The Art Of Creative Writing

1. Craft Believable Characters: The Cornerstone of Enduring Writing

Every type of creative writing depends upon the credibility of a character.

Three-Dimensionality. The foundation of all compelling creative writing lies in the believability of its characters. Writers must understand the nuances of human behavior to create characters that resonate with readers. This involves crafting characters that are not simply one-dimensional stereotypes but complex individuals with depth and contradictions.

Humanity in Characters. Men are essentially the same, differing only in degrees. Capturing this chameleon-like creature requires understanding that real human beings, like you and me, are contradictory. We vacillate, sometimes alike and sometimes worlds apart.

Character Complexity. Great character portraits are written with the detachment of a dedicated scientist, determined to tell the truth, no matter who gets hurt. Only a corpse can exist without contradiction; living characters are defined by their struggles and complexities.

2. Originality in Writing: Beyond Novelty to Profound Characterization

Living, vibrating human beings are still the secret and magic formula of great and enduring writing.

Redefining Originality. True originality in writing isn't about creating entirely new plots or themes, but about breathing life into characters. It's about portraying them with such depth and authenticity that they resonate with readers across time.

Character-Driven Stories. Masterpieces like Tolstoy's "War and Peace" and de Maupassant's "The Necklace" endure not because of their extraordinary plots, but because of their unforgettable character portrayals. These characters are people we recognize, perhaps even see ourselves in.

The Secret Formula. The magic formula for great and enduring writing lies in the author's ability to deeply penetrate human character. It's about understanding their motivations, their contradictions, and their capacity for both good and evil.

3. Emotion as the Bridge: Reader Identification and Universal Feelings

Identification is emotion.

Creating Identification. Great stories make us recognize characters as real, flesh-and-blood human beings. The key is to make readers or viewers identify with the characters, imagining that what is happening to them could happen to them.

Universal Emotions. Identification is achieved through emotion. Universal emotions like love, hate, jealousy, fear, and greed are the touchstones that allow audiences to connect with characters, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.

Emotion and Suspense. Emotion without suspense is wasted energy. Suspense is built upon rising emotion, creating a sense of anticipation and investment in the character's fate.

4. The Driving Force: The Importance of Being Important

Importance is the first defense against insecurity.

The Desire for Significance. All writing, at its core, stems from the desire to be important. This motivation, second only to self-preservation, drives characters to act, even when well-fed and safe.

Understanding Human Action. Understanding the importance of being important helps us decipher the complex camouflage people use to conceal their insecurities. It reveals why individuals often contradict themselves and rationalize their actions.

Insecurity as Motivation. Insecurity is the basic law of existence, the source of all human emotions and actions, good or evil. It fuels progress and makes life possible. Importance, then, becomes the first line of defense against this pervasive insecurity.

5. Character Shaping: Vivisection of the Mind

The exploration of a character, past and present, can be a fascinating piece of writing.

Character Outlines. The exploration of a character, past and present, can be a fascinating piece of writing. The character outline, down on paper, can itself suggest a story or a play.

Building a Character's History. To create a believable character, writers must delve into their past, exploring their childhood experiences, relationships, and traumas. These formative events shape their present-day motivations and actions.

Contradictions and Flaws. Characters should not be perfect. Their flaws, contradictions, and vulnerabilities make them relatable and human. These imperfections create opportunities for conflict and growth.

6. Improvisation: Unleashing Creativity Through Unstructured Writing

In any type of writing characters must be interdependent.

Freedom in Writing. Improvisation allows writers to explore their characters and stories without the constraints of a rigid structure. It's a way to tap into the subconscious and discover unexpected twists and turns.

Character-Driven Exploration. Start with a character and let them lead the way. Ask questions, explore their motivations, and see where their actions take you. This can lead to surprising and original story ideas.

Interdependent Characters. Improvisation often reveals the importance of character interdependence. Characters should be orchestrated against each other, creating conflict and driving the story forward.

7. Character Contradiction: The Essence of Human Complexity

All human emotions and all actions, good or evil, without any exception, spring from this one eternal source.

The Illusion of Change. While people may appear to change, their fundamental nature often remains the same. Underneath the surface, their core desires and motivations persist.

The Dialectical Approach. To understand character, consider both the thesis (the accepted concept) and the antithesis (the opposing view). This dialectical approach reveals the complexities and contradictions within human beings.

Insecurity as the Constant. Insecurity is a driving force behind human behavior. It can manifest in various ways, from a desire for importance to a need for control. Understanding this underlying insecurity is key to understanding character.

8. Forging Unbreakable Bonds: Orchestration and Unity of Opposites

Without orchestration, the story or play will be colorless.

Creating Conflict. The right way to start any story is to engage your central character in conflict. A character, any character, even you or I, will in conflict reveal himself in the shortest possible time.

Orchestration of Opposites. Matching different kinds of people against one another is called orchestration. This is vitally important in good writing.

The Unbreakable Bond. There is rich material for a story if two militant and entirely different types of characters are bound together in an unbreakable union; and, as they struggle to break their bonds, they will naturally generate rising conflict in the process.

9. Idea Generation: Characters as the Source of Original Stories

Good writers look for “characters,” because ideas grow as freely from characters as apples from apple trees.

Character-First Approach. Instead of searching for story ideas, focus on creating compelling characters. Each character, with their unique traits and motivations, can generate a multitude of original stories.

Compulsive Traits. To create original stories, pick one individual with an outstanding trait from among their acquaintances. One alone can provide story material for a dozen series.

Unbreakable Bonds and Conflict. The people possessing these compulsive traits should be bound together with an unbreakable bond to their opposite. Now, if you can figure out how to break the unbreakable bond between them, the struggle for liberation will make your story or play.

10. Motivation: Unveiling the "Why" Behind Human Actions

Motivation, reduced to its simplest definition, means why.

The Driving Force. Motivation, reduced to its simplest definition, means why. Every action has a reason. Indeed, nothing ever happens on earth without motivation.

Understanding the "Why." As a writer, you must constantly ask yourself why a person or a character acts as he does. You must determine the motivation.

Environment and Physical Make-up. The sources of all motivations are the physical make-up of a person and his environment. His sensitivity or his brutality, his attitude toward himself and toward the world is shaped by the above-mentioned two sources.

Last updated: March 16, 2025