Academic writing can become quite challenging when you’re not into the subject, or you feel like the topic is too rigid, like it doesn’t give too much space for being creative. This kind of writing generally gives a feeling that creativity is not supposed to be nurtured.
And it’s where all the fun and joy of writing leaves the house. But it doesn’t really have to be like that. This article will give you a couple of ideas or, better say, guidelines on how to keep your academic writings creative.
But let’s start by reminding ourselves of what academic writing usually includes.
Such writing always includes a debate on a certain topic, which is connected to the read academic material. As an author one takes a position around an issue, and substantiates his arguments with evidence, paying special attention to clarity and precision of expression. Preparation for writing or the initial step is always reading and analysis of appropriate texts.
As it is the case with any other writing, this activity too can be divided into a couple of phases:
1. Planning: it begins with designing and elaborating an idea before drafting.
2. Drafting: it is not necessarily a matter of writing a text from its beginning to its end; often the parts that the author thinks are best designed or have the clearest idea are written first, but the goal and organization of the whole text as well as the readers to whom the text addresses should be kept in mind.
3. Revision: refers to revising individual sentences, transitions from one section to another, or analyzing a sequence of ideas, and sometimes rewriting larger parts of a text. At the same time, it is useful for the author to leave the text for a few days because that way he will be able to look at it more objectively.
4. Verification: Finally, there is a verification of the latest version, both in formal and substantive terms.
5. Thinking about the writing process: analyzing your own approach to writing and thinking about possible alternatives or more effective strategies.
So, if creativeness in academic writing can really be achieved what are the guidelines one should follow to ensure the writings are creative? Keep reading the rest of the article.
Ask for help
First and foremost, help is always available for those who ask for it. Sometimes the subject may be so uninspiring that you feel like you’re having a writer blockage. And your academic studies are at stake, in other words – you’re future. In situations like these, it is useful to know there are professional services that can help you with your writing, regardless of the subject. Pages like edubirdie employ all kinds of professionals with Ph.D.’s in tons of subjects, to help you write a good essay, for example.
Read
Enjoying with a good book in hand cannot surpass any movie or a TV series, no matter how good they may be. A quality article or blog, in addition to being a great source of information, can entertain or relax us. However, when it comes to reading for academic purposes, there is no place for that relaxation. Faculty professors expect their students to dedicate themselves to reading material related to the course of study and do not give up on it.
Also, they expect students to remember most of this material, and it will likely appear in your next exam. And as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, reading is an essential part of academic writing. You can’t write about the subject if you haven’t read enough information about it.
Did you know that the average student should read or study between four to six hours a day!?
We know, we know, sometimes it’s not entirely possible, but that’s why there are tips that can help you focus more on quality than quantity. Reading comprehension as well as adopting the data read are two skills you need to master in order to make the best use of your time. Once you develop them, reading will become faster, and you can focus on your writing more effectively.
Take a course or a workshop
You must have heard about creative writing workshops. You’d be surprised how people progress when attending these. What most think is that you attend them to learn about the ways of writing. But, it’s not always about the way of writing – sentences, and style, it is also about learning how to relax while writing and opening up for new experiences. How to enjoy writing.
Classic creative writing workshops are usually done as group work. With the guidance of the mentor, texts are written which are then read and then commented on in groups. Of course, the most important thing for the success of any workshop is the mentor.
Sometimes you click right away, and sometimes only after a few workshops do you find a teacher with whom you really connect.
Either way, you have to trust your mentor-teacher and let him guide you, step by step. As a very important thing that you get from these workshops, it is important to single out the conversation about the things you write and writing in general – it is extremely encouraging.
Attending such workshops will teach you important skills that will stay even after you’re done with your academic studies. It’s a long-term investment.
Write more
One final piece of advice, write more! You can’t expect to keep creativeness at a certain level in your texts if you do not write. Creativity can be learned and has to be nurtured.
The only way to perfect a skill is to practice it. With each new text, one’s own knowledge of the possibilities of form and content expands.
When you write about a subject, you start looking at it through different eyes – through the eyes of a professional. Writing is a game! The more you write, the more you play, because the more rules you learn, the more experience you get, the more interesting and easier the game is.
