Powerful Creative Writing Exercises From Famous Authors
Writing is an art that requires a lot of work to perfect. Most great writers spend a lifetime becoming what they are. These authors will develop hundreds of poor content copies that are average before they get good. Out of many attempts, only a few writings stand out.
Although there may be good and bad times, many famous authors end up forming a reliable process for creating content. If you are aspiring to write, the exercises presented in this article will boost your creativity.
Improving Observation Skills
Ernest Hemingway is known for having excellent observation skills. These attributes are evident in his writings. As such, the exercise is done in 3 stages, which are observation, reflection, and writing.
In the observation stage, you will want to observe your surroundings. You should take note of:
- The environment
- The temperature
- The lighting
- Other people.
Next, you will want to remember the emotion you felt when observing each aspect of your surroundings. Your ability to connect with each occurrence will come in handy at the last stage. Finally, you will want to write down everything you observed and felt during the first stage. Performing the Hemingway exercise will significantly enhance your writing skills.
As a student, you should definitely try this exercise. If you need to write a paper on Ernest Hemingway or any author or famous figure, you can do your own research or get paper writing help. If you choose the latter option, you will have access to some of the best writers in the professional writing industry.
Developing Vivid Descriptions
Clive Lewis is an author with an exceptional ability to develop vivid descriptions. He highlighted five golden rules of writing. In particular, this famous writer presented the importance of not using adjectives that dictate to a reader what they are supposed to feel. Instead, each scene should be described using words that will help the audience form their own opinion about what they are reading.Â
For example, if you describe a scene in which people are fearful, you should not use words like fearful. In its place, you will want to describe in detail what makes a particular situation scary. Doing this lets a reader draw their conclusion independently. It also makes for more engaging content. Therefore, this exercise encourages writers to work with fewer adjectives and compose more vivid descriptions.
Creating Setting
Over the years, Damon Knight developed some of the best settings in his books. His approach is applicable in both fiction and nonfiction publications. It helps create an excellent setting and sets the mood for what is to come. The primary aim is to draw in audiences and take them on a journey.
Damon achieves this by encouraging writers to practice viewing the world through the eyes of a character. To achieve this, you should imagine yourself as a character and step into their shoes. Once you take up the role, you will want to describe the environment as the characters may see it. With time, this exercise should improve your writing skills. It also enhances your ability to develop different characters.
Producing Powerful and Simple Sentences
Nothing catches the attention of readers like reading simple yet powerful sentences. If you want to learn how to do this, Jack Hart has just the process for this. Mr. Hart encourages writers to drop all words that do not advance their stories. In general, not using empty words improves writing. To achieve this, you will want to practice on one of your drafts. Examine each sentence to eliminate words that do not add value to the content. In most cases, you may end up removing several prepositions that just take up space.
Conclusion
Many famous writers have presented exercises that make for powerful creative writing. These practices enhance observation, description, setting development, and ease of reading for readers. Try the exercises we outlined and see the positive change in your writing ability.
About the Author
Charlotte Banks is an experienced author and writer. She helps people who are looking to become writers. Similarly, she loves reading and traveling.