One of the things we love the most as readers of Fantasy and Speculative Fiction genres is the role that magic plays in the worlds, characters, and plots of the stories we love.
Think about popular YA fantasy works such as “Harry Potter”, “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, and most recently “Shadow And Bone”.
Read MoreThere is no right or wrong way to write the first draft of your novel. That’s one thing that new writers have in common with published authors. Getting the words written down on paper is one of the most stressful things to do. As a writer, I’m already learning so much about the value of perseverance, self-discipline, and self-compassion.
Read MoreFor the last few years, I have struggled to keep track of my writing progress. My system of organizing everything was incoherent and inconsistent. I had documents scattered throughout different folders.
There were a great many writing journals with bookmarked pages. I will not even speak about the nonsensical way I recorded my writing ideas in the little Notes App on my phone. Before that, I only kept track of my writing inside my head.
Read MoreIn 2019, when I first took my love of writing seriously, I started to explore and learn more about the craft of creative writing. Commitment and constant inspiration for a writing project are vital, and it also helps to have a system in place for success.
Read MoreOne of the best, and sometimes most infuriating, parts about being a fantasy and science fiction writer is whether to write too much or too little about the fictional world. I never overlook the little things in my creative writing, the things the readers do not see, like plants, places, animals, and more.
It feels like giving up easily to rely on things that already exist in our real world. Hence, I make it my mission to craft parts of my fictional world from nothing, like a lot of my favourite authors. Consider the Mockingjay from “The Hunger Games” or the rare plant Jurda Parem in the “Grishaverse” or the existence of Daemons in “His Dark Materials”.
Read MoreThere are so many barriers and negative thoughts that can eat away at one’s sense of productivity or their creativity when it comes to the art of creative writing.
Especially, when you’re a new, aspiring writer when you’re working on your chapbook, story, comic, or novel on the sidelines of your everyday life.
I call these barriers writer’s block, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, exhaustion, perfectionism, fear of the future, and, of course, life in general.
Read MoreThere was a time when I hated researching and brainstorming details for the story I was working on. Now, I see it as a key part of the creative process. Ever since I have been seeking out new sources of ideas and inspiration when it comes to the stories I write (and aspire to write).
There are many things to research in the creative writing process. Such as ideas for names, places, and characters. Research is key because it shows you, as a writer, made an effort to add believability, originality, and authenticity to your creative work.
Read MoreWorldbuilding is one of my favourite creative past-times and pre-writing activities. It is one of the greatest ways to immerse yourself in, and connect with, a story you are writing. There are countless things you could write about, many of which I have discussed here already. Such as geography, politics, justice, and commerce.
When I am building a new fictional world for one of my stories, I always have the most fun when I am writing about the elements of culture; whether for a specific place or the whole world.
Read MoreFairy tales and folklore are the stories that all children grow up reading; all the legends, myths, and fantastical musings about woodland creatures, daring princes, and granted wishes.
I think everyone has a fairy tale story that has meaning to them – the one that was their favourite when they were growing up.
These stories also have so much value and potential for writers and other artists because they have a greater meaning. Fairy tales are great for creative writing in so many different ways.
Read MoreNo matter if you’re an aspiring, new, or established writer, there is one detail about your craft that you can’t overlook or ignore. That detail is this – you must always be kind to yourself as a writer.
There is so much work that goes into writing something original and engaging. The whole process and experience can be as fun as it is frustrating.
Once you find the balance between hobby and hard labour, it becomes easier. However, there are a few gentle reminders you can set for yourself along the way.
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