'Successful' Creative Writing

Success is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “a degree or measure of succeeding” or “a favorable desired outcome.” In that context, ‘successful’ pieces of creative writing correlates to what you wish to accomplish with them. Many people mistake that if a writer’s work aren’t published or praised, then that writer isn’t successful. They fail to realize that there are many types of work, some personal which challenge the writer to even put into words their experiences. Writing is a hard process and can be very daunting at times. We have thousands of interactions, thoughts, experiences a day that could make great stories. Putting them into a coherent and enjoyable narrative for readers as Nancy Lamb tells us in The Art and Craft of Storytelling, is both challenging and successful. If it’s just the occasional journal entry which you wish only a few to read, or if it’s an epic piece that you wish to publish and sell millions of copies, success is relative to the writer’s desire.

That being said, every writer’s work is meant to be read. Why put words on paper if you didn’t desire someone to at least ‘look over’ it. A part of being a successful work or literature is for someone to read that work. The other part of being a success (and I believe more important) is having the ability to write that work in the first place. In The Art and Craft of Storytelling, Nancy Lamb proposes tools and techniques to help writers create their own stories in a coherent and structured dialogue. With her ‘time-tested ways’ and strategies, she promises to help ‘transform a ho-hum story into a page-turner.’ I hope by studying and practicing her guidelines, as well as those of my classmates, I can become a better writer both creatively and critically. Whether it’s creating memorable characters, use of the Hero Quest, or the three-act concept, I hope to challenge my mind and creative writing, combining them together in a smooth and enjoyable read.

I will be the first to say I am horrible at putting my thoughts into coherent sentences, let alone on paper. This is my first creative writing class ever. I am extremely shy with my work and have yet to write anything for simple enjoyment. I especially don’t like the idea of sharing my work with others. Yes, I did say that every writer’s work is meant to be read, but I don’t like the idea of not controlling who reads my pieces. It’s one thing to say all first drafts are meant to be shitty so don‘t worry about it. It’s another to actually submit those shitty drafts to the critiques of others. Others who have submitted their version of shitty first drafts which seem like excerpts from The New Yorker. Hopefully, this class will help ease those tensions or kill me in the process, making my literature and me famous.

Jae Khoury