Skill Development
These pages describe various aspects of skill development in creative writing (and creativity in general). Each page has both a video and accompanying text. A playlist of all the videos (videos only; no text) is also provided below.
Habits of Creativity
Consistency & Commitment
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:33 p.m. • Ross Laird
There are many ways to cultivate your creativity and your writing, but there is a shortlist of things that professionals find helpful (see the list below). At the same ti...
Subjects & Themes
Choosing what to Write About
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:33 p.m. • Ross Laird
What should you write about? That’s a tough question for me to answer because I don’t know! The only person who can answer that question is you. What do you want to write...
On Editing
An Illustration in One Sentence
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:34 p.m. • Ross Laird
Editing is the task that nobody wants to do. No matter how skilled you are as a writer, editing is the hard part. You’ll often hear professional writers say that they spe...
Starting to Write
An Illustration in One Sentence
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:34 p.m. • Ross Laird
The video describes a few simple steps to start writing. It’s an informal approach to the topic. If you want something more serious and perhaps more challenging, read the...
Ongoing Creative Practice
Skill Development as a Personal Pathway
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:32 p.m. • Ross Laird
Creative writing skill is not the kind of thing that you master completely. It’s the same as other creative disciplines. You don’t become the perfect violin player by pra...
Deepening Creative Skill
Practice and Craft Development
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:35 p.m. • Ross Laird
The video above explores the deep connections between personal development and creativity — in particular, creative writing. After you review the video, you may find the ...
Tools for Writing
Use what works (for you)
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:34 p.m. • Ross Laird
The tools writers use are as diverse as writers themselves. What works best for you is not necessarily the same as what works for other people (see the list below). So, i...
On Improvement
Small and consistent steps
Jan. 6, 2024, 4:35 p.m. • Ross Laird
The oldest and most archetypal poems, epics, and songs – the original roots and branches of all literature – are articulated visions. They are dreams, glimpses of other w...
Writing for an Audience
Jan. 9, 2024, 7:25 p.m. • Ross Laird
How do writers develop the skills needed to write for an audience? How can we best analyze audience perspectives, motivations, values, and concerns? And, in turn, how do we successfully address the...