Voices of Fiction - Can Creativity Be Taught - Part Two

Welcome to Voices of Fiction.

We continue our discussion on creativity.

Please welcome our authors.

Karen Cioffi is a multi-award-winning author, freelance/ghostwriter, editor, and online marketer, as well as the founder and manager of Writers on the Move. - Website, Website, Website

Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, a collection of YA mystery books that show what happens when dark family secrets are exposed. Jade also provides professional writing tips to other indie authors on her blog. - Twitter, Blog, Amazon

Thea Landen writes erotic literature, frequently in a sci-fi/fantasy setting. When she's not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games. Blog, Amazon, AllRomanceBooks

Author and editor, Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has published more than 100 articles, 75 stories, six e books, a chapbook, one MG novel, a short story collection, and her stories have been included in two anthologies. She writes for both adults and children. She edits for two small traditional publishers. Website, Blog, MuseItUp


Welcome Authors! It's wonderful to have you back.

Can creativity be taught?

Karen Cioffi: I do think creativity can be taught. One person may be more creative than another, but I think everyone has the potential to learn it. There is so much information available to help writers learn how to write, to learn the craft of writing, finding information on creativity is the same. One strategy is to read in the genre you want to write. Read newly published books and books that have won awards. Then model the techniques or format in these books. There’s also a copywriting technique that involves writing/copying word-for-word quality copy. This strategy is geared to teach the brain to write quality content. This though is just a writing exercise; you obviously can’t use someone else’s work as your own. All these different avenues of information can help spark and build creativity.

Jade Varden: Up to a point, anything can be taught. You can learn technique and tricks and brainstorming, but at the end of the day to write fiction you’ve got to get those random creative ideas that come from nowhere.

Thea Landen: I'm not sure. It definitely should be encouraged from an early age!

Penny Ehrenkranz: That’s a really hard question, and I’m not sure what the answer is. My first response would be no, but I’m sure a creative writing teacher might disagree. I think a student needs to have an aptitude for creativity, and then the teacher can fine tune it and steer the student in the right direction.

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)