Creative Writing 101: Free Resources
My best writing advice sounds much like every other author's:
Read a lot—across multiple genres—and reflect on why and how the story "works" (or doesn't!) How, specifically, has the author managed to fashion characters you truly care about and root for? How do they establish a narrative pace that has momentum without feeling rushed? How have they furnished a world that feels fresh and vivid? What elements have they used in developing a plot that offers both surprise and a satisfying sense of inevitability?
Notice how your personal taste is developing, and consider how your reading choices will inevitably influence your own writing—indeed, be deliberate about this! Keep a private notebook. Cultivate your emotional intelligence and self awareness, because your personal growth work will allow you to develop themes that truly resonate and characters who are (in a sense) just as real as nonfictional people.
Be discerning. Even a wise and experienced writing instructor may offer advice that does not apply to your chosen genre/subgenre or style, or is not in alignment with your creative vision. That said, you must cultivate enough humility to know when you're intelligently breaking the rules and when you're just being arrogant. Do not convince yourself of your own genius. You will never "arrive" at a place beyond all error and frustration. Even the most critically successful authors are continually seeking to refine their craft. You're going to feel ecstatic when you write something that seems utterly brilliant and unprecedented, but put the draft away and reread it after the high's worn off, and you'll see how much work you've yet to do. Don't waste energy feeling foolish though—because this is the process. Some days writing and revising will feel hard, and that's okay. Look for ways to take more pleasure in it.
One more note before we get to the resource links:
You don't need an M.F.A. Though depending on the type of program and financial aid available, you may find it worthwhile. I'm glad I decided to do an M.A. in Writing at NUI Galway because 1, I only had to take out $15k in student loans (which I was able to pay back with the sale of my first novel); 2, it gave me the time and space to hone my craft and complete my manuscript (faster than if I'd stayed at my NYC day job); 3, it exposed me to powerful literary influences (Kate O'Brien in particular); and 4, I met some of my dearest writing pals and 16+ years later we're still cheering each other on. Keep in mind, though, that this was MY experience. I can't promise you'll have a worthwhile experience even if you're accepted into the same program.
The following resources are a mix of craft talk and philosophy that I find insightful. Perspective, style, and approach vary quite a bit. Please leave questions or recommendations in the comments for the benefit of other aspiring writers, and I'll periodically update this list with your suggestions. 🤓
Podcasts
The good folks at the Writing Excuses podcast devoted an entire season to learning the craft from square one.
N.K. Jemisin’s master class in world building | The Ezra Klein Show
YouTube
Ingrid's Notes: How to Teach Yourself Creative Writing, The #1 Piece of Writing Advice I Ever Received, How to Discover Your Heart Theme, 11 Beats of Story Structure, What is Profluence?, and more
Brandon Sanderson: Ten Things I Wish I'd Known as a Teen Author, Five Tips for Writing Your First Novel, and plenty of full-length lectures
Alexa Donne, HARSH WRITING ADVICE! (mostly for newer writers) [snarky but spot on], The WORST Amateur Writing Mistakes, and more
Blog Posts, Articles, PDFs, and Transcripts
The Marginalian (formerly known as Brain Pickings), Timeless Advice on Writing: The Collected Wisdom of Great Writers; James Baldwin on the Creative Process and the Artist’s Responsibility to Society
Heather Demetrios, How to Write a Bingeable Chapter, Sports Psychology for Writers, and everything else on her blog
Matthew Salesses, On Worldbuilding and the Question of Resistance
Nalo Hopkinson and Connie Willis, Science and Spirituality in Science Fiction (transcript of an authors' event at MIT, March 6, 2000)
The Literary Ladies Guide: Octavia Butler's Rules for Writers; Writing Advice from Classic Authors (blog category)
The Best Writing Advice from Colson Whitehead's 60 Minutes Interview on Lit Hub
The Snowflake Method for Designing a Novel (I haven't used this method, but the suggested structure-building exercises are very sensible)
Multimedia
Books (ask for these titles at your local library)
Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses (doesn't matter if you're not currently participating in a writing workshop)
Writing the Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward
The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Creativity and Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (I don't love this book as much as I did when I first read it twenty years ago—parts of it haven't aged well—but I still believe it's a must read)
When you're ready: paid workshops that are totally worth the investment
I have taken classes hosted by these organizations and have learned a lot from all of them. Scholarships are sometimes available. If nothing on the current course schedule interests you, sign up for their mailing lists for future workshop announcements.
[My friend Henry Lien teaches fantastic workshops for both these organizations. Here's his current schedule. Sign up for his newsletter here.]
I also highly recommend my friend Heather Demetrios's classes (Writing Bingeable Characters, etc.) and one-on-one coaching packages. Her self-guided introductory writing course, Unlock Your Novel: A Workbook For Getting Unstuck at Any Drafting Stage, is only $25.
I trust this list will keep you happily occupied for a good while! Check out my archive page for even more resources, and be sure to leave a comment with your own suggestions. ⬇️