creative writing.
- It should be engaging and also explain things in simple terms.
- Require a high degree of research and references.
10 Must Have Creative Writing Skills

1. Storytelling

The Boss of them all. This is what would make your writing shine through the darkness. Storytelling helps creative writers captivate and sustain the interests of their audiences with their writing. They can communicate information about a company or brand that’s easy for readers to understand. They may use figurative language, such as imagery and metaphors, to convey their messages.

2. Creativity

Creativity is an important skill for writers because it allows them to come up with new ideas and develop new stories. A creative writer can come up with unique characters, settings and plotlines that other writers might not think of. Additionally, creativity can help writers come up with different ways to say things and make their writing stand out.

3. Imagination

Imagination is so valuable in writing that even if I would sing its praises for days, they still wouldn’t help. Have trouble conjuring ideas? You need to have a bright imagination. You need to imagine… you need to ignore the naysayers. The well-known advice is to think outside the box. Just apply it. Let your imagination find expression in your words.

4. Research

Research inspires writers to understand a topic better. It also provides current and accurate information about their topics. It enables them to make their writing credible, and they can learn enough about the subject to explain it to the audience in interesting ways. Competent research skills are necessary for every writer.

5. Editing

After writing the content, professionals edit their work to identify and correct spelling and grammatical errors. They may also alter vocabulary and sentence structures to ensure the wording is easy for the audience to read and interpret. Being proficient in editing enables writers like yourself to be confident in the quality of their work and make sure it’s ready for readers to consume.

6. Blogging skills

This is the home of every writer. This is what would attract global kings to your doorstep and increase your visibility.

7. Time management

Time management can enable creative writers to meet expectations when they work on multiple projects at once. They can learn how to organize their workdays to accomplish every step of the writing process.

8. Digital marketing skills

Want to succeed in the digital world? This is the only way. This is your biggest positioning tool.

9. Content creation skills

This would help you communicate your work in the most possible way digitally. All those ideas you have would be shared easily with this.

10. Patience

Yes, patience is a skill that needs to be mastered by writers. I ain’t kidding. There’s no place for “get-rich-quick-seekers” in this world, and likewise, if you have a mentality for “get-success-quick” it won’t work. Shove it out the window. Period. One has to be patient in writing, goes without saying.

Now that you know these skills, how can you improve and refine them to assist you to keep writing better? By following the next tips I’m going to share.

Improve Your Creative Writing Skills With These 10 Tips

1. Start Writing Regularly

It doesn’t matter whether you write once a day or a week or a month, or anything else, your writing should not be scheduled in which you can’t match your other work.

“Write Everyday” is such outdated advice.

A better one is “Write regularly as much as you can inside your genre.”

~ Grab my free 250 Writing Prompts to help you write regularly

2. Read, read, read

One of the best ways to improve your writing is to read as much as you can. By reading widely, you expose yourself to different styles of writing and different ways of structuring stories and arguments. The more you read, the more you’ll develop an understanding of what makes good writing and what doesn’t.

3. Edit!

No writer is perfect or above grammatical errors. But common grammatical errors should be avoided at all costs by editing your work over and over again.

Don’t rely on your computer’s spell checker. If you make a typo, the computer will not warn you if you’ve still spelt a valid word. Edit your work properly!

4. Give Your Characters Life

Characters are vital to your story so treat them with care and give them that breath of life that you, the writer, have the power to give. Give them unique characteristics; make them believable by making them have a purpose, motivation and conflicts to resolve.

5. Use Strong Words

You want your writing to sound decisive, so use words that get the point across. Did Bola’s really big headache cause him a lot of pain or did Bola’s migraine cause excruciating pain? But remember not to overdo it: don’t use words that the reader won’t understand, you want to use strong words, not confusing or extravagant ones.

6. Show Don’t Tell.

Who hasn’t heard that one before? But it’s a valid point and a useful rule for all writers. Fiction is for entertainment, so entertain your reader! Give them an excuse to escape into the reality that you have created. Let them see, hear, feel, smell, laugh, cry, love and hate. Show your reader the world that you’ve created, don’t just tell them about it.

7. Check your Commas

While commas can be effective many inexperienced writers tend to sprinkle their sentences with them. When placed incorrectly, commas can chop up your sentences and sometimes even alter the meaning. Brush up on your high-school grammar; your work will improve with that alone.

8. Grab their Attention from the Start

Opening lines are often referred to as ‘the hook’ because that’s exactly what you want them to be. You get the reader’s attention and reel them in for the rest of the story. Try something powerful to kick-start your story. For example: ‘Why I left how and never came back at 10 years old’ or ‘Meeting the blind girl who could read’ or ‘The bullet that pierced Henry’s back and left him paralyzed was meant for a homeless man’. Each of these lines makes the reader ask ‘Why?’ and once they ask that question, the reader will keep on reading until they find the answer.

9. Give Your Reader a Satisfactory Ending

You can leave the reader speculating or wondering why at the end of your story but try to resolve as much as you can. If your reader finishes the last sentence and is still asking questions about what happened to who and why, then you still need to tie up the loose ends.

10. Take a class

Taking a creative writing class is a great way to improve your writing skills. You’ll get feedback from your instructor and your classmates, and you’ll be able to practice your writing in a structured setting. The “Write Like A Pro” workshop is the best training for you. It would equip you with transformative skills to become a professional writer and start a high-paying career. This will allow you to get feedback on your work, become a pro writer, learn from the best, and position yourself for growth.

Register for any of my classes here

Remember, the most important thing is to start writing! These tips and guides would be useless if you don’t start. Don’t worry about making your writing perfect; the important thing is to get your ideas down on paper and let your creativity flow. That my friend, is the beauty of creativity. Happy writing!

Did you find this content useful? Share in the comment and don’t hesitate to drop your questions & concerns
May 10, 2023
Ending The Year With a Bang In 4 Simple Ways

Thinking about ending the year with a bang and laughs Right now the song playing in my head is “Dorime” Cause of course, who doesn’t want to chill with big boys? You and I obviously want to bam bam and run big things but well, welcome to the big world where you have to run KitiKiti and KataKata after real-life hits you.

“Evhewww” I just sneezed, sorry!

I don’t know about ending the year with a bang, because I’m not sure I started this year with a bang but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, is that I am grateful. I have a lot to be grateful for and if that is not a bang, then I don’t know what else would be.

I got hit from so many sides and it’s a blessing that I am on top “permit me to twerk” a girl gotta give a little dance for such a blessing. laughs

I had no goals starting the year, but eventually, I wanted to feature one guest writer on the blog every month for the rest of 2021, and guess what? That didn’t work. I got a lot of excuses from a few of them and damn guys, I hate excuses. (I don’t get why people give excuses) and it made me realize the kind of people I want to work with in the future and so I strived to become my best. And this year, not once did I miss a deadline and not once did I underdeliver, and thats another fact on ending the year with a bang.

This year;

This year I moved out from home, came into a new city, joined a new company, left the new company in five months and joined a new company in one week.

I ate more rice than protein. Ate more Pasta which I obviously love, and drank less Capri Sonne. I lost more weight and got it back again pouts (This bikini, will I ever wear it?)

I’ve had more dates than I’ve had all my life, which made me wonder what the heck I’ve been doing in my past relationships. It’s become obvious that I love American love, and can now say that there’s something about eating from his plate even though you’re both eating the same food. laughs it’s just love.

I’ve prayed less, but I thanked more. I praised more, and danced more, even with all the beatings I had this year. This made me realize the power of thanksgiving. God inhabits the praises of his people. I may have prayed less, but my praises were much louder.

This year I coached 50 great minds on both writing, blogging, and storytelling. It is clear that Chika Jonah’s brand is growing. That’s a huge “ending the year with a bang” and I’m loving every part of it.

Ending the year with a bang can happen for you too.

Here are some fun ways you can do that;

• Have fun

Identity what fun means to you and have a gazillion amount of fun. Look, work can come later, but you can play today. Don’t have fun alone okay.

•Give

Giving is a powerful act of service. Giving should be natural, and the one who gives is more blessed than the one who receives. What better way to ending the year with a bang than giving to someone in need, or someone less privileged. It must not be your money, it can be your skill, it can be your time, it can be your support. Just Give.

• Do something you’ve never done.

Tick something off your bucket list. It can be visiting a favorite place, going on vacation, carrying a snake, seeing a lion, riding a boat, traveling by air, traveling by sea, wearing a bikini (like me), gifting your parents, etc. It can be anything as long as it’s something new. Make it adventurous and that experience is enough to make your year worthwhile.

• Set achievable goals

I am terrible at setting new year goals because most of the time I don’t achieve them but more than setting big goals, run with something. Run with one tiny goal. Setting tiny achievable goals is harmless and it may not hurt much if you don’t achieve them but surprisingly, it can make you the happiest person if you achieve them. However, you can also set those big goals. Whatever works for you. But strive towards achieving those big or small goals.

Ending the year with a bang can be accomplished with these points so in the spirit of Christmas, don’t forget to share, love, and spread light. This brings me to my next announcement.

WE ARE REBRANDING!

Yes. It’s been a long time coming.

I am growing and evolving, and it’s natural that the brand grows alongside me since I am the brand. Chika Jonah is a brand and as such Chika Jonah’s blog has been a space for stories told and untold of faith and inspiration and will always be so. Yet, Chika Jonah has also evolved in her career and as such can no longer remain silent to those in dire need of the support and guide she can provide for the creative writing and storytelling industry as a blogger. So we would incorporate everything that makes Chika Jonah thrive, including her craft, lifestyle, and you, her biggest support.

You who have made this growth achievable. You whose stories have been a part of hers. You who have been here even after four years. I say a huge thank you.

We would also move to a new hosting platform that can accommodate our ever-growing blog traffic and content. And change the overall look, and feel of this brand.

So I ask that you encourage this growth with your immense support.

On this note, this is the last blog post of the year. From the 25th of December, this blog would be shut down on maintenance. The web designer and developer would be working in the background, restructuring everything.

Hopefully, by January we would launch the new website. “Can’t wait” More information would be passed about that. Till then, see you.

Join our writing community and movie community on Instagram. That’s where I’ll be chilling till the rebranding is complete.

Cheers to ending the year with a bang!
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous new year.

Kindly say a prayer for this blog in the comment. It would mean a lot.

December 22, 2021
Moving Out From Home in 2023. An Adult Joy or Pain?
Moving out from home happened like a flash in my face. Just like how Ronaldo left Juventus and was left open in the field for the hunters to feast on, while he watched in awe as they fought over him. Until Manchester United slipped in while we were asleep and signed him.

Yes! I left home to start all over in a place of my choice.

Well, before you say “what’s the fuss about moving out from home? After all, I left home since.” Well, I’m not you, and neither am I as mature and responsible as you are. Some things are not as easy for me as it is for you.

And one of those things is making quick decisions.

I visited Abuja early this year and if you remember in my blog about my travel experience, it was clear how much I loved the place. What I didn’t tell you was that the minute I stepped my foot into that city I wanted to be there. The fresh air was heavenly. I simply whispered to myself that I wanted to make this place my home.

It took a phone call to be the catalyst for me moving out from home to this city. Hmmm… Sometimes I wonder if a phone was manufactured to bring me both pain and joy.

The next 10hours after that phone call, I threw my things into a Ghana must-go bag given to me by my mom, that I was so ashamed of, hides face and commenced on my journey. Ten hours after, I was out on my own, far away from home.

The Mystery.

Before now, I enjoyed how I was moving towards the digital space. I enjoyed how I was balancing the job, my work, and my business. I did not like who I was becoming. I disliked the job system. I loved home. Ah! I loved home. What’s not to love about where you were born and raised? Gradually, I hated how comfortable I became. Too comfortable. That feeling of comfort ate me up every single day. Like ant to sugar, it sucked at my face. Laughing and reminding me of who I was becoming.

I wasn’t one to be put in a place. I was a traveler, I loved exploring and I always wanted to choose and decide, no matter how long it took.

Finally, I sat on that very comfortable work chair and heard his voice, “Chika it’s not in the place, it’s in you.”

I remember busting in tears and holding on to that wake-up call. That call to stop focusing on one place. To spread my wings. That home is where and who I call it. Home is wherever I want it to be.

That was the day I knew it was time. Moving out from home wasn’t going to be dreadful or going to be a hassle like I thought. God ostracized it and made it beautiful.

The Irony.

Moving out from home has been something I’ve always wanted for a lot of reasons but I simply could not because I didn’t think my mom could live without me. But now that I’ve moved out, the truth is, I couldn’t live without her.

Every time I feared for, “How will she cope? How will she handle everything alone? How would she stay alone? When the real fear was, how will I cope? How will I be responsible without her scolding? How will I survive without her food? What would my brother think about leaving?

But when I decided, mom got pissed off when I informed her I was giving all my energy to Port Harcourt. She was the one that made sure I never forgot to pack anything. She was the one that was happy the most.

The bigger Irony.

I’m here now, welcomed by its light, bliss, and quietness. Embraced by the wind of this city, blowing and caressing my skin in its gentle touch. I’m here now, with a big smile, with a throbbing eagerness of what is to come. I’m here now, petrified. Hell! I’m scared. I thought I was fine, but no guys, I’m scared. Every single day is a long chapter.

I thought because I left home, all my problems were going to vanish. But No. It increased. My problems have become uncountable. laughs What was I thinking? That now that I’ve moved out from home like a grown adult, everything would suddenly be in my control? Hell No.

That’s the biggest irony. Nothing is in my control, things have gone out of control, my life has become quieter, my work as a creative writer has increased and the responsibilities have become enormous.

Shortly after I moved here, I fell sick. So sick that I thought I could die. One night I even wondered if it was my last time on earth, thinking if this was how I was going to end my life without achieving my purpose. For more than two weeks I was ill. I kept asking God to forgive my sins, even the meat I stole from mummy’s pot should be forgiven. laughs I asked God to not let me die without enjoying love and marital bliss. (Blame the carnal girl in me winks)
I had to learn to take care of my health on my own.

Furthermore, I do not only have to worry about my mom, but also about my friends in Port Harcourt. I haven’t eaten Eba in months. Plus what’s with all the bills I have to pay? No one told me it was like this.

The Beauty

Now I am in more control of my time. I am my biggest decision-maker. I’ve grown so much over the last four months, in ways I wouldn’t have if I was under my parent’s shadow. My intimacy with God has been spectacular and my parents teaching and upbringing have been a guide directing my path.

Did I forget to mention I finally tried amala for the first time in my life? It was lit. The joy when I finally found Caprisonne is an unforgettable experience. My Instagram community witnessed it. smiles And the best part, I talk to my mom every single day. This our distance relationship is sweet I must say.

Is moving out from home joy or pain?

It is whatever you make it to be. But before you decide moving out from home to be on your own, make sure you move out for the right reasons. Take note of these important points;
1. Your parents shouting or scolding is not enough reason to move out.
2. If your home is not toxic, and you’re not been abused verbally or physically or your mental health is not threatened in your home then arguments aren’t enough reason to move out from home without a plan.
3. Do not move out without a plan.
4. Be able to fend for yourself and take care of yourself for a long period before leaving.
5. Have a steady source of income before moving out from home. Things may get tougher. It’s easier to be prepared.
6. Don’t leave your friends behind when you move out. You may make new friends in the new city, but the friends you have now would be your biggest support system. Their encouragements would strengthen you.
7. Be open to surprises. Both the good, bad and ugly.
8. Be ready. When you’re ready to move out, you’d know. The universe and your family would be in your favor. Don’t fight it. You’d know when you’re ready to be on your own.
Dont forget your faith. Do not let yourself be swayed by others. Hold on to the principles and values you’ve had. Hold on to the teachings of God’s word. Gods got you. Keep grinding and be contented with what you have, you’d watch yourself bloom. I stepped into this town with Thirteen thousand naira only, but now I’m moving into my space in two weeks. God showed up for me and he will too for you.

Now, ready to move out or not ready? Enjoyed this beautiful writing of mine? Or felt something reading this blog post? Drop a comment. So good to be back to blogging. Let’s roll in the comment.
October 18, 2021