Creative Writing Activities for Didactic Purposes

Over the years, we have met many students who come to creative writing with a mixture of excitement and hesitation. They want to write, they feel the impulse, but they are unsure how to begin, or whether what they have to say is worth putting on the page at all. If you recognize yourself in this, you are not alone. In many ways, this book was written for you.

When we write, imagine things, or shape something new out of language, we are, in our own small way, reflecting that greater act of creation.

This idea has guided us both in our teaching and in the design of this book. Writing is not just about technique, structure, or correctness though those things matter. It is also about paying attention, taking risks, and allowing yourself to explore thoughts and feelings you may not yet fully understand. It is about discovering your voice, not forcing it.

Inside this book, you will find forty exercises, moving between prose and poetry, between structure and freedom. Some are meant to challenge you, others to loosen you up, and many to do both at the same time. You can work through them in order, or you can open the book at random and begin wherever you feel drawn. There is no single “right” way to use these pages.