Creative writing syllabus

If you intend starting creative writing courses then first thing you need to do is to put together a working syllabus, which will contain all topics you intend covering. The difference between the lesson plans and the syllabus is that the former consists of methodology of teaching a topic, whilst the latter is the topics that will be taught.

Given here is an exhaustive creative writing syllabus to which topics can be added, or subtracted from. A general creative writing syllabus, as given below:

• Introduction to creative writing, explaining the various genres of writing
• Going through sample writings of each genre
• Grammar basics and advance
• The types of narratives
• The types of writing - narrative or expository
• Paragraph writing
• Essay writing - first preparing the skeleton or outline and then going into the content
• Creating character sketches
• Vocabulary building
• Conceptualizing ideas and topics
• Expanding ideas and topics
• Writing a fable using only animals; giving them a voice and thought process. No human beings
• Writing poetry - nature, ballads, sonnets, love poems, etc.
• Writing prose
• Writing a short story
• Creative writing exercises to enhance the creative ability with creative writing prompts
• Dialogue writing
• Recounting incidents
• Writer's journals

The creative writing syllabus can differ from the above depending on the focus of the course. For instance, if it is a workshop to teach any one genre of writing, lets say essay writing then the course syllabus can be condensed to consist of only relative topics.

Creative writing tips

Whether you are the beginner stage of creative writing or an expert in the field, every creative professional does tend to hit a rod block at some given point because of which they feel they are unable to move ahead. And the result being, either they scrap the entire project or give it mediocre continuation till conclusion. But this is not the way it should be done. Basically writing blocks occur because of lack of planning.

Creative writing requires discipline, and if you follow the tips then you will not face massive blocks but speed breakers that will give you an opportunity to improvise. Experts in the field of creative writing have written volumes on developing creative writing skills, giving innumerable tips in their own style.

Given here are some basic creative writing tips that can be used from the zero level of conceptualizing an idea to the final submission…

• Think of an idea that is out of the ordinary you know only a few are aware about and many would want to know
• Prepare a checklist of all that you require to see the writing assignment through till the final full stop. This could include the research material, the people you wish to meet and interview to develop the characters
• Prepare a skeleton for the assignment. This would consist of a complete paragraph-wise breakdown of the assignment. A basic skeleton worksheet would require:
             - The plot
             - Introduction - A sentence on the theme of introduction
             - Paragraph breakdown - For each paragraph mention what you intend saying
             - Conclusion - A sentence on the concluding paragraph
             - Character list - this would also contain a description of each character -               physical, mental, emotional - so that through the narrative you do not lose               track of any of them
             - Incident list - what incidents are you incorporating through the writing
             - Narrative format - First person, second person or third person
             - Expected word count target
• Begin writing the first draft
• After completing the first draft keep the work aside for a day or so and then review it. You may want to add something or then delete something.
• Keep the second draft aside for a day
• Final improvisation which will produce the third and final draft
• Send it is with a cover letter to the publisher/editor, along with the skeleton.

The reason why one needs to keep their work aside prior to every revision is because it gives the writer an opportunity to review the work with an open and fresh mind, making required improvisations.

Creative writing topics

 

What is creativity? Creativity is all about gang through the process of bringing about an idea and taking it to its conclusion in an artistic format. And when referring to creative writing it is about idea to conclusion, to inform or entertain the reader. In fact, readers are enticed into reading books only when they feel that the writer can actually carry them through the tale. This means that the writer makes the reader a part of his own imagination.

When practicing to be a good writer the idea is to conceive creative writing topics that are out of the ordinary. In fact anything to be given the stature of being creative, is something that comes of the normal realm into something beyond normal thinking. This is why probably Harry Potter attained the fame it did. The author managed to take everyone of her readers into a fantastical world.

Given here are some creative writing topics on which you could write a short story, a fable, poem, prose, an essay, a short novel, et al. Apart from these topics you can create any other that seems out of the basket, rather than the time tested usual ones.

The topic:

• Aladdin's magic lamp falls into a Politician's lap
• God takes the form of a film star
• A film star-turned-artist
• If the sun does not set
• A clash between the sun and the moon
• World War III begin in a classroom
• Bitter gourd is good for health
• The green chilly is king of all vegetables
• A giant visits the city
• Autobiography of a newspaper
• Autobiography of a taxi
• Autobiography of a new born baby
• Adopting a puppy
• The beginning of human existence
• Truth can get you in trouble
• Life of a mobile phone
• Tragedy of a finger nail
• An angel visits
• If you were reborn
• Reincarnation of a tiger
• Life of a snake

These are some topics that would definitely require you to indulge in mental acrobats to create something reader-friendly and entertaining.