Q&A for How to Write Creatively

Break down your goals into daily or hourly milestones. If you feel stressed or like you don't have enough time to write, that's going to knock your confidence, and it will be hard to write. I like to set goals for how many words I have to write each day, and I base it on when my deadline is. I also underestimate that goal, so if I write more than my goal, it boosts my confidence. However, some people feel less confident if they have a deadline, so you have to find what works for you.

Think of the times you have felt most hopeless. Now take the reasons for your hopelessness, and shape them into a society. Maybe you felt lonely. Great. Now, what would a society structured on loneliness look like? Start with the physical dystopia, the setting. Imagine what it would look like, and then think about the people who live there. Then, with the setting and characters established, try to think of a specific conflict for your characters to face to get your plot started.

It depends on the work of fiction. Do you need to scientifically back up everything that is in your science fiction novel? No, not if you don't want to. It's okay for some questions to go unanswered. But if you want to write a relatable story, one that is realistic fiction, you should always do your research. For example, don't write a blind character if you know nothing about being blind.

First, decide on your literary themes. Then think of ways to best show these theme/s through an action or experience of one of your characters. For example, if you want to weave in an emotional theme, like hope, have something traumatic happen to your character, leaving her with only the feeble strands of hope. This is weaving themes in through your character's experiences. If you want a theme of bravery, have a character who is afraid of something, but he learns to face his fears. In that example, you are weaving themes in through your characters actions and choices.