Here are 5 reasons a creative writing degree is worth it:

1. You’ll Tell Stories Like No One Else

A creative writing degree offers a unique opportunity to delve deeply into the art and craft of storytelling like no other college program will. It teaches you how to weave intricate narratives, develop compelling characters, and create immersive settings that captivate readers. You’ll learn to articulate your unique voice and perspective, enabling you to tell stories in a way no one else can. Having this ability to shape a narrative and captivate an audience is something that will benefit you in many situations including sales negotiations, business pitches, proposal writing, digital marketing, and so much more! Through consistent practice, feedback from experienced instructors, and exposure to a variety of literary styles and genres, you’ll acquire the skills to craft stories that are distinctively yours and extremely persuasive. This degree ultimately equips you with the tools to shape your imagination into narratives that resonate with readers, allowing you to make your book, products, services, corporate brands, and yourself stand out.

2. You’ll Learn How To Navigate The Publishing Industry

A creative writing degree can be like a backstage pass to the publishing industry. You learn the ropes on how to pitch your work, what editors are looking for, and how to deal with rejections (everyone gets them, seriously). You’ll get to study under professors who’ve been there and done that – they can share insider tips and maybe even hook you up with industry contacts. Plus, lots of programs bring in guest speakers, like published authors, literary agents, and editors, so you get a firsthand look at the publishing world. You’ll learn not only how to create awesome work, but also how to get that work out into the world. Many creative writing programs provide detailed courses about publishing such as bookbuilding (formatting, designing, and printing your book), and editing your book for publication.

3. You’ll Make Influential Contacts

Getting your degree in creative writing means you’ll find yourself submerged in a vibrant community of unique and gifted individuals who can help you navigate your writing career in ways you never thought possible. These peers of yours serve as a treasure trove of inspiration and potential collaboration—bridges to fresh ideas and possible publishing opportunities. Beyond your peers, you’ll find another rich vein of wisdom and opportunities through the creative writing professors. They can guide you to internships, campus engagements, and even lay down pathways to full-fledged careers.

4. You’ll Notice the Details and Think on Your Feet

Creative writing can be very personal in nature, but there is more to gain from the major than fleshing out your own ideas. A major facet of  creative writing is analyzing other works, whether you’re studying the classics or the work of your peers. Creative writing encourages you to become an observer of the world around you. Whether it’s capturing the nuances of human behavior or describing the intricacies of nature, you will learn to pay attention to details and extract meaning from themes that might be outside of your zone of comfort. This not only enriches your writing but translates it to real-life situations, where you can evaluate information and make well-informed decisions.

5. You’ll Develop Discipline and Drive

Immersing yourself into a creative writing degree program isn’t just about mastering the art of words—it’s also a journey of developing discipline and drive. Each writing assignment becomes a lesson in perseverance, pushing you to write, revise, and polish until your work shines. Meeting deadlines instills a sense of responsibility and trains you in time management, while overcoming writer’s block teaches you resilience. The consistent effort to improve your craft, the determination to create compelling narratives, and the drive to engage readers fosters a disciplined work ethic. Moreover, the relentless pursuit of finding your unique voice fuels your drive, inspiring you to write with authenticity and conviction. Ultimately, this degree is more than just an academic pursuit—it’s a transformative journey that shapes you into a committed, driven, and disciplined writer.

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The Importance of Structure in Writing

Story structure is a fundamental element in writing because it provides a clear and organized roadmap for conveying the narrative, making it digestible and engaging for readers. It enables writers to present their ideas coherently, guiding the reader through the narrative journey with a defined beginning, a buildup of events, a climax, and a resolution. Without a well-defined structure, stories can feel disjointed, confusing, or incomplete, making it difficult for readers to remain engaged or understand the narrative’s purpose. Freytag’s Pyramid, with its five-part structure, has remained a highly influential tool in modern storytelling. It is widely utilized in various mediums–from novels and plays to films and television series. While not all stories strictly adhere to this model, many incorporate its fundamental principles. Freytag’s Pyramid remains a testament to its enduring relevance, as it continues to guide writers in crafting narratives that resonate with audiences and effectively convey their intended messages.

The 5 Stages of Freytag’s Pyramid

The Freytag Pyramid consists of five distinct stages that denote the rise and fall of tension within dramatic structure. Each of these stages denotes an arm of the pyramid, or a changing point in the story that leads to lesser or greater tension. 

1. Exposition

This is the introductory stage of the narrative, where the writer sets the scene, introduces the main characters, and provides necessary background information. The general situation from which the main conflict will eventually arise is typically presented during the exposition. 

2. Rising Action

Here, the main problem or conflict that drives the plot is introduced. The tension and complexity of the story build as challenges, obstacles, or complications are encountered. This is typically where the protagonist will face numerous struggles that need to be overcome.

3. Climax

This is the highest point of tension in dramatic narrative structure. This is the turning point of the story, often the most intense moment. The tension built up during the rising action reaches a peak, usually involving a decisive confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist or a moment of crisis that demands a decision from the main character.

4. Falling Action

After the climax, the story begins to slow down and work towards its end, wrapping up the narrative, unraveling the remaining plot threads, and leading towards the resolution. The consequences of the climax are explored, and the protagonist often deals with the aftermath of their decision or battle.

Denouement (also known as resolution)

This is the final stage, where the narrative’s remaining loose ends are tied up, conflicts are resolved, and a sense of closure is provided. It’s the stage where the aftermath of the action is explained, potentially with a return to normalcy for the characters or a commentary on the events that have transpired.

Examples of Freytag’s Pyramid in Famous Literature

Freytag’s Pyramid is a time-tested structure for storytelling that continues to shape narrative construction across various forms of literature. A clear example of its use can be seen in the following examples: 

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: The exposition introduces the feuding Montagues and Capulets; the rising action includes Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage; the climax arrives with the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt; the falling action encompasses Romeo’s exile and Juliet’s faked death; and the denouement occurs with the tragic suicides of the star-crossed lovers. 

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: The exposition presents the mysterious Jay Gatsby, the rising action involves Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and Daisy’s affair. The climax occurs at the Plaza Hotel confrontation, and the falling action covers Gatsby’s murder. The denouement reveals Nick’s disillusionment with the decadent East.

A modern example of Freytag’s Pyramid in literature can be seen in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

1. Exposition: The book introduces us to Harry Potter, a young boy living unhappily with his cruel aunt, uncle, and cousin, unaware that he is actually a wizard. The magical world is revealed to us and to Harry, who learns about his parents and his own fame in the wizarding world.
2. Rising Action: Harry enters Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, makes friends, and begins to learn magic. He discovers the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and comes to believe that someone is trying to steal it.
3. Climax: Harry and his friends go through a series of trials and confront the person they believe is trying to steal the stone, only to find that it’s Professor Quirrell, who’s been possessed by Voldemort.
4. Falling Action: Harry battles Quirrell and Voldemort and manages to secure the Sorcerer’s Stone, though he’s injured in the process. Dumbledore explains to Harry what happened and why Harry was able to defeat Quirrell.
5. Denouement: Harry leaves Hogwarts for the summer to return to his aunt and uncle’s house, but now he has the comfort of knowing he’ll be returning to Hogwarts and his friends after the summer.

This breakdown demonstrates how Rowling used Freytag’s Pyramid to build tension and narrative drive in her novel, a technique that has contributed to the series’ global popularity.

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Here are 7 unexpected things you’ll learn by participating in creative writing workshops.

1. Writing Workshop Can Boost Your Confidence

While participating in a creative writing workshop may seem daunting, it’s the perfect environment to build confidence as a writer. It’s good to receive positive feedback from friends and family, but true, honest criticism is the only way to gain confidence. For one, it’s the only kind of criticism that will improve your skills which, in turn, builds confidence. But it’s also important to know that honest criticism isn’t anything to be afraid of—and receiving it often is the only way to learn how to receive it properly. 

2. You’ll Overcome Writer’s Block

Something my creative writing teacher said in high school was “writer’s block does not exist.” That can be argued based on your definition, but the point is that writer’s block is more of a state of mind. Even if you feel you have nothing to share, attending a creative writing workshop and reading the work of your contemporaries is a great tool for generating inspiration. Whether you feel stuck within your genre, or are looking to experiment with new structures, there’s certainly someone at the workshop who can offer advice. Ask your writing peers questions on craft, career advice, and more! You’ll surely make some great new friends!

3. Workshop Is A Networking Opportunity

Writing workshops are exceptional networking opportunities for those in the literary field. They foster a communal atmosphere where writers, editors, publishers, and enthusiasts converge to discuss and learn about the craft. Participants often collaborate, critique, and exchange ideas, leading to connections that can provide mutual support, guidance, and sometimes, professional opportunities. Such events not only broaden one’s writing skills but also extend their professional network, paving the way for future collaborations, partnerships, and career growth. 

Building relationships with fellow writers can lead to collaboration on future projects, sharing of resources, and even lifelong friendships. Since writing professors are often the organizers of writing workshops, it makes for the perfect chance to develop a strong professional relationship with them so that you can leverage their insight and connections throughout your writing career.

4. You’ll Foster Your Creative Expression

If you’ve seldom shared your writing with others, then you might still be holding back on expressing the full breadth of your ideas out of fear. As writings, we all fully understand how vulnerable and intimidating it is to share our truest work with others. Writing workshop is your opportunity to do just that in a safe, supportive, and creative environment. 

Creative writing workshops can play a pivotal role in allowing writers to embrace and foster their most sincere and vulnerable ideas. These workshops create a nurturing and supportive environment that encourages risk-taking in writing, facilitating exploration of personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings often kept hidden. Constructive feedback from fellow writers can help refine these raw, intimate ideas into compelling narratives, while also affirming their value and authenticity. Over time, such workshops can foster a writer’s confidence and ability to delve into their innermost corners and translate that vulnerability into resonant, powerful writing.

5. Workshop Can Diversify Your Exposure

Reading for pleasure is an important part of being a writer, but sometimes we forget to challenge our scope of influence. Attending a writing workshop exposes you to a wide range of styles, voices, and genres, enriching your understanding of language and its infinite possibilities. By dissecting how accomplished writers craft their sentences, develop characters, or build their narratives, you can glean valuable lessons to enhance your writing. 

Writing workshops are a gateway to a plethora of writing styles, genres, and techniques that one might otherwise miss. They often encompass a broad range of topics, from traditional forms of fiction and poetry to experimental genres, speculative fiction, and cross-genre writing. Hearing from diverse voices in these workshops, each with their unique perspectives and approaches, broadens your literary horizon and stimulates creative thinking. Exposure to such a wealth of information can spark inspiration, drive you to venture outside your comfort zone, and experiment with unfamiliar writing styles, ultimately enriching your own craft.

6. Writing Workshop Boosts Emotional Intelligence

Creative writing workshops can significantly boost emotional intelligence by fostering self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal skills. Workshops provide an outlet for self-reflection and emotional expression, allowing you and others to process and cope with personal experiences. While the process of writing itself can be very cathartic, having the validation of a localized audience can be an unexpected boon. 

As a writer myself, I often have trouble writing about my own experiences and emotions. But in my junior year of college, a professor forced us to write poetry about something very traumatic in our lives. I was terrified to share my poem when it came time, but was ultimately met with warmth, understanding, and constructive critical analysis. A good creative writing workshop should be a safe space, and an environment to share your emotions and experiences without fear.

Workshops require writers to tap into and articulate their own emotions, thereby promoting a deeper understanding of self. Similarly, when critiquing others’ work or crafting characters with different perspectives, writers develop empathy, understanding, and respect for diverse experiences and emotions. This reciprocal sharing and understanding of emotions, alongside the collaborative nature of workshops, also helps to enhance social skills, making these workshops a powerful tool for enhancing emotional intelligence.

7. You’ll Improve Your Communication Skills 

By participating in a creative writing workshop, you have the responsibility of carefully and tactfully communicating feedback to peers in a respectful, thoughtful manner that is beneficial to them as writers. A good workshop will help you learn to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly, confidently, and constructively. These skills are valuable in various aspects of life, including personal relationships and professional settings. 

It’s important to understand the difference between stating your opinion and carefully analyzing a piece without hurting someone’s feelings. When giving constructive feedback in a writing workshop, it’s essential to balance highlighting the strengths of the piece with suggestions for improvement, providing specific examples for both. Make sure to frame your feedback in a supportive and respectful manner, focusing on the work rather than the writer, and emphasize that your goal is to assist the writer in enhancing their piece, not to undermine their creativity or effort.

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While fanfiction can be traced back well before the internet, modern social media has allowed the community to grow exponentially. What was once a small collection of professional authors and obscure forums is now a conglomerate of competing websites where anyone can read, write, and enjoy.   

Below is a list of some of the best fanfiction websites for readers and authors alike!

Note that when creating this list, we are not necessarily supporting or recommending any particular fanfiction website. Instead, this is a culmination of fanfiction websites that are most prominent online and utilized.

1. Archive of Our Own (AO3)

AO3 is a non-profit, fan-created, and fan-run archive for fanworks of all kinds. They host fanfiction, fan art, fan movies, and podfics (fanfiction performed verbally). AO3 is one of the most prestigious platforms for fanworks, touting a 2019 Hugo Award in Relative Works, a category typically assigned to speculative fiction and critical commentary. The platform is known for its high-quality authors, lack of censorship, and zero advertisements. With tags, sorting, and a first-rate search engine, it is a source of fanfiction that anyone can dive into and enjoy.

Check it out here.

2. Wattpad

Being one of the most popular fanfiction websites around, this list wouldn’t be complete without Wattpad. While it has a large library of content with genres of all kinds, the fanfiction community on Wattpad is alive and ever-growing. There you will find works mostly derivative from pop culture and contemporary media, like TV dramas, anime, movies, and much more. With that comes a collection of fanfiction ranging from professional-level writing to lower quality works from beginners looking to learn. This is a further incentive to use Wattpad; there’s no pressure and it’s easy to get eyes on your work. Explore your voice, expand your interests, and find like-minded authors on Wattpad. 

Check it out here.

3. FanFiction.net

FanFiction.net is the largest archive of fanfiction on the internet, and that comes with a lot of perks. The website is very user-friendly with hundreds of specific, media-related tags to browse in order to find exactly what you’re looking for. Users can find fanfiction spun-off from popular works like Star Wars and Pokémon, or from more delightfully bizarre works like Fresh Prince of Bel Air and The Sound of Music. 

Check it out here.

4. Quotev   

Quotev is a popular fanfiction website that is based more in the social aspects of alternative writing. It carries a large community of active users who post more than just fanfiction. Quotev has sections for trivia, Buzzfeed-esque quizzes, surveys, and more. The search system is very easy to use, and there is even a comprehensive chat system for users who want to connect. Quotev also has sections for nonfiction and original fiction for those looking to branch away from fanworks. 

Check it out here.

5. Webnovel

Webnovel is the largest online novel community in the world, boasting over 10 million digital works and more than 3 million creators. While Webnovel focuses primarily on lengthy original novels and comics, it has an entire section of its website dedicated to fanfiction. Through the website’s easy-to-use browse function, you can find the most popular, the highest rated, and the newest fanfiction books uploaded. They even have a ranking system for users who want to find the highest rated fanfictions of all time.

Check it out here.

Benefits of Self-Publishing Fanfiction

If you are a passionate writer with a deep love for existing media, fanfiction can reap incredible rewards. There’s a massive community of readers waiting for new content, and writer’s looking for new friends and collaborators. Online fanfiction is a sandbox to explore new ideas and techniques, but it can also be a proving ground to show the world what you’ve got. So, here are some great reasons to publish your fanfiction on some of the websites listed above: 

1. Building an audience – Self-publishing fanfiction allows writers to cultivate an audience and gain exposure for their work. It can be a slow build, but you never know which story might be the one that sticks.
2. Overcoming traditional publishing – Posting work online can be a way for aspiring authors to overcome barriers to traditional publishing. Some stories have even become mainstream hits, like After by Anna Todd, which amassed millions of reads on Wattpad and became a four-movie saga. 
3. Gaining new skills – For writers of all kinds, fanfiction can serve as a stepping stone. It allows them to build their skills, gain experience, and try new things without the pressure of putting a price tag on their work. 
4. Feedback and community – There is a vast community of fellow fans and writers who share their passion for the same source material. That can serve as a wellspring of valuable constructive criticism for your work; a microcosm of what could eventually become a hefty breadth of influence. 
5. Flexibility and Control – Publishing your work on a fanfiction website means you have full control. There’s freedom in creative expression, technique, release schedules, and much more. There’s nothing stopping a writer from testing the waters and releasing their artistic voice to the world!

Conclusion 

Fanfiction is a great way to get your voice out there as a writer, so give one of these websites a shot. If you’re not much of a writer and prefer reading, I hope this list has helped you find the fanfiction community that fits you. So, get out there and enjoy these high-quality fanfiction platforms!

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