What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer is someone who creates works such as stories, articles, essays, or poems. He or she can write in any genre and on any topic as long as the characters and plot are made up. The creative nonfiction writer is a more recent type of creative writer who writes about real events or people in such a way that the story is engaging and entertaining. Although there are limited job opportunities for such writers, many have found success as magazine writers, television and radio content writers, film writers, and freelance writers.

A creative writer’s job is to tell a story about real or imagined people, events, places, and things that is both engaging and entertaining. To become a creative writer, no formal education is required, though many do finish high school and go on to college to pursue a degree in writing. Some writers will pursue a master’s degree in writing, allowing them to teach at the college or university level. One of the most common jobs for a creative writer is teaching writing, though many others find success in the entertainment industry as well.

Individually or as part of a team, television and movie creative writers create plots and characters that will be acted out on screen or stage. In order to create a story arc that makes sense to the reader or viewer, the writer must have a solid understanding of the common elements of plot — exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. He or she must also be able to create characters that viewers or readers can sympathize with or empathize with, allowing them to become more involved in the story. The presence of clichés in writing is one of the most important things creative writers must be aware of; clichés are overused passages that can indicate a lack of creativity or originality. When writing, writers try to avoid clichés in order to create material that is fresh and memorable.

Short stories, novels, and other written works may be written a freelance creative writer for specific outlets such as magazines or websites. Because the pay scale for this job can be quite low, many creative writers will do it as a side job or hobrather than as a primary career. Even well-known authors may not be able to make enough money to live comfortably, so they may combine their creative writing with other, more lucrative forms of writing.