Writing has been the most important form of human communication for millennia. People write small things every single day: grocery lists, little notes, emails, postcards, song lyrics. It is easy to view writing as an art form as daunting. We have placed art on a pedestal with this false idea that artists are people who are simply naturally gifted. While gifted people and prodigies do exist, they are not the gatekeepers of the craft. Creative writing is for anyone who wishes to write. In this LibGuide, you will find a plethora of tools by fellow writers, for fellow writers. There are books written by experienced professionals, prompts, suggested magazines to submit work to, and more.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me with the 'Email Me' button to the right.
On Writing Well 6th Ed Pb
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Three Genres
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Writer's Book of Checklists
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The Elements of Style
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Below you will find a list of free literary magazines for your reading pleasure. Many of these magazines accept outside submissions, so if you are looking to get published, a literary magazine is not a bad place to start!
Please note: As with almost any art form, literature may contain elements or themes that are not in line with--or may even be downright contrary to--a biblical worldview, especially literature by secular writers. While each of these magazines listed below contain some high-quality artistic work, one must remember to be a discerning reader on what is appropriate reading material. For some general recommended guidelines, please refer to the BJU Objectionable Elements policy outlined in the student handbook or linked below.
It is easy to think that you cannot write because you have nothing important to say. But that is not true. You have lived your life up until this point. You've had experiences and made mistakes and grown and changed as an individual the whole way through. Even if you've never done any traveling or anything particularly wild, the fact of the matter is that you have still lived, which is a universal experience. When we read stories, speculative or not, the thing that draws one in to a well written tale is that universality; the common ground that you can feel for a person, even a non-human person. If you want to write, then by all means do so! We all have stories to tell; who better to tell your stories than you?
My main piece of advice to you is if you want to write seriously, write every single day whether you are "inspired" or not. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece. It doesn't even have to be something for other people to read, just a snippet about your life, or a dash of fiction. Buy a notebook and keep it on you; you never know when a plot might strike. Maybe you only have a vague idea for a character or a plot. Write it down! Every good story has to start somewhere.
Second, if you can find some sort of writer's community to share your work with, you will greatly benefit from it. Not only does it provide you with a small audience right off the bat, a writer's group will allow you to get used to criticism against your work and reveal your most common mistakes. There are local writer's circles to be found in almost every town or city, but an online writer's circle may very well be a viable option for you as well.
Third, get used to rejection. Just because your work you've slaved over for months is not accepted by one magazine or publisher, it doesn't mean that it won't be accepted by another. Some literary magazines only publish certain kinds of works, and some publishers only accept books that will appeal to certain kinds of audiences. Once you have figured out who will take your particular kind of writing, submit, submit, submit. Don't give up! Persistence is key. If you write what you like, there are sure to be others who like that kind of writing too. You might just have to go and find them before they will come and find you.
