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Creative Writing Tips for Beginners: 10 Top Tips

Hannah Yang

Creative writing can be a very fulfilling hobby.

Writing can help you explore deep questions, use your imagination, and express your thoughts and feelings in a healthy way.

If you want to learn creative writing, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn our top ten creative writing tips to help you get started.

How to Write Creatively

10 creative writing tips for beginners, how to get better at creative writing, where to find creative writing help.

Anyone can learn creative writing—all you need is a pen and paper, or your writing software of choice.

Once you’ve got your tools ready, it’s time to think of a story idea. You can draw inspiration from your own life, newspaper headlines, songs you like, or anything else around you.

If you don’t have any story ideas in mind, you can also try starting with a prompt. Here are a few creative writing prompts you can choose from:

Write about someone with a dangerous secret
Write a scene set at your favorite restaurant
Write a story about someone who wakes up with no memories, except for a single name
Write a story from the perspective of someone who isn’t human
Complete the sentence: “It was a completely normal Saturday except for…”

Pick up your pen, choose your favorite prompt, and start writing!

If you’re new to creative writing, here are ten fiction writing tips that you can try.

Tip 1: Read Widely

It’s hard to become a great musician without having heard a lot of great music.

The same is true for writing. Reading a lot of books is a great way to get inspired and to learn more about the anatomy of a story.

It’s important to read in whatever genre you want so you can understand the conventions of that genre. If you’re writing a fantasy story, for example, you should familiarize yourself with popular fantasy novels and short stories so you know what readers expect.

On the other hand, it’s just as important to read a diverse variety of books. Exposing yourself to lots of genres and authors can help you learn about different writing styles and techniques.

Tip 2: Experiment With Different Formats and Points of View

Creative writing can involve countless different formats. You can write a story that looks like a diary entry, a song, or a Charles Dickens novel.

Maybe you want to write a story in the form of a series of instructions to the reader, like a cooking recipe or a how-to manual.

Or maybe you want to write a story in the form of a confession from one character to another, in a mix of first-person and second-person POV.

Try out different styles, even ones that don’t feel like your usual writing style. Doing this experimentation early on in your creative writing journey can help you find your own voice and figure out what works best for you.

Tip 3: Take Inspiration From Many Sources

No story is written in a vacuum. Every artist takes inspiration from other works of art, and you shouldn’t feel bad about writing a story that’s inspired by your favorite book or movie.

At the same time, though, it’s important not to write a story that actually plagiarizes an existing one. Directly copying the work of other creative writers is both unethical and illegal. Plus, it’s much less fun than writing your own stories.

A good rule of thumb if you’re looking for ideas is to take inspiration from many sources rather than a single one.

For example, maybe you like the sarcastic humor of one book, the sweet romance arc of another book, and the Gothic setting of your favorite TV show. When you merge those three things together, you’ll most likely create a story that feels unique and original, even though you took inspiration from existing stories.

Tip 4: Show, Don’t Tell

The phrase “Show, don’t tell” is a popular piece of writing advice that almost every writer has heard before.

Essentially, “show, don’t tell” means that you should immerse the reader in your story through sensory details and descriptive language instead of simply summarizing the story to them.

For example, you could tell someone, “My sister’s room is messy.” That sentence conveys the facts, but the person you’re talking to probably wouldn’t be able to picture your sister’s room in their head.

On the other hand, you could say, “My sister basically uses the floor of her room as a giant laundry hamper—it’s covered with so many sweaters and scarves that I don’t even remember what color her carpet is.” This sentence gives your listener a much more specific idea of what your sister’s room looks like.

Tip 5: Write With Intention

Many newer writers put down words on the page based on what comes to mind first.

For example, let’s say you’re trying to describe a character. A new writer might note down whatever details they visualize right away, like the color of the character’s hair or the type of clothes they’re wearing.

This is a great way to write when you’re just starting out, but if you want to improve your skills, it’s important to learn how to write with intention.

Try to get in the habit of asking yourself: What details does the reader need to know and why? For example, what aspects of this character’s hair color and outfit could tell the reader something deeper about the character’s personality and motivations?

It’s also important to figure out what you want to convey emotionally. What do you want your reader to feel? Excited? Creeped out? Hopeful?

For example, you might describe a sunset as “blood-red” if you want the reader to feel creeped out, or as “glowing and bright” if you want the reader to feel hopeful.

Tip 6: Learn How to Edit

No first draft is perfect, even if you’re a seasoned writer.

Learning how to edit your work is just as important as learning how to write on a blank page. That’s how you can create a creative work you feel proud of.

One helpful tip is to try reading your work out loud. That can often help you spot places where your prose doesn’t flow.

AI-powered grammar checkers like ProWritingAid can also help you identify weaknesses in your prose and learn how to strengthen them. You can catch your grammatical mistakes, avoid unnecessary repetition, choose more evocative words, and more with our powerful tool.

Tip 7: Practice Overcoming Writer’s Block

At some point in their writing journey, every writer has reached a point where writing doesn’t feel fun anymore.

There are lots of different causes for writer’s block. You might be unsure what to write, afraid of failing, or simply burned out from writing too much.

It’s important to find ways to overcome creative blocks, so you don’t end up putting down your pen for good.

One useful technique is to change your environment. If you normally write at home, try writing in a coffee shop or in your local library.

Another technique is to try a different activity for a while. Go for a walk, take a shower, do your dishes, or try another hobby. Before long, you’ll find yourself wanting to write again.

Perhaps the most underrated method is to simply take a break from writing. Give yourself permission to stop for a while—it’s always okay to take a step back.

Tip 8: Study Writing Craft

Many new writers falsely believe that writing can’t be taught; you’re either good at it or you’re not.

But the truth is that creative writing is a craft, just like woodworking, oil painting, or ballet. You wouldn’t expect anyone to be naturally good at ballet without years of training, so why is writing any different?

One way to learn new creative writing techniques is by reading craft books . Some great books to start with include On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and The Creative Writer’s Handbook by Philip K. Jason.

These books can help you learn the basics of how to write well. For example, you can learn how to construct high-quality sentences, how to avoid passive voice, and how to use poetic devices.

The more you learn, the more powerful your writing will become.

Tip 9: Invent Your Own Process

When you’re just starting out as a writer, it can be tempting to copy someone else’s writing process.

Maybe you heard an interview with a bestselling author who said you have to outline a story before you draft it. Or maybe you found out your favorite author writes 1,000 words every day, and now you think you have to write 1,000 words every day too.

But it’s important to remember that no two writers have the exact same writing process. What works best for someone else might not work for you.

There’s no right or wrong way to be a creative writer. Your job is to find a writing process that makes you feel fulfilled, productive, and inspired—and if your favorite writers don’t write the same way, that’s perfectly okay.

Tip 10: Don’t Aim for Perfection

There’s a good chance your writing is never going to be perfect. Mine definitely isn’t!

Remember that writing is about the process, not the product. Even if the final product is never perfect, the process has helped you grow as a writer—and hopefully, it’s also been a lot of fun.

You should decide what your main goal for writing is. Maybe it’s writing stories you might be able to publish someday. Maybe it’s telling stories about characters you rarely see in existing stories. Maybe it’s simply a fun new hobby.

Whatever your goal is, remember that you’re already on your way to achieving it. You don’t need to aim for perfection in order to succeed.

There’s no secret to getting better at creative writing. The process is very simple—it just takes a lot of hard work.

All you have to do is follow this two-step process:

Step 1: Write consistently
Step 2: Ask for feedback on your writing

The first step is fairly self-explanatory. Whenever you’re learning a new skill, it’s important to practice it. The more you write, the more you’ll learn about how to be a successful creative writer.

The second step is the one that receives more pushback from writers because it requires a lot of courage and vulnerability, but it’s just as important as the first step.

If you don’t get feedback, you could write every day and still never improve. That’s because most people can’t spot the weaknesses in their own stories.

You can ask for feedback from your friends, family, or writing groups. They can help you see your work from a different perspective and identify areas for improvement.

As long as you write consistently and listen to the feedback on the work you’re producing, you’ll be able to create a positive cycle where you create better and better stories over time.

If you want to improve your creative writing skills, there are numerous resources you can use to find help.

One great method is to join a writing community where you can share your work and get feedback from other writers.

You can look for free critique groups online, on websites such as Scribophile and Critique Circle. Or you can start your own group with your friends.

You can also consider joining a local writing class or retreat. Many schools and community centers offer classes and workshops you can join.

Another option is to use creative writing tools. ProWritingAid can give you AI-powered suggestions about how to improve your prose and make your writing shine.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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Writing For Beginners

Welcome to practical creative writing for beginners.

Cover of Practical Creative Writing Exercises by Grace Jolliffe - article about creative writing classes for writers - Kinvara

If you want to write and just don’t know where to start this is the place for you.

I know from experience it can be hard to begin if you start with a blank page.

That’s why I recommend that beginners start by trying some writing exercises .

WRITING PRACTICE

The reason I always recommend starting with exercises is that the key to improving your writing is practice.

There are plenty of exercises for you to try on this site and my advice is to experiment and just try them – until you find one that you can lose yourself in.

LOSE YOURSELF

Losing yourself in writing is a wonderful thing. It means you are focused and locked into your imagination.

This creative force is very powerful and if you write regularly you will achieve this very enjoyable state.

Remember that very few people sit down and produce a great piece of writing straight away.

It takes time but the more you write, the easier it will be and if you are enjoying your writing it won’t take long to improve.

CHOOSE YOUR PROJECTS

It is really important that you are careful about choosing your projects, especially if you are planning a full-length novel or screenplay.

Don’t try to write ‘great literature’ if, in reality, you may be better at writing thrillers, or comedy.

Think about what you enjoy reading. This will have influenced you more than you realize.

EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR WRITING

In the beginning, you should allow yourself the freedom to experiment with different story types and genre.

This is part of the process of discovering who you are as a writer.

So to start, your only aim should be to write regularly and establish good writing habits. If you allow yourself this ‘practice’ time you will soon learn which stories and styles suit you.

CLAIM YOUR WRITING SPACE

But first, make sure your time won’t be disturbed. Let those around you know you need some time alone.

Don’t be afraid to claim some writing time.

If your family are likely to intrude, make sure to tell them you won’t be available for an hour or two – we’re all entitled to a little space and it is up to you to stake your claim.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

By experimenting with the creative writing exercises here you will clear your mind and be able to focus on your writing.

After a while, you will learn that doing creative exercises regularly stimulates your imagination and you will begin to have more ideas.

Remember, that these exercises are just where you start. They are not necessarily where you finish. That is up to you.

You can change and adapt whatever you like.

Go where your writing takes you and always enjoy what you are doing.

After a while, you will lose your sense of time and will experience the joy of ‘flow.’

If you start doing one particular exercise and find yourself not really enjoying it then stop and pick another one.

There are no rules to break, so look at these exercises as experiments that will help you to write your way to the story you really want to write.

Be kind to yourself as you learn your craft.

CREATIVE WRITING TIPS

When you have some experience you will probably seek to broaden your knowledge of the craft and business of writing. You will find lots of useful tips and information here.

WRITER’S BLOCK

Many of us writers can find ourselves stuck for words from time to time.

In its milder form writer’s block can manifest itself as procrastination.

For some unfortunate writers, this problem can extend over long periods of time until they become blocked.

Writer’s block can be demoralizing, but there are solutions.

It often helps to try working on a different project for a while so I suggest you try some of my writing exercises.

If you are feeling really blocked, don’t worry, you will find lots of practical ways to deal with the problem of writer’s block here.

I hope you have found my writing for beginners page helpful.

If you have any problems and can’t find the answer here, just contact me and I will be happy to try to help.

So – there’s no excuse to go to your deathbed wishing you had written that story.

get writing now.

Best of luck with your writing.

P.S. All the information and exercises on the site are free to you. All I ask is that you please like, plus, or share.

If have any questions or comments, just write in the comments box below. I love hearing from other writers and I do my best to answer everyone.

If you enjoyed this writing for beginners page you will love my book.

Practical creative writing exercises, you won’t be able to stop writing because these beautiful and inspiring exercises will banish your writing block right now., never be stuck again, get ebook from amazon.com , get ebook from amazon.co.uk, get paperback from amazon.com, get paperback from amazon.co.uk, get from smashwords, share this:, 19 responses to writing for beginners.

Hi Grace, I am a teacher for Creative writing in English and plan to use your tips in class. thanks, Soni

Hi Soni, nice to hear from you. Don’t forget to let me know how you get on. Good luck and best wishes Grace

i am so distraught. I am 51 yrs old, and in my youth, when I attended college, the papers i wrote were returned with great grades and comments that asked when i was going to write or suggesting that i should…or that i have alot to say and should think about writing. well, that was many years ago, and i thought i would enjoy writing like i do blogs and sending emails, texts and correspondence at work. What i have found in this current writing class I am taking at Rowan University is that I do not have command of the English language, nor a great understanding of poetic and writing terminology. In addition, being in an evening class with such young inspired minds, has me second guessing whether i am cut out for this or have anything of importance to say because i feel ill equipped when its time to choose a prompt the professor provides for us to begin writing about; or when he times us with the challenge to come up with a story line for a fiction non fiction or writing piece. I guess with many of the other students being journalism majors and/or having been introduced to writing in the high school classes, there’s less prep necessary in urging them to complete said assignments, the comments he usually makes with them are directed at the few who may not spell a word correctly…but not for their writing ability feel embarrassed or as if my pieces are not good enough to read I also struggle with getting my thoughts in order so that the piece is not all over the place. My other recent issue I discovered was the fact that i am not sure how to add the meat to the work and in other instances show but don’t tell. I am trying to learn about all the parts of writing which are all new to me, overwhelming and have me second guessing if i am producing anything worth sharing/saying. I would not be surprised if my age is contributing to this rut i am in at this time, as well. i have looked up Ruth Stone poetry, read items from the creative writing text book and online items but don’t feel any aha moments nor as if i am better equipped for the tasks at hand and I have a midterm tomorrow (Monday). I had no idea writing would give me so much anxiety since i have to produce a timed fiction writing sample and provide definitions for and examples of the words / terminology for writing and poetry. I have no idea where to search for help or if I am wise to try reaching out to you and googling. Any advisement you can provide is appreciated. I am not a quitter, but really unsure about whether this was the class for me to hone in on writing skills…or if it is something else (like the committee in my mind who all seem to be vying for their ideas to hit the paper but I stopping progress…. I appreciate your reading this and your site as the advisement was very interesting and I will definitely take heed to. (sure wish i found your site months ago when classes first began. My best, Mary a senior student of uncertainty.

HI Mary, I am so glad you wrote to me because I too have been in that position. I think the main problem is you are over-thinking. It takes a bit of practice to get back on the writing bike and my suggestion is that you set yourself some homework. Spend half an hour every night, or morning writing – use one of your class prompts or one of the exercises you find here. Just go freestyle and don’t think about the outcome – this is just practice and will get you back in the habit of writing. It can be intimidating being in a class full of younger people, I know that but remember that many of them are as intimidated as you are. I guess you are doing your best to appear calm and unafraid in the face of these difficulties but I bet the other student are too. Remember you have loads of life experience that they don’t and that is an advantage – so be patient and do the best you can and your ideas will soon arrive. The early days of a course can be difficult but you can do it – you had the courage to join in the first place and you are good at reaching out and getting help for yourself as is proved by this post. Whenever you feel unnerved or anxious take some deep breaths to settle yourself – this will return your mind to focus. Please stop worrying so much – you need to allow yourself time to settle in to the course. Maybe you could try some meditation practice. I find this very useful for relaxing my mind and I am sure it helps with my writing. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are getting on. Take care and best wishes Grace

Blank page is my nightmare! Metaphors have encroached my subconsciousness. Actually, metaphorical way of thinking is so specific, but it’s hardly to imagine my writing life without this stylistic device. I just wonder could I become a writer of one style? Creative writing is a celestial gift. But every writer needs to develop it. How not to lose it? My friend put me in fear that someone can stole all my metaphorical crazy ideas….How to protect myself? I was googling and found out that checking for plagiarism by this could help…but I’m not an expert. Writing is a part of me and I don’t want to lose my face. Oh, and thank you! The only thing I need now is a cup of hot chocolate and picturesque view in front of me…Thank you for the inspiration!

Me too – blank pages just cry out to be filled! I am glad you are inspired – and I’m sure a cup of hot chocolate can’t be too far away. Good luck and stay inspired. Grace

Hi Grace. I am a 14yr old student and I have never written a story In my life but I need to write short story for an entrance exam at my new school. Are there any tips you could give me to write this? I would appreciate any help. Thanks

Hi Noah, Good to hear from you. My best advice is to read and pick some exercises from this page: https://www.practicalcreativewriting.com/creative-writing-exercises/ Use the exercises as starting points. Decide which story you would like to keep going with and write that story. Best of luck Grace

Hi Grace, I am happy to have found your creative writing site. Today is the first day of my writing life. I have come out and finally am taking this fun journey and putting words, thoughts, memories on paper. I have many journals that I have filled with thoughts but today I am forging ahead through the ceiling that I have stifled myself under and blowing the roof off and write. I have a coach that I am working with to keep a date with myself to cultivate the creative side of me. Happy New Year 2016 I am taking the actions to be the writing I put on hold the past 67 years.

HI Nancy I am sorry I took so long to reply to your comment – I was away for a little while. I am so glad to hear that you are making a start on your creative journey. I am sure that the fact that you have been on hold for so long will mean that your creativity will be unleashed in all its glory. Best of luck to you and do keep in touch.

Thanks. I appreciate you getting back to me. Best Regards Nancy

I’ve been having this nag to write a story about my life,and I don’t have a clue on how or where to start. I’m all new to this and I don’t want to be on my deathbed and beat myself up for not writing that story that I’ve spent months said that I should.” I’m wondering if I should and if I’m capable of be a great writer someday?” Every morning I wake up I have this urge to sit at the table and write a story about myself. Where and how do I start?

. please get back to me..

Hi Tony, Sorry for being so late coming back to you. I have been recuperating from surgery and am currently laid up with my leg in plaster. So… I am glad to hear you are itching to start writing. I suggest you start by planning some time to keep for your writing. Make appointments with yourself and keep them. Then try beginning with one of these exercises – write whatever you want and don’t worry about how good it is. In the early stages the best thing you can do is establish a writing routine and write regularly. Regard this time as your process of discovery – you are writing to cultivate your love of writing and to find out what type of writing you really want to do. There are loads of exercises on the site but I suggest you start with these: https://www.practicalcreativewriting.com/creative-writing-exercises/ten-minute-writing-exercise

Please come back to me if you have any questions and give me a little time to reply as I recover. Best of luck with your writing. Grace

i Have trouble almost all the time. I go and sit down and nothing comes… its when this happens I call myself stupid,dumb,retarded. I have Learning disabilities and ADHD and I have been writing for a long time and nothing ever comes that I am happy with. Its like God is telling to quit forever.

Hi Anthony. Firstly – please don’t insult yourself or call yourself stupid – EVER! Many writers feel bad about their writing but the idea is to keep going.

Regard your work as practice. Musicians have to practice – right! And when they are learning they make lots of sour notes but they keep going and after time they improve.

Write regularly and don’t worry if you are happy or not with it. Regard it as practice, exercise – as with any skill it can take years.

Check out the website below – it is aimed at writers with learning disabilities. In the past I worked with students with various challenges including learning disability and they told me this helped them a lot. http://www.disabilitywrites.org.uk/

Best of luck to you Anthony – keep going & keep writing. Please remember to come back to me again and let me know how you are getting on – I would love to know.

Wow, your website is an awesome resource!! I’m not a beginning writer, but I am an amateur, in that I’ve only been published in school and even then, it’s been a long time since then. But with my 35th birthday this week, I’m even more determined to do what I’ve always wanted to do… write a novel that more than one person wants to read and get it published. Going back to my roots and reworking beginning writing values has already helped, not just with the imagination and writing, but it’s helping my anxiety and depression as well. I wanted to add a quick thank you for the post about coming out about depression… it’s totally true that you always end up feeling like the ‘fun sucker’ and frequently I find myself pulling away from people before they can pull away from me… if I’m sequestering myself away, I can convince myself it hurts less when people don’t want to deal with my issues. Writing like this, giving myself pep talks and reading that other people are going through the same things and surviving. It gives me hope, and the drive to keep trying, so thank you so much for everything on this site!!

Hi Fran So great to hear from you. I am glad you are making decisions about writing your novel and I urge you to keep going and write regularly. Thanks for your comments about depression and my post – I was unsure about publishing it but if it helps one person then it’s worth it. Anyway depression is an illness like any other we need all the support we can get. Sometimes the only people who can really understand depression are those who have had it. I wish you all the very best and don’t forget to come back and tell me how you are getting on. Take care Grace

Hi Grace, thanks for this tips. I’ll love to write but really don’t know good vocabularies to use on my writing, really need your help.

Hi Jane, Glad to have helped. My best advice to you is to read and write as much as you can. Your vocabulary will improve gradually – keep going. Best wishes Grace

20 Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Writer Edgar Bulwer-Lytton made this keen observation nearly 200 years ago, but it remains just as true today. Writing is one of the most powerful forms in existence, and a simple story can change countless lives — which is why so many of us choose to be writers in the first place.

But sometimes it can be difficult to find the right words, to tell the story the way you want, or to start writing in the first place. That’s why we’ve compiled these 20 essential writing tips for writers like you: artists who want to hone their craft to perfection, so they can tell their stories effectively to the world.

Some of these tips are narrative-related, while others are more about the mentality and setting you need in order to write. But all have one crucial thing in common: if you take them to heart, they’ll help you improve your craft — and maybe even pen the book of your dreams .

If you prefer your tips in watchable form, check out this video on great writing tips that no one else will tell you.

1. Even pantsers need to plan

Let’s begin with an age-old question: are you a plotter or a pantser?

If you’ve never heard these terms before, allow us to explain. Pantsers are writers who “fly by the seat of their pants,” i.e. start writing without preparing too much and simply trust that everything will work out. At the other end of the spectrum are plotters , who plan and outline extensively before they begin to write.

Which is the better way forward? Well, it’s different for everyone — what works for you may not necessarily work for another writer you know.

However, experience has taught us that a little bit of planning goes a long way. That’s why we always advise some form of preparation, even if it’s just a few nuggets of your plot, before you dive into writing. So create an outline today , if you haven't already!

2. Keep your outline in mind

Once you’ve prepared that outline, it’s important to actually use it. This may seem obvious, but it's seemingly one of the hardest-to-remember writing tips out there!

Many writers find themselves led astray by subplots and secondary characters, wandering into rambling chapters that don’t really go anywhere. Then when they try to get back to the main plot, they find they’re already too far gone.

Keeping your outline in mind at all times will help you avoid these disastrous detours. Even if you stray a little , you should be able to look at your outline and articulate exactly how you’ll get back to what you planned.

This is especially crucial late in the writing process, when it can be hard to remember your original vision — so if you have doubts about your ability to remember your outline, definitely write it down.

3. Introduce conflict early

Of all the core elements in your story, conflict is perhaps the most important to emphasize. Conflict lies at the heart of every good narrative, so make sure readers know what your conflict is within the first few chapters!

The best way to do this is through an early inciting incident , wherein the main character has a revelation and/or becomes involved in something big. For example, in The Hunger Games , the inciting incident is Katniss volunteering for the Games — which kicks off her personal and political conflict with the Capitol.

Finally, remember that there are many different types of conflict . So if you have no idea what your conflict, it’s probably just unconventional. For instance, your conflict might be one that unfolds within your narrator (character vs. self), or against some larger force (like character vs. technology). Once you do figure it out, try to introduce it early!

4. Control the pacing

Nothing ruins a good book like poor pacing. So make sure you control the pacing in your story, lest readers lose interest and put down your book in frustration!

In order to combat slow pacing , you’ll need to increase the tempo by:

A) Cutting down lengthy sentences and descriptions, and B) Increasing action and dialogue.

The first strategy works for one simple reason: it gets rid of filler and fluff. In extreme cases, you may have to cut a great deal of exposition in order to get to the beating heart of your story. (See writing tip #18 to help you with this.)

As for the latter, it might seem like adding more content is counterintuitive to a quicker pace. But because action and dialogue move the story forward in a concrete manner, you can always rely on them to improve slow pacing.

5. Fine-tune your dialogue

Speaking of dialogue , it's pretty critical to most stories, both in terms of plot and drawing in readers. Indeed, a conversation between characters is usually much more impactful than a narrator relaying similar information.

But dialogue loses its impact if the conversation goes on for too long — so for better, sharper dialogue, be concise . Say you’re writing a story in which two characters have an argument. You might be tempted to go on for paragraphs to convey emotion, tension, and meaning, but all this can fit into just a few sentences. Like so:

“Nice of you to show up. What were you doing, if not getting groceries?” “Thanks for the warm reception. I had a meeting. Kind of an important one.”

For more dialogue-specific writing tips, check out this post — or the video below!

6. Show, don’t tell

In a similar vein, while you may have already heard this advice , it bears repeating: show, don’t tell as often as possible. For those who aren’t really sure what that means, it’s easiest for us to, well, show you! Here’s a passage from Sally Rooney’s Normal People that exemplifies this rule:

He wakes up just after eight. It’s bright outside the window and the carriage is warming up, a heavy warmth of breath and sweat. Minor train stations with unreadable names flash past… Connell rubs his left eye with his knuckles and sits up. Elaine is reading the one novel she has brought with her on the journey, a novel with a glossy cover and the words "Now a Major Motion Picture" along the top.

As you can see, it’s pretty hard to completely eliminate telling from your prose — in fact, the first sentence in this passage could qualify as “telling.” But the rest is “showing,” as it paints an evocative picture of the scene: the bright, warm carriage in the train that's rushing past other stations, the girl reading the glossy novel in the opposite seat.

If you can use all five senses to convey the scene, all the better. Tell us not just what the central character sees, but also what they hear, smell, taste, and feel in order to truly immerse the reader in the scene.

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7. But don’t reveal TOO much

While you want your scene-by-scene descriptions to be as “showy” as possible, don’t reveal too much to readers about your plot and characters. This is the idea behind Hemingway's “Iceberg Theory,” which posits that you should only provide readers with “the tip of the iceberg” — the most essential part of the story.

Many writers create elaborate histories for their characters, or have long-reaching plans for them beyond their current works. But readers only need to know the “here and now,” so to speak. Giving them too much information will overwhelm them, and likely cause them to put your book down in favor of something simpler.

So while you might include a bit of backstory or foreshadowing every so often, it’s best to keep most of this info to yourself. This also works on another level, in that you can reveal tantalizing drips of information as the story progresses, which will pique readers’ interest rather than lose it. (Two writing tips for the price of one!)

8. Consider your themes

On a related note, the underwater part of the “Hemingway iceberg” not only consists of backstory, but also important themes. This is another aspect to contemplate during the writing process: what are you trying to say about society and/or the human condition? And how can you convey those themes in a subtle yet effective way?

Common literary themes include love, loss, and the importance of doing the right thing. Your themes will depend on your genre and subject material, but they may also relate closely to your personal beliefs and experiences. Try to embrace this, as writing what you know is a great way to infuse your story with genuine emotion.

9. Be careful with POV

Your narrator is your reader’s gateway into the story, so be careful with point of view. Don’t make your narrator’s voice too specific, as they need to speak in an accessible and relatable way for readers — and a non-stereotypical way if they happen to speak in a certain dialect. (For help with this, you might consider getting a sensitivity reader .)

Also remember that, while omniscient narration is the most flexible way to tell your story, it also requires the most discipline as an author. An omniscient narrator can easily move too rapidly among storylines, causing mental whiplash for readers.

To avoid this , remember our tip about having your outline in mind at all times! That way, even if you have an omniscient narrator, they shouldn’t get too far off track.

10. Write as often as you can

Now we’re getting into the more process-based writing tips. Write as much as possible is one of those tips you’re surely tired of hearing, but the reason it’s so common is because it works!

The only way you’re ever going to finish writing a book is by sitting down and writing it , so work on your story as often as you can. Write whenever and wherever you have a bit of downtime — on the bus, in a long line at the grocery store, waiting for your laundry, etc. It might feel strange to write on your phone rather than on a laptop at your desk, but you’ll get accustomed if you do it often enough.

If you can't figure out what to write, we have some awesome writing prompts , writing exercises , and even writing scholarships (if you're a student) to help you out! You can also check out these great opening lines , our guide to getting started with creative writing or watch the video below to inspire you.

11. Ask yourself questions

One way to ensure you’re doing your best, most creative writing is to question yourself constantly. It’s easy to get complacent with your writing, even if you’re technically meeting your word count goals . But if you’re always challenging yourself, you’ll see every bit of potential in your story and fulfill it as you progress.

A few good questions to ask yourself might be:

Have I given my characters realistic motivations that manifest throughout the story?
How does each scene contribute to either the plot or our understanding of the characters ?
Is there a big reveal , and if so, am I building toward it sufficiently?
Does the POV /narration style feel true to the story I’m telling?

12. Write now, edit later

That said, don’t challenge yourself so much you become too paralyzed to write. When in doubt, just skip over it, or write a crappy version of it for now. Write now, edit later is the approach of countless authors, and if it works for them, it can work for you too!

We won’t really touch on editing here, since this is a list of writing tips, not editing tips. But if you’re interested in the “later” part, you can check out this guide on how to edit a book . And remember: you don't have to go it alone — the Internet is chock full of writing groups willing to give you constructive criticism , not to mention great editing tools to get the job done.

13. Read your work out loud

Many of the best writers' and editors' writing tips include reading aloud what you write in order to check it for inconsistencies and awkward phrasing. This tactic particularly helps weed out long, unwieldy sentences, and it's a godsend when you're working out how to write dialogue that sounds true to your characters..

For bonus points, you might even stage a reading with a group of friends (or fellow writers) where each person reads the dialogue of a different character. This will give your writing more “distance” and help you see its flaws more easily. If you do stage a reading, remember to take notes, so you can remember what to fix afterward!

14. Make it short and sweet

As Polonius said, brevity is the soul of wit, so keep your writing as short and sweet as you can. This will both entice readers and help you avoid purple prose , which tends to be a dealbreaker for readers and agents alike.

Of course, if you’re writing literary fiction, you do want your writing to sound intelligent. How can you do this without going on for paragraphs at a time? The answer is by making strong word choices, especially when it comes to verbs . Don’t dilute your story with adverb-y sentences — get down to business and tell us what the characters are doing.

15. Get rid of distractions

Yes, this is probably one of the hardest writing tips to follow — especially for those of us who enjoy working from noisy coffee shops and taking frequent Netflix breaks . But the more you eliminate distractions, the better your writing will become. Here are some ideas on how to enter deep focus mode:

Write on a computer with no WiFi
Use the Pomodoro technique
Set your phone to airplane mode or put it in a different room
Work in a quiet space, like your local library
Avoid working alongside friends, unless they really do increase your accountability (but be honest with yourself about this!)

16. Work through crises of confidence

In every writer’s life, there comes a point where they second-guess their entire endeavor. This will no doubt happen to you, too — maybe you’ll notice a major plot hole halfway through, a theme you have no idea how to incorporate, or you'll simply hit a creative wall .

Fear not: every writer who’s ever completed a book has gotten through this. But how can you work through such writerly crises without bashing your head against the wall?

If you ask us, the best solution is to return to your early notes and original outline. Look back to see if there’s anything there that can help you — you may have forgotten about some critical component, or it may help you see things in a new light.

And if that doesn’t work, you might just need some time away from this particular project. Take a break for a day or two, then come back to it with fresh eyes. But whatever you do, don’t give up! Remember, every writer’s been through this same thing. Think of it as your initiation, and refuse to let it break you.

17. Listen to feedback

Now for another one of those writing tips that we all struggle with. Throughout the process of writing, and definitely after you’re finished, you should share your work with other people: your friends, family, writers’ groups (both in person and on the Internet ), and your editor(s).

Accepting and actioning critical feedback is one of the most difficult parts of being a writer. Yet it’s also one of the most important skills to have. Because the feedback you receive from friends and beta readers is the only window you have into other people’s views — until you publish and it's too late.

So try not to view criticism as harsh, but as helpful. It might just save you from literary infamy later! On that note…

18. Kill your darlings

Sometimes you’ll pen a passage that’s so beautiful, so nuanced, so masterfully constructed that you want to frame it — but it doesn’t really contribute anything to the larger work. It’s a distraction, and you know in your heart that your book would be better off without it.

What to do now? You probably know the answer, even if you don’t want to admit it: you have to kill your darlings. This most often refers to removing an irrelevant or otherwise distracting passage, but it may also be your title , an element of your narration, or even an entire character.

In any case, if it doesn’t add to the story, consider dropping it. Of all our writing tips, this one is perhaps the most important for writers of short stories and flash fiction , since you don’t have any room to waste! Remember, you can always save it to re-use later.

19. Just keep writing

How do prolific, successful authors manage to turn out so many books? Basically, by keeping calm and carrying on. Stephen King writes 2,000 words every single day, even on holidays. Jane Austen wrote each day just after breakfast without fail. Kafka wrote in the wee hours of the morning, barely sleeping as a result.

Now, Jane Austen never had a smartphone distracting her, so that was kind of an unfair advantage. But you do still need to at least attempt a similar lifestyle, and keep writing with as much consistency and focus as possible!

This is one of the best writing tips we can give any author, fiction or non-fiction, short-form or long. Remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and keep your head down until you hit that final blessed page.

20. Keep publishing in mind

Last but certainly not least on this list of writing tips, we’ll cover the potential of publishing your book once it’s finally finished. Though it's the final step in the process, thinking about it as you write can really motivate you! Not to mention it's good to have some idea of your plan when you cross that finish line.

For example, if you go the traditional publishing route , you should consider how you might pitch your book to agents. What makes your story unique, and why would they want to represent it? If you start writing with the aim to publish, you can consciously highlight these elements in the story.

On the other hand, if you’re thinking about self-publishing , the adventure truly does begin once you’ve finished the manuscript ! After a round or two of editing and getting a book cover, you should be set to put your book up on Amazon and start selling.

There are pros and cons to both these sides. Luckily, if you’ve gotten to this point, the hard part is over; you’ve managed to write the book of your dreams, and now what you do with it is up to you!

And if you haven't quite gotten there yet, know that it's never too late. Writing is a lifelong challenge, but it's also one of the most rewarding things you can pursue. So go forth and tell the story you've always wanted to tell — we believe in you. ✍

Did we miss anything? Tell us your best writing tips in the comments below!

3 responses

Kalyan Panja says:

03/08/2019 – 07:19

Thanks for sharing this inspiring article which can help many to decide on the choices they make to write better and engaging articles.

Lost-Identification says:

13/08/2019 – 12:16

Do you have any recommendations for a book to help improve writing? I've been reading books like, "The Anatomy of Story" by John Truby, "Dialogue: The art of verbal action for the page, stage, and screen" by Robert Mckee, and just reading a wide genre of books.

↪️ Phil Slattery replied:

16/10/2019 – 04:32

Read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. It has been a Bible for some great writers since the 1930's. It's updated periodically. It is short, concise, and clear; exactly what writing should be. It helped me immensely. A very concise guide that helped me immensely with punctuation is Webster"s New World Guide to Punctuation. Wonderfully concise and clear work. This won't cover every debatable nuance of punctuation, but it will cover everything you need to write well.

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Writing advice for small business

11 Creative Writing Techniques

Learn how to add pizzazz to any type of writing.

The articles below show you how to use creative writing tools in fiction or non-fiction. Each article features a series of examples so it becomes easier to apply the technique.

List of creative writing techniques

Click the links below to go to a specific section:

Personification

Show don’t tell

Repetition in writing

Contrast in writing

The rule of three in writing

Parallelism

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8 Free Creative Writing Tutorials for All Levels

by Domestika @domestika

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Creative Writing 101

Creative writing is any form of writing which is written with the creativity of mind: fiction writing, poetry writing, creative nonfiction writing and more. The purpose is to express something, whether it be feelings, thoughts, or emotions.

Rather than only giving information or inciting the reader to make an action beneficial to the writer, creative writing is written to entertain or educate someone, to spread awareness about something or someone, or to express one’s thoughts.

There are two kinds of creative writing: good and bad, effective and ineffective. Bad, ineffective creative writing cannot make any impression on the reader. It won’t achieve its purpose.

So whether you’re a novelist, a poet, a short-story writer, an essayist, a biographer or an aspiring beginner, you want to improve your craft. The question is: how?

When you write great fiction, poetry, or nonfiction, amazing things can happen. Readers can’t put it down. The work you wrote becomes a bestseller. It becomes famous. But you have to reach to that level… first .

The best way to increase your proficiency in creative writing is to write, write compulsively, but it doesn’t mean write whatever you want. There are certain things you should know first… it helps to start with the right foot.

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To solve this problem, I created a five-part tutorial on Writing Compelling Opening Chapters . It outlines why you need to write a compelling opening chapter, my personal favourite way of beginning it, what should be told and shown in it, general dos and don’ts, and what you need to do after having written it. Check it out for more.

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105 Creative Writing Exercises To Get You Writing Again

You know that feeling when you just don’t feel like writing? Sometimes you can’t even get a word down on paper. It’s the most frustrating thing ever to a writer, especially when you’re working towards a deadline. The good news is that we have a list of 105 creative writing exercises to help you get motivated and start writing again!

What are creative writing exercises?

Creative writing exercises are short writing activities (normally around 10 minutes) designed to get you writing. The goal of these exercises is to give you the motivation to put words onto a blank paper. These words don’t need to be logical or meaningful, neither do they need to be grammatically correct or spelt correctly. The whole idea is to just get you writing something, anything. The end result of these quick creative writing exercises is normally a series of notes, bullet points or ramblings that you can, later on, use as inspiration for a bigger piece of writing such as a story or a poem.

Good creative writing exercises are short, quick and easy to complete. You shouldn’t need to think too much about your style of writing or how imaginative your notes are. Just write anything that comes to mind, and you’ll be on the road to improving your creative writing skills and beating writer’s block .

Use the generator below to get a random creative writing exercise idea:

List of 105+ Creative Writing Exercises

Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again:

Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment.
Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour. For example, Orange, the colour of my favourite top.
Open a book or dictionary on a random page. Pick a random word. You can close your eyes and slowly move your finger across the page. Now, write a paragraph with this random word in it. You can even use an online dictionary to get random words:

Create your own alphabet picture book or list. It can be A to Z of animals, food, monsters or anything else you like!
Using only the sense of smell, describe where you are right now.
Take a snack break. While eating your snack write down the exact taste of that food. The goal of this creative writing exercise is to make your readers savour this food as well.
Pick a random object in your room and write a short paragraph from its point of view. For example, how does your pencil feel? What if your lamp had feelings?
Describe your dream house. Where would you live one day? Is it huge or tiny?
Pick two different TV shows, movies or books that you like. Now swap the main character. What if Supergirl was in Twilight? What if SpongeBob SquarePants was in The Flash? Write a short scene using this character swap as inspiration.
What’s your favourite video game? Write at least 10 tips for playing this game.
Pick your favourite hobby or sport. Now pretend an alien has just landed on Earth and you need to teach it this hobby or sport. Write at least ten tips on how you would teach this alien.
Use a random image generator and write a paragraph about the first picture you see.

Write a letter to your favourite celebrity or character. What inspires you most about them? Can you think of a memorable moment where this person’s life affected yours? We have this helpful guide on writing a letter to your best friend for extra inspiration.
Write down at least 10 benefits of writing. This can help motivate you and beat writer’s block.
Complete this sentence in 10 different ways: Patrick waited for the school bus and…
Pick up a random book from your bookshelf and go to page 9. Find the ninth sentence on that page. Use this sentence as a story starter.
Create a character profile based on all the traits that you hate. It might help to list down all the traits first and then work on describing the character.
What is the scariest or most dangerous situation you have ever been in? Why was this situation scary? How did you cope at that moment?
Pretend that you’re a chat show host and you’re interviewing your favourite celebrity. Write down the script for this conversation.
Using extreme detail, write down what you have been doing for the past one hour today. Think about your thoughts, feelings and actions during this time.
Make a list of potential character names for your next story. You can use a fantasy name generator to help you.
Describe a futuristic setting. What do you think the world would look like in 100 years time?
Think about a recent argument you had with someone. Would you change anything about it? How would you resolve an argument in the future?
Describe a fantasy world. What kind of creatures live in this world? What is the climate like? What everyday challenges would a typical citizen of this world face? You can use this fantasy world name generator for inspiration.
At the flip of a switch, you turn into a dragon. What kind of dragon would you be? Describe your appearance, special abilities, likes and dislikes. You can use a dragon name generator to give yourself a cool dragon name.
Pick your favourite book or a famous story. Now change the point of view. For example, you could rewrite the fairytale , Cinderella. This time around, Prince Charming could be the main character. What do you think Prince Charming was doing, while Cinderella was cleaning the floors and getting ready for the ball?
Pick a random writing prompt and use it to write a short story. Check out this collection of over 300 writing prompts for kids to inspire you.
Write a shopping list for a famous character in history. Imagine if you were Albert Einstein’s assistant, what kind of things would he shop for on a weekly basis?
Create a fake advertisement poster for a random object that is near you right now. Your goal is to convince the reader to buy this object from you.
What is the worst (or most annoying) sound that you can imagine? Describe this sound in great detail, so your reader can understand the pain you feel when hearing this sound.
What is your favourite song at the moment? Pick one line from this song and describe a moment in your life that relates to this line.
You’re hosting an imaginary dinner party at your house. Create a list of people you would invite, and some party invites. Think about the theme of the dinner party, the food you will serve and entertainment for the evening.
You are waiting to see your dentist in the waiting room. Write down every thought you are having at this moment in time.
Make a list of your greatest fears. Try to think of at least three fears. Now write a short story about a character who is forced to confront one of these fears.
Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for a famous villain of your choice. Think about the crimes they have committed, and the reward you will give for having them caught.
Imagine you are a journalist for the ‘Imagine Forest Times’ newspaper. Your task is to get an exclusive interview with the most famous villain of all time. Pick a villain of your choice and interview them for your newspaper article. What questions would you ask them, and what would their responses be?
In a school playground, you see the school bully hurting a new kid. Write three short stories, one from each perspective in this scenario (The bully, the witness and the kid getting bullied).
You just won $10 million dollars. What would you spend this money on?
Pick a random animal, and research at least five interesting facts about this animal. Write a short story centred around one of these interesting facts.
Pick a global issue that you are passionate about. This could be climate change, black lives matters, women’s rights etc. Now create a campaign poster for this global issue.
Write an acrostic poem about an object near you right now (or even your own name). You could use a poetry idea generator to inspire you.
Imagine you are the head chef of a 5-star restaurant. Recently the business has slowed down. Your task is to come up with a brand-new menu to excite customers. Watch this video prompt on YouTube to inspire you.
What is your favourite food of all time? Imagine if this piece of food was alive, what would it say to you?
If life was one big musical, what would you be singing about right now? Write the lyrics of your song.
Create and describe the most ultimate villain of all time. What would their traits be? What would their past look like? Will they have any positive traits?
Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: Every time I look out of the window, I…
You have just made it into the local newspaper, but what for? Write down at least five potential newspaper headlines . Here’s an example, Local Boy Survives a Deadly Illness.
If you were a witch or a wizard, what would your specialist area be and why? You might want to use a Harry Potter name generator or a witch name generator for inspiration.
What is your favourite thing to do on a Saturday night? Write a short story centred around this activity.
Your main character has just received the following items: A highlighter, a red cap, a teddy bear and a fork. What would your character do with these items? Can you write a story using these items?
Create a timeline of your own life, from birth to this current moment. Think about the key events in your life, such as birthdays, graduations, weddings and so on. After you have done this, you can pick one key event from your life to write a story about.
Think of a famous book or movie you like. Rewrite a scene from this book or movie, where the main character is an outsider. They watch the key events play out, but have no role in the story. What would their actions be? How would they react?
Three very different characters have just won the lottery. Write a script for each character, as they reveal the big news to their best friend.
Write a day in the life story of three different characters. How does each character start their day? What do they do throughout the day? And how does their day end?
Write about the worst experience in your life so far. Think about a time when you were most upset or angry and describe it.
Imagine you’ve found a time machine in your house. What year would you travel to and why?
Describe your own superhero. Think about their appearance, special abilities and their superhero name. Will they have a secret identity? Who is their number one enemy?
What is your favourite country in the world? Research five fun facts about this country and use one to write a short story.
Set yourself at least three writing goals. This could be a good way to motivate yourself to write every day. For example, one goal might be to write at least 150 words a day.
Create a character description based on the one fact, three fiction rule. Think about one fact or truth about yourself. And then add in three fictional or fantasy elements. For example, your character could be the same age as you in real life, this is your one fact. And the three fictional elements could be they have the ability to fly, talk in over 100 different languages and have green skin.
Describe the perfect person. What traits would they have? Think about their appearance, their interests and their dislikes.
Keep a daily journal or diary. This is a great way to keep writing every day. There are lots of things you can write about in your journal, such as you can write about the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of your day. Think about anything that inspired you or anything that upset you, or just write anything that comes to mind at the moment.
Write a book review or a movie review. If you’re lost for inspiration, just watch a random movie or read any book that you can find. Then write a critical review on it. Think about the best parts of the book/movie and the worst parts. How would you improve the book or movie?
Write down a conversation between yourself. You can imagine talking to your younger self or future self (i.e. in 10 years’ time). What would you tell them? Are there any lessons you learned or warnings you need to give? Maybe you could talk about what your life is like now and compare it to their life?
Try writing some quick flash fiction stories . Flash fiction is normally around 500 words long, so try to stay within this limit.
Write a six-word story about something that happened to you today or yesterday. A six-word story is basically an entire story told in just six words. Take for example: “Another football game ruined by me.” or “A dog’s painting sold for millions.” – Six-word stories are similar to writing newspaper headlines. The goal is to summarise your story in just six words.
The most common monsters or creatures used in stories include vampires, werewolves , dragons, the bigfoot, sirens and the loch-ness monster. In a battle of intelligence, who do you think will win and why?
Think about an important event in your life that has happened so far, such as a birthday or the birth of a new sibling. Now using the 5 W’s and 1 H technique describe this event in great detail. The 5 W’s include: What, Who, Where, Why, When and the 1 H is: How. Ask yourself questions about the event, such as what exactly happened on that day? Who was there? Why was this event important? When and where did it happen? And finally, how did it make you feel?
Pretend to be someone else. Think about someone important in your life. Now put yourself into their shoes, and write a day in the life story about being them. What do you think they do on a daily basis? What situations would they encounter? How would they feel?
Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: I remember…
Write about your dream holiday. Where would you go? Who would you go with? And what kind of activities would you do?
Which one item in your house do you use the most? Is it the television, computer, mobile phone, the sofa or the microwave? Now write a story of how this item was invented. You might want to do some research online and use these ideas to build up your story.
In exactly 100 words, describe your bedroom. Try not to go over or under this word limit.
Make a top ten list of your favourite animals. Based on this list create your own animal fact file, where you provide fun facts about each animal in your list.
What is your favourite scene from a book or a movie? Write down this scene. Now rewrite the scene in a different genre, such as horror, comedy, drama etc.
Change the main character of a story you recently read into a villain. For example, you could take a popular fairytale such as Jack and the Beanstalk, but this time re-write the story to make Jack the villain of the tale.
Complete the following sentence in at least 10 different ways: Do you ever wonder…
What does your name mean? Research the meaning of your own name, or a name that interests you. Then use this as inspiration for your next story. For example, the name ‘Marty’ means “Servant Of Mars, God Of War”. This could make a good concept for a sci-fi story.
Make a list of three different types of heroes (or main characters) for potential future stories.
If someone gave you $10 dollars, what would you spend it on and why?
Describe the world’s most boring character in at least 100 words.
What is the biggest problem in the world today, and how can you help fix this issue?
Create your own travel brochure for your hometown. Think about why tourists might want to visit your hometown. What is your town’s history? What kind of activities can you do? You could even research some interesting facts.
Make a list of all your favourite moments or memories in your life. Now pick one to write a short story about.
Describe the scariest and ugliest monster you can imagine. You could even draw a picture of this monster with your description.
Write seven haikus, one for each colour of the rainbow. That’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Imagine you are at the supermarket. Write down at least three funny scenarios that could happen to you at the supermarket. Use one for your next short story.
Imagine your main character is at home staring at a photograph. Write the saddest scene possible. Your goal is to make your reader cry when reading this scene.
What is happiness? In at least 150 words describe the feeling of happiness. You could use examples from your own life of when you felt happy.
Think of a recent nightmare you had and write down everything you can remember. Use this nightmare as inspiration for your next story.
Keep a dream journal. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning you can quickly jot down things that you remember from your dreams. These notes can then be used as inspiration for a short story.
Your main character is having a really bad day. Describe this bad day and the series of events they experience. What’s the worst thing that could happen to your character?
You find a box on your doorstep. You open this box and see the most amazing thing ever. Describe this amazing thing to your readers.
Make a list of at least five possible settings or locations for future stories. Remember to describe each setting in detail.
Think of something new you recently learned. Write this down. Now write a short story where your main character also learns the same thing.
Describe the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your whole life. Your goal is to amaze your readers with its beauty.
Make a list of things that make you happy or cheer you up. Try to think of at least five ideas. Now imagine living in a world where all these things were banned or against the law. Use this as inspiration for your next story.
Would you rather be rich and alone or poor and very popular? Write a story based on the lives of these two characters.
Imagine your main character is a Librarian. Write down at least three dark secrets they might have. Remember, the best secrets are always unexpected.
There’s a history behind everything. Describe the history of your house. How and when was your house built? Think about the land it was built on and the people that may have lived here long before you.
Imagine that you are the king or queen of a beautiful kingdom. Describe your kingdom in great detail. What kind of rules would you have? Would you be a kind ruler or an evil ruler of the kingdom?
Make a wish list of at least three objects you wish you owned right now. Now use these three items in your next story. At least one of them must be the main prop in the story.
Using nothing but the sense of taste, describe a nice Sunday afternoon at your house. Remember you can’t use your other senses (i.e see, hear, smell or touch) in this description.
What’s the worst pain you felt in your life? Describe this pain in great detail, so your readers can also feel it.
If you were lost on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, what three must-have things would you pack and why?
Particpate in online writing challenges or contests. Here at Imagine Forest, we offer daily writing challenges with a new prompt added every day to inspire you. Check out our challenges section in the menu.

Do you have any more fun creative writing exercises to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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When You Write

Essential Creative Writing Tips and Techniques

Creative writing has no written formula and no immutable laws, you just need a good imagination and good writing skills.

And you’re good to go!

Creative writing presents us with fewer tethers than other forms of writing. This means that we have more liberty when we want to express our imagination artistically.

With all this freedom, defining and serving creative writing techniques is a bit hard, and some tips are frowned upon as they seem to infringe upon the liberties of some creative writers.

Still, some writers need guidance.

So, I have taken it upon myself to be this guide and dish out much-needed tips and discuss some creative writing techniques.

If you’ve been looking for guidance and insight, here’s a no-frills article full of practical tips on creative writing for you.

What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is writing that uses imagination , creativity, and mastery of the art of writing to evoke emotion in a reader.

It could be a fictional story, a nonfiction piece, or movie script, a play, a poem, et cetera. Creative writing oftentimes springs up from experimentation and good, imaginative use of knowledge and ideas.

One of the things that make creative writing different from other forms of writing is the underlying message or theme. Unlike other forms of writing, creative writing sometimes hides a message under the entertaining, saddening, or horrifying part of the written content.

Other archetypal elements of creative writing include creating an emotional connection with the reader (and sometimes evoking a response), having a deliberate point of view, using a narrative structure, and use of imaginative and descriptive language.

What Isn’t Creative Writing?

Whatever lacks the elements I just listed isn’t creative writing. Written pieces such as company reports, statements, and other professional communications aren’t regarded as creative writing.

Similarly, personal documents and communications such as emails, social media content, and personal communications all fit in the non-creative writing category.

In addition to that, research papers and pieces that are in the “Academic Writing” category do not qualify as creative writing.

Most often the type of content that I have listed is devoid of deliberate themes. Often, these types of pieces have goals similar to those prevalent in creative writing, but they’re presented differently.

But—as a reminder to myself or you, the reader—I would like to say that they’re blurred boundaries in some forms of content. For example, we can’t outrightly classify content such as blog posts as creative writing non-creative. Blog content belongs to a broader category that is as flexible as creative writing itself.

Therefore, you would have to analyze the elements of each blog post to see if they fit a particular category.

Forms of Creative Writing

Given the freedom that creative writing gets, it is just right that it takes many forms.

Here are some of the forms of creative writing:

This is one of the most popular forms of creative writing. Novels are also the first thing people think about when it comes to books (apart from academicians who are religiously into textbooks).

Novels are extended fictional works in prose that usually (or always?) come in the form of a story.

Most of them are in the range of 50,000 to 150,000 words, but some are told in less than 50,000 and others extend beyond 150,000.

Pieces that are too short to qualify as novels and too long to qualify as short stories automatically qualify as novellas and novelettes.

Novellas often fall in the range of 10,000-40,000 words, while novelettes generally have a word count of 7,500-19,000 words.

Word count boundaries are usually varied—and they are oftentimes at the discretion of the publisher or competition organizers.

Short Fiction

Short stories as the name suggests are on the other end (the shorter word count end) of the fiction word count spectrum.

Short stories generally fall between 2,500 and 7,500 words but sometimes extend to 10,000 words.

Unlike novels, short stories tell stories with fewer characters, details, and backstories, among other deficiencies.

Then there are other forms of short fiction told in 1,000 words, and they’re called flash fiction and micro-fiction.

The unrestricted and spontaneous nature of poetry embodies the artistic multifariousness of creative writing.

Poetry is as emotional as it is rebellious—and word counts and rhyming rarely matter for poems, i.e., those in the free verse category.

There are different types of poems such as sonnets, haikus, sestinas, limericks, and free verses.

The spontaneous nature of poetry does connote lawlessness. The thing is, the different types of poetry originated from different cultures around the world and many come with rules.

However, for most of these types of poetry, the rules are adaptable. A few types such as haikus have specific rules on the number of lines or structure.

Plus, just because there aren’t many rules governing the structure, content, and length of poetry it doesn’t mean that you can brush aside the use of perfect grammar, the importance of POV, the need for a theme, and the need to evoke the reader’s emotions.

TV scripts, stage play scripts, and screenplays

This category comprises stage plays and scripts for films, television programs, and other types of video content.

A majority of content in this category has a lot in common with novels and short stories. Although different scripts have different formatting requirements, they carry a message or central theme and try to appeal to their audience’s emotions.

In a way, these scripts depart from the highly descriptive nature of novels and short stories. There’s much more dialogue in scripts with a bit of stage or scene directions in stage plays screenplays.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative writing doesn’t always have to be works of fiction, some nonfiction also qualifies as creative writing.

Here are some of the works that can be called creative nonfiction:

Lyric essays
Autobiographies
Humor Writing
Literary Journalism

Tips and Techniques for Creative Writing

1. read widely and learn from other writers.

You can improve by focusing on looking at your writing only. If you want to be a good creative writer, you have to read.

When you read other people’s work, you discover other writing styles and get inspired in the process.

There are lots of reading resources on creative writing out there. You can find books, essays, blog articles, and video content covering different aspects of creative writing.

Some works will comprise fiction and nonfiction pieces (novels, short stories, poetry, lyrical essays. Et cetera) while others seek to cover interviews and personal essays that talk about the authors’ creative processes.

2. Benefit from Your Imagination

A wild imagination represents superiority for creative writers, especially fiction writers.

This is the only time you’re allowed to play god!

By using a crazy imagination you can conceive an exciting story, build a unique world, and come up with convincing, never-imagined-before characters.

Heck! You can even create your own language!

Be as imaginative as you can be, even going into a trance, and create a creative piece using your own rules!

3. Focus on Understanding and Improving Yourself as a Writer

You cannot improve something you don’t fully understand; therefore, you have to understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer to become a better writer.

I wrote an article on this, explaining some general strengths and weaknesses that writers have. As a creative writer, you have to identify problem areas such as bad sense of rhythm, dodgy flow, lack of creativity, et cetera.

As a creative writer, there are things you must have in your armory, such as a rich and relevant vocabulary, organized writing, and a unique writing style (which also happens to be the next tip on the list).

4. Develop or Discover a Unique Writing Style

Creative writers are better off seeking inspiration from other creative writers while trying to follow their path.

In short: study other writers, but develop your writing style. Take a look at all the best, and you’ll discover that most of them developed a unique style.

So, have your writing style. And, it should fit the niche you want to specialize in—if it’s horror, a befitting style. You could also focus on developing vibrant writing full of eccentric characters.

Likewise, you could become a writer who always writes in a specific POV.

5. Create Space for Creative Writing and Stick to a routine

Writing routinely and total focus are tremendously important for creative writers. If you’re a spontaneous writer who scarcely writes and only writes whenever they feel like it, you’re bound to fail as a writer!

You need to have a schedule and some working space. The ideas might come spontaneously and anywhere, but it’s hard to write without proper planning and a distraction-free setting.

It’s unproductive trying to squeeze writing into your day.

When you start writing routinely, in a ‘comfortable’ place, creative writing becomes natural. Even when you’re out of ideas experiencing writer’s block, you have to practice the habit of writing stuff daily—just write some fluff if you’re bored.

6. Know your audience

“Why do you write?”

The most popular answer to the question is, “because I love it!”

But if the question was rephrased and we asked “why do you publish your works?” the previous answer would be ‘half true.’

You write because it’s the love of your life and you publish for your audience. So, creative writing isn’t always about you, but your fans too.

You have to know what your readers are like. Even when you haven’t published a single piece, it’s easy to research readers’ interests using web-based analytics resources.

Armed with this knowledge, you can craft a piece that strikes a chord with your target audience, with a high potential of becoming a bestseller.

7. Always Start and End Strong

Our English teacher constantly reminded us that when she was going through our essays, she started with the introduction and summary before moving to the body.

“They’re the most important parts of your essay.” She’d always say.

Later, I found out that this applied to almost every form of writing.

Your readers want your piece to either start with a bang or catch their attention. Once the reader feels underwhelmed, they won’t read all the way through.

Strong endings are just as important, but it doesn’t mean that you always have to end on a happy note. You can close on a sad note or give them a cliffhanger.

As long as you effectively use your imagination and the end doesn’t turn out to be a clichéd one.

The Best Books on Creative Writing

1. Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
2. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
3. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
4. On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

Final Words

Writing—whatever form it takes—isn’t a simple chore, but as hard as it is, it is also fun!

The goal is always to become a better writer and learn different techniques that will make our content impactful.

Every writer should fear stagnation and continue learning. Utilize today’s easy access to resources, read, ask for help, and let your wild imagination run loose.

While there’s no fixed formula in creative writing, tips from experienced writers will help you improve in some areas.

So, always be inquisitive and reach out to other writers.

Crafting an original work of fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction takes time, practice, and persistence.

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10 Effective Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing

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Writing a story is a craft that requires constant tweaks, edits and trial and error by the writer. Here are ten tips to improve your creative writing and save you hours of painful re-writing in the future.

(1) Don’t underestimate your reader

You have a fantastic plot, your characters are realistic, the setting is ideal and you want to make sure that the reader gets every little detail that you have in mind. Great!

The only problem is that you may be tempted to bombard your reader with many intimate details so that they see it exactly as you do. In-depth descriptions can be useful and effective, but don’t overdo it. Keep your writing neat and tight; don’t waste space on long, rambling descriptions about things that aren’t necessary to your story.

Wouldn’t it be ideal if editors received submissions and decided to look past the typos and incorrect formatting because they think it might be a little gem of a story? The fact is that if your manuscript is full of errors or doesn’t follow the required guidelines then it’s going in the trash.

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. Your gorgeous heroine meets the bog (boy) of her dreams? The wealthy doctor places his golf ball on his tea (tee)?

(3) 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.

(4) Use Strong Words

You want your writing to sound decisive, so use words that get the point across. Did Bob’s really big headache cause him a lot of pain or did Bob’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.

(5) 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.

(6) 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.

(7) 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: ‘Mark’s back broke with an audible crack’ or ‘Eliza didn’t realize that she was going blind’ 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.

(8) 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.

(9) Sober up

Think of writing as going out to a bar: you go out, the lighting is dim, it’s noisy, maybe you drink too much but you meet a person who’s attractive, witty, shares the same interests as you and you’re smitten by them. A few days later you meet for coffee: are they as good looking or charming as you remember?

This can happen with writing. You become intoxicated with the feeling of success and think that you have written an award-winning piece. The question is, once you’ve sobered up, is it as good as you thought it was? Put your manuscript away and try not to think about it for a couple days. Then take it out and read it with a clear, open mind. Read it through once from beginning to end, then break it up into sections, then read it sentence by sentence. Is it as good as you remembered? If so, then well done! But the odds are that if you were too excited about finally wrapping it up, then you’ll find some points to revise.

(10) Challenge Yourself

Are you trying too hard to write in a specific genre or style? Do you only write short stories or novels or poems or movie scripts? Give that creative muscle a workout and try something different. It will be a refreshing exercise for your mind and you might be surprised by the result. If you don’t succeed then you have still learnt a valuable lesson.

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More From Forbes

A writing room: the new marketplace of writer classes, retreats, and collectives.

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A Writing Room is one of the fast-growing writer collectives. The four co-founders (left to right): ... [+] Reese Zecchin, Director of Production; Jacob Nordby, Director of Writer Development; A. Ashe, Creative Director; Claire Giovino, Community Director.

The past decade has brought an explosion in the number of books published each year in the United States (an estimated three to four million annually). In turn, this explosion is bringing a growing and evolving marketplace of writer classes, retreats and collectives. It is a marketplace creating new jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities—both for mainstream tech, marketing and managerial workers, as well as for writer/artist denizens of America’s bohemia.

The Drivers of Growth in Book Publishing

The number of book sales in the United States remains healthy, though it has leveled off in the past four years. In 2020, 756.82 million book unit sales were made in the US alone. This number climbed to 837.66 million in 2021, before falling slightly to 787.65 million units in 2022 and 767.36 million units in 2023.

What has changed dramatically has been the number of books published. Steve Piersanti of Berrett-Koehler Publishers estimates that three million books were published in the US, up 10 times from the number only 16 years ago . Other estimates put the number of published books annually at closer to four million .

The main driver of this growth in books published has been self-publishing. According to Bowker , which provides tools for self-publishing, an estimated 2.3 million books were self-published in 2021. Up through the 1990s (now the distant past in publishing), writers of all types of books, fiction and nonfiction, were dependent on convincing publishing houses to publish their work. As the technology for self-publishing and print on demand grew in the early 2000s, writers could publish on their own, and a very large number of Americans began to do so.

Fueling growth also is the level of affluence and discretionary income that an increasing segment of American society is reaching. For centuries, theorists across the political spectrum have envisioned a society, freed from basic economic needs, pursuing creative activities, with writing as a primary activity. In The German Ideology , Karl Marx could write about the economy of abundance in which individuals pursue writing as one of a series of daily activities—hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, write criticism in the evening. John Maynard Keynes in a 1930 essay, “ Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” , envisions a time a hundred years forward (2030) in which writing is no longer the province of the upper classes. Contemporary theorists on the future of work, such as John Tamny, similarly see a blooming of creative and artistic activities by the average citizen.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, a writing room, and the emerging marketplace of writer training.

A marketplace of writing coaches, classes and retreats expanded throughout the late twentieth century and first years of the twentieth century. Published authors and even recently-minted graduates of MFA programs hung out shingles for individual coaching and small classes. Colleges expanded their writing programs and certifications, and writer retreats multiplied. Co-working and literary event spaces were established in major cities ( The Writers Room in New York, The Writers Grotto in San Francisco). But the marketplace continued to bump up against geographic and logistical limitations.

Then, along the came the internet, and its evolution.

Today, hundreds of businesses throughout the country offer assistance to aspiring writers. Many continue to offer some in-person assistance through coaching, classes or retreats. But as in other fields, the internet has allowed for a nationwide (worldwide) reach that these businesses are taking advantage of to scale. The major pre-internet writer assistance companies, such as The Writers Studio , added online courses and instruction, and the early internet-based companies from the 1990s, such as Writers.com (a pioneer in the internet field), steadily expanded their offerings. New enterprises are springing up on a regular basis, including the writer collectives.

A Writing Room is one of the fastest growing of the writer collectives, and its suite of services illustrate the how the field is evolving.

A Writing Room has its roots in the writing classes that novelist Anne Lamott had been teaching for some years, and her interest by the early 2020s in creating a larger on-going community of writers. Lamott connected with a team of four entrepreneurs who had experience with previous start-ups and expertise in online tools. In early 2023 they set out to develop A Writing Room.

Novelist Anne Lamott, one of the partners in A Writing Room.

A Writing Room launched in June 2023, and followed a few months later with an inaugural writers retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Though hastily arranged, the retreat attracted more than 400 in person attendees and over 1600 attendees online. In the first half of 2024, the company set up a membership structure of monthly and annual memberships. Within months, over 550 writers had joined.

The products that members can access are aimed in part at teaching the craft of writing. In a recent author discussion (with close to 400 participants joining online) Lamott discussed the craft of writing with novelist Donna Levin . Both started publishing in the 1980s. They noted how much publishing and the role of the writer have changed, but emphasized the fundamentals that have remained over their forty years, related to craft and the responsibility of the writer: the daily commitment, the careful development of plot and characters, the numerous rewrites (as many as you think you need, and one more).

A Writing Room offers a series of on-demand courses, online discussions with authors and publishing professionals, and daily writing prompts, built around writing as craft. It further offers instruction on the paths to and options for publication, building a following of readers.

At its center, A Writing Room is about being part of a community of writers, giving and receiving regular feedback from other members, as well as feedback from writing mentors and coaches. In an interview earlier this year, Lamott explained:

The great myth about writing is that it's an entirely solitary activity. This really isn't true. Every book I've ever written has been with a lot of help from my community. I wouldn't be the writer I am today — and wouldn't even want to write — without people to share the process and finished work. Writing is a process, but it doesn't have to (and really shouldn't be) done in total isolation.

The writing process can feel overwhelming. It often does for me. Believe me, a trusted writing friend is a secret to life.

Other emerging writing collectives also emphasize community and cooperation. Levin underscored this point in the recent online discussion: “Writing can be such an isolated activity, and to some extent needs to be. You want to seek out a community that can give you the support you need and also the honest feedback.”

How the New Marketplace Is Evolving And Jobs Created

The founders of A Writing Room know that the marketplace for writer assistance is fast changing, and they need to be quick to adapt to increased competition. Already, several developments are driving change in the field:

· The entrance of major online education companies (i.e. Masters Class , Coursera, Udemy ).

· Faculty recruitment of writers with built-in audiences of sizable twitter and other social media followings.

· Partnerships with the major publishers and agencies, who hold out the promise of publication to participants of the classes, retreats and collectives.

· Specializations by race and ethnicity, gender, geography and genre.

· Market segmentation, and attention to higher income consumers.

A number of these developments reflect the changes in the broader publishing world and are likely to continue. Overall, the marketplace itself will be expanding, as publishing technology advances, along with discretionary income.

The jobs being generated by this new marketplace are a mix of tech, administrative, and writing coach positions. At A Writing Room, recent hires include a community liaison, video editor, customer support, and a “beta reader” providing feedback to writers on their drafts. The hiring process is sweeping up into jobs not only workers who have been in the regular economy, but also residents of America’s bohemia: writers and artists who previously were outside of (and often scornful of) the market system. What can be better than that.

In his 2023 book, The Novel, Who Needs It , Joseph Epstein, former editor of American Scholar , offers a paean to fiction as above all other intellectual endeavors that seek to understand human behavior. But what he says of fiction is true of other writing (memoir, history, even forms of self-help) that arouses the mind.

Yes, there are way too many books published each year, and yes only a very small percentage of writers will earn any significant income from their writing. But who knows what individual book will succeed commercially or critically, or add to our shared knowledge or wisdom. And really, why not encourage the craft of writing. How much does America benefit from most of the paper-pushing, meetings and e-mails that now pass for work in our economy of affluence.

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Top 5 PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Templates to Download (with Writing Tips)

Are you looking for an easy way to track employee hours? A timesheet template can be the perfect solution.

With a suitable template, you can easily customize it to fit your company’s needs and make tracking employee hours a breeze.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 PDF free printable weekly timesheet templates. You can download and use it immediately.

Get ready to start tracking employee hours the easy way!

Best 5 Free PDF Printable Weekly Timesheet Templates

How can we make a printable weekly timesheet pdf template? Don't worry! These templates are free and easy to use!

Here are some templates given below:

1. Weekly Learning Schedule

A Weekly Learning Schedule template is a free PDF, free printable weekly timesheet template that helps you plan your study and learning time. It's perfect for students of all ages who need help organizing their schoolwork and managing their time effectively.

Template Highlights:

With this template, you can create a weekly schedule with specific tasks and deadlines to keep you on track.

You can customize the template to fit your unique learning needs, adding extra time for subjects needing more attention.

Color-coded for easy organization and tracking.

Sections for daily goals, class schedule, assignments, and notes.

Time slots are available for each day of the week.

It provides a clear overview of your weekly workload and helps you prioritize tasks.

Download Steps:

Install the WPS Office software on your PC.

Click on " PDF " in the top menu.

Click on " Templates . "

Click on " PDF. "

Search for " Weekly Learning Schedule " in the search bar.

Click " Download " to save the template to your computer.

2. Blank Weekly Calendar

Are you looking for a template that allows you to fill in your schedule? Look no further than the Blank Weekly Calendar PDF Free Printable Monthly Timesheet Template! Whether you're a student looking to plan your study schedule or a busy professional trying to balance work and personal commitments, the Blank Weekly Calendar is a great option.

Download it for free from the WPS Template Store today, and start organizing your time more efficiently!

Here are some of the highlights:

The customizable design lets you fill in your schedule, tasks, and priorities for the week ahead.

Plenty of space for notes and reminders.

It Includes days of the week, dates, and space for a week's beginning and ending dates.

Free and printable for your convenience.

3. Weekly Study Schedule

A Weekly Study Schedule is an effective way to plan and organize your study time. With this PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template, you can easily create a schedule that suits your study needs.

This template makes it easy to organize your study time effectively, so you can maximize your productivity and achieve your academic goals.

With this template, you can plan your study sessions for the week, ensuring you cover all the material you need for your classes.

Setting and sticking to a study schedule will make you less likely to procrastinate or fall behind on your coursework.

This template is fully printable and customizable, so you can make changes as needed to ensure it meets your study needs.

With simple formatting and easy-to-use fields, you won't have to spend much time learning how to use this template.

This PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template is found at the WPS Template store. It's an excellent resource for students wanting to stay organized and on track.

4. Weekly Timesheet Calculator

This PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template is perfect for keeping track of your work hours. With the Weekly Timesheet Calculator, you can easily calculate your total hours worked, overtime hours, and your gross pay. This template is essential for anyone who needs to keep track of their working hours and ensure they are paid correctly.

Download the PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template and input your hours worked. The Weekly Timesheet Calculator does the rest! It’s an easy way to avoid any discrepancies and ensures you are fairly compensated for your hard work.

Free and Printable

User-friendly interface

Available in different formats

Provides total weekly hours worked and overtime hours

Easy calculation of gross pay

Customizable for personal use

Available in the WPS Template store

5. Creative Weekly Timesheet

This template is perfect for those who want to add creativity to their timesheets. It includes a section for your name, a week-ending date, and a space to draw or write something to express your mood for the week.

To use this template, add your name and the week-ending date. Then, use the mood board section to draw or write something representing your mood for the week. This can be a picture, a word, or even a simple smiley face.

The rest of the template is designed to track your work hours, with space to note the task and the time spent on each. You can also add notes and comments about each task to keep track of your progress and any challenges you faced during the week.

Simple and easy to use

Has space for notes and comments

It comes with a mood board section

Printable and editable

Perfect for individuals who enjoy adding a touch of creativity to their work

Key Elements for A PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template

A PDF-free printable weekly timesheet template is essential for tracking employee hours and ensuring timely payment.

Here are some key elements to include when creating a timesheet template:

Employee information should include the employee's name, job title, and number.

Time tracking section: This section should include columns for the date, start time, end time, total hours worked, and any overtime.

Approval section: This section should have space for the employee's signature and the manager's approval.

Fields to consider adding to your timesheet template include:

Pay period: Include the start and end dates of the pay period.

Department: This field will be helpful in large companies with multiple departments.

Tasks: It's a good idea to include a field for employees to write down the tasks they completed during the day.

Breaks: Include fields for breaks taken during the workday.

PTO: If your company offers paid time off, include a field for PTO hours taken.

Creating a PDF-free printable weekly timesheet template can save time and improve accuracy in tracking employee hours. Ensure to include all necessary fields and sections, so the timesheet can effectively serve its purpose.

How to Write A PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template?

To begin, let's acquire a suitable timesheet template. Follow these steps:

Search for " free weekly timesheet template " on a reliable search engine.

Visit a reputable website that offers downloadable templates, such as WPS Office.

Browse the available options and select the template that aligns with your requirements.

Choose the PDF format for easy printing and compatibility across various devices.

Download the template to your computer.

Writing with WPS Office

Once you have the template, let's proceed with writing your weekly timesheet using WPS Office:

Open WPS Office on your device and locate the downloaded template.

Select the "Open" option and navigate to where you saved the timesheet template.

Click on the template file to open it within the WPS Office program.

Review the pre-designed sections, including employee details, date range, and hours breakdown.

Enter your personal information, including your name, employee ID, and department.

Fill in the date range for the week you are recording, ensuring it accurately covers the seven days.

Input the daily hours, distinguishing between regular working hours, overtime, and breaks.

Be mindful of any specific formatting instructions provided in the template guidelines.

If necessary, add any remarks or notes related to your work activities or any particular events.

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FAQs About PDF Free Printable Weekly Timesheet Template

Q1: is there a weekly timesheet app with free pdf templates.

Yes! Many apps offer weekly timesheet templates, but not all are free. However, WPS Office is an excellent option because it allows you to open and fill out the templates for free. It is easy to use, and you can customize your timesheet to fit your needs. Give it a try and see how it works for you!

Q2: What is the best format for writing a weekly timesheet?

When writing a weekly timesheet, the best format is the easiest for you to use. Some prefer Excel or Google Sheets, while others prefer PDF templates. I recommend using PDF format because it is easy to open and fill using free software like WPS Office. Plus, PDFs look more professional than other formats.

Q3: How do I make a weekly time sheet?

If you need to make a weekly timesheet, you can do it with a program like WPS Office. Here are some easy steps to follow:

Open WPS Office on your computer.

Click on " New " and select " Spreadsheet. "

Label the columns with days of the week and rows with hours.

Add up the hours worked each day and week.

Format the sheet so it's easy to read.

Please save the file and print it out.

It's that simple! Now you can track your time and ensure you get paid correctly.

A Full-Featured PDF Solution - WPS Office

Have you ever needed to create a PDF but didn't know how? Well, don't worry because WPS Office has got you covered!

WPS Office is an all-in-one software that includes Writer, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and a PDF Toolkit. This toolkit allows you to easily create, edit, and convert PDF files to other formats.

So, whether you need to create a PDF for work, school, or personal use, WPS Office is the perfect solution. With its user-friendly interface and wide range of features, creating a PDF has always been challenging.

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