Creative writing essays tends to be an indispensable part of our lives. It aims to develop students’ writing and imaginative skills and prepare them for getting more complicated academic assignments. Such papers are somewhat less demanding than, let’s say, a research paper or coursework. But, be it as it may, you can’t underestimate its significance.
What Is a Creative Essay?
In plain English, a creative essay is an assignment where you have to explain something, be it an event, period, or situation that has happened to you. While working on this task, you have to focus on a setting, characters, and, most importantly, your emotional state. A creative piece falls into the category of narrative essays. It enables undergraduates to self-express and flexes the imaginative parts of their brains.
Many people consider creative tasks simple and easy-to-complete because they don’t have to be backed up with reliable literature. Therefore, one doesn’t have to carry out thorough research to complete an assignment. Still, you have to put lots of effort into finishing the task, as it requires a deep understanding of the topic and the ability to describe specific aspects precisely.
Structure of a Creative Text
When it comes to the paper’s structure, it is very much the same as an argumentative essay. Usually, creative essays are not extensive, and their standard word count is 500 words. The essay format is:
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
Assume that you have to compose a two-page essay; your every paragraph has to have 100 words. Creative assignments give you the freedom of choice, meaning you are the one who chooses the topic.
However, this approach may sometimes lead to a dilemma. You might get stuck and even ask a question, “What is the best subject to write about?” Professors can be of great assistance, helping you realize what you want to describe. Or they can narrow down the topics and help you decide on a subject. We will delve into these aspects below, so make sure to read on to learn how to write a creative essay as a whole.
How to Write a Creative Essay: Pre-writing Steps
No matter what essay you have to complete, pre-writing steps are a great way to organize your thoughts. They help you follow the right strategy and ensure keeping only the most crucial information. Before working on the essay, take a look at these steps:
- Analyze the topic
A particular moment that you are describing occurred to you some time ago and is memorable and evokes only the most gratifying feelings. However, make sure that you can describe it. If you put your thoughts in the piece and only get a couple of sentences, meaning you draw a blank, then try to think of another subject. - Plan the essay
Five common questions assist you with composing a creative task. They are what, when, where, who, how. - Jot down ideas
It is an excellent idea to note every crucial point before constructing an essay. Not only will it help you improve your style, but also it will accelerate the writing process. - Write the outline quickly
By quickly, we mean without paying attention to possible mistakes. Many essay techniques aim to focus on writing, not editing. You don’t have to try your hardest to write an outline and the entire essay fast. Take your time and think about smooth transitions, eloquent adjectives, and proper structures.
How to Write a Creative Essay: Structure
As we have already mentioned, a widely agreed structure is an introduction, body, and conclusion. Since the creative assignment gives you the freedom of choice, you can select the topic you’ll write about. Therefore, the title also has to be created.
Title
The title can be looked at as the doors to the apartment. Let’s face it, old and displeasing doors will not attract the visitors. That is why you have to make the title appealing:
- Sum up the story in several words No matter what you write about, you can think of a short phrase that will reference the entire work.
- Adjust it to the reader That is, if your audience consists of colleagues, make sure the title is understandable to them.
- Include impressions For instance, if you happen to write about an event, you can say, “The evening that changed my life.”
Introduction
The introduction is your chance to spark the reader’s attention. It usually has the opening sentence, background information, and a thesis statement. An opening sentence, also known as an attention-getter, requires creative ways to start an essay. Such ways can be:
- Quote
By beginning with a quote, you entice the reader and unconsciously make them think that your topic is connected with a phrase said by a famous person. This technique tends to be the safest. - Reveal a common misconception
This is a perfect trigger that will get your readers hooked in a couple of seconds. - Statistics
Numbers are great, and you can prove that you have done thorough research by mentioning specific data. - Anecdote
We hear different jokes every single day. A good straight-to-the-point anecdote can be the driving factor for a standing ovation from the audience.
Body
The body’s primary aim is to develop the points stated in the thesis statement. A 500-word essay usually has three body paragraphs. Each of them consists of the topic sentence, main body, and conclusion with a transition phrase. The latter can be words, such as however, finally, moreover, additionally, furthermore, etc.
Conclusion
Oddly enough, a conclusion is the biggest pitfall students face when completing essays. The same as with the mentioned sections, it has three sub-sections, where you have to:
- Restate your thesis;
- Wrap up the most crucial points stated within body paragraphs;
- And emphasize the topic’s importance.
Also, you can think of a cliffhanger technique that leaves the ending open and pours gasoline on the fire. The reader ends up having clouds of suspense, which is the strategy’s primary purpose. These creative ways to write a paper allow you to compose a fantastic piece that will surely get an unheard-of success.
Good Creative Writing Topics
Choosing a topic may be time-consuming. It doesn’t solely depend on your writing abilities. If you face difficulties with coming up with the essay’s topic, check the list below:
- Describe your first paid job.
- Seven years from now, I will be…
- Describe the life of your favorite writer.
- Write about your biggest goal.
- Write about your biggest fear.
- What is your dream vacation?
- Write about your perfect day.
- How would you spend the day with your favorite actor?
- Your life priorities and why they are important to you.
- What book evoked the most intense feelings?
Becoming aware of the mentioned tips and structure, you will know how to write a creative essay promptly. The most critical thing is not to rush. Writing is not something that can be inherited. Practice makes perfect, and it may take time to perfect your skills. If you have questions regarding this essay type or want to improve your writing, you can reach out to us. Our qualified writers are ready to provide you with the necessary information and guidelines!
