Creative writing is a form of writing that includes the use of narrative craft and sensory imagery. It displays the writer’s imagination and provides character development and different figures of speech, it adds to the beauty of your words while maintaining their core meaning. Creative writing is driven by the writer’s imagination, a writer who can add essence to sentences by expressing his/her imagination through poetry, music, literature, etc is called a creative writer.
We need people who can make us imagine what they write, to add value to our lives. In this article, we have discussed the 6 best creative writing courses in Chennai to help you start your career as a creative writer or to brush up on your skills and get to know other writers if you already do creative writing. Chennai is a metropolitan city and capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the Bay of Bengal.
The city is the home to many Hindu temples, Churches, and Museums. Chennai is a wonderful place for art, culture, heritage, architecture, and liveliness which makes it a very famous tourist destination to visit in India. The city gives you an abundance of opportunities to grow and start your career as a creative writer and has many reasons to inspire you to write.
Starting With Creative Writing
Everyone has their own experiences, hence everyone should tell their story in a personalized imaginative, and original way to make it unique. Unleash your creativity and let those ideas that come up in your mind be written. These can be used to get started with your journey in the world of creative writing.
1. Make a Diary
You can start by writing a diary, write about what you do, and what you experience daily. Let your imaginative side come out on a piece of paper. This will help you to get inspiration for writing something wonderful from your own experiences. Creative writing is the process of self-expression and self-discovery. It can be an amazing and rewarding way to explore your thoughts and feelings. Writing a diary will also help you to observe things better.
2. Read
A good writer should be a good reader and listener, read more and more, you can read about topics that interest you. Immerse yourself in a habit of reading because the more you will read, the better you’ll understand how to craft better stories.
3. Write What You Know
Start by writing about subjects that you already know about. This will save you from doing too much research, which can affect your creativity. Once you get more comfortable with writing, you can branch out into new and unexplored territory.
4. Be Original and Keep it Simple
Be Creative and don’t be afraid to take risks, don’t try to imitate other writers instead, find your writing voice. Creative writing is all about connecting with your audience using your imagination, it’s important to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively which means using language that is understandable and engaging. Focus on making each word count.
5. Experiment and Edit
Edit it again, and again, and again until you are satisfied. Nobody masters a skill overnight so be open to experimenting. Review what you have written and try to come up with better sentences to make your piece perfectly go with your imagination.
6. Get Yourself a Review
Give what you have written to someone and get yourself a review no matter good or bad, don’t dishearten yourself. Try to get better every time, reviews can also bring you better ideas to play with.
7. Practice, Practice, and Practice
It is the key, the more the merrier.
Creative Writing vs Content Writing
Creative writing is different from content writing in the following ways:
1. The key difference is that creative writing is done to express, stimulate thoughts and imagination and provide entertainment. In contrast, content writing is done to achieve a specific goal like sales and marketing.
2. The purpose of creative writing is to make the reader imagine so it is recreational, whereas the purpose of content writing is to induce the reader to take an action, like buy a product or service.
3. Creative writing is done from the writer’s perspective and it allows the writer to choose their writing style to convey the message, but in content writing, the writer has to write from a reader’s perspective so in content writing the content will be based on facts and instances. A content writer writes, what a reader wants to read.
4. In creative writing, you use the word power, you will use your knowledge in vocabulary to create visuals in the reader’s mind, and in content writing, you generally have to use simple and understandable language for your audience.
5. Creative writing includes free writing pieces like stories, poetry, drama, music, essays, journals, and memoirs. Content writing includes factual and impersonal information like 5 ways to write SEO content.
6. Example: If you were to say that it is raining outside, in content writing you may say it as ‘It’s raining heavily today’ whereas, in creative writing, you may describe this situation as ‘the acres of blue are grey today and it’s pouring buckets out there.’
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Many Different Elements Make Up Creative Writing. Some of the Crucial Elements Are:
Imagery: This uses descriptive language to create pictures in the reader’s mind.
Voice: This is the author’s unique style of writing. It is the way the author chooses to express himself or herself.
Point of view: This is the perspective from which the story is told.
Tone: This is the overall mood of the piece. It can be severe, humorous, sad, etc.
These are just a few of the many elements that go into creative writing. If you’re interested in learning more, there are tons of resources out there. Just do a quick search online and you’ll get plenty of material and courses to learn from. However, doing a course is always better. If you are looking to hone your creative writing skills, here’s a list of the 6 best creative writing courses in Chennai.
You can enroll yourself in one of these institutes, they offer you a comprehensive program in creative writing, whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, there’s sure to be a course that is right for you and help you unleash your potential as a writer.
6 Best Creative Writing Courses in Chennai
Let’s now look into the seven best creative writing courses in Chennai.
1. IIM SKILLS
IIM SKILLS was started in 2015 and today it is one of the most reputed institutions which provides online courses in various fields like Financial Modeling, BAT, Content Writing, Digital Marketing, and SEO. More than 15000 students have learned from their courses around the globe.
They make learning more efficient and effective with the help of live interactive classes and practical assignments. They help you grow by providing you with an internship to get a better understanding of the subject. You can procure this course from anywhere in the world as the classes are held online.
You get 24*7 support from mentors, and lifetime access to LMS. The course curriculum is designed by experts in the industry. It is a 4-week-long course to help you nurture your writing. They also help in developing portfolios for jobseekers and freelancers and you get a valuable certificate.
It is of the best creative writing courses in Chennai, which is named Content Writing Course. For more information you may contact:
- Call:+91 9911839503
- Email: info@iimskills.com
2. British Council of India
Whether you are a scribbler, a secret diarist, or a would-be journalist, you are sure to find your unique writing style with the British Council of India and it is one of the best courses to learn creative writing. The course content includes plot, characters, dialogue, and setting when writing fiction.
You will also learn how to compose trip blogs, learn to separate between news reports and feature articles and be introduced to screenwriting and writing memoirs. In addition, you will be acquainted with experimental writing and children’s fiction.
The curriculum is specifically designed to guide and support those who wish to write creatively and explore their writing talent to realize their dreams of becoming a writer. You will be provided with feedback on your writing to help you know your prospects as an unborn pen.
A few Course Details:
- Required English language level: Above upper-intermediate level (Level B2).
- Course duration: 36 hours, 9 weeks
- Course fee: INR 10,000 per participant
- Special offer to British Council library members – 10% discount on the course fee.
For more information regarding creative writing courses in Chennai, you may contact The British council of India by:
- Indialibraries@britishcouncil.org
3. Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
It is an autonomous Institute and has recently gained popularity in providing distance learning education. They provide a diploma course in creative writing consisting of two semesters. The program is delivered through live online classes in all subjects, modern teaching methods are used, activities are given to learn practically and doubt-clearing sessions are conducted for improvement, all of these elements make this program one of the best creative writing courses in Chennai.
This course help students to get acquainted with the skills required to write with creativity and learn to give imaginative stories and fascinating insights on paper and become professional writers.
Eligibility to Enroll in This Course:
- XII standard pass-out with a minimum of 50% marks in English
- Anyone who has a diploma/bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university with English as a subject (passed with 50%)
- Or Completed diploma/bachelor’s degree/graduation (with English as a medium of teaching).
- Students who are awaiting results for their final year can also apply (subject to completing their bachelor’s degree/graduation within the time specified by SCDL)
For more information, you may contact the institute via:
- +91-20-6621 1000
- newadmissions@scdl.net
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4. Udemy
Udemy is a platform where you can either learn or share what you know. It is now a global destination for online learning. Numerous creative writing courses are accessible on Udemy. Anybody can enroll in these courses because there are no restrictions on eligibility and the courses are available at reasonable prices.
Some Good Courses on Udemy on Creative Writing Are:
- The foundations of fiction (writing mastery)
- Complete creative writing – All genres – The full course!
- Write a best-selling novel in 15 steps (writing mastery)
You will be able to learn so much from these courses, these are just a few courses out of many available on Udemy you can choose them as per your needs. All these courses have lifetime access so you can complete them at your own pace, you can access them on mobile and TV, and you get a certificate of completion. Courses on Udemy help you to upskill yourself and are taught by experienced and qualified instructors.
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5. Indra Gandhi National Open University
The Indira Gandhi National Open University was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 to take education to the door-steps of the learners, provide access to high-quality education to all those who seek it, irrespective of age, region, or formal qualifications, and offer need-based academic programs by giving professional and vocational orientation to the courses, promote and develop distance education in India.
The IGNOU offers a diploma in creative writing in English. It is one of the best creative writing courses in Chennai. The program curriculum is structured to impart instruction in progressive stages to ensure that a learner can comprehend information about a writer’s art and develops creative ability.
This program includes training in imaginative writing skills concerning feature articles (women’s issues, book reviews, etc), writing short stories, scripts for TV/Radio, and writing poetry. Students get a ton of opportunities to boost their creativity and imaginative thinking for writing well.
They become more expressive. The duration of this course is starting from one year to a maximum of four years. You can study at your convenience and speed, and the fee structure for the course is Rs. 3,800+ Rs.200 registration fees.
Eligibility for this Course:
- Anyone who has passed 10+2
- Anyone without 10+2 but 20 years and above will be given admission
6. The Open University
The Open University has degree, diploma, and certification courses in creative writing, you can enroll in these courses either full-time or part-time. The Open University has pioneered distance learning for over 50 years, delivering exceptional teaching and excellent assistance to students worldwide. More than 50,000 students have completed their creative writing course from them. It is one of the best options for creative writing courses in Chennai.
The Benefits of Studying Creative Writing At the Open University Are:
- Aids you to write with finesse: Grow your writing skills in several genres including fiction, poetry, life writing, and scriptwriting.
- Professional aspect: Introduces you to the world of publishing and the requirements of professionally presenting manuscripts.
- Learn with other writers: Online tutor-group forums enable you to be part of an interactive writing community.
- Practice and learn from quality content: Module workbooks are widely praised and used by other universities as a part of their curriculum and have attracted worldwide sales.
- Credits: All Open University’s courses help you earn university credits that can be combined with credits from other courses by a student pursuing his/her career across various fields to earn the “open degree”.
FAQ’s
1. Is the creative writing courses in Chennai worth it?
Yes doing creative writing courses in Chennai is worth it, because it will help you to improve your writing skills and give you the right direction in the process of using your creativity to write. You also get to learn and work with the other writers. These courses will help you get exposure and also master specialisms such as blogging.
2. How can I improve my creative writing skills?
You can improve your creative writing skills in the following ways:
- Read, read and read the more you read, the better you will get in the world of writing. Reading gets you a lot of exposure and inspiration, it will also help you to get an idea of how to write better pieces.
- Find an environment that encourages your creative fluids.
- Practice free writing: Follow your impulses, do not think about a structure or outline while writing, and let your thoughts and inspiration come out on a paper. You will get refined with time and practice.
- Observe and try to find inspiration for your story in your surroundings.
- Be imaginative, persistent, and Resilient.
3. What are the career options after pursuing creative writing courses in Chennai?
To name a few, you can become a blogger, writing teacher, content writer, magazine/ newspaper journalist, and social media manager after completion of creative writing courses in Chennai.
4. Is doing a creative writing course hard?
It might seem a little hard in the beginning to begin from the scratch but as you practice and learn more about it, you will get better, and then it won’t be a hard job. To make things simpler for you, you can learn from the courses in creative writing listed above.
Conclusion
Creative writing is an amazing hobby or passion to have, it is where most of the fiction and imaginative stories come from, creative writing is important because it gives a way to explore ideas in a wonderful and fun way. It lets you express your thoughts and experiences through the power of your imagination and creativity. Creative writing is a recreational activity for you and your readers, you can do it from anywhere and at any age. This skill can be developed and nurtured through the guidance of a good mentor. In this article, I have tried to mention the 7 best creative writing courses to help you choose the best one for yourself.