Random Writing Tool- Constructive Creativity

"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write". - Stephen King

I firmly believe this is true.

~*~

Before I start, I'm not for a minute suggesting that the tool in this blog would work for everyone, nor that most will give a toss either way. However I have benefited greatly from this over the years and have been debating sharing it for a very long time. Being involved in a writing community again has sparked a creativity in me that I thought had withered and died. I have a great deal of respect for the talent here and appreciate the support and encouragement I've had since being a member of this site (you know who you are and thank you). I've debated even making this public because what the hell do I know about stuff? Besides having a short story published years ago, the most I've done writing wise outside of RP is a screenplay, which is very different. Plus there is the element of condescension and snobbery that goes hand in hand with imparting personal opinion or knowledge on a subject surrounded by peers. The apparent assumption that people don't already have their own preferred ways of constructing their work. I assure you, I intend no such cheek.

Also, the creative process is not one that can be described or inferred, the reasons for which are infinite. Everyone's creative process is different and in truth, nobody really knows in which ever-developing depth of their brain an idea was conceived. So for me to sit here and type about the 'ideas process' would frankly be bullshit. Which is why I have decided to solely include one practical element. Again, I have toyed with the notion of putting this out there, for all of the above reasons and more.

But then I thought, 'fuck it'. The most important lesson I've learned after almost a decade of insecurity and self-deprecation is: no piece of work is ever really finished. You are always growing, learning and developing. There is always room for improvement. I've had many a conversation with my writing partner on this subject. She, who for the sake of this blog I'll name 'Dilkana', and I have discussed at length the entirely unnecessary and yet seemingly unstoppable compulsion to judge and compare oneself to other writers you find yourself in the company of. Even, at times, each other. My point being, that even seasoned writers, published authors and neophytes alike will have experienced the same emotions we have all suffered. This isn't meant to remove any of the enjoyment of writing, it is merely a way of developing fun ideas into something substantial. I've been utilizing these things as creative tools for years, so if even one person can glean something from this blog then it's not been completely pointless.

Anyway, I'm rambling. As per.

When I was nineteen, I read Jean-Paul Sartre's 1938 novel, 'Nausea' and became fascinated by The Autodidact. Among other things, this particular character passed his time by reading every single book in his local library in alphabetical order. Having made the personal decision to not go to University at that time in favour of pursuing an acting career, self development and mental acquisitiveness became intrinsic elements of my everyday life; the Autodidact proving the catalyst to what would eventually mature into a love for creating as well as performing.

The first thing I did was make an alphabetised list of authors I wasn't yet overly familiar with and from Austen to Zola, read one hundred pages a day until I had completed the exercise. I have since used this process for a myriad of tasks whilst creating. From mapping the structure of a piece to exposing the allegory within a story arc. The specific words will vary depending on its intended use, as will the need for certain letters to be used, however the modus remains the same.

Eg.

Allegory
B
Convention
Denotation/Dramatic Irony
Exposition
Foreshadowing
G
Hyperbole
Imagery
J
K
Language {both Literal and descriptive}
Metonymy/Motif
Narrative
Onomatopoeia
Plot/Protagonist/POV
Q
Round Characters
Synecdoche/Syntax
Tone
U
V
Writing Style
X
Y
Z


Most notably for me, is the method which has mutated from a simple A-Z concept, to an amalgamation of this and Freytag's Pyramid.


Image source: Kaede4/Wikimedia Commons

Though the pyramid method is pretty basic in structure for story telling - The "dramatic arc," as it is known, comprising of five parts: exposition (inciting incident), rising action, climax, falling action (resolution), and dénouement, it is the basis upon which most works of fiction are moulded. The wiggle room/fun part here is where your own imagination and creative ideas inject life into the format. My version of the 'pyramid' looks like an explosion in an Alphabetti Spaghetti factory. Yet it follows the same principals.

~*~

On another note, invaluable lesson 2: Do not be motivated by the approval of others.

The amount of times I have seen this and witnessed people convince themselves they aren't good enough, purely based on the lack of praise and acknowledgement they believe they need. Or compose solely with the intention of pleasing others or gaining notoriety. You are not validated by others' opinion of you, in writing or in life. I have seen this play out at both ends of the spectrum. Insecurities manifest as either 'gonna go hide in a hole' or 'LOOK AT ME I'M AMAZING-if you disagree with me I'll have a tantrum-SHIT FAM I'M THE BEST EVERYONE WORSHIP ME'. It's nothing short of tragic to see either of these unfold and anything that falls in between. I inevitably toppled head first into the 'hide in a hole' category with 'I'm an inadequate piece of shit' hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top. Spending two years not writing more than a holiday or birthday card, in turn had a detrimental effect on my creative muses. Being overly sensitive held me back from many things and as hard as it was to let go, it was ultimately the best thing I could have done for myself. We are all held hostage by our insecurities at times and nobody is the exception to the rule, but believe me, not giving a fuck is beyond liberating.

People who are there to give you honest and constructive criticism will do so graciously. The differences between this, coming from someone who cares, and a random troll who just isn't into what you've created are vastly different. Which brings me to my next point: Not everyone will appreciate your work.

It's just a fact. Folks either enjoy what I write or they don't. They're respectful or they're not. They acknowledge or they don't. They either provide constructive feedback or just tell me it's shit. Anyone doing the latter is going to be a literary genius I respect dearly and therefore give a wank about their opinion. Obviously. It doesn't define you and it's nothing you can't bounce back from.

I don't have any formal or recognised education regarding creative writing, and even if I did nothing would truly make me qualified to advise. Creativity is very much a personal activity, and whether you are writing for yourself or for public consumption, the principles should be the same. I will however encourage everyone to make their own list of authors and attempt to complete that list. You will be genuinely grateful to yourself that you did.

I also don't and will not make a habit of posting about this kind of thing, but I feel it's important to voice a constructive opinion, or what I hope is constructive, in order to maintain a healthy respect for what I believe in. In this case, it's creativity and not letting some clumsy philistine hinder your passion for the things you love. There are far more supportive and genuine writers on this platform than there are the aforementioned bellends, so crack on and don't let the fuckers grind you down.

~*~