Humans can express themselves, their thoughts, ideas, and imaginations in many ways. Some express through dance, some music, some art, and some through writing.
Writing is creatively putting down your mind on paper. It is one of the most powerful tools known to humankind. It is rightly said, “Pen is mightier than a sword.”
It is through this gift to mankind that we have been able to preserve and carry forward all our historical scriptures from generation to generation in its absolute form.
Writing is a great form of giving back to society. By writing, we can give back a piece of knowledge we have imbibed academically or emotionally. An experienced mother writes down about her journey to motherhood. Years later another mother uses it as a reference for the troubles she is facing in motherhood. This is one small example of how writing can go a long way into giving back to society.
Creative writing as a form of writing encourages self-expression. We should not see creative writing only as an academic compulsion for children. Creative Writing encourages children to challenge themselves to explore unexplored territories of their own minds.
Some Advantages of Creative Writing
- Writing helps you in your cognitive growth as well as your emotional well-being.
- It brings about discipline and organization in your life. It also gives you a chance to introspect.
- According to psychologists, creative writing can open doors to your conscious and subconscious mind. It is also used as a tool in therapy.
- It can be used as a healthy and positive way for children to release some academic pressure which they may sometimes feel.
- Creative writing makes for a very bright career. It isn’t a stereotypical career option. Gone are the days when becoming an engineer, doctor, MBA, chartered accountant, etc. were considered the only lucrative career options. Creative writing, if pursued with passion can open doors to many options for the future. Some of them are:
- Writer
- Scriptwriter
- Copywriter
- Journalist
- Web content writer
- Editor
- Proofreader
- Public relations
- Blogger
- Lyricist
- Lexicographer
Learning Creative Writing
Children should be encouraged to write from the beginning of their academic life. It begins even before that. Reading to your babies, toddlers can really go a long run in fueling their minds with ideas and creativity. Unlocking their world of imagination is our job, exploring it is theirs. Creative writing helps them to think beyond the ordinary. Some ways of inculcating and encouraging children to indulge in creative writing are:
Begin from the beginning:
This means we should introduce creative writing to kids initially by encouraging them to voice their thoughts and then eventually by putting it on paper. It usually begins with helping them create their own introduction.
Encourage them to read:
Inculcating a habit of reading opens the children’s mind to a whole new world of imagination. Developing a reading habit is the best gift we can give to our kids.
Giving importance to languages as much as Science and Math:
Parents tend to give more importance to science and math than to languages. This should not be the case. Language studies are as important as any other subject. Helping them to master their writing skills can boost their understanding of other languages as well.
Create group writing activities:
It can be boring for the younger ones to sit on a desk with a blank paper and pen down their thoughts. To make it feel like a fun activity to do, you can promote creative writing as a fun group activity. Children can be given interesting topics like “ A Visit to Lala Land” or “ A Time Machine” and asked to work in groups initially to develop their interest.
Make them fall in love with writing:
Children should see creative writing as an escape from boring, monotonous daily activities. Writing should not feel like another herculean task to them. We as parents or teachers can create an atmosphere where they feel relaxed and comfortable putting their ideas on paper.
Encouraging them to keep a journal:
Keeping a journal is a very successful way of making writing a daily habit. Encourage your child to spend some time daily writing about their day. Eventually, it will become a habit. A journal also has the advantage of becoming a memoir for the future. What about gifting them a beautiful diary?
Enroll them in creative writing classes:
There are creative writing classes available online. Once you see a spark for writing in your child, continuing with such classes is a good step forward.
Help them chart out their path in making it a career option:
Once your child becomes a passionate writer, we can help them by showing them various avenues through which they can make a career out of their passion. Creative writing is a lucrative career.
Creative writing has evolved with the evolving times. From writing scriptures to books to blogs, it has stood the test of time and always managed to keep up with the changing times. In the present-day scenario, being a good creative writer, having a command on your language, and being able to present it creatively is a strength. It is a strength that all organizations are looking for in their employees. It is by far, one of the most well-paying, well-respected careers. Whichever field you may choose, having good writing skills will always be a tool you can utilize to have an edge above others in the race.
Happy Learning.