A Guide to Creative Writing

By Nick Assaf

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 Main Menu
• Quick Tips
• Poetry
• Songwriting
• Short Stories
• Novels
• Conclusion/About the Author
• References
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 Put Yourself in the Right Place
1. Schedule designated times to write
- Life is busy, you have to give yourself the time to write.
• 2. Pinpoint what you want to say in your writing.
– Try to organize your thoughts and ideas by writing them down first.
• 3.Don’t Overdue it
– Don’t get too frustrated with writers block, try to find what is causing
it and figure out a solution
• 4.Find resources to help you
– Writing isn’t easy, find a support group of your friends or
others writers to consult with!

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 Creative Exercises
• Free-writing
– Set your timer for about ten minutes and force
yourself to write the entire time. Maybe you can
find inspiration from what you thought of !
• Pictures
– Look at a picture and see if gets your creative
juices flowing
• Idea Box
– Whenever you think of something you like, write it
down and put it in a box for later reference.

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 Poetry
• The world of poetry is amazing and
limitless. Here are some good things to
know, and some good examples to get
you started.
Basic Guidelines
Sonnets
Villanelles
Slam Poetry

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 Basic Guidelines
• Poetry really has no boundaries, but here are
ways to write a good one!
• Have Rhythm- do the words sound good
together? Does the poem flow?
• Meter- make sure that each line has the same
amount of syllables
• Rhyming- if your poem rhymes, make sure
the pattern is consistent
• Use metaphors and similes- these
comparisons will amplify your poem.
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 Sonnets
• A Sonnet consists of 14 lines.
• All Sonnets have strict rhyme schemes
• Sonnets are a challenging and great
format for poetry.
• Sonnets are one of the most popular
forms of poetry throughout history.

Examples of Sonnets
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 Villanelles
• For a real challenge try writing a villanelle!
• Villanelles have 19 total lines
Five stanzas of three lines and one stanza of
four lines.
All villanelles have two rhymes and two
refrains.

Villanelle
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 Slam Poetry
• Slam poetry is a relatively new form of
poetry.
• Slam poetry is meant to be performed
live.
• Slam poetry has no real rules, but you
can use what you’ve learned earlier
to help you.
Slam Poetry
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 Songwriting
• If you are fascinated with music,
songwriting might be something you
like.
• Like slam poetry, songwriting has no
defined rules.

Songwriting
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 Short Stories
• Short stories can be many different
lengths.
• They tend to be more concise and to
the point than longer works such as
novels.
• Short stories should be no longer than
20,000 words, but no less than 1,000.

Exit Short Story Website

 Novels
• Novels are longer narratives that can
cover a large variety of subjects.
• Popular novel styles include
– Stream of Conciousness
– Modernist
– Fantasy
– Minimalism

Recommended
Exit Novels
 Examples of Sonnets
• Here are some links to some good
sonnets.
• Sonnet 29- William Shakespeare
• Sonnet 79- Edmund Spencer

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 Example of a Villanelle
• Here is a link to one of the best
villanelles ever written.
• Do Not Go Gentle into that
Good Night
– By: Dylan Thomas

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 Example of Slam Poetry
• This is a great video of Slam poetry
• This is an especially inspiring poem for
people who want to go into the teaching
profession.
• “What Teachers Make”- Taylor Mali

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 Songwriting Tips
• Here are two interesting videos about
songwriting.
• The first video is about the process.
• The second video is of Bob Dylan
(considered one of the best songwriters
ever) talking about the process.

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 Recommended
Novels
• Here is a list of some of my highly
recommended Novels
• The Razor’s Edge
– By W.Somerset Maugham
– Lord of the Flies
– By William Golding
– Bleachers
– By: John Grisham

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 William Shakespeare
• When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
• I all alone beweep my outcast state,
• And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
• And look upon myself and curse my fate,
• Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
• Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
• Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
• With what I most enjoy contented least.
• Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
• Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
• Like to the lark at break of day arising
• From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
• For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
• That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

• Sonnet
29
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 Edmund Spencer
• Men call you fair, and you do credit it,
• For that yourself you daily such do see:
• But the true fair, that is the gentle wit
• And virtuous mind, is much more praised of me.
• For all the rest, however fair it be,
• Shall turn to naught and lose that glorious hue:
• But only that is permanent and free
• From frail corruption that doth flesh ensue,
• That is true beauty; that doth argue you
• To be divine and born of heavenly seed;
• Derived from that fair spirit, from whom all true
• And perfect beauty did at first proceed:
• He only fair, and what he fair hath made:
• All other fair, like flowers, untimely fade.
• Sonnet 79
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 About the Author
• My name is Nick Assaf and
I am currently a student at
Grand Valley State
University.
• I am an English major and I
love writing.
• I hope this slideshow can
help any aspiring writers
out there!
• This is my email address:
• assafn@student.gvsu.edu

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 References
• Start Writing!
• Basic Elements of Poetry
• Sonnets
• Sonnet examples
• Villanelles
• Dylan Thomas
• Taylor Mali
• Bob Dylan
• Songwriting Documentary
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 Storyboard

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