Types of Creative Writing

There is an infinite number of ways to convey human experience using words. This is the fun of the craft.
Here are some of the most common types of creative writing and their general form:

Autobiography/Memoir - Narrative writing based on the author's memories.

Flash Fiction - Offers character and plot in extreme brevity, with a word count of six to one thousand
words.

Novel - Long work of narrative fiction, typically with a word count of eighty-thousand to one-hundred-
thousand words.

Novella - Narrative prose of shorter length, with a word count of ten-thousand to forty-thousand words.

Play - Work of drama consisting of mostly dialogue intended for theatrical performance.

Poetry - Uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to convey meaning. Poems may not
follow a narrative structure.

Screenplay - Written work by screenwriters intended for film, television, or a video game.

Short Story - Prose fiction typically read in one sitting, between five thousand to ten thousand words.

Elements of Creative Writing

The purpose of creative writing elements is to aid in the conveyance of aesthetic or symbolic meaning.
Different types of creative writing use different elements. However, these elements are used universally
within their form and are all critical components of good creative writing. The most helpful elements to
learn and perfect are as follows:

Action - Movements that characters undertake in the story.

Character - Used to progress the plot and establish inner or outer conflict.

Conflict - Challenges, suspense, and uncertainty for whether the goal will be achieved.

Dialogue - A verbal exchange between characters.

Pacing - The speed at which a story is told.

Plot - The sequence of a story's events.

Scene - Dramatic sections in a story within a specific time and place.

Setting - Time and location in the narrative.

Suspense - The anticipation of an outcome or plot.

Theme - Central topic or message of a narrative.

Tone - The narrator's attitude toward the subject matter.

Voice - The manner of expression.

Techniques used in creative writing include:

1. Character development-
2. Plot development
3. Vivid setting.
4. Underlying theme.
5. Point of view.
6. Dialogue.
7. Anecdotes.
8. Metaphors and similes.
9. Figures of speech
10. Imaginative language
11. Emotional appeal
12. Heavy description

How To Use The Five Senses In Writing

Sight

Probably the easiest sense to write about. The writer will highlight what the character sees, whether the
character is walking down the street or when inside a building. It’s OK to draw attention to the cracks in
the pavement. But it might be significant to show how the cracks mirror the (fractured) paths in the
character’s life.

Sound

I love the sound of rain. I find it strangely calming – especially if I don’t have to go outside. As a sense,
sound can work particularly well in setting a scene. It will help create an ambience as to what unfolds. If
your character is lost in a forest, the slightest sound might make them on edge. Whereas a walk on the
beach, with the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, will create an altogether different mood.

Smell

This is an easier sense to write than you think. Back to the aforementioned beach, what smells do you
think will permeate the air? Chances are it’s the smell of the saltwater and the seaweed lining the shore.
We can all recall the smell of certain things in life, whether it’s a good or unpleasant experience. When
writing about different smells, the writer is simply recounting them on the page.

Taste

The same applies to taste. I love the taste of strawberry jam, but I wouldn’t thank you for a drink with
ginger in it. So, bringing taste to life on the page is very much character dependent – how the taste, real
or imaginary, gives a greater understanding to a character’s feelings.

Touch

How do characters react when they touch something, or when someone touches them? Working in an
office, paper cuts are quite common – but they can certainly sting. Again, it comes back to feelings. If
your character is having a bad day, something as “trivial” as a paper cut might intensify the situation.
Call me an old fool, but there is nothing more romantic than holding hands with your loved one – the
reassurance it can give you. And when it’s not there – the longing for its return.