The word 'Creative writing' seems so intellectual and hi-brow, that it conjures up images of a writer with pipe in mouth, sitting at a desk cluttered with paper, with ideas flowing out of his mind seeking to be captured on paper. So to be a creative writer I thought a person has to be 'creative', something a person is, or is not by virtue of what nature has endowed him/her with at birth. At least that was my image of a creative writer.
So it came as a surprise that there were classes for 'creative writing', meaning that creative writing could be learnt and was not a spontaneous outflow of one's creative juices (whatever that is supposed to be). Since then I have 'heard' successful writers say that (creative) writing is not all that easy, where 'wanting to write' is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for success. It requires effort, method and perseverance. I was disillusioned (effort, method and perseverance are traits that I lack in abundance - is that even a right phrase?).
I am interested in writing in general, and in creative writing in particular. So I decided to look-up some definitions of creative writing, a couple of which I reproduce below:
The rather staid Wikipedia says in its dry academic manner: Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic and technical forms of literature. Not a particularly creative definition, seems dead. :(
Here is another definition that attempts to be a little more lively with a liberal sprinkling of adjectives: I would regard (or define) creative writing as "fully using a person's inherent 'creativity' through the amazing power of the creative imagination (subconscious mind) in putting words to paper to tell a tale, or attempting to get a message or moral through to one's readers."
Going by the above definitions, I can see quite a LARGE number of creative writers on board at MS; I hope you share your gyan with us.
You can read more about creative writing at the above 2 links. The above 2 are not probably the best sources for creative writing, but they were the ones that came up first on my google search. You could google for better resources.
A couple of additional links related to creative writing that I found interesting:
Fridas Creative writing classes: I have a personal bond here, because I had enrolled for this. This was a 8-week program, but after 4-weeks Frida disappeared without a trace. Whatever little creative writing that I do, I learnt at her feet.
Creative WritingPrompts: Has a collection of 329 exercises for budding / aspiring writers to exercise their skills.
Edited and added later: Many have asked the question - what is creative writing, can you show an example? Well here on our very own MS there are several eminent creative writers - all their work would qualify as creative. But recently I read a DP of Vishal, which I would say is a classic.
See: https://mouthshut.com/diary/ciaiuntum/Choose-Your-Life
Cheers.
OT
PS: This post was at the instance of Subha's remark in the comment section of her post - MSonal Overdrive.
PS2: Attempting to give 2 of the links again. I get paranoid, when these things (disappearing links and random formatting) happen and start believing in the Conspiracy theory. :(
