Creative Writing

Want to improve your fiction writing? The internet has information about each aspect of creative writing. Learn how to develop characters and plots by following the links below.

 Show, Don’t Tell  Learn to create a picture in your reader’s mind by using active verbs and vivid adjectives. These worksheets provide examples and give students the opportunity to practice this writing technique. 

Story Arc  Discover the eight points of a classic plot. It goes through the first stage of “everyday life” to the quest and brings the reader back to the resolution.                                    

Dialogue    Find out how written conversation differs from everyday speech. Use it to move your story forward and let people get to know your characters better.    

Foreshadowing   Author’s Craft provides a definition and examples of this writing skill. Learn how to indicate what will happen later in your story.

Pacing   Fiction Writers’ Mentor shares how to speed up or slow down the speed of your story. It discusses how to find the right balance of pacing in your work.

Setting   Author’s Craft explains the definition of a setting and explains how to creat them. It provides examples of settings created by giving details of a historical era or event, the inside of a room, the weather and descriptions woven into action.

Metaphors, Similes  Use comparisons to help your readers visualize what you write. Create a mood by sharing what reminds you of a character or event.

Character Development  Interview your characters to help understand them better. Have fun making up your own questions or use the ones suggested here.

Theme   Fiction Writers’ Mentor explains the deep meaning of a story’s theme. The meaning asks questions about the human condition.

Symbolism   Explains the different types of symbolism used in literature. It involves using an object or word to represent an abstract idea.

Flashbacks  These are scenes from different time periods or locations. The author may write about the protagonist’s childhood or scenes from other countries that took place before the story began.

Conflict   Fiction Writers’ Mentor explains the role of conflict in fiction.

Tips from Writer’s Digest  Browse through this diverse compilation of writing tips. Work on any aspect of writing from developing your supporting characters to editing and proofreading.