Creative Primer

What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer’s Toolbox

Brooks Manley

Not all writing is the same and there’s a type of writing that has the ability to transport, teach, and inspire others like no other.

Creative writing stands out due to its unique approach and focus on imagination. Here’s how to get started and grow as you explore the broad and beautiful world of creative writing!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that extends beyond the bounds of regular professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is characterized by its emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or poetic techniques to express ideas in an original and imaginative way.

Creative writing can take on various forms such as:

  • short stories
  • screenplays

It’s a way for writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a creative, often symbolic, way . It’s about using the power of words to transport readers into a world created by the writer.

5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work. It allows writers to explore different scenarios, characters, and worlds that may not exist in reality.

2. Emotional Engagement: Creative writing often evokes strong emotions in the reader. It aims to make the reader feel something — whether it’s happiness, sorrow, excitement, or fear.

3. Originality: Creative writing values originality. It’s about presenting familiar things in new ways or exploring ideas that are less conventional.

4. Use of Literary Devices: Creative writing frequently employs literary devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, and others to enrich the text and convey meanings in a more subtle, layered manner.

5. Focus on Aesthetics: The beauty of language and the way words flow together is important in creative writing. The aim is to create a piece that’s not just interesting to read, but also beautiful to hear when read aloud.

Remember, creative writing is not just about producing a work of art. It’s also a means of self-expression and a way to share your perspective with the world. Whether you’re considering it as a hobby or contemplating a career in it, understanding the nature and characteristics of creative writing can help you hone your skills and create more engaging pieces .

For more insights into creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Styles of Creative Writing

To fully understand creative writing , you must be aware of the various styles involved. Creative writing explores a multitude of genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that uses expressive language to evoke emotions and ideas. Poets often employ rhythm, rhyme, and other poetic devices to create pieces that are deeply personal and impactful. Poems can vary greatly in length, style, and subject matter, making this a versatile and dynamic form of creative writing.

Short Stories

Short stories are another common style of creative writing. These are brief narratives that typically revolve around a single event or idea. Despite their length, short stories can provide a powerful punch, using precise language and tight narrative structures to convey a complete story in a limited space.

Novels represent a longer form of narrative creative writing. They usually involve complex plots, multiple characters, and various themes. Writing a novel requires a significant investment of time and effort; however, the result can be a rich and immersive reading experience.

Screenplays

Screenplays are written works intended for the screen, be it television, film, or online platforms. They require a specific format, incorporating dialogue and visual descriptions to guide the production process. Screenwriters must also consider the practical aspects of filmmaking, making this an intricate and specialized form of creative writing.

If you’re interested in this style, understanding creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree can provide useful insights.

Writing for the theater is another specialized form of creative writing. Plays, like screenplays, combine dialogue and action, but they also require an understanding of the unique dynamics of the theatrical stage. Playwrights must think about the live audience and the physical space of the theater when crafting their works.

Each of these styles offers unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re drawn to the concise power of poetry, the detailed storytelling of novels, or the visual language of screenplays and plays, there’s a form of creative writing that will suit your artistic voice. The key is to explore, experiment, and find the style that resonates with you.

For those looking to spark their creativity, our article on creative writing prompts offers a wealth of ideas to get you started.

Importance of Creative Writing

Understanding what is creative writing involves recognizing its value and significance. Engaging in creative writing can provide numerous benefits – let’s take a closer look.

Developing Creativity and Imagination

Creative writing serves as a fertile ground for nurturing creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and create unique and original content. This leads to improved problem-solving skills and a broader worldview , both of which can be beneficial in various aspects of life.

Through creative writing, one can build entire worlds, create characters, and weave complex narratives, all of which are products of a creative mind and vivid imagination. This can be especially beneficial for those seeking creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Enhancing Communication Skills

Creative writing can also play a crucial role in honing communication skills. It demands clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. This helps to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, making it easier to express thoughts and ideas effectively .

Moreover, creative writing encourages empathy as you often need to portray a variety of characters from different backgrounds and perspectives. This leads to a better understanding of people and improved interpersonal communication skills.

Exploring Emotions and Ideas

One of the most profound aspects of creative writing is its ability to provide a safe space for exploring emotions and ideas. It serves as an outlet for thoughts and feelings , allowing you to express yourself in ways that might not be possible in everyday conversation.

Writing can be therapeutic, helping you process complex emotions, navigate difficult life events, and gain insight into your own experiences and perceptions. It can also be a means of self-discovery , helping you to understand yourself and the world around you better.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the benefits of creative writing are vast and varied. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and how to teach creative writing . If you’re considering a career in this field, you might find our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it helpful.

4 Steps to Start Creative Writing

Creative writing can seem daunting to beginners, but with the right approach, anyone can start their journey into this creative field. Here are some steps to help you start creative writing .

1. Finding Inspiration

The first step in creative writing is finding inspiration . Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Observe the world around you, listen to conversations, explore different cultures, and delve into various topics of interest.

Reading widely can also be a significant source of inspiration. Read different types of books, articles, and blogs. Discover what resonates with you and sparks your imagination.

For structured creative prompts, visit our list of creative writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Editor’s Note : When something excites or interests you, stop and take note – it could be the inspiration for your next creative writing piece.

2. Planning Your Piece

Once you have an idea, the next step is to plan your piece . Start by outlining:

  • the main points

Remember, this can serve as a roadmap to guide your writing process. A plan doesn’t have to be rigid. It’s a flexible guideline that can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your writing. The primary purpose is to provide direction and prevent writer’s block.

3. Writing Your First Draft

After planning your piece, you can start writing your first draft . This is where you give life to your ideas and breathe life into your characters.

Don’t worry about making it perfect in the first go. The first draft is about getting your ideas down on paper . You can always refine and polish your work later. And if you don’t have a great place to write that first draft, consider a journal for writing .

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

The final step in the creative writing process is editing and revising your work . This is where you fine-tune your piece, correct grammatical errors, and improve sentence structure and flow.

Editing is also an opportunity to enhance your storytelling . You can add more descriptive details, develop your characters further, and make sure your plot is engaging and coherent.

Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your first few pieces don’t meet your expectations. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on how to teach creative writing or creative writing activities for kids.

Tips to Improve Creative Writing Skills

Understanding what is creative writing is the first step. But how can one improve their creative writing skills? Here are some tips that can help.

Read Widely

Reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. By immersing oneself in a variety of genres, styles, and authors, one can gain a richer understanding of language and storytelling techniques . Different authors have unique voices and methods of telling stories, which can serve as inspiration for your own work. So, read widely and frequently!

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, creative writing improves with practice. Consistently writing — whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly — helps develop your writing style and voice . Using creative writing prompts can be a fun way to stimulate your imagination and get the words flowing.

Attend Writing Workshops and Courses

Formal education such as workshops and courses can offer structured learning and expert guidance. These can provide invaluable insights into the world of creative writing, from understanding plot development to character creation. If you’re wondering is a degree in creative writing worth it, these classes can also give you a taste of what studying creative writing at a higher level might look like .

Joining Writing Groups and Communities

Being part of a writing community can provide motivation, constructive feedback, and a sense of camaraderie. These groups often hold regular meetings where members share their work and give each other feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to connect with others who share your passion for writing.

Seeking Feedback on Your Work

Feedback is a crucial part of improving as a writer. It offers a fresh perspective on your work, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s from a writing group, a mentor, or even friends and family, constructive criticism can help refine your writing .

Start Creative Writing Today!

Remember, becoming a proficient writer takes time and patience. So, don’t be discouraged by initial challenges. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. Who knows, your passion for creative writing might even lead to creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Happy writing!

Brooks Manley

Brooks Manley

creative writing vs professional writing

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

the five minute journal

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

Inspiring Ink: Expert Tips on How to Teach Creative Writing

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The difference between academic and professional writing: a helpful guide

Photo of a woman taking an online writing course

Whether you’re a current or prospective student at Penn LPS Online, you’ve likely written your fair share of academic papers and business emails. But you’re not alone if you still have questions about the differences and similarities between academic and professional writing. This overview contains a summary of everything you need to know about the intricacies of these critical forms of writing.

What is the difference between academic and professional writing?

One of the key differences between academic writing and business writing is the goal of each endeavor. Because the readers are often students, professors, or scholars in academic writing, the goal is to present and analyze information on a specific subject and increase understanding. With professional writing, the goal is generally to communicate information or influence the opinions of managers, coworkers, clients, or job prospects. While academic writing is strictly formal, it’s common to use the first-person point of view in many standard business communications. Lastly, academic writing requires adherence to strict formatting and source requirements, but there is generally more flexibility in this area when it comes to professional documents.

Read on to dive deeper into the ins and outs of academic and professional writing.

Academic writing

The hallmarks of academic writing include the use of the third-person point of view, a logical flow, an emphasis on facts and ideas, and an authoritative, formal tone. This writing style is objective, avoids casual language and slang, offers insightful analysis, and includes citations for research backed by reliable sources such as scientific studies or journal articles. While students and professors routinely use academic writing, scientists also use it to describe their research findings, as do literary critics. There are four distinct types of this formal writing style: descriptive, analytical, persuasive, and critical.

Descriptive writing

Descriptive writing is one of the most simple and ubiquitous types of scholarly writing. You can see examples of this writing style in essays, research papers, or lab reports for several fields of study. The primary goal of descriptive writing is to use precise language to summarize and describe information, such as the result of an experiment or a section of prose.

Analytical writing

An example of analytical writing is an academic paper that compares two or more complex ideas or theories. Although a part of analytical writing is descriptive, it requires going a step further to reorganize and deconstruct facts into categories, groups, types, or relationships that provide context. As such, to author a successful analytical essay, you need to start with a strong outline.

Persuasive writing

Persuasive writing takes analytical writing to the next level. Not only must you structure a coherent, fact-based argument, but you must also include your own point of view. This could be a recommendation, interpretation of findings, or an evaluation of someone else’s work, but the claims you make need to be credible and backed by evidence.

Critical writing

This formal style is commonly used in research, advanced undergraduate, or postgraduate writing. It includes the tenets of persuasive writing with the supplement of at least one other point of view (in addition to your own) on a topic or issue. For example, if you’re writing a thesis, you may explain a researcher’s analysis from a journal article, critique the merits of their argument, and provide your own alternative explanation.

Professional writing

Professional writing refers to any written communication that takes place in an organizational context. A primary objective of professional or business writing is to effectively educate, instruct, or persuade an audience via emails, newsletters, memos, press releases, project proposals, business plans, executive summaries, letters, and resumés. As is the case with all writing styles, proper grammar usage—including syntax, spelling, and parts of speech—is essential in professional writing, as are the three points below.

Clarity and concision

One of the main requirements for successful professional writing is to use clear, precise language so that your message is easily understood. It’s also important to avoid clichés and hyperbole and stick to simple, concise statements that efficiently share concrete information. Not only will this save you time, but it will also benefit the reader’s comprehension and enjoyment.

Active and purposeful

Whether you’re creating a quick email or preparing an in-depth report, every piece of business writing should start with a well-defined objective or purpose. To keep your communication to the point, you should use an active voice, choose strong action verbs, and avoid qualifiers or passive phrases such as “I think.”

Personal tone

Although professional writing should have a courteous tone, the level of formality does not need to be equal to that used in an academic setting. Documents such as business plans should have a formal structure, but with emails or online chats with colleagues, a friendly, polite tone and positive phrasing can go a long way.

The overlap between academic and professional writing

Although there are distinct differences, there are also many similarities between academic and professional writing. Both writing styles require that you use proper grammar and punctuation, clear and precise language, and a serious tone, along with well-developed ideas with clear objectives. Whether you’re writing for business or academic purposes, it’s also important to avoid exaggeration, emotionally charged expressions, and jargon, as they dilute the effectiveness of your communication. In everything from research papers and essays to memos and fundraising letters, it’s essential to ensure that the information you convey is both accurate and relevant. And you should always have a clearly defined goal for academic or business writing, such as to describe, inform, analyze, or persuade.

If you’re somewhat of a writing novice and looking to improve your skills, then consider PROW 1030: Introduction to Academic Reading, Writing, and Research and PROW 1000: Fundamentals of Professional Writing at Penn LPS Online. The former is designed to expand your abilities and build your confidence as you learn how to plan and execute a well-structured argument, write with logical coherence, and polish your work to ensure readability. The latter provides an introduction to critically analyzing any writing situation and creating purposeful messaging to address it. With targeted exercises to improve grammar, mechanics, and precision, you’ll work to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your writing practice.

If you want to expand and refine your existing repertoire, look to PROW 3030: Advanced Academic Writing and PROW 3010: The Power of Storytelling . The former focuses on improving your ability to translate readings, research, and findings into meaningful academic content. This includes employing time management and reading strategies and enhancing your understanding of the nuances of academic genres and writing styles. The latter explores storytelling as a means of conveying complex and memorable information. Learn how to use narrative studies as a research tool for gathering data and a rhetorical strategy for generating emotional appeal, action, and brand identity.

Explore the professional writing certificate at Penn LPS Online

The 4-course Certificate in Professional Writing at Penn LPS Online offers practical applications that provide an accelerated understanding of the art of effective business communication—and tips to help you become a master of grammar, concision, and clarity. As mentioned above, whether you’re looking to learn the fundamentals or you’re already a seasoned writer, these Ivy League writing courses will help you take your skills to the next level. Discover innovative findings in the field, receive extensive coaching and feedback, and learn how to incorporate your personal or corporate brand story into every piece of communication.

The Certificate in Professional Writing prepares you to:

  • Analyze different audiences, scenarios, and contexts to better shape your messaging
  • Develop effective rhetorical strategies and skills to persuade personal, professional, and social audiences
  • Learn how use complex multimedia texts that incorporate language, image, and sound to produce a coherent, engaging message
  • Grow your empathic and analytical skills to integrate and build upon other viewpoints
  • Explore how to engage the senses to successfully convey information through social media
  • Understand how to use effective visualization to make complex material more accessible 

Ready to get started? If you have yet to do so, apply to Penn LPS Online today and enroll in the Certificate in Professional Writing . Or  view our course guide to see what’s available in any upcoming term.

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Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, professional writing – how to write for the professional world.

  • © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - University of South Florida , Julie Staggers - Washington State University

Professional writing is fundamentally  transactional: usually if you are writing it is because you are trying to solve some kind of a problem . Your  audience — the people you are writing to — probably need to do something in response to your writing. They may not be expecting your writing . They probably don’t want to read your writing . Your writing is interrupting their day. So, if you’re gonna bother them you need to make it worth their time. Learn about the style of writing that characterizes the texts of professional writers in workplace writing contexts. Master the discourse conventions of professional communities of practice.

creative writing vs professional writing

What is Professional Writing?

Professional writing refers to writing that helps get work done in business, industry, government, non-profit, and civic settings.

Whether it’s a brief office memo or a complex technical report, professional writing is action-oriented and aims to solve problems within or between organizations and publics. While some professional writing is performed by writing professionals — e.g., people whose main job is to write, such as technical writers or social media managers — most professional writing is done by professionals who write . Students often struggle with the transition from academic to professional writing due to the fundamental differences in the writing styles of these two discourse communities :

  • Professional writing is transactional and action-oriented, typically used in work contexts to achieve practical outcomes. Professional writing demands clear , concise communication aimed at specific goals like informing, persuading, or instructing , often requiring a more direct and less theoretical approach than academic writing.
  • Academic writing  refers to the  writing style  that researchers, educators, and students use in scholarly publications and school assignments. .

Related Concepts

  • Elements of Style
  • Professionalism
  • Structured Revision
  • Styles of Writing
  • Workplace Writing

Why Does a Professional Writing Prose Style Matter?

Readers, especially critical readers who perceive documents from a particular interpretive framework, have particular expectations regarding

  • how texts should be shaped, which genres, media, and channels of communication
  • how knowledge claims should vetted to ensure they are authoritative .

Professionals in various fields adhere to established norms (aka discourse conventions) for generating knowledge that is considered to be authoritative . These norms and practices are deeply influenced by the historical research traditions and established discourse practices of their fields, as well as by the introduction of emerging technologies. These technologies offer new possibilities for exploring topics, thereby expanding the methods and approaches available to researchers.

Communication and learning are social processes.

Communications that fail to account for the reader’s expectations are unlikely to be read. They will be tossed aside, dumped into the recycle bin along with other writer-based prose .

What Are the Defining Characteristics of Professional Writing?

creative writing vs professional writing

Clarity is job #1. It’s the first priority of any subject matter expert. If you are not clear — if you cannot express yourself with the level of detail your audience needs to understand your message — your readers may not understand your message, nor will they swayed by it.

Works that lack clarity are called “ writer-based discourse ” in writing studies , the academic field that studies writing, rhetoric, and composing.

Conciseness – Brevity

Professional communicators know less is more when it comes to facilitating clarity in communication . Knowing that every word can be misinterpreted, knowledge workers are careful to cut the vague words from their sentences .

In professional settings, where time equates to money, readers seek information efficiently, prioritizing speed and clarity over elaborate exposition. Consequently, professional writing emphasizes conciseness, employing active voice, a deductive organizational structure , and short paragraphs that focus on a singular main idea . This approach ensures that readers can quickly access and understand the necessary information without wading through unnecessary detail.

Professional writers tend to navigate complex ethical landscapes. Professional writers adhere to ethical, policy, and legal standards. Professional writers in workplace settings have public and legal obligations in the form of liability, copyright , trademark, and liability laws.

Professional writers present information in a way that does not mislead or manipulate the audience.

Professional writers are careful to respect copyright and intellectual property conventions. They are careful to follow expected citation conventions when paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing the ideas of others..

Professional writers are careful to avoiding plagiarism and the misrepresentation of others.

creative writing vs professional writing

Professional writers use language that is respectful and sensitive to ageism, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status of others.

Recommended Readings

  • Ableist Language – Disability Metaphors – Disability Studies
  • Critical Disability Studies
  • Empathetic Information Literacy

Audience-Driven

creative writing vs professional writing

Your readers are unlikely to take your work seriously if your communications fail to account for what your readers know about topic–and how they feel about it. (See interpretation )

The audience for professional writing tends to be coworkers, clients, employers. Typically in workplace discourse the audience is less informed about the topic than the write. Professional writers write from the persona and rhetorical stance of expert. They use visual language to present information as simply as possible. Texts deemed “professional” respond to the needs and interests of their target  audience (e.g., readers, listeners, or users ).

Professional writers determine what they need to say and how they need to say it by analyzing how familiar their audience(s) is with their topic , research methods , and current scholarly conversations on the topic. They engage in audience analysis to determine the genre and media that are most likely to met their target audience. They question

  • what their audience thinks about the topic
  • how their audience perceives or sees the topic
  • how their audience feels about the topic
  • what they want their audience to do .
  • Document Planner
  • Rhetorical Analysis

Readers and users of technical documents need to be confident that they can rely on the information being provided. Your ethos and the ethos of your company is always on the line, and never more so than when you are producing documents for external audiences. Lying, misrepresenting the facts, or ignoring the counterarguments an audience holds dear seldom helps a company prosper.

When revising , editing , or proofreading , you need to check and double check your facts. Check all of the details for accuracy. Avoid lawsuits! Ensure you have included all of the information the audience needs.

In the context of effective professional writing, accuracy refers to the precise and correct use of language, data, and information.

Professional writers maintain their integrity in professional contexts by ensuring that all facts, figures, and details are verified and true, and that language is used appropriately to convey messages without ambiguity or error.

Accuracy is crucial in professional writing as it builds credibility and authority with the audience , whether it’s for academic , technical, business, or any other formal communication.

Writers achieve accuracy by thoroughly researching their topics, cross-checking facts, using reliable sources, and reviewing their work for errors in grammar , spelling , and punctuation .

Accuracy in professional writing demonstrates a commitment to truthfulness and reliability, making it a fundamental attribute for writers aiming to communicate effectively and maintain their integrity in professional contexts.

Comprehensive

Professional writers achieve comprehensiveness by weaving their analysis into the broader “conversation of humankind,” demonstrating an awareness of the historiography of their topic . This attribute means they not only present a thorough exploration of the subject, incorporating all relevant dimensions and perspective , but also position their insights within the context of existing scholarship.

By tracing the evolution of ideas and acknowledging the contributions of previous scholars, professional writing showcases a depth of engagement with the topic that goes beyond surface-level analysis. This approach ensures that the text is not just informative but also deeply connected to the continuum of intellectual inquiry, reflecting a nuanced understanding of the subject’s history, its key contributors, and the methodologies that have shaped its development.

Comprehensiveness, therefore, is not just about the breadth of coverage but about situating one’s work within a larger scholarly dialogue , enriching the text with layers of context and meaning.

Research-Based , Substantive

Professional writers engage in strategic searching to investigate a topic . They are intellectually open . They consider counterarguments . They may employ textual research methods and engage in argument and persuasion.

When professional writers engage in research , they question the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy of information . They engage in rhetorical analysis and textual analysis to question the purpose of the research, from the investigator’s perspective .

Professional writers often engage in a variety of research methods, including Empirical Research Methods , Informal Research Methods , Mixed Research Methods , Qualitative Research Methods , or Quantitative Research Methods .

Readers of professional texts expect writers to support their claims with evidence . They distinguish fact from news and opinion . They expect more than anecdote and informal observation.

Accessibility involves presenting information in a manner that is easily digestible, using language that is straightforward and avoiding unnecessary jargon or technical terms that could alienate readers unfamiliar with the subject matter.

Accessibility entails structuring content logically, with clear headings , concise sentences , and a coherent flow of ideas , making it easier for readers to follow the argument or narrative .

Writers achieve accessibility by considering the background knowledge and interests of their intended audience . They tailor their approach – such as appeals to ethos , pathos , or logos — to be audience sensitive. They work to make their messages reader-based as opposed to writer-based.

When writers and speakers ensure their communications are accessible, they are able to reach a broader audience. By prioritizing accessibility, professional writers bridge the gap between expert knowledge and public understanding, contributing to a more informed and engaged community.

Collaborative (formally or informally)

In professional contexts, projects often require the collective expertise of multiple stakeholders, including writers, subject matter experts, designers, software developers, and clients, to create documents that meet specific business objectives. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product is comprehensive, accurate, and tailored to the needs of its intended audience , reflecting the diverse perspectives and skills of its contributors.

In contrast, academic writing tends to be more solitary. Individual authors or small research teams may toil away on a manuscript for years before sharing it with others and having it published.

Visually Appealing

The texts of subject matter experts in professional writing tend to be highly visual. Wherever possible, professional writers leverage the power of visual language to engage the interests and passions of the audience.

  • Data Visualization – Information Visualization – The Art of Visualizing Meaning For Better Decision-Making
  • Design Principles – The Big Design Principles You Need to Know to Create Compelling Messages
  • Elements of Art – How to Leverage the Power of Art to Make Visually Compelling Documents
  • Elements of Design – Master the Fundamentals of Visual Composition
  • Page Design – How to Design Messages for Maximum Impact
  • Universal Design Principles – How to Design for Everyone
  • Usability – How to Research & Improve Usability
  • Visualization – Visual Representation

Professional writers employ multiple media. They may embed videos and illustrations in their texts. Their texts may be primarily visual, such as data visualizations and infographics.

Problem-Oriented

Professional writers tends to be problem-oriented. Professional writers helps organizations and readers solve problems .

Professional writers tend to employ deductive order and deductive reasoning . In cover letters , abstracts , executive summaries and introductions, they tell the reader what the text is about and how it’s organized. They craft their texts to facilitate scanning .

creative writing vs professional writing

What Textual Practices Are Common to Both Professional & Academic Prose Writing?

A professional writing style shares many characteristics with an academic writing prose style : both of these styles of writing aspire for brevity , flow , simplicity , unity and clarity in communications .

Academic and professional writers share many information literacy perspectives : they value openness and strategic searching . They know when they need information, where to get information, how to assess information, and how weave the work of other researchers into the fabric of their arguments . They value critical literacy practices : They are conversant with the research methods , the knowledge-making practices , that their audiences expect them use in order to propose or test a knowledge claim .

And, in most academic and workplace contexts , knowledge workers are expected to conform to discourse conventions of Standard Written English and Standard Spoken English , including

  • attributions for evidenceo
  • citation styles tied to particular disciplinary communities (e.g., MLA , APA , Chicago)
  • organizational schema
  • punctuation

Not surprisingly, style is a concern for readers across discourse communities : knowledge workers from both academic and professional writing camps abhor vagueness , unsupported claims , and a lack of organization . No one likes a sentence that goes on and on in multiple directions. People don’t want to be bored or confused.

What Are 8 Major Differences Between Academic and Professional Writing?

While professional writers share some values and practices with academic writers, they ultimately approach discourse situations in 8 unique ways.

creative writing vs professional writing

Relationship to Audience

Much of the academic writing assigned in high school and college settings assumes the teacher as examiner role. When teachers serve in the role of examiner , they are checking to see whether you can demonstrate what you know or have learned .

Outside of schoolwork, however, the audience for academic writing tends to be subject matter experts and others interested in basic research on a topic . Members of different academic communities — such as the arts, engineering, or medical communities — engage in strategic searching in order to review peer reviewed research on topics of interest. Because they study different topics in different situations , discourse communities develop their own unique jargon , discourse conventions , and research methods .


Knowledge Workers in academe or others interested in on a

Knowledge workers collaborate to solve problems and create new products, services, .
For students, academic audiences are typically the

For investigators seeking to publish in academic journals, the audiences are fellow experts and investigators
For in workplace writing contexts, audiences tend to be specific people (e.g., clients, colleagues, subject matter experts).

Unlike the of school-based , workplace audiences typically know less than the writer. They aren’t looking to see whether the writer understood the lecture or . Instead, they are trying to understand a topic or process.
:explore and transmit knowledgeaddress business transactions: sell, buy, explain

create new products, applications, services

Relationship to Topic

Academic writing is largely about problematizing and exploring ideas.

Professional writing is fundamentally transactional: usually if you are writing you are doing so because you are trying to solve some kind of problem. Your audience — the people you are writing to — probably need to do something in response to your writing. They may not be expecting your writing. They probably don’t want to read your writing. Your writing is interrupting their day. So, if you’re gonna bother them you need to make it worth their time: your work must be clear , substantive , properly attributed , and evidence based .

Formatting & Use of Visual Language

Academic writing tends to focus on traditional alphabetical language. Academic texts often have longish sentences and paragraphs. They are written from the assumption that the reader has an interest in their topic.

Professional writing, in contrast, assumes readers are not reading for pleasure. They assume technical readers are reading to understand something or to get something done. Thus, professional writing emphasizes visual elements more than academic writing.

To engage the curiosity and interest of their audience, professional writers

  • Consider the Audience’s Needs Professional writers visual design should cater to the audience’s preferences and needs, making information not only accessible but also appealing to them.
  • Use Visual Language to Communicate Professional writers incorporate visuals into their their texts, such as charts, graphs, and infographics. This makes complex information more accessible and easier to understand at a glance.
  • Incorporate Images and Videos Professional writers use visual language to communicate, such as photographs, flowcharts, or infographics.
  • Employ Typography Strategically Professional writers break longer paragraphs down into parts. They use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and varied font styles and sizes to organize content, draw attention to key points, and improve readability.
  • Adopt Layouts That Enhance Readability Professional writers use space effectively to avoid clutter , allowing the reader’s eye to rest and making the document easier to navigate.
  • Design for Accessibility Professional writers are careful to ensure that visual elements are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. This includes using alt text for images and ensuring that color contrasts are sufficient for readability.

Sentence Structure & Sentence Patterns

Academic writers may communicate in long, complicated sentences and long paragraphs. It’s not unusual in professional-peer review journals, to see paragraphs that are 300 to 500+ words long.

In contrast, professional writing embraces simplicity , space, visual language, and simple sentence patterns.

Related Resources: Sentences | Sentence Types

In terms of channel or media , professional writers exhibit greater flexibility and are less tied to traditional discourse conventions than their academic counterparts.

Professional writers often adapt a single message for dissemination across various media, tailoring the content to suit the specific affordances and limitations of each platform. This adaptability allows them to effectively reach and engage their target audiences through the most appropriate channels, whether it be social media, blogs, reports, or presentations.

Conversely, academic writers primarily operate within established scholarly formats such as academic essays, research articles, and book reviews.

Point of View + Perspective

Academic writers may write from the first person to share their experiences and thoughts. In turn, when writing memos in workplace situations, professional writers may also use the first person. Thus, point of view, by itself, is not a measure of academic v. professional writing.

However, in general, primarily due to the distinct purposes and audiences their writing serves, academic and professional writers do adopt different rhetorical stances :

  • Academic Writing is primarily oriented towards contributing to scholarly discourse — what is often called “ the conversation of humankind. ”  Academic writing is characterized by rigorous analysis, citation of peer-reviewed sources, and a focus on contributing new knowledge within a discipline. It often adheres to specific formatting and stylistic conventions (e.g., APA, MLA) and values objectivity, precision, and complexity, emphasizing argumentation supported by evidence.
  • Professional Writing, while also valuing objectivity and evidence-based argumentation in many contexts (such as technical, legal, and scientific communications), is generally more diverse in its aims and formats. It seeks to achieve specific, practical outcomes, such as persuading customers, instructing users, or facilitating business operations. Professional writers adapt their rhetorical stance — their tone, style, and structure — to fit the immediate needs of their audience.

Related Resources

Point of View | Perspective | Rhetorical Stance

Organization

Professional Writing is nearly always employs a direct approach when it comes to organization: professional writers clarify their purpose for writing upfront–sometimes in the first sentence or paragraph .

In contrast, an indirect approach to organization leads with relevant, attention-getting details that do not directly state the purpose of the document. Most often, in business and technical communication, indirect organization is employed when the writer is delivering bad news or anticipates an audience that is resistant to the main message and may require some persuasion.

Professional writers use cover letters , abstracts , executive summaries , and introductions to emphasize key points, arguments , methods , findings, interpretations and conclusions . They don’t hold off on the best arguments till last or keep the reader guessing about why they are being given information .

  • Inductive Order, Inductive Reasoning, Inductive Writing
  • Deductive Order, Deductive Reasoning, Deductive Writing
  • Sentence Order within Paragraphs
  • Topic Sentence

Brevity - Say More with Less

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Diction

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

Simplicity

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

Unity

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creative writing vs professional writing

What is Creative Writing?

by Melissa Donovan | Dec 7, 2023 | Creative Writing | 20 comments

what is creative writing

What is creative writing?

Today’s post is an excerpt from the book  Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing . This is the entirety of the first chapter, “What is Creative Writing?” Enjoy!

Creative writing can be difficult to define.

Certainly, fiction and poetry are forms of creative writing, but what about journal writing, articles and essays, memoirs and biographies? What about textbooks and copywriting? Technical writing? Blog posts?

Where do we draw the line between what is creative writing and other types of writing?

In some cases, what qualifies as creative is obvious. You read something, and you know a lot of creativity went into it. Other times, a piece of writing, while skillful, might not strike you as creative in nature. And then there’s everything in between—stuff that’s sort of creative or not quite creative enough.

Fiction is made-up stuff borne of the imagination. Poetry takes artistic liberties with language and imagery. These types of writing require a significant level of creative thinking. But many other types of writing are creative as well. When you read a memoir with beautiful turns of phrase or an essay that evokes an emotional response, you’re experiencing the writer’s creativity. Conversely, dry, factual material, such as a user’s guide, might be completely lacking in artistry.

Have you ever read the terms and conditions on a website? Ever browsed through an instruction manual? Surely, you’ve suffered through a boring textbook. While these types of writing might require some level of creativity, they are not usually considered creative writing.

It’s easy to glance at a poem and know that it’s a piece of creative writing, and it’s easy to flip through a legal document and know that it’s not.

So what is creative writing?

If a historical textbook is not creative writing, then wouldn’t that exclude other nonfiction works like memoirs and biographies from the creative writing category?

Not necessarily.

While nonfiction indicates that the writing is rooted in fact, it can be written with emphasis on language and craftsmanship and therefore creative. Creative nonfiction is a broad genre that includes memoirs and biographies, personal essays, travel and food writing, and literary journalism.

Ultimately, we each get to decide what is art and what is creative writing. Most of us will know creative writing when we experience it, either as a writer or as a reader.

In the big scheme of things, it may not be that important to go around labeling what is and isn’t creative writing, but it’s certainly worthy of a few brief moments of consideration. You can determine what creative writing is for yourself, but others might see things differently.

Do you differentiate between creative writing and other types of writing? Do you feel that copywriting (ads, commercials, etc.) can be classified as creative writing even though its purpose is strictly commercial? If most textbooks are not considered creative writing, does that mean a textbook can never be written creatively? Is writing creative because of how the writer approaches the project, or how the reader receives it?

What is creative writing to you? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of  Ready, Set, Write.

Ready Set Write a Guide to Creative Writing

20 Comments

Caliban

The act of creation, the literal source of the term creative, is an unbounded event that accepts a poorly whittled twig as company to the Mona Lisa. We have weakened that magnanimous gesture by listening to critics and marketers. That is the world, we are told, deal with it. Is it really?

The curse of the moniker “expert” is the finite limitations of experience. An expert can, truly, only judge a thing based on his personal experience. In many fields that is sufficient for a normalized event. You know a balanced perspective, what makes a pleasing composition, what pleases the ear, the pallet and the psyche. When something arises that does not fit the normal patterns, what then? Can you really use normal criteria to weigh it’s value? Experts do, of course, what choice do they have?

I have issue with kind and gracious critiques given so liberally to work the expert didn’t understand; but because the artist was renowned, and popular, it must be so. I read drivel, knowing it has been proclaimed a masterpiece, and laugh to myself. I study paintings that were little more than bovine scratching, and marvel at how highly prized it is, while brilliant groundbreaking work all around is ignored.

Creative writing – creative anything, is literally everything. Marketable work, is the term you are searching for. That has little to do with artistic merit, though some remarkable work does find it’s way to the light.

Melissa Donovan

Caliban, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I believe that a true expert will know when faced with work that is beyond their experience or expertise and will act accordingly. I know nothing about football, so if someone asked me to critique a football player’s performance on the field, I would politely decline.

Having said that, everyone seems to have an opinion. Some may hold more weight than others. For example, I care more about what a well-read person thinks of my work than someone who rarely or never reads any kind of literature. I too have read drivel that has been declared a masterpiece and it’s frustrating to me. It’s difficult to understand, for example, why a shoddy writer is putting out two novels a year and consistently appearing on the bestseller list and receiving rave reviews. Yet it happens all the time (and no, I’m not naming any names!).

You’re right, creative writing or creative anything is literally everything. However, that is subjective. Me? I don’t consider legal, medical, or scientific writing to be creative. I worked as a technical writer and there was nothing creative about it, although it did require considerable skill in terms of language and grammar.

Positively Present

Really great questions here. Creative writing is such a broad category that so many things can fall under it. I personally think that when I’m at work, writing work documents like memos, press releases, contracts, etc., I’m not being creative. When I’m writing on my blog, in my journal, or a story/novel, I’m using my creative writing skills. Now, if only I could get a job where I can use my creative writing all the time…. 😉

Wouldn’t it be exciting to make a full-time living with creative writing? Successful novelists and freelance writers are able to do that, as are screenwriters. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

J.D. Meier

Good stuff.

I think it’s words that make you think, feel, or act. It’s evocative. It’s clever in action. It’s looking at something a new way. I think the most evocative writing can win over the most evocative painting. Of course, it depends on whose eye the apple is in. It’s subjective and some of the most beautiful art is precisely divisive.

Ooh…evocative writing versus evocative painting. That would be quite a fight!

--Deb

Interesting question! When somebody says “Creative writing,” I DO tend to think FICTION before anything else. Because that’s something that comes entirely from your own head. Whereas with non-fiction, you’re writing to a purpose or from a set of facts.

But the actual act of writing? Creative, either way.

Well, when it’s being done right. Because, of course, you can write a quick promotion on auto-pilot and have it be … fine. Routine. Run-of-the-mill. But the good ones? That give you that glow of satisfaction? Pure creativity, all the way!

I tend to immediately think fiction and poetry whenever people start talking about creative writing, but it turns out there’s a whole genre of nonfiction that is creative (and it has tons of sub-genres). For example, the memoir is quite popular right now. I guess it all has to do with how creative or literary your work is.

Danielle Ingram

Really interesting question, the differentiation between what is creative writing and what is not is extremely subjective.

In some ways I think that all writing is somewhat creative as it has emerged from the mind and the writer has had to think about what they are going to produce and how they are going to do it.

I can appreciate that novels and poems are more likely to be considered creative and perhaps even more worthy to be described as such.

I agree with you – we can bring creativity into just about anything we do (including any type of writing), but some forms of art require a little more creativity than others.

Clara Freeman

Anything that doesn’t make me ‘want’ to read it, is in my mind, non creative as in business manuals, contracts,academic materials, etc. But, written stuff that contains a story line, causes me to reflect, chuckle and ‘want’ to read more of the same would be the creative side of writing for me. Most times, I don’t think about the difference, I just naturally ‘feel’ it:)

Yes, it’s hard to think of the dry writing (business, manuals, contracts) as creative. I do believe there are exceptions, but they are few and far between.

Sarah L. Webb

I agree with everyone in terms of the question itself being worthy of contemplation. I think there’s a difference between noise and music, so I will say there is a distinction between creative writing and other types of writing, just as there is art and non-art.

To use the music analogy again, I think technical documents are like playing perfect scales. Kudos to those who have the skill to do that really well, but it’s not a creative act until someone rearranges those notes into something unique and pleasant.

Thanks for getting me thinking this evening. Give us more to contemplate.

Sarah, this is an excellent analogy. I wish I’d thought of it myself. Your examples of noise vs. music and technical documents being similar to playing scales are spot-on! Thanks so much for adding your ideas to this discussion.

Numanu Abubakar

Completely stunned and baffled! I am dangling in between the two worlds of what is and isn’t on creative writing arena. Does that mean any writing can be said creative and also not, depending how we passive the pieces of works we may come across?

I think it’s just a judgment call. Each of us gets to decide.

Richard Keith

I’m eighty-five years old and have only started writing in the past year or so. My writings have consisted of stories from my own life. My idea of creativity is to make those past experiences interesting. I’ve always been an avid reader of both fact and fiction. I relied heavily on self-help books while struggling with depression during my earlier years. Self-help books aren’t fiction, but I’ve found them to be creatively written.

Creative writing might also be described as, “making myself look pretty darn good” while telling tales of my past.

One of the great things about writing is that we can start it at any time in life. I have always found writing to be calming and therapeutic and a useful tool for self-expression. Thanks for sharing your experiences with writing, Richard.

Emmanuel O. Richard

Creative writing, literally focoses on the imaginative and true skillful arts of bring thoughts into words and actions. Thereby, imbues in readers the ability to critique on the applied skills levelled up by the writer in his or her works of art.

The purpose of creative writings varies. Some works are meant to entertain; others are meant to inform or inspire. While readers can certainly critique, that is actually not the common purpose from an author’s perspective. And most readers don’t get too deep into critiques. Most readers want to be entertained or learn something.

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Major types and various styles of writing.

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Suggested Pre-Reading

  • Building Blocks of Writing: Vocabulary, Spelling, and Grammar
  • Writing Process: Planning, Organizing, Writing, and Reviewing

Sections of This Topic Include

Major types of writing, various styles of writing.

Also, consider

  • Communications (Interpersonal)
  • Communications (Organizational)
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Business Writing

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blogs which have posts related to Business Writing. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also, see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “Next” near the bottom of a post in the blog.

  • Library’s Communications Blog

Four Main Styles

There are four main styles of writing,:

  • Expository – to explain something to your reader
  • Descriptive – to describe key points or certain images to your reader
  • Persuasive – to convince or influence your reader
  • Narrative – to tell a story to your reader

The style that you choose depends on what you want to accomplish with your audience. Thus, before writing, it is very important that you carefully plan and organize your writing before you start the writing itself. See Planning and Organizing Your Writing

Here are more descriptions of the major styles of writing.

  • Understanding the 4 Writing Styles: How to Identify and Use Them
  • What is Writing Style? – Types & Examples
  • What Is a Simple Breakdown of the Four Different Writing Styles?

Other Styles of Writing

Examples of additional styles include formal vs informal, concise vs detailed, commercial vs literary, and factual vs opinioned.

  • Writing Styles (with Examples)
  • 12 Different Styles of Writing and How to Write Them Well

Academic Writing

Academic writing is usually about research and theories and, thus, is written in a formal structure that is concise, orderly, and specific. If it is in regard to research, it can include specific references to other writing, as well as citations to specific pages or quotes in the other writings. Academic writing also conforms to certain style guides, including the American Psychological Association style guide .

  • Definition of Academic Writing
  • What is Academic Writing?
  • Academic Writing (Wikipedia)
  • Academic Writing Style
  • Why Is Academic Writing So Academic?

Business Writing

Business writing usually includes proposals, memorandums, and emails, as can also include various sales publications, such as brochures and catalogs.

  • 4 Types of Business Writing [And When to Use Them]
  • 87 Advanced Business Writing Tips [That Actually Work]
  • Improve Your Business Writing Skills (A Step-by-Step Guide)
  • How to Improve Your Business Writing
  • Business Writing Tips for Professionals
  • Creative Writing

Creative writing is intended to express the original thoughts of the writer. Examples are poems, plays, songs, and personal essays.

  • Professional vs. Creative Writing
  • Creative Writing 101
  • What is Creative Writing? – Definition, Types & Examples
  • Short Story Tips: 10 Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing

Scientific Writing

Scientific writing is a highly technical form of technical writing that is intended primarily for other scientists. It is very similar to academic writing and those types are sometimes used interchangeably. However, scientific writing is primarily focused on research and experimental terms, such as hypothesis, methodology, findings, and recommendations for further research. There are often numerous references and citations in scientific writing.

  • Scientific Writing (Wikipedia)
  • What is Scientific Writing?
  • How to Write Like a Scientist
  • Scientific Writing and Publishing
  • Scientific Writing Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Undergraduate Writing in the Biological Sciences

Technical Writing

Technical writing is usually in regard to planning, developing, providing, maintaining, and fixing technical equipment. Examples include schematics, instruction manuals, help files, and procedures.

  • Technical Writing (Wikipedia)
  • How I Broke Into Technical Writing
  • 15 Tips to Improve Your Technical Writing
  • These Five Techniques Will Transform Your Technical Writing
  • 5 Tips to Help Become a Better Technical Writer
  • Defining a Technical Writer
  • Contents of a User Guide
  • Tips To Get Your Document Read
  • 13 Tips For Technical Writers
  • Technical Writers = Business Analysts = Usability Expert
  • Creating Test Plans
  • To Train Or Not To Train A Technical Writer
  • A Global Technical Writer
  • Steps To Become A Technical Writer
  • The Cloud And Mobile Tech Writing
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  • The Technical Writer Project Manager
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  • Key Words Technical Writers Need To Understand
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  • Getting To Know Your Technical Writing Department (Part 2)
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For the Category of Communications (Business Writing):

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

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