10 Trends of Creative Writing 2016

10 Trends of Creative Writing 2016

Creative writing is not only fun, but it is a great outlet for your creative side. Creative writing trends of this year are helping to shape and mold the industry and it seems that these trends are here to stay, at least for a little while. So grab a pen, and take note of the ten trends of creative writing for 2016.

Going Digital

It is no secret that many writers are taking their works to be a part of the digital world. Ebooks are rising in popularity due to the ease of use. Not to mention, many writers are able to publish their own EBook so it makes for an obvious choice when it comes to getting the writing out into the world.

Girl Power

Strong female leads are becoming more and more common thanks to the works of pieces such as ‘The Hunger Games’, just to name an example. This is especially seen in Young Adult fictions as it is a refreshing read for the main character to be worrying about something else other than boys. Needless to say, this rise in heroism is going to be around for awhile.

Say Hi to Sci-Fi

Where do we even begin? Science Fiction epics are becoming main stream, thanks to none other than Star Wars. This just goes to show sci-fi is not just for nerds any more. In fact, publishers are seeing more and more bids for sci-fi than they ever had before. As a matter of fact, many believe we are entering the new golden age of sci-fi and we can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Write for your readers in the now, not the past.

It’s 2016 and readers want to feel like they are reading stories that are current and relatable. This means writing in ways that make the reader of 2016 want to read your book. For example:

• Take out sentences that are too long and too heavily descriptive.

• Balance narrative and dialogue evenly

• Same goes for verbs and strong adverbs

• Use figures of speech

• Understand the importance of a word count

• Keep in mind there are different standards for having effective creative writing, just be sure you do not violate them

Get Social

Social media platforms are an absolute must for any creative writer. Not only will they allow you to easily network and share updates on your works, but you can take advantage of easy to use marketing and/or advertising to make your newest book widely seen and shared.

A Story in Colors

I’m sure you’ve seen them as they are the latest craze that keeps having a snowball effect of popularity. Just in case you haven’t guessed it yet, I’m talking about adult coloring books. Talk about taking creativity to the max. In addition to the awesome designs in many of these books, there are often neat stories to go along with them. Maybe your next short story could make it’s way into a best-selling adult coloring book.

Print is on the Rise

Books are making a comeback. But we’re wondering if they ever even left in the first place. While it is still popular to publish works digitally, the demand for books in print has risen over the past two years. Let’s face it, we all love the way a book smells.

Diversity

The call for more diverse books has been ringing since 2014, thanks to a twitter group called ‘We Need More Diverse Books’. Since then, they have been granting funds and internships to writers who provide the diversity we need. Fast forward two years later, and the diversity seen in book stores across the Western world has grown by tenfold. Keep your ideas quirky, interesting, and different from the norm. Bring something new to the table this year and your writing will surely stand out.

Independence

It came to quite a surprise when the award winners from National Book Awards Young Writers prize came from marginal publishers. While mainstream publishing companies can give you the blessing of their names, it comes with a cost. Many young writers turn to the intimate relationships and lower costs of independent publishing companies and it turns out, they’ve made the right choice.

Finished When It’s Finished

Placing unrealistic deadlines on yourself jut causes more stress on you. Stay in love with your writing and your passion and do what the big dog, George R.R. Martin does when he is pressured about his next work. Tell everyone, it will be finished when it is finished. Take your time to make the story you want to happen, happen and don’t be weighed down by external pressures.  

For any writers out there, young or old, understand one thing, creative writing is always changing. And that’s the beauty of it, all this creativity is bound to cause a ripple effect in the writing industry. So whether you choose to follow these creative writing trends from 2016 or not, keep in mind, there will be more change around the corner and it’s best, as a writer, if you can roll with the punches.

Author's Note

Laura Carter has great experience in the educational and writing field. Right now she works with www.dissertationwritingservices.org. She’s keen on psychology, non-fiction writing and language learning. Follow her on Twitter: @carterlaura15