Do Writers need Creative Writing Exercises?
You won’t be surprised that I am going to say yes to that question as I’ve just produced a book of 30 exercises, BACK TO CREATIVE WRITING SCHOOL, but what do they do and what are they meant to do?
Kate Mosse, bestselling author of Labyrinth, says that writers ought to practice writing in much the same ways as musicians practice the scales and she is not alone in suggesting that if we are serious about writing we should treat it like a job of work, writing even when we haven’t got a story idea scratching at the inside of our skulls demanding to be written.
We should write when we don’t feel like it. Write when we haven’t got time. Write when we don’t know what to write about and it is here that creative writing exercises can become part of a regular routine.
Not all exercises are equal though and I discuss what the best can achieve if it is the right day and the right exercise over on Janice Hardy’s blog The Other Side of the Story
Do have a look and while you are there roam around. Janice’s blog is a treasure of useful information and advice for emerging writers. She lives in Georgia, USA writes fantasy and science fiction for teens and is published by HarperCollins. A great teacher of writing, the aim of her blog is to:
offer ways to build a solid foundation for your writing. To provide tips and advice you can take right from these posts and apply directly to your work in progress. I won’t just say you need to show, not tell — I’ll give you tips on how to do that.
Can’t recommend it highly enough for any fiction writers.
photo credit: chrisjohnbeckett via photopin cc
2 comments on “Do Writers need Creative Writing Exercises?”
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BACK TO CREATIVE WRITING SCHOOL — 120+ reviews on Amazon and over 75% gave it five stars
A Good Confession
"Unputdownable" Miriam Stoppard
I totally agree. I always enjoy exercises and find them stimulating. A good deal of my work has started as an exercise.
So glad you agree, It doesn’t happen all the time but an exercise can ignite ideas, spark stories and even when they don’t…writing is better than not writing. (Having said that, there are certain types of exercises i actively dislike – I mention those on the guest post at The Other Side of the Story)