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.)

Roses of Tomorrow - Going to Print!

I've been informed 'Roses of Tomorrow' will be included in the 2012 Spinetinglers Anthology, which will be available in June.

A little history - First brought to light in 2006, Roses of Tomorrow evolved through critiques and my own growth as a writer. From a short flash fiction of 666 words, it grew into a full story of 5,390 words.

A special thank you goes out to all those who have helped me along my path. 'Roses of Tomorrow' is proof of how much a writer can grow with the guidance of a few helpful writers and readers. You know who you are, and I thank you from the deepest part of soul. I wouldn't be where I am today without you.

Advice to aspiring writer - Don't throw anything away and never give up. Keep writing and accept help when it is helpful. Trust your gut when it comes to judging good critiques from bad ones. Grow, evolve, become an Author.

Blessings to my critiquers, my writing friends, and my readers.

A Burden, A Bliss - Five Sentence Fiction

Visit Lillie McFerrin Writes for more Five Sentence Fiction.
This week's prompt: Empty

A Burden, A Bliss 

Voices whisper and scream, speaking of faraway places. Pressure builds within my head as their will becomes my own. A pen, a scrap of paper, I frantically search for my writing tools. Hunger surges through me, growling, begging for reality. Words flow across the page, emptying my soul, freeing my mind, allowing me to return to you.

Voices of Fiction - Can Creativity Be Taught - Part One

Welcome back to Voices of Fiction.

What is creativity? According to the dictionary, one definition is -   the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.

Can it be taught? Join us over the next few weeks to discover the opinions of a few authors.

Please welcome this week's group.

Reno Charlton works from home as a full-time copywriter, providing clients around the world with content for websites, magazines and other media. She’s also the author of three children’s fantasy novels. Under the pen name, Emily Ho, she’s published two short stories, winning the Curtis Brown Short Story Competition with ‘The Journey Home.’ - Amazon UK, Amazon, Goodreads

Catrina Barton is a licensed Kung Fu Instructor of the Black Dragon style and draws on that experience to make her fight scenes both realistic and action packed. She enjoys being surrounded by the stark beauty of mother nature, such as a moon lit starry sky, or a picnic by a peaceful waterfall cascading from the mountain side. - Amazon, Blog

Karina Kantas is the author of six titles, In Times of Violence, Lawless Justice, Road Rage and Huntress (which is published by MMP.) She's also the author of Stone Cold a YA supernatural thriller and Heads & Tales, a short story collection. Karina originates from the UK but now lives in Greece with her husband and two beautiful daughters. - Amazon, Barnes/Noble, Website

Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. - Website, Blog



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

Can creativity be taught?

Reno Charlton: I think that although writing can be taught, creativity is something that you either have or you don’t. Most people have some sort of a creative flair and simply need to channel it in the right direction and hone their skills.

Catrina Barton: Ooh a tough one. Honestly I think it can be learned, but not taught. My opinion is that creativity is either fed or allowed to grow as a child, or killed and has to be painstakingly nourished as an adult.

Karina Kantas: You either have talent or you don't. You can build and grow creativity but not teach it.

Cherie Reich: I believe people can be taught to be better writers, but creativity seems almost more innate. For example, I believe people can learn to write nonfiction fairly well, but I don't know if the same person without having a good imagination to begin with would be able to create a fantasy novel.

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.)