best phrases for creative writing

Using Creative Words and Phrases for Composition Writing & Essays

• Primary School Composition Writing

Using Creative Words and Phrases for Composition Writing & Essays

How to use creative words and phrases for composition writing & essays.

This blog post will teach you how to use creative and inspired phrases for composition writing.  It will also give you examples and ideas of Idioms, Similes, Metaphors or Personification that you can use in your compositions.

But first, here’s a Free Ebook –  80 Awesome Phrases to Wow your Teacher !

(Tip: You can print out the free ebook for your child to read.)

Do You Really Need Good Phrases for Composition Writing?

No, you don’t.  Your child should not use good phrases just for the sake of impressing the reader.  Your child should concentrate on using the RIGHT PHRASE for the RIGHT SITUATION .  (In fact, our collection of Model Compositions for Primary School Students does not contain pompous, bombastic words or phrases.)

And to do so, your child needs to have a broad knowledge of a variety of phrases.  That way, he will be well-equipped with an arsenal of words to express himself fluently and smoothly.

Many parents misunderstand the use of good vocabulary words for essays.  They force their child to memorise bombastic words and phrases.  This should not be the case as memorisation does not equal application.  Students tend to memorise the phrases and then use them in the wrong context when writing.  This causes the students’ writing to become stilted and mechanical.  Some may even become addicted to the use of bombastic vocabulary and end up writing overly-complicated sentences or phrases to look smart.

Now which is smarter – expressing yourself in a short and sweet manner, or, writing a whole bunch of fancy and pompous words just to narrate a simple thought?

Instead of “good phrases”, focus on using – EFFECTIVE PHRASES.

It’s okay to use simple phrases!  Keep your sentences short, concise, and straight to the point.  Use the right words at the right time.  Express your ideas fluently.

Remember – You are writing to let the reader read for the sake of enjoyment.  You are not writing to IMPRESS the reader.

Bonus Video – How To Use Good Expressions in Composition Writing:

Here’s an online lesson I conducted some time back on how to use Good Expressions in your compositions.  It is very similar to what I address in the article later on How to Write Good Phrases.

It’s about 1 hour long so you may want to set aside some time to watch it. (You can also fast forward to 6:09 to skip straight to the introduction and then the lesson.)

Types of Descriptive Phrases

“Good Phrases” can be broken down into:

Personification

An idiom is an expression of words whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. (Definition taken from dictionary.com )

In other words, an idiom is a quirky series of words combined to form a special meaning.

Idioms should be used sparingly in a composition.  Do not overuse them as it may make your overall composition sound very cheesy or old-fashioned.  Some idioms are also not commonly used in our everyday speech. Hence, over-usage of the less well-known idioms might make reading awkward.

Some Useful Idioms

1. An arm and a leg –  Very expensive or costly.

E.g: Dining at this high-class restaurant cost me an arm and a leg !  I will never return here again.

2. Blessing in disguise – something good that was not recognized at first.

E.g:  Missing that field trip turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the school bus met with an accident.

3. Piece of cake – used to describe something that is very easy to do.

E.g:  This assignment was a piece of cake .  I completed in less that fifteen minutes

4. Not to make head or tail of something – unable to decipher or understand the meaning

E.g:  The teacher was talking so fast that I could not make head or tail of what he was saying.

5. See eye to eye – to agree with someone

E.g:  Jack and Diane kept on quarreling as they could not see eye to eye with each other.

For more useful idioms, you check out  our LIST of 88 AWESOME IDIOMS that you can learn and apply immediately.  Boost your language marks for compo writing and WOW your teacher!

Click the button below to download this free ebook for your child!

• Simple & Easy-to-use
• Minimal Memory Work
• Examples provided
• Learn the meaning of these idioms!

It is a figure of speech where one thing is compared with another thing of a different kind.

It is used to make a description more vivid or to draw out a particular quality of the subject being mentioned.

Similes are used with the words “like” or “as…as”.

Similes are best used when they are original, creative, relevant and logical.  A simile which has been used too many times  – “as fast as a cheetah” or “as fast as lightning” –  will not score you extra points.

Some Useful Similes

1.The students were chattering like monkeys .

2. The winner of the race paraded around the track like a peacock .

3. We tried to carry him but he was as heavy as an elephant .

4.  The signboards were as bright as daylight .

5. When she heard someone call her name in the dark, she turned as pale as a sheet .

6. Filled with rage, the bully charged towards me like a bull .

7. The boys were laughing like hyenas when they pulled off the prank.

8. Don’t worry about her.  She can handle it herself.  She is as tough as nails !

9. When the exams commenced, the classroom became  as silent as a grave .

10. On the last day of school, Jimmy dashed out of the school gates feeling as free as a bird .

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something that is not literally applicable to suggest a resemblance.  (definition taken from dictionary.com ).

In other words, it is almost like a simile, except you are not using the words ‘like’ or ‘as…as’.

Simile:  He was as angry as a bull.

Metaphor: He was an angry bull.

Metaphors are slightly more difficult to use than similes.  But when they are used right, they can give an extremely vivid portrayal of a character or a situation in the story.

A metaphor applied correctly can be a very powerful tool in writing.

Some Useful Metaphors

1. She felt a whirlwind of emotions passed through her.  ( overwhelmed by emotions)

2. Don’t believe that fortune-teller.  He is selling you snake oil .  (metaphorical idiom, fake promises, products or services that fail to live up to expectations, something fraudulent)

3. Mr Tan is a teacher with a heart of gold .  ( very kind or generous)

4.  Stay away from him.  He is a loaded gun . (dangerous)

5.  When the basketball team got off the bus, we could smell the stench of defeat on them.  ( they acted in such a way that it was easy to deduce that they have lost)

6. After failing her exams, Shirley wallowed in a sea of self-pity .  ( metaphorical idiom, overwhelmed by self-pity)

7. He was so sad that he was crying rivers . (a lot of tears)

8.  Sean’s stomach was a bottomless pit . ( extremely hungry, describe someone who cannot stop eating.)

9. Completing this assignment was a breeze . ( very easy to complete)

10.  Hearing her laughter was music to my ears .  (a pleasant sound)

Personification is done by attributing human characteristics to something non-human.

This is used to give a clearer picture of whatever that’s being described.  It enables the reader visualise and see the imagery in their minds.

Personification can be done by simple usage of verbs or action words.

Just like metaphors, personification can count as good vocabulary words for essay writing.

Some Useful Ideas for Personification

1. The thunderstorm raged on outside my window.

2. The soft, cool sand caressed my feet.

3. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

4. I could hear the faint wail of the ambulance in a distance.

5. The moment I stepped out into the streets, I was greeted by the strong diesel fumes.

6. The trees shadowed the soldiers as they trekked through the forest.

7. The sports car roared  with ferocity as it zoomed past the spectators.

8. The road was treacherous and unforgiving .

9. The expensive handbag seemed to call out to her.  “Buy me!”

10. By the time the firemen arrived, the flames were already dancing on the roof.

How to come up with your own phrases?

The best descriptions are often ones that you come up with on the spot, that can fit the scenario or context that you are describing perfectly.

Coming up with good phrases for composition writing is not that hard.  All you need is an inquisitive mind that is able to draw comparisons between 2 unrelated objects.

You need to be creative –  a trait that is inherent in most children.

You need to be able to come up with fresh ideas and fresh perspectives.

Some questions to ask yourself when coming up with good vocabulary words for essays:

• How can I better depict this character/scene/object by comparing it with something else?
• What’s a better verb I can use to personify this object?
• How can I make this phrase or sentence more interesting for the reader?
• How can I better convey my point across to the reader?
• How can I help the reader to visualise better?

How to write a good essay in English?

DON’T be so preoccupied with employing gargantuan words in your expositions that your sentence ends up reading like this. See what I did there?

Often students pepper their essays with “smart-sounding” words to impress their examiners. This has the opposite effect; readers are left scratching their heads, wondering what message the student is trying to convey.

The best way to resist this impulse is to replace bombastic words with effective ones. “Bombastic”, according to Oxford Languages, means “high-sounding but with little meaning”. When you use bombastic words, you may just end up using words in the wrong context . You also tend to make errors of repetition by force-fitting all the words you know into your compo.

Consider this sentence: “The enraptured onlookers were jolted and entranced by the spine-tingling sight of the sunset.”

Did you spot the errors?

1. “Enraptured” and “entranced” mean the same thing. (Repetition)

2. “Jolted” means “shocked”. (Wrong context. This is a sunset, not a horror movie!)

3. “Spine-tinging” means “scary”. (Again, wrong context.)

Here’s the revised sentence: “The onlookers were left mesmerised by the breathtaking sunset.”

By replacing bombastic words with effective ones, you’re well on your way to writing a good essay in English.

Good vocabulary words for essays

Good vocabulary forms the bedrock of an essay, so it is important to use vocabulary that is appropriate, yet not overused and therefore, cliched. Let’s begin with the introduction.

Introduction

The introduction is where you set the scene for your reader. Use descriptive phrases that vividly describes the setting. Word of caution: do not overdo the setting descriptions, especially when the setting plays no role in your story plot.

• Use vivid vocabulary instead of vague adjectives :

For instance, replace vague adjectives like “beautiful” with more precise vocabulary. If you’re describing places like a quiet beach or park, “ serene ” and “tranquil ” can be used instead.

If you’re describing greenery, “verdant” is more appropriate and paints a more vivid picture in your reader’s mind:

e,g, “My parents and I were at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, enjoying a peaceful afternoon amidst the verdant expanse of lush trees and vibrant flower beds, blissfully unaware that things would soon take an unexpected turn.”

• Use creative phrases instead of cliches :

It’s high time we ditch cliched phrases about how “fluffy clouds dotted the azure sky”. This does not impress your reader!

Consider this other cliched phrase: “The smell of buttery popcorn wafted into my nostrils.”

What a yawn! Let’s improve by rewriting it as follows: “The smell of buttery popcorn beckoned to me, tantalising my senses.” You have effectively personified the smell of the popcorn and in doing so, you convey just how tempted you were by it!

Rising Action

Things are heating up here and if you want to keep your readers on their toes, use suspenseful language to plant clues. This is especially useful if your story is about an unfortunate event or something unexpected.

When something seems a little amiss, hint at the impending problem using phrases such as:

1. Something gnawed at the back of my mind, but I brushed it off.

2. I could not shake the feeling of…

3. I could feel it in my bones; something was not right.

4. I felt a tug of apprehension in my gut, subtle but persistent.

5. The birdsong abruptly ceased, as if nature itself were holding its breath.

This is where the main conflict or action occurs and where vocabulary should be impactful . Once again, stand out from the crowd by using high-intensity words (and avoid using “very”) to create excitement!

• Use impactful, highly charged vocabulary instead of dull phrases :
• Use “show, not tell” instead of stating the facts :

This means showing, not telling , the reader what your character is thinking and feeling. In doing so, you engage the reader and make your writing a whole lot more immersive! When the reader can picture your character, you evoke a deeper emotional response.

Consider these two descriptions:

• Jane was devastated but determinedly continued on.
• Hastily wiping her tears away, Jane bit her lip and marched ahead.

Ask yourself: which one is more impactful? Which description draws you in and allows you to feel Jane’s pain?

Falling Action

Here’s the part where the dust settles. Common emotions experienced by characters include relief (usually after negative events) and happiness (for positive outcomes).

• Use body language to convey emotions like relief or joy

Your characters don’t always have to ‘heave/ breathe a sigh of relief”. There are plenty of other “show, not tell” or body language phrases we can use to convey relief:

1. Unclenching my fists, I…

2. Marcus slumped in his chair in relief .

3. She let out a long breath , thankful for the brief reprieve.

4. A soft smile played on her lips as worry washed away.

5. He wiped his brow as anxiety finally ebbed away

• Explore using new idioms and metaphors to convey emotions

While “jumped for joy” and “over the moon” do show happiness, it’s time to retire these and adopt some new lingo! Try these instead:

1. Benjamin was walking on air after winning the championship.

2. The blushing bride graced us with a smile that could light up a room .

3. I was tickled pink after being personally invited to Taylor Swift’s birthday bash.

Belle walked up on stage with a spring in her step .

• Capture complexity of emotions to create round (not flat) characters

More advanced writers might want to play around with describing more nuanced feelings because human emotions are complex! We often experience bittersweet emotions like joy tinged with melancholy.

Consider descriptions that capture this complexity. For instance, if describing a graduation,  you can try: “The valedictorian gave the graduating class a wistful smile as he prepared to throw up his mortarboard for the final hurrah.”

This lends more depth to your characters; this makes your characters three-dimensional, rounded … and real.

Leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement as you wrap up your final scene. You do your essay no favours by ending with crutch phrases about how “this memory will always be etched in his mind”.  

• Use reflective vocabulary and words that convey closure:

1. Mulling over the day’s events, she…

2. Sandra was lost in a pleasant reverie as the jubilant cheers of her teammates faded into the backdrop.

3. Cristopher kept turning things over in his mind until he finally concluded that…

• Use vivid descriptions to end with imagery:

1. Rain pattered against the window, washing away the dust of the day.

2. I stared at my reflection in the gleaming medal and saw, for the first time, a champion.

Remember, the best conclusions should leave the reader satisfied, bring closure, and create a lasting impression. And that’s how you end with a bang. 

See other related articles on Writing Samurai:

• Proverbs are Phrases Commonly Used in Compositions
• 6 Tips On How to Write a Good Composition For Primary School Students
• Great Phrases To Use For Composition Writing & Essays

Still need more help?

Here’s an ebook of good phrases that your child can use to describe emotions, $15    free for a limited time only.

More than 28,437  students have benefited from this book!

Click or Tap on the button below to download!

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

This article is suitable for native English speakers and those who are  learning English at Oxford Royale Academy and are just taking their first steps into essay writing.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , politics , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 105 creative writing prompts to try out.

General Education

The most common advice out there for being a writer is, "if you want to write, write." While this is true (and good advice), it's not always that easy, particularly if you're not writing regularly.

Whether you're looking for help getting started on your next project, or just want to spend 20 minutes being creative, writing prompts are great ways to rev up your imagination. Read on for our list of over 100 creative writing prompts!

feature image credit: r. nial bradshaw /Flickr

10 Short Writing Prompts

If you're looking for a quick boost to get yourself going, these 10 short writing prompts will do the trick.

#1 : Write a scene starting with a regular family ritual that goes awry.

#2 : Describe exactly what you see/smell/hear/etc, right now. Include objects, people, and anything else in your immediate environment.

#3 : Suggest eight possible ways to get a ping pong ball out of a vertical pipe.

#4 : A shoe falls out of the sky. Justify why.

#5 : If your brain were a tangible, physical place, what would it be like?

#6 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "The stage was set."

#7 : You have been asked to write a history of "The Summer of [this past year]." Your publisher wants a table of contents. What events will you submit?

#8 : Write a sympathetic story from the point of view of the "bad guy." (Think fractured fairy tales like Wicked or The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! , although the story doesn't have to be a fairy tale.)

#9 : Look at everyday objects in a new way and write about the stories one of these objects contains.

#10 : One person meets a stranger on a mode of transportation. Write the story that ensues.

11 Writing Prompts for Kids

Any of these prompts can be used by writers of any age, but we chose the following 11 prompts as ones that would be particularly fun for kids to write about. (Most of them I used myself as a young writer, so I can vouch for their working!)

#1 : Include something falling in your writing.

#2 : Write a short poem (or story) with the title, "We don't know when it will be fixed."

#3 : Write from the perspective of someone of a different gender than you.

#4 : Write a dumb internet quiz.

#5 : Finish this thought: "A perfect day in my imagination begins like this:"

#6 : Write a character's inner monologue (what they are thinking as they go about their day).

#7 : Think of a character. Write a paragraph each about:

• An important childhood experience that character had.
• The character's living situation.
• Two hobbies or things the character likes to do.
• The room where the character sleeps.
• An ambition of the character.
• Two physical characteristics of the character.
• What happens when a second person and this character meet.
• Two important defining personal traits of this character.

#8 : Start a story with a quote from a song.

#9 : Begin a story with, "It was the summer of ______ when ______"

#10 : Pretend everyday objects have no names. Think about what you would name them based on what they do, what you can use them for, and what they look like.

#11 : Start a story with the phrases "My grandparents are/were," "My parents are/were," or "My mother/father/parent is/was."

15 Cool Writing Prompts

#1 : List five issues that you're passionate about. Write about them from the opposite point of view (or from the perspective of a character with the opposite point of view).

#2 : Walk around and write down a phrase you hear (or read). Make a story out of it.

#3 : Write using no adjectives or adverbs.

#4 : Write a character's inner dialogue between different aspects of a character's self (rather than an inner monologue).

#5 : Write a true story from your past that involves light or darkness in some way.

#6 : "Saying goodbye awakens us to the true nature of things." Write something in which someone has to say goodbye and has a realization.

#7 : Begin by writing the end of the story.

#8 : Write a recipe for an intangible thing.

#9 : Write a horror story about an ordinary situation (e.g., buying groceries, going to the bank, listening to music).

#10 : Write a story from within a bubble.

#11 : Write down 2-3 short character descriptions and then write the characters in conversation with one another.

#12 : Write a story in second person.

#13 : Write a story that keeps contradicting itself.

#14 : Write about a character with at least three big problems.

#15 : Write something that takes place on a Friday, the 13th (of any month).

15 Funny Writing Prompts

#1 : Write a story which starts with someone eating a pickle and potato sandwich.

#2 : Write a short script where the plot has to do with evil dolls trying to take over something.

#3 : Write about writers' block.

#4 : List five election issues that would be ridiculous to includes as part of your election platform (e.g. outlawing mechanical pencils and clicky pens, mandating every person over the age of 30 must own an emergency last rites kit). Choose one of the ridiculous issues and write a speech in favor of it.

#5 : Write a children's story that is insanely inappropriate but can't use graphic language, curses, or violence.

#6 : List five careers. Write about someone with one of those careers who wants to quit it.

#7 : Write down a list of murder methods. Choose one at random from the list to use in a story.

#8 : Write a romance story in which the hero must have a last name corresponding with a physical characteristic (e.g. Jacques Hairyback or Flora Dimple).

#9 : Come up with 10 different ways to:

• order a pizza
• congratulate someone on a job well done
• return to the store something that's broken

#10 : Search for "random Renaissance painting" (or any other inspirational image search text you can think of) on any online internet image search engine. Picking one image, write half a page each of:

• Statements about this image (e.g. "I meant bring me the BREAD of John the Baptist").
• Questions about this image (e.g. "How many of those cherubs look like their necks are broken?").
• Explanations of this image (e.g. "The painter ran out of blue paint halfway through and had to improvise for the color of the sky").
• Commands said by people in this image or about this image (e.g. "Stop telling me to smile!" or "Bring me some gasoline!").

#11 : Write starting with a word that sounds like "chute" (e.g. "chute," "shoot," "shooed").

#12 : Write about a character named X "The [article of clothing]" Y (e.g. Julie "The Yellow Darted Skirt" Whyte) or simply referred to by their clothing (e.g. "the man in the brown suit" or "the woman in black").

#13 : Write down a paragraph each describing two wildly different settings. Write a story involving both settings.

#14 : Think of a fictional holiday based around some natural event (e.g. the Earth being at its farthest point from the sun, in memory of a volcanic eruption, that time a cloud looked like a rabbit riding a bicycle). Write about how this holiday is celebrated.

#15 : Write a "Just-So" type story about a fictional creature (e.g. "how the dragon got its firebreath" or "how the mudkip got its cheek gills").

54 Other Writing Prompt Ideas

#1 : Borrow a character from some other form of media (or create your own). Write from that character's perspective.

#2 : Write for and against a non-consequential controversy (e.g., salt vs. pepper, Mac vs. PC, best kind of door).

#3 : Choose an ancestor or a person from the past to write about or to.

#4 : Write a pirate story with a twist.

#5 : Have a character talk about another character and their feelings about that other character.

#6 : Pick a season and think about an event in your life that occurred in that season. Write a creative nonfiction piece about that event and that season.

#7 : Think of something very complicated and long. Write a page about it using short sentences.

#8 : Write a story as a dream.

#9 : Describe around a food without ever directly naming it.

#10 : Write a monologue (one character, talking to the audience/reader) (*not* an inner monologue).

#11 : Begin a story with the phrase, "It only took five seconds to..."

#12 : List five strong emotions. Choosing one, write about a character experiencing that emotion, but only use the character's actions to convey how they are feeling (no outright statements).

#13 : Write a chapter of the memoir of your life.

#14 : Look through the (physical) things you're currently carrying with you or wearing. Write about the memories or emotions tied with each of them.

#15 : Go be in nature. Write drawing your story from your surroundings (both physical, social, and mental/emotional).

#16 : Write from the perspective of a bubble (or bubble-like creature).

#17 : A person is jogging along an asphalt road. Write a story.

#18 : Title your story (or poem, or play, etc) "Anti-_____". Fill in the blank and write the story.

#19 : Write something that must include an animal, a mineral, and a vegetable.

#20 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "6 weeks later..."

#21 : List 5-10 office jobs. Pick one of them and describe a person working in that job as if you were a commentator on an Olympic sporting event.

#22 : Practice your poetic imagery: overwrite a description of a character's breakfast routine.

#23 : Write about a character (or group of characters) trying to convince another character to try something they're scared of.

#24 : Keep an eye out in your environment for examples of greengrocer's apostrophes and rogue quotation marks. Pick an example and write about what the misplaced punctuation implies (e.g., we have the "best" meat or we have the best "meat" ).

#25 : Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind: "_______ Riot!" Write a newspaper-style article describing the events that that took place.

#26 : Write from the point of view of your most-loved possession. What does it think of you?

#27 : Think of five common sayings (e.g., "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"). Write a horror story whose plot is one of those common sayings.

#28 : Write a scene in which two characters are finally hashing out a long-standing misunderstanding or disagreement.

#29 : You start receiving text messages from an unknown number. Tell the story of what happens next.

#30 : Write one character bragging to another about the story behind their new tattoo.

#31 : Superheroes save the world...but they also leave a lot of destruction in their wake. Write about a normal person in a superhero's world.

#32 : Sometimes, family is who we are related to; sometimes, family is a group of people we gather around ourselves. Write a story about (some of) a character's found family and relatives meeting for the first time.

#33 : Write a story that begins in the middle of the plot's action ( en media res ).

#34 : Everyone says you can never have too much of a good thing. Write a story where that isn't true.

#35 : What do ghosts do when they're not creating mischief? Write about the secret lives of ghosts.

#36 : Every year, you dread the last week of April. Write a story about why.

#37 : Write a story about what it would be like to have an animal sidekick in real life.

#38 : Heists don't just have to be black-clad thieves stealing into vaults to steal rare art or money. Write about a group of people (adults or children) who commit a heist for something of seemingly little monetary value.

#39 : "Life is like a chooseable-path adventure, except you don't get to see what would have happened if you chose differently." Think of a choice you've made and write about a world where you made a different choice.

#40 : Write a story about a secret room.

#41 : You find a message in a bottle with very specific directions. Write a story about the adventure you embark upon.

#42 : "You'll always be okay as long as you know where your _______ is." Fill in the blank and write a story (either fictional or from your life) illustrating this statement.

#43 : Forcing people into prolonged proximity can change and deepen relationships. Write about characters on a road trip together.

#44 : In music, sonata form includes three main parts: exposition, development, and recapitulation. Write a short story that follows this format.

#45 : Begin writing with a character saying, "I'm afraid this simply can't wait."

#46 : Write a story with a happy ending (either happily-ever-after or happy-for-now).

#47 : Write about a character before and after a tragedy in that character's life.

#48 : Choose an object or concept you encounter in everyday life (e.g. tables, the feeling of hot or cold, oxygen) and write an infomercial about it.

#49 : "Life is a series of quests, whether important or mundane." Write about a quest you've gone on (or would like to go on, or will have to go on).

#50 : List 10 different ways to learn. Choose one (or more) and write a story where a character learns something using that one (or more) method.

#51 : You've been called to the principal's office for bad behavior. You know what you did. Explain and justify yourself.

#52 : A character discovers their sibling owns a cursed object. Write about what happens next.

#53 : Write a character description by writing a list of items that would be on a scavenger hunt about them.

#54 : The slogan for a product or service you're advertising is, "Kid-tested, _____." Fill in the blank and write the copy for a radio or podcast advertisement for your product.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts

There's no wrong way to use a creative writing prompt (unless it's to harass and hurt someone)—the point of them is to get you writing and your imagination flowing.

To help you get the most out of these writing prompts, however, we've come up with the six tips below. Try them out!

#1: DON'T Limit Yourself to Prose

Unless you're writing for a particular assignment, there's no reason everything you write in response to a writing prompt has to be prose fiction . Instead of writing your response to a prompt as a story, try writing a poem, nonfiction essay, play, screenplay, or some other format entirely.

#2: DON'T Edit as You Write

The purposes of writing prompts is to get you writing, typos and weird grammar and all. Editing comes later, once you've finished writing and have some space from it to come back to what you wrote.

It's OK to fix things that will make it difficult to read what you've written (e.g., a weird autocorrect that changes the meaning of a sentence), but don't worry too much about typos or perfect grammar when you're writing; those are easy enough to fix in edits . You also can always insert asterisks or a short note as you're writing to remind yourself to go back to fix something (for instance, if as you're writing it seems like you want to move around the order of your paragraphs or insert something earlier).

#3: DO Interpret the Prompt Broadly

The point of using a writing prompt is not to write something that best exemplifies the prompt, but something that sparks your own creativity. Again, unless you're writing in response to an assignment with specific directions, feel free to interpret writing prompts as broadly or as narrowly as you want.

For instance, if your prompt is to write a story that begins with "The stage was set," you could write about anything from someone preparing to put a plan into motion to a literal theatre stage constructed out of pieces of old sets (or something else entirely).

If you're using a writing prompt, it doesn't have to be the first sentence of your story or poem, either; you can also use the prompt as a goal to work towards in your writing.

#4: DO Try Switching Up Your Writing Methods

If it's a possibility for you, see if you write differently in different media. Do you write the same kind of stories by hand as you would typing at a computer? What about if you dictate a story and then transcribe it? Or text it to a friend? Varying the method you use to write can affect the stories you're able to tell.

For example, you may find that it's easier for you to tell stories about your life to a voice recorder than to try to write out a personal essay. Or maybe you have trouble writing poetry, but can easily text yourself or a friend a poem. You might even find you like a writing method you've not tried before better than what you've been doing!

#5: DO Mix and Match Prompt Ideas

If you need more inspiration, feel free to combine multiple prompts (but don't overwhelm yourself with too much to write about).

You can also try switching genres from what might be suggested in the prompt. For instance, try writing a prompt that seems funny in a serious and sad way, or finding the humor in something that otherwise seems humorless. The categories we've organized the prompts into are by no means limiters on what you're allowed to write about.

#6: DO Try to Write Regularly

The more regularly you write, the easier it will be to write (with or without writing prompts).

For some people, this means writing daily; for others, it means setting aside time to write each weekend or each month. Set yourself an achievable goal (write 2x a week, write 1000 words a month) and stick to it. You can always start small and then ramp your wordcount or frequency up.

If you do better when you have something outside yourself prompting to write, you may also want to try something like morning pages , which encourages you to write at least 750 words every day, in any format (story, diary entry, social media postings, etc).

What's Next?

Thinking about attending college or grad school for creative writing? Our articles on whether or not you should major in creative writing and the best creative writing programs are there for you! Plus, if you're a high schooler, you should check out these top writing contests .

Creative writing doesn't necessarily have to be fiction. Check out these three examples of narrative writing and our tips for how to write your own narrative stories and essays .

Just as writing prompts can help give form to amorphous creative energy, using specific writing structures or devices can be great starting points for your next story. Read through our discussion of the top 20 poetic devices to know and see if you can work at least one new one into your next writing session.

Still looking for more writing ideas? Try repurposing our 100+ easy drawing ideas for characters, settings, or plot points in your writing.

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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21 inspiring creativity quotes that’ll get your ideas flowing

These encouraging quotes about creativity will help you become your most inventive self.

While feeling stuck in an idea rut is never fun, these 21 creativity quotes from the greats remind you that you’re not alone—and that ruts are temporary . Hopefully a few of the inspiring wise words below can help spark your imagination, encourage you to consider a passion or a possibility , or push you to risk stepping outside your comfort zone for the sake of experimenting with something new. 

The best quotes about being creative

1. “Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.” — Bruce Garrabrandt

2. “Everything you can imagine is real.” — Pablo Picasso

3. “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” — Steve Jobs

4. “ You can’t wait for inspiration , you have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London

5. “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will.” — George Bernard Shaw

6. “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play. ” — John Cleese

7. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou

8. “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” — Edwin Land

9. “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.”  — Albert Einstein

10. “ When learning is purposeful , creativity blossoms. When creativity blossoms, thinking emanates. When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit. When knowledge is lit, economy flourishes.” — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

11. “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” — Edward de Bono 

 12. “Creativity is… seeing something that doesn’t exist already. You need to find out how you can bring it into being and that way be a playmate with God.” — Michele Shea 

13. “Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it who makes a difference.” — Nolan Bushnell 

14. “The creative person is willing to live with ambiguity. He doesn’t need problems solved immediately and can afford to wait for the right ideas.” — Abe Tannenbaum

15. “ Creativity can solve almost any problem . The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” — George Lois 

Related articles

16. “There’s room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you’re trying to be like somebody else, then there isn’t.” — Tori Amos

17. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” — Sylvia Plath

18. “Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void but out of chaos.” — Mary Shelley

19. “True alchemy lies in this formula: ‘Your memory and your senses are but the nourishment of your creative impulse.’” — Arthur Rimbaud

20. “Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order.” ― Virginia Woolf

21. “The precise role of the artist, then, is to illuminate that darkness, blaze roads through that vast forest, so that we will not, in all our doing, lose sight of its purpose, which is, after all, to make the world a more human dwelling place.” ― James Baldwin

This article was originally published on October 16, 2019, and has been updated throughout by the editors.

Kate Bratskeir is a journalist who covers food, health, and the environment. Her book A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping was published in January 2021 by Tiller Press, an arm of Simon & Schuster.

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500 Descriptive Words To Improve Your Writing

These  descriptive words  will help improve your writing. All these  describing words  are from my own personal notes. I’m an avid, and active, reader, and over the last couple of years I’ve jotted down the descriptive words that I pop out to me.

This list of descriptive words for writing was born from a desire to become enhance my vocabulary and become a better storyteller, and writer. Three things I care a lot about – just a  fun fact about me .

I’ve learned over time – and with many failures – that working with describing words on a page is akin to a potter at the molding wheel. And as writers, we use them to slowly shape our stories whether it’s writing about  driving around the world  or inspiring people to create their own list of  bucket list ideas .

The list is separated by  parts of speech ; You’ll find a list of adjectives, descriptive phrases, action verbs, and more.

At the end are some phrases I like, that I have read here or there over the years. Make sure to check out our  list of descriptive adjectives  as well.

I hope you use this  list of descriptive words , and phrases and garner inspiration to enhance your tales.

500 Describing Words to Improve Your Writing

“This is one of the best resources I’ve come across in a long time…”

Get our Descriptive Word Cheat Sheet for FREE . You’ll get immediate access to our PDF cheat sheet of Descriptive Words. A resource you won’t find elsewhere. Perfect for papers, writing and resumes!

1 – although.

“he was making headway, albeit rather slowly.”

1 – very typical of a certain kind of person or thing.

“the archetypal country doctor”

1 – without purpose or direction.

“Don’t live an aimless life.”

1 – To face or endure danger or pain; showing courage.

The brave healthcare workers are putting their life on the line.

1 – perplexed and confused; very puzzled.

“I had a bewildered look on my face”

1 – giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining.

The sun was bright in his eyes.

2 – vivid and bold color.

The grass in Ireland is bright green.

1 – Bright or Radiant.

The brilliant light was blinding.

1 – Clever or Smart

He was a brilliant student. He always chose to use the right word.

1 – unlimited, infinite, or immense.

The boundless energy of the kid wore me out.

1 – socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative

Running this  travel blog  has led me to live a boho life.

2 – woman’s fashion aesthetic is characterized by flowing print fabrics, layers of clothing, and costume jewelry such as long strings of beads, dangling earrings, and multiple bangles.

she went for the boho look in a floor-length green dress teamed with a fringed  jacket  and chandelier earrings.

1 – hurt by repeated blows or punishment.

he finished the day battered and bruised.

2 – damaged by age or used repeatedly.

I finished the day battered and bruised.

1 – a taste sensation that is peculiarly sharp or acrid.

The bitter fruit tasted terrible.

1 – lacking due thought or consideration

Zack Morris showed a blithe disregard for the rules.

2 – Happy or Lighthearted Character

Want to watch a blithe romantic comedy?

1 – having a blue tinge; somewhat blue.

The bluish tint of the water was stylish.

1 – Lost in deep sadness of thought.

The kid was brooding that his parents wouldn’t buy the toy.

1 – having the characteristic of a baby.

He acted babyish when he lost the game.

1 – not fake; or counterfeit

This is a bona fide masterpiece.

1 – lose or hanging.

My eyes are baggy after a red-eye flight.

1 – loved very dearly.

The teacher was beloved by his students.

1 – a low murmuring or humming sound.

The buzzing bee flew across the park.

1 – strong, or strongly built.

The burly bear was intimidating.

1 – having a lot of bounce.

The trampoline was extra bouncy.

2 – confident or having a jaunty rhythm.

The man was bouncy and full of life.

1 – very apt to stay afloat.

The pool floaty was extremely buoyant.

2 – cheerful.

The buoyant salesman was very charming.

1 – lacking plants or life.

The bleak desert was barren.

2 – Cold and Miserable Outlook.

After his divorce, he had a bleak outlook on life.

1 – expressing or marked by earnest entreaty or pleading.

The beseeching peasant feared for his life.

1 – having the taste of butter.

The buttery bread warmed the soul.

1 – having feelings or actions control or remaining calm.

Even though he was afraid he remained composed.

1 – caverns in either size, shape, or atmosphere.

The cavernous mansion stood empty.

2 – Giving the impression of dark and vast.

The cavernous eyes.

1 – a series of columns set at specific intervals, and supporting a roof.

The ancient marble colonnades are just one reason to explore the  best islands in Greece .

1 – free from worry or anxiety.

he was a carefree soul.

1 – having a rough texture; large grains.

The treated wood was coarse.

1 – anxious to protect or avoid potential danger or mishaps.

he was careful not to get into trouble.

1 – making or liable to make a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.

“I climbed the creaky stairs”

1 – dirt free, unmarked, or have been washed.

the room was clean.

1 – having a wavy outline

The crenelated coast when  backpacking Thailand  is breathtaking. ..

1 – covered by clouds.

It was too cloudy to go hiking.

1 – present from birth.

“a congenital defect of the heart.”

1 – a striking array of colors.

The colorful painting lit up the room.

1 – rude language.

They didn’t allow the colorful speech to get past the sensors.

1 – Happy / Sprightly

He was chipper after getting  married in Sweden .

1 – rude shortness

The curt manager’s comments angered the waiter.

1 – confused

The chef was confounded by the dinner tickets.

1 – continuing occurrence

I suffer from chronic indigestion.

2 – present and encountered.

Chronic meddling always causes problems.

1 – relating to the community / Collective ownership.

The communal garden gives us great vegetables every year.

1 – huge in size, power, or stupendous.

The colossal rocks blocked the dusty path.

1 – pleasing

Chicago food  has some of the most delectable meals I’ve ever had.

1 – delicate

The dainty glass broke from the fall.

2 – tasty

The dainty sandwich was filling.

1 – untidy in appearance

Boys often have a disheveled room.

1 – devoted to a cause or purpose

Star Wars has dedicated fans.

2 – given a purpose

He has a dedicated server to protect his data.

1 – awarded or received marks of honor.

He was decorated with a medal for winning the race.

2 – furnished with something ornamental

A hallmark of the parade are the decorated floats.

1 – chosen but not yet installed

the ambassador designates the future assignments.

He has a designated server to protect his data.

1 – bright, brilliant, or showy, colorful, and impressive.

The dazzling fireworks were the highlight of the festival.

1 – eating food quickly.

The Lion is a devouring beast.

2 – destructively consuming/absorbing

Don’t let devouring loneliness defeat you.

1 – below / far from the surface

His joy was buried deep below the surface of an ocean of swirling emotions.

Deep-Pocketed 

1- Having a great deal of money; being wealthy.

The deep-pocketed businessman donated a large sum of money to the charity. 

Disagreeable 

1- Having a disposition that is not pleasant or agreeable; disagreeable behavior or remarks.

“I’m sorry I was so disagreeable earlier. I had a really bad day.” 

DILAPIDATED

1 – fallen into decay or deteriorated

The dilapidated home needed an intense amount of love and care.

1 – serving for ornamental decoration.

The decorative replica was made to be displayed. And invoked a strong emotion.

1 – moving from the common direction.

Do follow the popular path. Instead, go into the unknown, and discover your divergent path.

Compassionate 

1 – Showing concern and sympathy for others, especially those in distress.

When I saw the homeless man on the side of the road, I felt compassion for him and wished I could help him. 

Entertaining  

1 – A movie that is enjoyable and amusing.

The new comedy starring Melissa McCarthy was very entertaining. 

1 – hard to pin down, identify, or isolate.

They knew the elusive thief lurked nearby.

1 – enthusiastic joy

They were exuberant about their upcoming trip to some of the  most beautiful places in the world .

1 – vertical position

Few erect columns were peppered throughout the temple ruins.

1 – having the ability to expand.

The expansive landscape is seemingly never-ending.

1 – deriving style, ideas, and taste from a wide range of sources.

The eclectic mix of opinions caused an argument.

EXASPERATING

1 – cause a strong feeling of annoyance

The planes exasperating delay made everyone late.

1 – fully detailed or well planned.

The elaborate design of Bangkok’s royal palace is breathtaking.

1 – uttered, or emphasizing on.

The emphatic refusal helped them close the deal.

1 – productive / desired effects.

The efficient writer finished before the deadline.

2 – being involved or an immediate agent.

The efficient action helped make a change.

EVER-DEEPENING

1 – go deeper

He had an ever-deepening love for sports.

1 – thorough / all possibilities

The exhaustive to-do list was intimidating.

1 – seemingly without end

The endless forest instilled a mood of tranquility.

EXTRAVAGANT

1 – exceeding normal limits or excessively elaborate

The extravagant building is grand.

2 – extremely high in price

The extravagant purchase maxed out his credit card purchase.

1 – elegance

The elegant clothes belonged to the king.

1 – relating to or named after

The eponymous landscape outside Dingle is one of the  best places to visit in Ireland .

1 – relating to a celebration,  festival , or feast.

The festive dinner got a little out of hand.

1 – tinged with red in the face, from shame, heat, or physical exertion.

Caught in a lie, his face became flushed with embarrassment.

1 – very hot or passionate desire.

I have a fervent desire to explore the world.

FAST-MOVING

1 – moving quickly

The fast-moving current washed away our supplies.

FANTASTICAL

1 – based on fantasy

Game of Thrones takes place in a fantastical world, filled with dragons, and magic.

1 – unrestrained violence or brutality

The ferocious lion hunted his prey.

1 – having to do with the burial.

They found treasure in the Pharaoh’s funerary chamber.

1 – focused on something.

The dog was fixated on the squirrel.

1 – loving having fun.

The fun-loving locals love putting on their annual festival.

1 – covered with grass

The grassy knolls are stunning.

1 – a large number of

He had charm galore.

1 – repulsion, or inspiring horror.

The movie was too gruesome for me.

1 – possessing glory

When  backpacking New Zealand  you see glorious landscapes. 

Good-Looking 

1 – Very good-looking, or beautiful. Can be used to describe people, things, or places. For example, “She is a glorious sight in that dress.” 

1 – painful or distressing

It was a harrowing adventure filled with an unexpected twists, turns, and sacrifices.

1 – an unrestrained expression

I was greeted with a hearty welcome.

2 – wholesome or substantial

I enjoyed the hearty meal.

1 – relating to an herb

Those herbaceous florae were savory.

1 – alone

He was isolated during the exam.

INTOLERABLE

1 – not tolerable or unbearable

The intolerable noise kept me up all night.

1 – picturesque or pleasing

The idyllic Irish landscapes are some of the best in Europe.

1 – great in size or degree

Our immense Universe is without limits.

1 – extreme degree

The intense amount of work was overbearing.

1 – irk or tedious

Sometimes we all have to do Irksome tasks.

1 – prone to act, acting momentarily

To lose weight sometimes we have to deny our impulses for bad food.

1 – tempting

The inviting meal made my mouth water.

1 – existing in, or belonging to

The innate behavior of a child was to cause trouble.

1 – memorable or cannot be washed away or erased.

The indelible landscape means there are hundreds of  places to visit in the United States .

INFURIATING

1 – the feeling of extreme anger.

The infuriating delay at the airport made him miss his flight.

1 – spotless / extremely clean

Singapore is an immaculately clean country.

2 – having no flaw

The glass in Venice is immaculate.

1 – having many complex parts

Mona Lisa is an intricate painting. Making it the most famous in the world.

1 – belonging to the inside,

I great battles happen inside the interior of our minds.

1 – sprightly

he took a jaunty stroll through the park.

1 – having a disorienting effect

The jarring truth is that dreams without goals, remain dreams.

1 – ready, or in favor of

I am keen to go to the bar.

2 – sensitive perception

He had a keen nose.

1 – having lungs

The lunged fish swan in the pond.

1 – transparent or clear; Glasslike

The limpid waters in Thailand or famed around the world.

1 – expending or bestowing excess

The lavish palace of Versailles is one of the most popular  day trips from Paris .

1 – outlandish, or eccentric

Some ludicrous movies aren’t bad.

1 – filled with desire or lust

She was filled with lascivious thoughts.

1 – lack of interest, or energy

His listless attitude held him back in life.

1 – sad or lonely

Ah, the lonesome road, has many trails, but many rewards.

1 – highly significant, outstanding

The monumental task can be accomplished by taking little steps every day.

1 – expressing sadness

A melancholy nature will keep you stuck.

MERITORIOUS

1 – deserving reward or praise.

A meritorious life of service.

1 – intrusive or getting involved in

The meddlesome raccoon knocked over the trash can.

1 – Huge, exceedingly large

Many of the mammoth  caves in the United States  are worth visiting.

1 – existing today

Many modern-day advances give our lives ease.

1 – inferior in size or degree

The minor problems in life or nothing to sweat over –  life is too short .

1 – covered by mist.

The heavy air of the misty morning endowed the park with an eerie coolness.

1 – covered by mystery

The monk has a mysterious nature.

OUT-OF-PLACE

1 – not where it should be

The restaurant felt out of place.

1 – elaborate or excessively decorated

The ornate .ruins draw in visitors.

OUTSTANDING

1 – standing out

His outstanding skills put him in line for a promotion.

2 – unpaid

Outstanding bills can be stressful.

1 – lack of sharpness

His obtuse answer made no sense.

1 – lacking remembrance, or memory

Don’t be oblivious to the opportunities that life presents you.

1 – wealth, abundance

The opulent hotel is worth the price tag.

1 – characteristic of a person

His hot temper was peculiar.

2 – different from the normal

The book had a particular plot twist in the book.

1 – not spoiled, or corrupted

The pristine beaches had soft sand.

2 – earliest state

The pristine state of the forest

1 – a sense of peace

The peaceful forest instilled a peace of tranquility.

1 – argumentative quarrelsome

He has a pugnacious nature.

1 – mental and emotional state of fear

Don’t panic. Breathe and slow down.

1 – able to be passed

The currents were passable during the low tide.

1 – turning, a pivot

Taking my first trip to Ireland was a pivotal moment in my life.

1 – critical

It was a pivotal piece of the puzzle.

1 – polishing, smooth, glossy

Polish your writing before publishing the piece.

1 – by or in itself

That’s not the facts per se, but valuable to know.

1 – notably luxurious or rich

His plush life made him soft.

1 – elevated or arrogant

The pompous rhetoric is hurtful.

2- exhibiting an air of self-importance.

The pompous politician lost sight of his vision.

1 – extreme or severe

After rigorous training, he was ready to test himself.

Sidesplitting 

1 – When something is so funny that it causes one’s sides to split, it is side-splitting.

My mom’s joke was sidesplittingly funny.

1 – like thunder

The thunderous roar of the waves beating along the coast.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: ACTION and Strong VERBS

These are some of the best words. They are great when wanting to show a clear meaning of a sentence or improve a short story.

1- regard something as being caused by.

I attribute my grammar skill to how many questions I ask.

1 – provide clear evidence; declare that something exist.

I attest that life is good

1 – make minor changes.

I had to amend your application before sending it in.

1 – regard (an object, quality, or person) with respect or warm approval.

I admire your commitment to learning the English Language.

1 – praise enthusiastically

I acclaimed actor won the best actor for his deep performance.

1 – achieve or complete successfully.

I accomplish my goals.

1 – increase in sound

They amplify the sound at the concert.

2 – make copies of something

The notes amplify that new evidence. ..

1 – change, or make changes too

They altered the rules of the game.

1 – (of a problem, opportunity, or situation) emerge; become apparent.

“a string of new difficulties have arisen “

2 – get or stand up.

“he arose at 5:30 to work out.”

1 – to clear out or save (Usually water from a boat)

They bailed him out of trouble.

1 – talk enthusiastically for a long time

Just one of the many  fun facts about me . Sometimes I like to babble about travel.

1 – to set upon

We were beset with locals trying to make a sale.

2 – to set with ornaments

The roses are beset with thrones.

1 – fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.

I newspaper story belied the facts.

2 – fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray.

The notebooks belie Darwin’s later recollection.

1 – hit repeatedly with blows.

He battered the broken car.

1 – become perplexed.

I was bewildered by the lack of work the team had done.

1 – bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame.

It is common to bow in Asia.

2 – play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

The techniques by which the pieces were bowed.

1 – think deeply about something that makes the person unhappy.

He brooded over his bad day.

1 – encourage or help

I need to boost my spirits.

2 – push from below

She needs to boost to master the English Language.

1 – cast a spell or enchant.

I was bewitched by the lush landscape.

1 – low murmuring or humming sound.

Flies buzz when they fly.

1 – lock with a bar that slides into a socket.

He bolted the door for protection.

2 – ran away quickly.

He bolted down the street.

1 – strike hard.

He bashed the wall in anger.

2 – criticize.

He bashed the smoking industry.

1 – break or burst

They bust the water balloon.

2 – lose something

He went bust at the poker table…

1 – squeeze together

Compress the laptop’s file to save space.

1 – to bring to an end.

The summit concluded with world peace.

2 – to reach a logical end or decision.

The magazine concludes that Rome is one of the  most beautiful cities in the world .

He concluded his college application with a question.

1 – unmarked, free dirt

He cleaned the room every other week.

1 – fall or hang in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“the cool water cascading down the waterfall.”

1 – decrease in size, number, or range.

“glass contracts as it cools.”

2 – become shorter and tighter to affect the movement of part of the body.

“The heart is a muscle that contracts about seventy times a minute”

1 – wind into rings

The sailor coiled the rope.

1 – to cover something

Massive trees canopied the small island.

1 – to form short bends or ripples / Wrinkle

Don’t crinkle my shirt.

2 – a think crackling sound

The crinkling bag woke up the dog.

1 – chuckle or laugh

He chortled with amusement.

2 – sing or chant

She chortled in her happiness.

1 – broken into small parts.

The  Greek Islands  are filled with crumbling ruins.

1 – beg or sponge

He cadges for a free cup of coffee.

1 – sharp, quick, repeated noises

The crackling fire.

1 – to dig and bring to light.

Don’t dredge up those painful memories.

1 – travel somewhere in a hurry

I dashed through the forest.

2 – strike, or destroy

The ship was dashed upon the rocks.

She dashed his spirits.

1 – cause (someone) to feel consternation and distress.

A deep  feeling  of dismay overtook the room.

1 – greatly astonish or amaze

I’m often dumbfounded after watching the task force meetings.

1 – eat / destroy / adsorb quickly

I want to devour the big meal.

2 – read eagerly

Amy always devours a good book.

1 – make (someone’s) clothes or hair messy.

Boris Johnson disheveled his hair before being on camera.

1 – to lessen the courage of

A lesser man would be daunted by this challenge.

1 – to set apart for a purpose. to distinguish as a class

We designate this room as the class lab.

2 – to point out a location

A marker designating where the trial starts.

1 – to feel aversion to (Offend)

His distaste for the joke was apparent.

1 – to dig

Suspicion led him to delve into his wife’s bag.

1 – to search for information

He delved into the past to find the problem.

1 – to get carried along (by water, air, etc)

The windy drift pushed the hot air balloon to the west.

1 – a pile of something in heaps

Snow drifts covered the landscape.

1 – to stray or move from a principle, standard, or topic.

Don’t deviate from your goals. Stayed focused even when life is tough.

1 – to cause annoyance or irritation

I hope you’re not exasperated by this list of descriptive words.

1 – Set up / to fix/put together in an upright position

The father and son erected the tree house.

1 – to become known,

Jane emerged from her travels a most well-rounded person.

1 – To make it ornamental or make it more attractive.

Frank embellished his life story to impress his date.

1 – to furnish / to provide with

I’m endowed with a  good sense of humor .

1 – allure or tempt

He was enticed by the smell of the chocolate.

1 – eliminate by wearing away surface

The rocks are effaced by wear and tear.

1 – rot slowly

Don’t let your anger fester about your tough English test.

1 – steal secretly

He filches the cookie from the jar.

1 – give a false appearance

The company feigned how bad his leg hurt.

1 – containing frescoes

The frescoed walls of the chapel inspired my love of art.

1 – to pass quickly or shift

The chortling birds flitted around the forest.

1 – to flow in an irregular current

The stream gurgling stream swept over the rocks.

2 – ta gurgling sound

The gurgling stream blocked the path.

1 – to gather,

Tim garnered his courage before presenting his  essay  to his teachers.

1 – move quickly

He hastened his journey home.

1 – lift or raise by tackle

Hoist the flag.

1 – lift or raise or pull

He heaved the trunk onto the oak table.

1 – a harmful or disquieting occurrence

The past mistakes haunted him.

2 – to visit often to seek the company of

I spend a lot of time haunting the bookstore.

1 – cross one with another.

The intertwined vines were impassable.

1 – place a body in a tomb or grave

The king was interred with all the honor due him.

1 – weave.

It’s dangerous to interweave lies and the truth.

1 – to make, irritated, or weary

He was irked trying to learn all the  English grammar  rules.

1 – endow or influence

He imbued the spirit of the old times.

INTERSPERSE

1 – spaced in intervals

The interspersed paintings covered the east wing.

1 – sharp uneven surface

The jagged mountains dotted the horizon.

1 – come into contact or pushing

The jostling crowd flooded to the door.

2 – vying for a position.

The workers began to jostle for the new job.

1 – expend or bestow

His lavish habits cost him a lot of money.

1 – slow parting

The effects lingered long after it was over.

1 – take a large shape or an impending occurrence

The  teacher  loomed over the  student  to make sure he wasn’t cheating.

1 – an area to stop

Lay-by the dock the ship tied up.

1 – utter barely audible sounds in a low voice.

He muttered to himself about his workload.

1 – hypnotizing

The mesmerizing beauty of the  best islands in Croatia  is not easily forgotten.

1 – settle snugly

A small town nestled among the mountains.

1 – grab or catch

He nabbed the best spot in the class for the  English lesson .

1 – a slow trickle, to seep out of something

The oozing gunk stained the floor.

1 – exiled

He was ostracized after his betrayal was made public.

1 – to peer through / to look furtively.

Don’t peek around the corner.

1 – to go deep into, or thrust into something.

I plunged into the task of self-development.

1 – landscape with a level surface, and little change

He wandered the plateau looking for his lost wallet.

1 – search for information.

His friend probed him with questions about the girl.

1 – sprinkled throughout

The olive trees peppered the Greek countryside.

1 – work laboriously

The book plodded along slowly.

1 – soaked in

The city was steeped in charm.

1 – a loud sharp noise

He shirked when he thought he saw a ghost.

1 – to spread without restraint

The sprawling landscape of the desert is one of the best  things to do in Tucson .

1 – fill with things or with satiety

He was stuffed after Thanksgiving dinner.

1 – feeling to do something (usually wrong)

He was tempted to eat the candy.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF ADVERBS

1 – Suddenly or Unexpectedly.

The car stopped abruptly.

2 – In a rude manner.

His mom abruptly cut him off.

3 – Steep

The hill ascends abruptly.

Apathetically 

1- Without enthusiasm or interest.

She played with the dog apathetically, barely looking at it. 

ADDITIONALLY

1 – extra factor or circumstance.

brokers finance themselves additionally by short-term borrowing.

2 – used to introduce a new fact or argument.

Additionally, the regulations require a clean environment.

ALTERNATELY

1 – one after the other or next

Alternately, don’t give up when things get hard.

Begrudgingly 

begrudgingly (adverb) – unwillingly; reluctantly 

I begrudgingly gave him my number.

 Deliberately 

1- done or planned with care and intention

The mother deliberately left the child in the car while she went into the store. 

 Dramatically 

1. in a dramatic manner

The actress dramatically read the lines from the script. 

EFFECTIVELY

1 – being effective or in effect

John effectively finished his to-do list before stopping for the day.

1 – evident or provide evidence

He was evidently born in Ohio.

1 – expert in something

He expertly navigated his way through the maze of alleyways.

Extraordinary 

1 – strikingly unusual or different; remarkable

This painting is extraordinary! 

FURTHERMORE

1 – what precedes

Furthermore, people should travel more.

1 – a gloomy or somber

He grimly walked to see his boos.

1 – a sinister character

The dark figure had a grimly stance that shadows seemed to cling to.

Inquisitively 

1- Inquisitively is defined as in a curious or questioning manner. 

Looking inquisitively at someone means looking at them in a way that suggests you want to know more about them. For example, you may be staring intently at their face as if you are trying to read their thoughts. 

Intelligently

1 – In an intelligent way

The mother cat was intelligently trying to get her kitten out from under the car. 

1 – to a great degree

The immensely talented writer self-published his book.

INTENTIONALLY

1 – intentional manner or awareness

He intentionally arrived at the airport early.

1 – intense

He intensely focused on the problem at hand.

IMPULSIVELY

1 – from impulse

He impulsively got up early every morning.

He invitingly offered me a free drink.

INFURIATINGLY

1 – extreme anger

Moving to my wife in Sweden is an infuriatingly slow process.

1 – born or existing in.

He innately loved filling his head with quotes about adventure.

1 – lasting or unforgettable cannot be removed.

The indelibly hued landscape when  backpacking Italy  changed my life.

INTRICATELY

1 – complex with many parts

The intricately designed plot has levels of detail.

1 – eager or intense

They are keenly attuned to your bad behavior.

1 – clear; glassiness

The limpidly rushing water of the cascading waterfall.

LUDICROUSLY

1 – meriting laughter or exaggeration

He ludicrously lost his wallet.

Synonym for Richly or Grandly

1 – marked by excess

The lavishly decorated crown marked him as king.

Methodically 

1 – In a precise and orderly way.

The scientist methodically recorded the data. 

MONUMENTALLY

1 – large, or to an extreme degree

He monumentally failed in his task.

1 – without doubt

The claims were patently false.

1 – peace or tranquility

he peacefully listened to the sounds of birds singing outside his window.

1 – strict

He rigorously worked at his craft every day.

ROMANTICALLY

1 – romantic

He was romantically involved with her.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: NOUNS

1 – the process of absorbing.

The absorption of the spilled water.

2 – The whole occupation of the mind.

The absorption of my work overtakes every other desire.

1 – strong desire to do or to achieve something which takes hard work.

People trying to improve their skills with this list of descriptive words for  writing  have a lot of ambition.

2 – determination to achieve success.

life offers many opportunities for those with ambition.

1 – a large quantity of something.

I have an abundance of ambition.

2 – The condition of having a copious quantity of something; bountifulness.

The vineyard has an abundance of grapes.

1 – a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.

“He’s a wine aficionado.”

1 – a dark volcanic rock that displays a columnar structure and is made of fine-grained.

The fertile soil was made of decomposed basalt.

1 – something of monstrous size

That’s a behemoth-sized lion.

1 – a person who is socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative artists; a bohemian.

The town bohos opened an art gallery.

1 – an increase

A boost in the economy.

1 – a room or pantry used for storing wine or hard liquor.

Can you grab the wine out of the buttery?

1 – a beer that has a strong hop taste; or liquor with the sharp taste of plant extracts.

What bitters do you have on tap?

1 – a combination of qualities of color, such as shape, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

“I was struck by her beauty .”

Synonym  for Rock or Stone

1 – a large rock, mostly worn smooth by years of erosion.

The boulder blocked the path.

1 – move quickly.

He buzzed through these descriptive words.

1 – Irish name for a beehive hut.

The ruins of a clochán sat on the other side of the field.

1 – a written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.

“both parties must sign employment contracts “

1 – a mass of something that falls or hangs in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“A cascade of pink bougainvillea.”

2 – a large number or amount of something occurring or arriving in rapid succession.

“a cascade of antiwar literature”

1 – an ornamental decoration at the ridge of a roof or top of a wall or screen.

High on the roof was a cresting decoration.

1 – Someone who chips

The chipper was hard at working cutting down the tree.

1 – one delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office

The commissary was tasked with finding a cure.

1 – a series of loops

The coil of pumps was confusing.

2 – everyday troubles

Sometimes we all need to shrug off the coils of the workday.

1 – any of an order (Coniferales) of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs having usually needle-shaped or scalelike leaves like pine, cones, and arillate fruit.

The group of conifer trees took over the forest.

1 – to create

Christians believe in the creation story.

1 – an agreement or promise / attached to someone or something

I have a commitment to my wife.

1 – a cover carried above by a person of rank / or a cloth suspended

The canopy covered the diners on the patio.

1 – a heap of stones in a heap. Usually a landmark or memorial. Typically on a hilltop or skyline.

The stony cairn marked the way back.

Characteristics

1- Colorful Having many different colors. The sunset was so colorful.

Loyalty is one of his best characteristics

1 – something to eat considered rare and luxurious

What is your favorite delicacy in Italy?

2 – the quality or state of being dainty of someone or something

Spiderwebs have a delicacy.

1 – to flow along

To drift through life is sad.

2 – an underlying meaning or design.

The spy understood the drift of his orders.

1 – dislike food or drink

Many have a distaste for mushrooms.

1 – representation in images or  describing words  depicting something or someone.

The depiction of the movie wasn’t congruent with the book.

1 – a deep place or state of being

The depths of our abilities remain unknown until we push for greatness.

1 – an arrangement, or state of being engaged

Social engagement took most of my day.

1 – a massive structure

The social edifice holds together certain rules.

plural noun

1 – city districts / or surroundings in your space or vicinity

The crystal environs of the waterfalls.

1 – a public showcase

The art exhibition was a success.

1 – a high position of superiority, Commanding or in a profession.

His eminence in the film made him a legend.

1 – refined taste, dignified gracefulness

The novel had an air of elegance and wit.

EXASPERATION

1 – a state of exasperated or exasperating someone/feeling irritation

He was exasperated after working all day.

1 – the act of representing a medium

I don’t understand the expression that artists are trying to achieve.

FOCAL POINT

1 – point of attention.

The focal point of this blog post is  describing words  that help others master descriptive  writing .

1 – an embarrassing mistake or error.

Interpreting someone is considered a social faux pas.

1 – the front of the building

The store’s facade was highly decorated.

1 – a false, or fake appearance

His friends saw through his thinly veiled facade.

A love this descriptive word.

1 – a boisterous and loud burst of laughter.

The joke caused a guffaw in the room.

1 – enthusiastic and filled with joy.

1 – a gloomy or somber outlook

He had a grim disposition on life.

The grim tale left me afraid.

1 – the quality or current state

The grandeur of ancient Rome inspired our world.

1 – grand

Many of the  best places to visit in Europe  are grand in design, scope, and scale.

1 – strong wind

The gust of wind caused the bike to tip over.

1 – an outburst of feeling

He had a gust of energy that came with the good news.

1 – either side of an arch.

The dog loves to have his back haunches scratched.

1 – a great number

A host of ants took over the picnic.

1 – something to indicate

He gave the indication that he was going to travel this summer.

1 – a stage or exception

In this instance, we all need to be quiet.

2 – example

For instance, pasta tastes better in Italy.

1 – inside limits or inner constitution

Travelers loved the lavish interior of the modern-day art gallery.

1 – limestone land or limestone plateau

The karst lands were filled with sinkholes and caverns.

1 – a plant organism made up of alge

Working the lichen spotted lake held a natural charm rarely found.

1 – machine for interlacing

Working the loom is hard and painful.

1 – soil made of silt, sand, and clay.

The loam ground was hard to walk.

LAUNDERETTE

1 – a self-service laundry

The launderette was packed with others.

1 – causing wonder and astonishment

Abu Simbel, in Egypt, is a marvel to behold.

1 – a great number of

This myriad  list  of descriptive words is very helpful – like our list of descriptive words for personality -.

1 – middle of the day

The midday meal made him want a nap.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk

Monoliths pepper the old landscape.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk from prehistoric origin.

The Menhir’s of Stonehenge tower over all who stand before it.

METROPOLITAN

1 – one who lives in a metropolis

The metropolitan knew the city backward and forwards.

1 – wealth and Abundance

The opulence of the Blue Mosque makes it one of the  best things to do in Turkey .

1 – of an unusual size

The outsize bed wouldn’t fit.

1 – a dirty slovenly place

Clean up this pigpen of a room.

1 – the quality of excitement or attractive

He was charming and had a large amount of pizzazz.

1 – an earnest entreaty

They plead for another helping of mashed potatoes.

1 – a bar something is hung on

The bird sat on the perch.

1 – a medical instrument for exploring

The doctor used a probe to discover what was wrong.

1 – a person despised or rejected

The thief was treated as a pariah.

1 – chasing after

Our pursuits define our lives.

1 – contradictory phases or conclusions.

Life is full of many a paradox.

1 – state of fear

Don’t panic about your writing . Just learn more descriptive words that will improve your writing.

1 – a close inspection; under a microscope

His paper was under a lot of scrutiny.

1 – riot or commotion

Tumult uprisings are a big part of history.

2 – loud noise

a tumult of noise kept me from sleeping.

1 – tiles

The tiling walls were stunning.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF PREPOSITIONS WITH DEFINITION

preposition

1 – surrounded by; in the middle of

He walked amid the rolling hills and lush landscape.

2 – in an atmosphere or against a background of.

Mid accusations of cheating the student were suspended.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES

Here are a lot of describing words that I’ve picked up from various books, and blog posts. I fell in love with this word list. And are great for adding detail.

Pro tip:  The  describing words  are all around you. Listen to how people use descriptive language in your favorite movies, tv shows, and podcast. Try to find describing words in the things you read. The  lesson  you are looking for and the right words are all around you! You just have to look for the lesson to find the best describing word.

ARID STEPPE

1 – one of the vast treeless tracts in Europe and Asia.

The arid steppe of Mongolia is famous around the world.

ATLANTIC SWELLS

1- Waves crashing on the coast.

The Atlantic swells crashed against the crenelated coast.

BROODING SUMMITS

1 – sad terrain, a  phrase to describe  mountain ranges.

The brooding summits, covered in clouds, look like a storm is coming.

BEHIND THE TIMES

1 – not aware of or using the latest ideas or techniques; out of date.

When it came to tech, he was behind the times.

CRYSTALLINE LAKES

1 – a good description to describe a still lake. Or a phrase lake on a nice day.

The crystalline lake boasted the perfect space to camp.

CRUMBLING CASTLES

1 – a castle falling apart.

Ireland’s peppered with crumbling castles.

CRESTING MOUNTAINS

1 – descriptive of a scenic mountain range.

The cresting mountains of New Zealand are unforgettable.

EVER- DEEPENING

1 – getting deeper

The ever-deepening snow made the terrain impassable.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The historical significance of Rome echoes even until today.

INFINITE HILLS

The infinite hills of New Zealand lure thousands of visitors a year. This is one of my favorite descriptive phrases.

ICY ROLLERS

1 – cold waves

The icy rollers of the Atlantic Ocean beat along the coast.

INDELIBLY WILD

The indelibly wild forest of Peru.

LUNAR-SCAPED

1 – landscape similar to that on the moon

The Lunar-scaped beaches on Milos, put it high on many travelers’  lists of Greek Islands  to visit.

LONG-FORGOTTEN

The long-forgotten castle has centuries of neglect.

A great  descriptive word  for the forest!

1 – covered by moss

The moss-clad rocks sat along the stream.

MODERN HIGH-RISE SKYSCRAPERS

The hundreds of workers wasted their lives in modern high-rise skyscrapers.

Descriptive Words for Food

1 – having a pleasing smell

1 – having a brittle texture and a dry, brittle sound when broken

Crunchy 

1 – having a brittle texture and a crisp, crackling sound when broken

1 – having a strong, satisfying flavor

1 – having a pleasing, sugary flavor

1 -having a sour, acidic taste

Salty 

1 – having a salty, savory flavor

1 – not having a strong or distinctive flavor

 1 – having a hot, pungent flavor

1 – having a lot of flavors 

1 – something that tastes extremely good 

1- providing the body with essential nutrients 

1 – making someone want to eat something 

Scrumptious

1 – extremely delicious and appetizing 

1 – a sweet liquid produced by flowers and used as a drink or in cooking 

1 – producing an excessive flow of saliva 

1 – of or relating to the sense of taste 

1 – arousing or tempting the appetite 

1 – having an extremely pleasing taste 

1 – delightfully beautiful or elegant 

1 – extremely luxurious and expensive 

Scintillating

1 – brilliantly sparkling 

1 – strikingly unusual or different 

1 – restoring or invigorating 

1 – promoting good health

1 – energetically alive and vigorous 

1 – pleasantly firm and fresh 

1 -full of juice 

1 – having a strong, distinctive taste 

Mouth-watering 

1- so delicious as to make the mouth water 

1 – easily broken or chewed and having a delicate, pleasing texture 

Descriptive Words for Trees

Words to describe trees is one of the most requested updates for this post. So I have updated the list with a bunch of tree descriptive words. I hope you enjoy it! 

• massive 
• towering 
• gigantic 
• enormous 

Descriptive Words in Spanish

• ágil – agile
• bello – beautiful
• brillante – brilliant
• cálido – warm
• claro – clear
• colorido – colorful
• cortés – courteous
• curioso – curious
• dulce – sweet
• enérgico – energetic
• fresco – fresh
• gentil – gentle
• inteligente – intelligent
• joven – young
• ligero – light
• lindo – pretty
• maduro – mature
• maravilloso – marvelous
• nervioso – nervous
• optimista – optimistic
• pacífico – peaceful
• perezoso – lazy
• romántico – romantic
• sensible – sensible
• serio – serious
• simpático – likable
• triste – sad
• vibrante – vibrant 

LIST OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES

Here are some words to describe the positive qualities of people’s personalities. And using words like this to showcase a  personality  can connect those feeling with your readers.

affectionate – readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness.

Agile – able to move quickly and easily.

Altruistic – showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish.

amiable – having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.

bright – giving out or reflecting much light; shining. – A very common descriptive phrase.

Bonza – excellent; first-rate.

charming – very pleasant or attractive.

Conscientious – wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly

imaginative – having or showing creativity or inventiveness.

List of Common Adjectives

These are great for common adjectives that can be used for anything from a descriptive phrase, descriptive writing, or a cover letter. 

compassionate

distinguished

enthusiastic

fashionable

fascinating

independent

influential

intelligent

mesmerizing

WORD LIST OF ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES

What are attributive adjectives?

These are words to can be placed inside a sentence that can modify a person or a thing. These  different adjective  are only used before nouns.

Example Sentence:  The tender steak made my mouth water.

Heart-stopping

Too-yummy-to-be-believed

Face-to-face vicious

adjective for thick vines

• coiling, twisting, writhing
• constricting
• claustrophobic 

WORD LIST OF MULTIPLE ADJECTIVES

What are multiple adjectives?

Sometimes called paired adjectives. This is using more than one word to describe a noun.

Almost an adjective can be multiple adjectives if it can be paired together with other describing words to describe a noun. The key is to put them in the right order.

But here are some common ones.

Example Sentence:  The thick, dense college application seemed daunting.

Smart, energetic

Small, round

Short, Fast

Pretty Little

WHAT ARE COORDINATE ADJECTIVES

Similar to paired adjectives,  Coordinate adjectives

are two – or maybe even more – adjectives that describe the same noun. They are separated by a common.

LIST OF POSITIVE ADJECTIVES

Positive words are a great way to make your readers feel something about a character, place, or object. Positive words of descriptive are powerful.

Example: He was brave enough to use a new word to showcase his skill in front of the class.

Adventurous

Affectionate

Broadminded

Knowledgeable

Self-confident

Warmhearted

descriptive words starting with m

Magnificent.

impressively beautiful, elaborate or striking

Example: The view from the top of the mountain was simply magnificent.

given to unpredictable changes in mood or feelings

Example: He was in a moody state after his fight with his girlfriend.

Melancholic

feeling or expressing a deep sadness or gloominess

Example: The melancholic music helped me release my emotions.

Mischievous

Playful or causing trouble in a playful way Example: The mischievous child kept on playing pranks on his siblings.

difficult or impossible to understand or explain

Example: The disappearance of the man is still a mysterious case to this day.

having or showing impressive beauty or dignity

Example: The Taj Mahal is a majestic work of art.

having a smooth, rich, or full flavor or personality

Example: The mellow sound of the saxophone helped me relax.

relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past

Example: The modern technology we have today has made life easier.

Magnanimous

generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person

Example: Despite losing the game, he still remained magnanimous and congratulated the winning team.

unassuming or moderate in size, quantity, or importance

Example: She is a modest person who never seeks attention.

Descriptive Words Starting With N

feeling or showing anxiety or worry.

Example: I’m nervous about my upcoming job interview.

having or showing high moral principles or ideals.

Example: He was a noble man who always put others before himself.

making a lot of sound, often in an unpleasant or disruptive way.

Example: The party next door was very noisy and kept us up all night.

existing or occurring as part of nature; not artificial or man-made.

Example: The park was a beautiful natural oasis in the middle of the city.

clean, orderly, and well-organized.

Example: His desk was always so neat and tidy.

pleasingly stylish or clever; neat or attractive.

Example: The nifty new gadget made my life easier.

quick and light in movement or action.

Example: The nimble cat easily caught the mouse.

feeling a sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

Example: Looking at old family photos made her feel nostalgic for her childhood.

providing nourishment or food that is essential for health and growth.

Example: The salad was full of nutritious vegetables and healthy fats.

worthy of attention or notice; remarkable.

Example: His notable achievements in the field of science made him a household name.

descriptive words of a leader and Leadership Skills

Here are some great descriptive words that are great for describing effective leaders, passionate leaders, and other leadership qualities.  

Charismatic

Having a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others.

Example: His charismatic personality made him a great public speaker. And a successful leaders. 

having or showing a powerful imagination and the ability to think about or plan the future with wisdom or foresight.

Example: Steve Jobs was a visionary who revolutionized the technology industry. And held many leadership roles throughout his life. 

Feeling or showing self-assurance; having faith in oneself and one’s abilities.

Example: A confident leader can inspire confidence in others. Which makes him a true leader. 

Settling an issue; producing a definite result.

Example: A decisive leader is able to make tough decisions when necessary.

Having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Example: An empathetic leader is able to connect with and inspire their team. Which makes them effective leaders. 

Relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.

Example: A strategic leader is able to plan and execute successful business strategies.

Inspirational

providing inspiration or motivation to others; uplifting and motivating.

Example: An inspirational leader can inspire their team to achieve great things. And allows him to be a true leader. 

Trustworthy

deserving of trust or confidence; reliable.

Example: A trustworthy leader is one who can be relied upon to keep their promises.

able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Example: A resilient leader is able to bounce back from setbacks and continue to lead effectively.

having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance.

Example: A humble leader is able to put the needs of others ahead of their own and lead with integrity. And a true leader is humble, and it’s a sign of effective leadership. 

MORE ENGLISH GRAMMAR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED!

What are the different kinds of adjectives.

There are several kinds of adjectives, including descriptive adjectives, limiting adjectives, proper adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, interrogative adjectives, and distributive adjectives.

Descriptive adjectives describe the qualities of a noun or pronoun, such as “blue,” “soft,” or “happy.”

Limiting adjectives limit the noun or pronoun by indicating a specific quantity or amount, such as “two,” “many,” or “few.”

Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns and describe a particular noun or pronoun, such as “American,” “Italian,” or “Shakespearean.”

Demonstrative adjectives point out or indicate which noun or pronoun is being referred to, such as “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those.”

Interrogative adjectives are used to ask questions and include “which,” “what,” and “whose.”

Distributive adjectives refer to individual members of a group, such as “each,” “every,” “either,” or “neither.”

What are Negative Adjectives?

Negative adjectives are adjectives that describe something negatively, or with a negative connotation. And indicating that it lacks or has the opposite of a positive quality. They can be used talk about a personality trait, character trait, and change your writing style. 

Examples of negative adjectives include “bad,” “ugly,” “harmful,” “horrible,” “unpleasant,” “unfortunate,” “unfriendly,” “unhappy,” “displeasing,” “unfair,” and “unsatisfactory.”

These adjectives can be used to express criticism, disapproval, or disappointment towards someone or something. Negative adjectives can also be used to contrast one thing with another, such as in phrases like “less beautiful,” “not as smart,” or “less effective.”

positive personality adjectives

• Affable – friendly, easy-going and pleasant to talk to
• Ambitious – determined to succeed and reach goals
• Assertive – confident and self-assured; able to stand up for oneself and one’s beliefs
• Authentic – genuine and true to oneself; not fake or artificial
• Benevolent – kind, caring and generous, with a desire to do good for others
• Brave – courageous, not afraid to face challenges or danger
• Charismatic – possessing a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others
• Compassionate – empathetic, caring and understanding towards others who are suffering
• Confident – having faith in oneself and one’s abilities; self-assured
• Creative – imaginative, original and innovative
• Diplomatic – able to handle delicate or difficult situations with tact and sensitivity
• Empathetic – having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others
• Enthusiastic – passionate, energetic and eager to do things
• Gracious – courteous, kind and polite
• Honest – truthful and sincere; not deceptive or deceitful
• Humorous – having a sense of humor and able to make others laugh
• Independent – self-sufficient and able to take care of oneself
• Intuitive – able to understand or know something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning
• Optimistic – hopeful and positive, expecting good outcomes and opportunities
• Passionate – having strong emotions and intense feelings towards something or someone.

WHAT IS A PRESENT PARTICIPLE?

A word formed from a verb that ends in ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop laughing.

What is a Pronoun?

Pronouns are words that replace a noun.

A word formed from a verb that ends in  ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop  laughing.

What is a Collective Noun?

A collective noun is a word that refers to a group of things or animals as a single unit. Some common collective nouns are flock, herd, pack, and swarm. 

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun. The preposition shows the relationship between the noun or pronoun and the verb. 

 What are Some Popular Synonyms?

Some popular synonyms are beautiful, pretty, handsome, and stunning. 

What are Transition Words

Transition words are used to connect ideas, show relationships between ideas, and indicate the logic of thought or argument. They are used to signal the start and end of paragraphs, introduce new paragraphs, and connect related thoughts within a paragraph. 

There we go! Over 500 descriptive words that will help you improve your writing! This list is always being updated as I find new  describing words  I like through reading and writing. Becoming a good writer and increasing your  skill , and learning  a new word  is an endless quest. These are great words that can improve your follow-up comments or inline feedback on your writing.

And I hope that you found the list of adjectives, nouns, descriptive phrases, and verbs useful. And helps you get a little better and expand your  vocabulary.

Check back for new  descriptive words  monthly!

• Help Articles

Creative Writing QuoteS

I have included some of my favourite creative writing quotes on this page, numbered for easy reference. I'll add more as I come across them.

Reading through writing quotations has often inspired me to write, even on those days when I think we've reached a literary saturation point, with enough books in stores and libraries to keep all of us reading until the day we die. When I read writing quotations like these I become creative.

Creative writing quotes remind me that writing is about thinking and about sifting through the thoughts of others in search of that elusive something that will trigger our own ability to articulate the truth as we see and imagine it.  Writing forces me to clarify my thoughts, and that alone provides reason enough to sit at the computer.

So...if you are here as a reader, welcome! But if you are a writer, particularly one who needs a reason to get excited about writing again, I hope these creative writing quotes will inspire you as they inspire me!

Creative Writing Quotes 1 - 10

• Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. ~ Ben Franklin
• What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure. ~ Samuel Johnson
• On plenty of days the writer can write three or four pages, and on plenty of other days he concludes he must throw them away. ~ Annie Dillard
• Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer. ~ Barbara Kingsolver
• Asking a writer what he thinks about criticism is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs. ~ John Osborne
• To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. ~ Elbert Hubbard
•  I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts. ~ John Locke
• We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. ~ Ernest Hemingway
• The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think. ~ Edwin Schlossberg
• If writers stopped writing about what happened to them, then there would be a lot of empty pages. ~ Elaine Liner Creative Writing Quotes 11 - 20
• I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~ Elmore Leonard
• The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and all time. ~ George Bernard Shaw
• The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. ~ Anaïs Nin
• If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~ Toni Morrison
• Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~ William Wordsworth
• Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~ Anton Chekhov
• Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space. ~ Orson Scott Card
• I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter. ~ James Michener
• The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~ Mark Twain
• Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very;" your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~ Mark Twain Creative Writing Quotes 21 - 30
• To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music the words make. ~ Truman Capote
• When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing. ~ Enrique Jardiel Poncela
• Writing comes more easily if you have something to say. ~ Sholem Asch
• I'd rather be caught holding up a bank than stealing so much as a two-word phrase from another writer. ~ Jack Smith
• Writing is a struggle against silence. ~ Carlos Fuentes
• The process of writing has something infinite about it. Even though it is interrupted each night, it is one single notation. ~ Elias Canetti
• Writers are not just people who sit down and write. They hazard themselves. Every time you compose a book your composition of yourself is at stake. ~ E.L. Doctorow
• The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head. ~ From the movie Finding Forrester
• Writing is both mask and unveiling. ~ E.B. White Creative Writing Quotes 31 - 40
• I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again. ~ Oscar Wilde
• If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write. ~ Stephen King
• Easy reading is damn hard writing. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne
• A critic can only review the book he has read, not the one which the writer wrote. ~ Mignon McLaughlin
• A great writer reveals the truth even when he or she does not wish to. ~ Tom Bissell
• If you want to get rich from writing, write the sort of thing that's read by persons who move their lips when they're reading to themselves. ~Don Marquis
• A man will turn over half a library to make one book. ~ Samuel Johnson
• No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published. ~ Russell Lynes
• A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~ Thomas Mann
• An author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. ~ Colette Creative Writing Quotes 41 - 50
• The writer writes in order to teach himself, to understand himself, to satisfy himself; the publishing of his ideas, though it brings gratification, is a curious anticlimax. ~ Alfred Kazin
• I do not like to write - I like to have written. ~ Gloria Steinem
• One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment. ~ Hart Crane
• The best style is the style you don't notice. ~ Somerset Maugham
• Drama, instead of telling us the whole of a man's life, must place him in such a situation, tie such a knot, that when it is untied, the whole man is visible. ~ Leo Tolstoy
• Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it. ~ David Sedaris
• A classic is classic not because it conforms to certain structural rules, or fits certain definitions (of which its author had quite probably never heard). It is classic because of a certain eternal and irrepressible freshness. ~ Edith Wharton
• I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work. ~ Pearl S. Buck
• If a true artist were born in a pigpen and raised in a sty, he would still find plenty of inspiration for his work. The only need is the eye to see. ~ Willa Cather Creative Writing Quotes 51 - 60
• Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ~ Scott Adams
• The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense. ~ Tom Clancy
• Becoming a writer means being creative enough to find the time and the place in your life for writing. ~ Heather Sellers
• Like most—maybe all— writers, I learned to write by writing and, by example, by reading books. ~ Francine Prose
• We have always learned about life by dramatising our questions. ~ Celia Brayfield
• The writer, like everyone else, is equipped in infancy with a thick padding of things he believes to be true, but which aren't. ~ Jon Franklin
• Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money. ~ Jules Renard
• Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself. ~ Franz Kafka
• If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you. ~ Oscar Wilde Creative Writing Quotes 61 - 70
• Writing is no trouble: you just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself—it is the occurring which is difficult. ~ Stephen Leacock
• Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished. ~ William Wordsworth
• The muscles of writing are not so visible, but they are just as powerful: determination, attention, curiosity, a passionate heart. ~ Natalie Goldberg
• If you can't play all the instruments in the orchestra of story, no matter what music may be in your imagination, you're condemned to hum the same old tune. ~ Robert McKee
• The novelist's ambition is not to do something better than his predecessors but to see what they did not see, say what they did not say. ~ Milan Kundera
• Without craft, art remains private. Without art, craft is merely hackwork. ~ Joyce Carol Oates
• Literature flourishes best when it is half a trade and half an art. ~ William Ralph Inge
• Fiction is a pack of lies that masquerades as truth. Don't risk spoiling your carefully crafted lies with too much truth—or with too little. ~ Randy Ingermanson
• Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life. ~ Lawrence Kasdan
• Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself. ~ Truman Capote Creative Writing Quotes 71 - 80
• One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work. ~ Gloria Naylor
• All the elements of good writing depend on the writer's skill in choosing one word instead of another. ~ Francine Prose
• Good prose almost always requires both showing and telling, scenes and summary, the two basic components of creative prose. ~ Laurie Alberts
• To be the kind of writer you want to be, you must first be the kind of thinker you want to be. ~ Ayn Rand  The Art of Fiction
• By what he chooses to present and by how he presents it, any author expresses his fundamental, metaphysical values. ~ Ayn Rand  The Art of Fiction
• If he can give his readers no reason why they should read his book, except that the events happened to him, it is not a valid book. ~ Ayn Rand  The Art of Fiction
• A hero knows it takes hard work and a long time to get published; a fool thinks it should happen immediately, because he thinks he's a hero already. ~ James Scott Bell  The Art of War for Writers
• A story consists of someone wanting something and having trouble getting it. ~ Douglas Glover  The Enamoured Knight
• Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science Fiction is the improbable made possible. ~ Rod Serling
• Plot is a map and I begin with it. It is what made me admire the novels of the 19th century; that the stories are foreshadowed. They're going someplace. ~ John Irving Creative Writing Quotes 81 - 85
• There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. ~ Maya Angelou
• Might we not say that every child at play behaves like a creative writer, in that he creates a world of his own, or, rather, rearranges the things of his world in a new way which pleases him? ~ Freud 1908
• You don't write because you want to say something. You write because you have something to say. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
• We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection. ~ Anais Nin  In Favor of the Sensitive Man, and Other Essays
• The truth, or success, of any writer's story lies partly in its specificity and its emotional honesty. ~ Gail Caldwell  In Let's Take the Long Way Home , a Reader's Guide

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Last updated on Feb 14, 2023

10 Types of Creative Writing (with Examples You’ll Love)

A lot falls under the term ‘creative writing’: poetry, short fiction, plays, novels, personal essays, and songs, to name just a few. By virtue of the creativity that characterizes it, creative writing is an extremely versatile art. So instead of defining what creative writing is , it may be easier to understand what it does by looking at examples that demonstrate the sheer range of styles and genres under its vast umbrella.

To that end, we’ve collected a non-exhaustive list of works across multiple formats that have inspired the writers here at Reedsy. With 20 different works to explore, we hope they will inspire you, too. 

People have been writing creatively for almost as long as we have been able to hold pens. Just think of long-form epic poems like The Odyssey or, later, the Cantar de Mio Cid — some of the earliest recorded writings of their kind. 

Poetry is also a great place to start if you want to dip your own pen into the inkwell of creative writing. It can be as short or long as you want (you don’t have to write an epic of Homeric proportions), encourages you to build your observation skills, and often speaks from a single point of view . 

Here are a few examples:

“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.

This classic poem by Romantic poet Percy Shelley (also known as Mary Shelley’s husband) is all about legacy. What do we leave behind? How will we be remembered? The great king Ozymandias built himself a massive statue, proclaiming his might, but the irony is that his statue doesn’t survive the ravages of time. By framing this poem as told to him by a “traveller from an antique land,” Shelley effectively turns this into a story. Along with the careful use of juxtaposition to create irony, this poem accomplishes a lot in just a few lines. 

“Trying to Raise the Dead” by Dorianne Laux

 A direction. An object. My love, it needs a place to rest. Say anything. I’m listening. I’m ready to believe. Even lies, I don’t care.

Poetry is cherished for its ability to evoke strong emotions from the reader using very few words which is exactly what Dorianne Laux does in “ Trying to Raise the Dead .” With vivid imagery that underscores the painful yearning of the narrator, she transports us to a private nighttime scene as the narrator sneaks away from a party to pray to someone they’ve lost. We ache for their loss and how badly they want their lost loved one to acknowledge them in some way. It’s truly a masterclass on how writing can be used to portray emotions. 

If you find yourself inspired to try out some poetry — and maybe even get it published — check out these poetry layouts that can elevate your verse!

Song Lyrics

Poetry’s closely related cousin, song lyrics are another great way to flex your creative writing muscles. You not only have to find the perfect rhyme scheme but also match it to the rhythm of the music. This can be a great challenge for an experienced poet or the musically inclined. 

To see how music can add something extra to your poetry, check out these two examples:

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

 You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah 

Metaphors are commonplace in almost every kind of creative writing, but will often take center stage in shorter works like poetry and songs. At the slightest mention, they invite the listener to bring their emotional or cultural experience to the piece, allowing the writer to express more with fewer words while also giving it a deeper meaning. If a whole song is couched in metaphor, you might even be able to find multiple meanings to it, like in Leonard Cohen’s “ Hallelujah .” While Cohen’s Biblical references create a song that, on the surface, seems like it’s about a struggle with religion, the ambiguity of the lyrics has allowed it to be seen as a song about a complicated romantic relationship. 

“I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie

 ​​If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark

You can think of song lyrics as poetry set to music. They manage to do many of the same things their literary counterparts do — including tugging on your heartstrings. Death Cab for Cutie’s incredibly popular indie rock ballad is about the singer’s deep devotion to his lover. While some might find the song a bit too dark and macabre, its melancholy tune and poignant lyrics remind us that love can endure beyond death.

Plays and Screenplays

From the short form of poetry, we move into the world of drama — also known as the play. This form is as old as the poem, stretching back to the works of ancient Greek playwrights like Sophocles, who adapted the myths of their day into dramatic form. The stage play (and the more modern screenplay) gives the words on the page a literal human voice, bringing life to a story and its characters entirely through dialogue. 

Interested to see what that looks like? Take a look at these examples:

All My Sons by Arthur Miller

“I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.” 

Arthur Miller acts as a bridge between the classic and the new, creating 20th century tragedies that take place in living rooms and backyard instead of royal courts, so we had to include his breakout hit on this list. Set in the backyard of an all-American family in the summer of 1946, this tragedy manages to communicate family tensions in an unimaginable scale, building up to an intense climax reminiscent of classical drama. 

💡 Read more about Arthur Miller and classical influences in our breakdown of Freytag’s pyramid . 

“Everything is Fine” by Michael Schur ( The Good Place )

“Well, then this system sucks. What...one in a million gets to live in paradise and everyone else is tortured for eternity? Come on! I mean, I wasn't freaking Gandhi, but I was okay. I was a medium person. I should get to spend eternity in a medium place! Like Cincinnati. Everyone who wasn't perfect but wasn't terrible should get to spend eternity in Cincinnati.” 

A screenplay, especially a TV pilot, is like a mini-play, but with the extra job of convincing an audience that they want to watch a hundred more episodes of the show. Blending moral philosophy with comedy, The Good Place is a fun hang-out show set in the afterlife that asks some big questions about what it means to be good. 

It follows Eleanor Shellstrop, an incredibly imperfect woman from Arizona who wakes up in ‘The Good Place’ and realizes that there’s been a cosmic mixup. Determined not to lose her place in paradise, she recruits her “soulmate,” a former ethics professor, to teach her philosophy with the hope that she can learn to be a good person and keep up her charade of being an upstanding citizen. The pilot does a superb job of setting up the stakes, the story, and the characters, while smuggling in deep philosophical ideas.

Personal essays

Our first foray into nonfiction on this list is the personal essay. As its name suggests, these stories are in some way autobiographical — concerned with the author’s life and experiences. But don’t be fooled by the realistic component. These essays can take any shape or form, from comics to diary entries to recipes and anything else you can imagine. Typically zeroing in on a single issue, they allow you to explore your life and prove that the personal can be universal.

Here are a couple of fantastic examples:

“On Selling Your First Novel After 11 Years” by Min Jin Lee (Literary Hub)

There was so much to learn and practice, but I began to see the prose in verse and the verse in prose. Patterns surfaced in poems, stories, and plays. There was music in sentences and paragraphs. I could hear the silences in a sentence. All this schooling was like getting x-ray vision and animal-like hearing. 

This deeply honest personal essay by Pachinko author Min Jin Lee is an account of her eleven-year struggle to publish her first novel . Like all good writing, it is intensely focused on personal emotional details. While grounded in the specifics of the author's personal journey, it embodies an experience that is absolutely universal: that of difficulty and adversity met by eventual success. 

“A Cyclist on the English Landscape” by Roff Smith (New York Times)

These images, though, aren’t meant to be about me. They’re meant to represent a cyclist on the landscape, anybody — you, perhaps. 

Roff Smith’s gorgeous photo essay for the NYT is a testament to the power of creatively combining visuals with text. Here, photographs of Smith atop a bike are far from simply ornamental. They’re integral to the ruminative mood of the essay, as essential as the writing. Though Smith places his work at the crosscurrents of various aesthetic influences (such as the painter Edward Hopper), what stands out the most in this taciturn, thoughtful piece of writing is his use of the second person to address the reader directly. Suddenly, the writer steps out of the body of the essay and makes eye contact with the reader. The reader is now part of the story as a second character, finally entering the picture.

Short Fiction

The short story is the happy medium of fiction writing. These bite-sized narratives can be devoured in a single sitting and still leave you reeling. Sometimes viewed as a stepping stone to novel writing, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Short story writing is an art all its own. The limited length means every word counts and there’s no better way to see that than with these two examples:

“An MFA Story” by Paul Dalla Rosa (Electric Literature)

At Starbucks, I remembered a reading Zhen had given, a reading organized by the program’s faculty. I had not wanted to go but did. In the bar, he read, "I wrote this in a Starbucks in Shanghai. On the bank of the Huangpu." It wasn’t an aside or introduction. It was two lines of the poem. I was in a Starbucks and I wasn’t writing any poems. I wasn’t writing anything. 

This short story is a delightfully metafictional tale about the struggles of being a writer in New York. From paying the bills to facing criticism in a writing workshop and envying more productive writers, Paul Dalla Rosa’s story is a clever satire of the tribulations involved in the writing profession, and all the contradictions embodied by systemic creativity (as famously laid out in Mark McGurl’s The Program Era ). What’s more, this story is an excellent example of something that often happens in creative writing: a writer casting light on the private thoughts or moments of doubt we don’t admit to or openly talk about. 

“Flowering Walrus” by Scott Skinner (Reedsy)

I tell him they’d been there a month at least, and he looks concerned. He has my tongue on a tissue paper and is gripping its sides with his pointer and thumb. My tongue has never spent much time outside of my mouth, and I imagine it as a walrus basking in the rays of the dental light. My walrus is not well. 

A winner of Reedsy’s weekly Prompts writing contest, ‘ Flowering Walrus ’ is a story that balances the trivial and the serious well. In the pauses between its excellent, natural dialogue , the story manages to scatter the fear and sadness of bad medical news, as the protagonist hides his worries from his wife and daughter. Rich in subtext, these silences grow and resonate with the readers.

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Perhaps the thing that first comes to mind when talking about creative writing, novels are a form of fiction that many people know and love but writers sometimes find intimidating. The good news is that novels are nothing but one word put after another, like any other piece of writing, but expanded and put into a flowing narrative. Piece of cake, right?

To get an idea of the format’s breadth of scope, take a look at these two (very different) satirical novels: 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

I wished I was back in the convenience store where I was valued as a working member of staff and things weren’t as complicated as this. Once we donned our uniforms, we were all equals regardless of gender, age, or nationality — all simply store workers. 

Keiko, a thirty-six-year-old convenience store employee, finds comfort and happiness in the strict, uneventful routine of the shop’s daily operations. A funny, satirical, but simultaneously unnerving examination of the social structures we take for granted, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman is deeply original and lingers with the reader long after they’ve put it down.

Erasure by Percival Everett

The hard, gritty truth of the matter is that I hardly ever think about race. Those times when I did think about it a lot I did so because of my guilt for not thinking about it.  

Erasure is a truly accomplished satire of the publishing industry’s tendency to essentialize African American authors and their writing. Everett’s protagonist is a writer whose work doesn’t fit with what publishers expect from him — work that describes the “African American experience” — so he writes a parody novel about life in the ghetto. The publishers go crazy for it and, to the protagonist’s horror, it becomes the next big thing. This sophisticated novel is both ironic and tender, leaving its readers with much food for thought.

Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is pretty broad: it applies to anything that does not claim to be fictional (although the rise of autofiction has definitely blurred the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction). It encompasses everything from personal essays and memoirs to humor writing, and they range in length from blog posts to full-length books. The defining characteristic of this massive genre is that it takes the world or the author’s experience and turns it into a narrative that a reader can follow along with.

Here, we want to focus on novel-length works that dig deep into their respective topics. While very different, these two examples truly show the breadth and depth of possibility of creative nonfiction:

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

Men’s bodies litter my family history. The pain of the women they left behind pulls them from the beyond, makes them appear as ghosts. In death, they transcend the circumstances of this place that I love and hate all at once and become supernatural. 

Writer Jesmyn Ward recounts the deaths of five men from her rural Mississippi community in as many years. In her award-winning memoir , she delves into the lives of the friends and family she lost and tries to find some sense among the tragedy. Working backwards across five years, she questions why this had to happen over and over again, and slowly unveils the long history of racism and poverty that rules rural Black communities. Moving and emotionally raw, Men We Reaped is an indictment of a cruel system and the story of a woman's grief and rage as she tries to navigate it.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

He believed that wine could reshape someone’s life. That’s why he preferred buying bottles to splurging on sweaters. Sweaters were things. Bottles of wine, said Morgan, “are ways that my humanity will be changed.” 

In this work of immersive journalism , Bianca Bosker leaves behind her life as a tech journalist to explore the world of wine. Becoming a “cork dork” takes her everywhere from New York’s most refined restaurants to science labs while she learns what it takes to be a sommelier and a true wine obsessive. This funny and entertaining trip through the past and present of wine-making and tasting is sure to leave you better informed and wishing you, too, could leave your life behind for one devoted to wine. 

Illustrated Narratives (Comics, graphic novels)

Once relegated to the “funny pages”, the past forty years of comics history have proven it to be a serious medium. Comics have transformed from the early days of Jack Kirby’s superheroes into a medium where almost every genre is represented. Humorous one-shots in the Sunday papers stand alongside illustrated memoirs, horror, fantasy, and just about anything else you can imagine. This type of visual storytelling lets the writer and artist get creative with perspective, tone, and so much more. For two very different, though equally entertaining, examples, check these out:

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

"Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine and valleys of frustration and failure." 

This beloved comic strip follows Calvin, a rambunctious six-year-old boy, and his stuffed tiger/imaginary friend, Hobbes. They get into all kinds of hijinks at school and at home, and muse on the world in the way only a six-year-old and an anthropomorphic tiger can. As laugh-out-loud funny as it is, Calvin & Hobbes ’ popularity persists as much for its whimsy as its use of humor to comment on life, childhood, adulthood, and everything in between. 

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell 

"I shall tell you where we are. We're in the most extreme and utter region of the human mind. A dim, subconscious underworld. A radiant abyss where men meet themselves. Hell, Netley. We're in Hell." 

Comics aren't just the realm of superheroes and one-joke strips, as Alan Moore proves in this serialized graphic novel released between 1989 and 1998. A meticulously researched alternative history of Victorian London’s Ripper killings, this macabre story pulls no punches. Fact and fiction blend into a world where the Royal Family is involved in a dark conspiracy and Freemasons lurk on the sidelines. It’s a surreal mad-cap adventure that’s unsettling in the best way possible. 

Video Games and RPGs

Probably the least expected entry on this list, we thought that video games and RPGs also deserved a mention — and some well-earned recognition for the intricate storytelling that goes into creating them. 

Essentially gamified adventure stories, without attention to plot, characters, and a narrative arc, these games would lose a lot of their charm, so let’s look at two examples where the creative writing really shines through: 

80 Days by inkle studios

"It was a triumph of invention over nature, and will almost certainly disappear into the dust once more in the next fifty years." 

Named Time Magazine ’s game of the year in 2014, this narrative adventure is based on Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. The player is cast as the novel’s narrator, Passpartout, and tasked with circumnavigating the globe in service of their employer, Phileas Fogg. Set in an alternate steampunk Victorian era, the game uses its globe-trotting to comment on the colonialist fantasies inherent in the original novel and its time period. On a storytelling level, the choose-your-own-adventure style means no two players’ journeys will be the same. This innovative approach to a classic novel shows the potential of video games as a storytelling medium, truly making the player part of the story. 

What Remains of Edith Finch by Giant Sparrow

"If we lived forever, maybe we'd have time to understand things. But as it is, I think the best we can do is try to open our eyes, and appreciate how strange and brief all of this is." 

This video game casts the player as 17-year-old Edith Finch. Returning to her family’s home on an island in the Pacific northwest, Edith explores the vast house and tries to figure out why she’s the only one of her family left alive. The story of each family member is revealed as you make your way through the house, slowly unpacking the tragic fate of the Finches. Eerie and immersive, this first-person exploration game uses the medium to tell a series of truly unique tales. 

Fun and breezy on the surface, humor is often recognized as one of the trickiest forms of creative writing. After all, while you can see the artistic value in a piece of prose that you don’t necessarily enjoy, if a joke isn’t funny, you could say that it’s objectively failed.

With that said, it’s far from an impossible task, and many have succeeded in bringing smiles to their readers’ faces through their writing. Here are two examples:

‘How You Hope Your Extended Family Will React When You Explain Your Job to Them’ by Mike Lacher (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency)

“Is it true you don’t have desks?” your grandmother will ask. You will nod again and crack open a can of Country Time Lemonade. “My stars,” she will say, “it must be so wonderful to not have a traditional office and instead share a bistro-esque coworking space.” 

Satire and parody make up a whole subgenre of creative writing, and websites like McSweeney’s Internet Tendency and The Onion consistently hit the mark with their parodies of magazine publishing and news media. This particular example finds humor in the divide between traditional family expectations and contemporary, ‘trendy’ work cultures. Playing on the inherent silliness of today’s tech-forward middle-class jobs, this witty piece imagines a scenario where the writer’s family fully understands what they do — and are enthralled to hear more. “‘Now is it true,’ your uncle will whisper, ‘that you’ve got a potential investment from one of the founders of I Can Haz Cheezburger?’”

‘Not a Foodie’ by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell (Electric Literature)

I’m not a foodie, I never have been, and I know, in my heart, I never will be. 

Highlighting what she sees as an unbearable social obsession with food , in this comic Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell takes a hilarious stand against the importance of food. From the writer’s courageous thesis (“I think there are more exciting things to talk about, and focus on in life, than what’s for dinner”) to the amusing appearance of family members and the narrator’s partner, ‘Not a Foodie’ demonstrates that even a seemingly mundane pet peeve can be approached creatively — and even reveal something profound about life.

We hope this list inspires you with your own writing. If there’s one thing you take away from this post, let it be that there is no limit to what you can write about or how you can write about it. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll drill down into the fascinating world of creative nonfiction.

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Here are Some Really Good Sentence Starters for Creative Writing

So, your head is chock-a-block with ideas, and yet you're struggling to begin your story. No cause for worry, as it happens to most of us. Instead, read this Penlighten post - it has some amazing ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

So, your head is chock-a-block with ideas, and yet you’re struggling to begin your story. No cause for worry, as it happens to most of us. Instead, read this Penlighten post – it has some amazing ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Master storyteller that he is, Stephen King was gracious enough to admit that a writer tends to dread the moment when he actually begins writing any piece―this can be a bit of a make-or-break kind of a situation. A flying start tends to set the tone of the work, all positive, of course, whereas an unsure start only leads to the doomed path of redrafts.

You may have the entire concept of your story or essay in mind, but when it comes to the actual act of putting pen to paper, the enthusiasm tends to deflate a little. A rather strange phenomenon, this, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that most writers, at some point, have encountered this experience.

To our fellow budding writers, we’re offering a helping hand by providing a few sample starts to get that creativity rolling, followed by a little inspiration from the stalwarts of the business.

Sample Sentence Starters for Fiction

Fiction writing is a boundless category, and each author has his preferred style of beginning a story or a novel. It is obvious that the beginning of a story depends on the overall plot, but there are times when you can use all the inspiration you need to get the start you were looking for. Therefore, we’ve included 5 ideas you can use in your starter, along with 3 examples for each.

Describe the weather

► The warm Californian sunshine hit her face as she stepped outside for the first time as a free woman.

► It had been raining nonstop for the past six days.

► The night sky was exceptionally clear tonight.

Introduce a character

► Daniel hated reunions and all the fake camaraderie.

► Edie Brent’s gruesome murder made it to the front page of the New York Times.

► Alison loved to keep secrets.

Talk about the city

► The streets of London come alive during the Holidays.

► Springtime is the best time to be in New York.

► Rio de Janeiro was where his dreams were.

Add a little suspense

► Walking home in the dead of the night was not new to Carol, but tonight felt different.

► The key clicked in the lock as Alan opened the door to his apartment. Everything seemed to be in place, and yet, something wasn’t right.

► It was 3 a. m. and there was no sign of Tim. He always called to tell if he was getting late. Why hadn’t he called?

And some drama

► How do you react when you’re told that you have a mere hours left to live?

► Prom queen and head cheerleader, Jessica always loved to be the center of attention.

► “Get the hell out of my life!”, screamed Karen at the top of her lungs.

Sentence Starters for Formal Essays

Middle school and high school students have to draft varied writing assignments, including persuasive essays, arguments, and narratives. In case of essays, particularly, the kind of start you make depends entirely on the topic at hand. However, formal essays or presentations need to begin in a certain manner. We’ve listed a few examples here:

► (The topic) has fostered a debate on …

► There is growing support for the notion that …

► The data gathered in the study strongly suggests that …

► The focus of discussion in this paper is …

► The premise of (the topic) seems to be based on …

► Latest research corroborates the view that …

Learn from the Greats

Who doesn’t seek inspiration from the masters of the field? Agreed, we all do. Therefore, we’ve brought you a list of the first sentences of some of the most iconic novels ever written.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. ― George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

Call me Ishmael. ― J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. ― J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love. ― Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

These sample sentence starters ought to have helped you get over your dry spell. Getting the right start is crucial when it comes to creative writing, and you need to give it your all to bring it up to standard.

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68 Inspiring Creativity Quotes To Spark Fresh Thinking

Are you looking for some inspiring creativity quotes? If so, you’re in the right place.

Writing apps are nice, but we all need a little inspiration sometimes.

To be creative describes combining old and new ideas in ways people don’t expect. It’s less about originality than it is about interpreting what went before you.

When you’re stuck or feeling creatively drained, the best place to look is often in the writings of creative people you admire. I’ve gathered some great quotes about creativity that inspire other writers and me.

1. Maya Angelou

2. arthur ashe, 3. saul bellow, 4. paulo coelho, 5. anthony j. d’angelo, 6. emily dickinson, 7. albert einstein, 8. henry ford, 9. robert frost, 10. napoleon hill, 11. steve jobs, 12. tom wolfe, 13. oscar wilde, 14. david foster wallace, 15. mark twain, 16. john steinbeck, 17. gertrude stein, 18. aaron sorkin, 19. arthur schopenhauer, 20. george saunders, 21. anna quindlen, 22. pablo picasso, 23. anaïs nin, 24. charles mingus, 25. john maynard keynes, 26. pablo picasso − pablo picasso: metamorphoses of the human form: graphic works, 1895-1972, 27. sylvia plath , 28. derek landy − skulduggery pleasant, 29. jacob bronowski , 30. john steinbeck , 31. austin kleon , 32. madeleine l’engle , 33. ray bradbury , 34. deepak chopra , 35. chuck palahniuk , 36. freeman dyson, 37. g.k. chesterton , 38. julio cortázar , 39. jim butcher , 40. a.p.j. abdul kalam , 41. arthur koestler , 42. scarlett thomas , 43. charles baudelaire , 44. antoine de saint-exupéry , 45. haruki murakami , 46. pablo picasso, 47. joan miro, 48. richard branson, 49. larry page, 50. criss jami, 51. neil gaiman, 52. edward debono, 53. brené brown, 55. mary lou cook, 56. dr. seuss, 57. salvador dali, 58. scott adams, 59. jack london, 60. julia cameron, 61. kurt vonnegut, 62. george bernard shaw, 63. donatella versace, 64. steve jobs, 65. leo burnett, 66. vincent van gogh, 67. eric fromm, 68. elizabeth gilbert, the final word on these top creativity quotes.

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou

Creativity is contagious. As this quote shows, the more time you spend writing and working on your ideas, the more you’ll have. In other words, don’t worry about the well running dry of ideas.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.” Saul Bellow

“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” Paulo Coelho

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” Anthony J. D’Angelo

“I dwell in possibility.” Emily Dickinson

“Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act.” Albert Einstein

I particularly like this creativity quote as Einstein had a brilliant scientific mind. But he still understood the creative process and often completed thought experiments to solve complex problems, akin to visualizing your work.

I also like his other quote, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” Henry Ford

“The best way out is always through.” Robert Frost

This quote shows, if you have a conflict of ideas, that’s normal. Keep going; keep pressing forward with your work.

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” Napoleon Hill

“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.” Steve Jobs

This is one of my favorite creativity quotes! It’s instructive for overcoming problems like self-doubt. Basically, it’s better to learn from a public failure than to try and perfect a masterpiece in private. Don’t let a fear of perfection hold you back.

“Put your good where it will do the most.” Tom Wolfe

“Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.” Oscar Wilde

In other words, stop waiting for the perfect moment to write, draw, or paint. Don’t let a fear of perfectionism hold you back either. Have fun with it.

“The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you.” David Foster Wallace

This is a particularly popular creativity quote on social media, and for a good reason. Readers enjoy creative people who are honest and don’t hold themselves back.

“There is no such thing as a new idea. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope.” Mark Twain

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck

“One must dare to be happy. “ Gertrude Stein

As creativity quotes go, this one reveals the secret of many great creative people. They spend as much time on their personal life as their work. It’s impossible to create if another part of your life is on fire.

“The world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the number of times you get back up.” Aaron Sorkin

“Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.” Arthur Schopenhauer

“What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.” George Saunders

As creativity quotes go, Saunders shows that small thing’s matter. Perhaps you can help a reader or fan of your work in some unexpected way?

“You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are.” Anna Quindlen

Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy. Unless you like burnout, it makes good sense to cultivate interests and pursuits outside of creative work.

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Pablo Picasso

Along with Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso is one of my favorite creative people. I had the pleasure of seeing some of his paintings while holidaying in Barcelona. His commitment to lifelong creative projects is inspiring. I bought a magnet with this quote and stuck it on my wall in my office.

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anaïs Nin

As this quote shows, living a creative life is often deeply personal and interpreted through our own experiences and viewpoint of the world. There is no such thing as a single correct viewpoint of the world.

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace. Making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” Charles Mingus

“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” John Maynard Keynes

“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not. ” Pablo Picasso

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath

“Doors are for people with no imagination.” Derek Landy

“It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.” Jacob Bronowski

“Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of man. Nothing was ever created by two men. There are no good collaborations, whether in music, in art, in poetry, in mathematics, in philosophy. Once the miracle of creation has taken place, the group can build and extend it, but the group never invents anything. The preciousness lies in the lonely mind of a man.” John Steinbeck

“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run , play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use – do the work you want to see done.” Austin Kleon

“But unless we are creators we are not fully alive. What do I mean by creators? Not only artists, whose acts of creation are the obvious ones of working with paint of clay or words. Creativity is a way of living life, no matter our vocation or how we earn our living. Creativity is not limited to the arts , or having some kind of important career.” Madeleine L’Engle

“That’s the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.” Ray Bradbury

“What keeps life fascinating is the constant creativity of the soul.” Deepak Chopra

“Anymore, no one’s mind is their own.” Chuck Palahniuk

“We must be careful not to discourage our twelve-year-olds by making them waste the best years of their lives preparing for examinations.” Freeman Dyson

“The criminal is the creative artist; the detective only the critic.” G.K. Chesterton

“All profound distraction opens certain doors. You have to allow yourself to be distracted when you are unable to concentrate.” Julio Cortázar

“I’ve always felt that the best whips and chains are in the mind. With a little creativity, the physical ones are hardly necessary.” Jim Butcher

This quote shows that creative people sometimes use their inner demons, worries, and fears to inform their work. A creative mind is sometimes a troubling place!

“When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms. When creativity blossoms, thinking emanates. When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit. When knowledge is lit, economy flourishes.” A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

“Creative activity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.” Arthur Koestler

“Routine kills creative thought.” Scarlett Thomas

Creative people must find a balance between having solitude to work on their ideas and seeking new experiences to inform them. Finding that balance is a learning process.

“Genius is no more than childhood recaptured at will, childhood equipped now with man’s physical means to express itself, and with the analytical mind that enables it to bring order into the sum of experience, involuntarily amassed.” Charles Baudelaire

“If a composer suffers from loss of sleep and his sleeplessness induces him to turn out masterpieces, what a profitable loss it is!” Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

“Artists are those who can evade the verbose.” Haruki Murakami

The chief enemy of creativity is good sense Pablo Picasso

The works must be confused with fire in the soul but executed with clinical coolness Joan Miro

The most talented, thought-provoking, game-changing people are never normal Richard Branson

As inspirational quotes go, this is a good one, particularly considering that Branson has set up over 40 virgin companies.

If you’re not doing some things that are crazy, then you’re doing the wrong things Larry Page

Create with the heart; build with the mind Criss Jami

Fiction is the lie that tells the truth. Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman was quoting Albert Camus here, demonstrating that the creative process involves learning from your peers.

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” Edward DeBono

“The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.” Brené Brown

“Creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence.” Osho

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun” Mary Lou Cook

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! Dr. Seuss

“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.” Salvador Dali

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” Scott Adams

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” Jack London

“Leap, and the net will appear.” Julia Cameron

“Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, “It might have been.” Kurt Vonnegut

“Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.” George Bernard Shaw

“Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas.” Donatella Versace

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.” Steve Jobs

“When you reach for the stars, you might not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”  Leo Burnett

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” Vincent Van Gogh

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” Eric Fromm

“Done is better than good.” Elizabeth Gilbert

Whether or not creativity can be taught is open to debate.

When I find a great creativity quote, I sometimes use it as a writing prompt to overcome problems like writer’s block .

I write the quote at the top of the page and spend a little time freewriting what the creativity quote means to me.

When I’m done, I remove the quote and keep what I’ve written.

I also keep a file with some of the best quotes about creativity in my computer that I draw upon when looking for something special to sprinkle over a piece of writing.

If you enjoyed these quotes about creativity, please share this post with a friend or check out my Pinterest board of quotes.

You can also check out our list of top author quotes .

Join over 15,000 writers today

Get a FREE book of writing prompts and learn how to make more money from your writing.

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Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Words To Use In Creative Writing

A list of 227 words by revengeance .

Tip: Add several words or phrases at once by separating them with semicolons. Don't worry about surrounding whitespace -- we'll ignore it.

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This list has no description.

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• Inspiration

30 insightful creativity quotes to inspire innovation

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Articles and Insights

Inside linearity, get inspired, ben barnhart.

• 02 September 2021
• 17 min read

In this article

There are many voices on creativity, how to be creative, and the creative process itself.

We can draw inspiration from them as we look at their careers and achievements.

We’ve compiled a list of the most inspiring creativity quotes to help you think out of the box and find new solutions to problems.

And, spoiler alert—the list doesn't include Steve Jobs' famous words, “Creativity is just connecting things,” because you’ve probably already heard that one too many times. We’ve tried to be a little more diverse and hopefully offer you something new.

Whether you’re a lucky human who seems to have a source of constant creativity or you’re struggling with a creative block at the moment, these little nuggets of wisdom can guide and inspire you.

A note on inspiration

Creative people need inspiration.

The creative process is one of human's most complex and beautiful parts. Creativity is messy, frustrating, enjoyable , and different for everyone. Being creative helps us understand ourselves and the world.

[Callout] It’s a natural part of human expression that we should all value and cultivate.

One of the essential components of creativity is inspiration. We’re not always going to have creative workers such as designers or writers, in particular, know that you’ve got to sit down and do the work even when you’re not inspired if you’re going to achieve anything.

We can ensure we remain inspired by surrounding ourselves with the right people, knowledge, places, and resources. Simply reading other people’s insights on creativity is integral to staying inspired.

[Callout] Our creative juices often flow when we can bounce daring ideas off each other and nurture a community around inspiration and creative endeavors.

The role of creativity in marketing, design, and problem-solving

Creativity is more than an abstract concept. It's a fundamental tool for success in marketing, design, and problem-solving.

In marketing , creativity can differentiate a brand, making it stand out in a sea of competitors. It's the magic ingredient that turns ordinary campaigns into viral sensations, capturing the public's attention and leaving a lasting impression.

In design , creativity breathes life into ideas, transforming abstract concepts into tangible realities. It empowers designers to innovate, pushing beyond the boundaries of the known and exploring new horizons.

Creativity also plays a pivotal role in problem-solving . It encourages us to look beyond conventional solutions and consider new approaches. It's about connecting the dots in unexpected ways, leading to effective and novel solutions.

Creativity quotes

Before you check out these inspiring quotes on creativity and read our thoughts on each quote, remember to take a moment to consider what each quote means to you.

Remember, the number one secret of creativity is originality (in our humble opinion), so it’s important to stay conscious of your own creative ideas when diving into the ideas of others.

1. "Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought." - Albert Einstein

This is one of Albert Einstein's musings on originality.

Originality is a topic of great discussion in the creative world, with many artists claiming that there is no such thing. Mark Twain once said, “There's no such thing as an original idea.”

Being creative is about presenting a piece of art, a design, an idea, or an innovation in a way that is filtered through your own unique perspective, talent, and skills. Perhaps that’s what Einstein meant by this.

2. “Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.” - Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso had so much wisdom to share on creativity.

He also said that “art is chaos taking shape.” There seems to be a common idea between these inspiring creativity quotes: creativity is an evolutionary process of refinement.

A creative project, whether an illustration or a logo , a sculpture, a fashion item, or a user interface—whatever form it takes, the finished product was shaped by countless influencing factors. These include culture, colors, a brief, fonts, styles, emotions, politics, etc.

A creative carefully chooses what to include and exclude. It results in something beautiful that somehow makes sense amongst the chaos of the endless influencing factors around us at any time.

But it doesn't happen overnight. It takes courageous patience and an unrelenting drive to challenge the status quo, coming up with innovative ideas and refining them until they work.

Don't worry about asking the wrong questions—or perhaps giving the wrong answers. Putting brilliant ideas into action to see what happens is one of the best sources of creativity, because it helps you find the parts you need to improve.

3. "You use a glass mirror to see your face. You use works of art to see your soul." - George Bernard Shaw

This phrase is one of the many aphorisms by George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), a famous Irish playwright, critic, and polemicist. His work is characterized by satire and insightful commentary on societal issues.

Every human has a unique perspective of the world. Everyone can create something original. Just like every person has a unique reflection in the mirror, all our creative expressions can be unique, too.

To any creative type seeking authenticity and originality in their style, the more you connect with your inner world, the more you will support originality in your art instead of continuously looking outside for inspiration.

4. “A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life” - Elizabeth Gilbert

The wonderful Elizabeth Gilbert has exploded as a thought leader on “the creative life” since her book Big Magic (2016) became a bestseller. Her Ted Talks have also reached millions of people.

This quote reminds us that creativity blossoms when your lifestyle supports it. You have to be inspired, connect with interesting people, learn new things, and see new people consistently.

You can keep expanding your way of thinking with art and culture, and satisfy your curiosity with travel and education. You can stay inspired by surrounding yourself with beautiful design, fashion, and food.

You must experience interesting things to know how to create anything interesting.

5. “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working." - Henri Matisse

Matisse was quite the fountain of wisdom regarding insights into creativity.

This quote is an important reminder that you won’t always have an endless supply of inspiration. Even when you’re not feeling it, make things anyway. It doesn't mean that you have an uncreative mind—it just means that you must make a habit of creating things even when you don't feel inspired.

Matisse suggests that once you start working, you'll unlock your creativity, and inspiration will start flowing. It'll be fueled as you continue working.

6. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

Creatives can often relate to having feelings of self-doubt.

A creative mind is riddled with self-doubt. It's this questioning nature that produces creativity. And we argue that it doesn’t need to be your enemy.

Self-doubt is normal—even the greatest leaders and artists experience it. The key to success is holding the tension of opposites and put yourself out there anyway.

Acknowledge that you're feeling self-doubt, and carry on creating.

7. “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” – Mary Lou Cook

The creative process is messy, no doubt.

Mary Lou Cook reminds us that to be creative, we have to get messy, explore, and go against the grain. The most notable part of this quote is “making mistakes” and “having fun.”

8. “It's no good being too easily swayed by people's opinions. You have to believe in yourself.” – Donatella Versace

Madame Versace knows what she’s talking about.

Perhaps the chief enemy of creativity, even more so than self-doubt, is seeking others' approval. You’re never going to win everybody over.

The most successful people in any creative endeavor trust themselves and believe in their work so much that they don’t need anyone's approval or permission.

Staying laser-focused on your creative work will help you turn viable ideas into innovations.

9. “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” – Edward De Bono

Creativity isn't taken seriously enough in "serious" contexts like business and government.

But there's evidence that this is changing. If you look at business hubs like Silicon Valley, you’ll see how creativity and play are valued as an essential part of technological advancement. Larger corporate institutions in low-risk, horizontal industries also look to the Valley for inspiration and innovative practices.

The field of creativity is being studied as a type of learning process, and creative principles are being applied in business, education, policy-making, and beyond.

In business, you need to find ways to foster a culture of innovation in your team. This can be done by providing opportunities for creative collaboration between individuals and cross-departmental teams. Listening to your customers and taking calculated risks will also provide innovation opportunities.

A successful innovation strategy will lead to business progress and team growth.

10. "Begin by learning to draw and paint like the old masters. After that, you can do as you like; everyone will respect you." – Salvador Dalí

Reaching the level of the "old masters" may take a lifetime of dedication—and you might want to spend your lifetime focusing on other things, too.

But that doesn't make you any less creative.

There are many styles to experiment with . If you’re a designer or illustrator, you need to focus on honing your skills and experimenting with new mediums.

Salvador Dalí captured such incredibly imaginative imagery because he had incredible skills that afforded him this ability.

We also think that maybe Dalí meant you have to earn respect as a creative by studying the established rules and principles of art. Then, you have the privilege of breaking them.

Pablo Picasso had similar ideas evident in his quote, “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.”

11. “Create with the heart; build with the mind.” – Criss Jami

The thinking mind can get in the way when trying to be creative.

Overthinking is another blocker to creativity. Criss Jami’s quote reminds us to create from a place of emotion and inspiration. Your art and designs won’t always make logical sense and don’t need to.

12. “Deadlines and things make you creative.” – Jack White

Here's an intriguing perspective from White Stripes musician Jack White.

Many would argue that deadlines “and things” put pressure on you and hinder creativity. However, we believe many marketers and designers will agree that deadlines push us into action and force us to get creative.

The innovation process is often put into motion by external constraints that force us to reimagine modern society. Inflexible people may struggle to act creatively in constrained circumstances, as their natural bent leans towards keeping things the same.

But discomfort is oftentimes the birthplace of innovation and an instrument of entrepreneurship.

13. “You can be cautious or you can be creative, but there's no such thing as a cautious creative.” – George Lois

Art director and designer turned author, George Lois is most famous for designing almost 100 iconic magazine covers for Esquire between 1962 and 1973.

This is one of the most famous quotes about creativity of all time. Lois reminds us that we must get messy and break some rules when exerting creative effort.

Lois goes so far as to say that caution isn't an aspect of creativity. When faced with a conflict of ideas, throw caution to the wind and do something out of the ordinary.

14. "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." – Maya Angelou

What a relief to know that your creativity can’t run out. It’s an endless resource that becomes more activated the more you unleash it.

Perhaps that’s why it’s often called a “ creative flow .” Everyone experiences “dry spells,” but this can be due to a lack of inspiration or too much stress. It doesn’t mean your creativity has been used up or lost.

The key to creativity is unlocking something within yourself so that the creativity can flow.

15. "There is no innovation and creativity without failure." – Brené Brown

What would any inspirational quote article be without a bit of wisdom from Brené Brown?

Failure is so important to learn from. It teaches us how to refine and where to improve, plus “failures” can guide us to something better, something unexpected. They can break us open to something we’ve never thought of before.

16. “The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” – Bruce Lee

The control comes afterward, when we're refining. But to get to that point, we have to get out of our own way and allow creativity to flow through us.

Art is surrender. If you’ve ever dived into Eastern philosophies, you’ll know that people spend entire lifetimes simply learning the art of surrendering. You don’t need to become a monk, but you might want to consciously practice surrender while you're creating.

Often, the secret to creativity lies in the subconscious. By learning to surrender, we let go of rational thinking and the conscious mind to discover the gold that lies deeper within ourselves.

17. “The creative adult is the child who survived.” – ​​Ursula Le Guin

Some research shows that all humans start out creative as children, and creativity is simply neglected, or we’re trained out of it as we grow older.

Picasso had a similar opinion to Le Guin when he said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist once they grow up.” This is a reminder that, in order to access creativity, we have to let our inner child come out.

We have to play and be curious. A true sign of intelligence is allowing the child within to come out and play and understanding the value in this child-like point of view.

18. “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

This quote from painter Vincent Van Gogh reminds us that creative projects, especially larger projects, don’t happen overnight.

It takes working at it in a series of moments consistently. It also reminds us that a career, a portfolio, or even a hobby takes time to build. Every project you complete is a step closer to becoming great at what you do.

Your greatness is accumulated through a series of moments; it doesn’t happen in just one moment.

19. “Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen.” – Oprah Winfrey

Where would anyone be without the wisdom of Oprah Winfrey?

Expressing our creativity is an opportunity to shed light on something. This can take the form of solutions, inventions, and art. It comes back to that unique perspective, once again. Each person’s creative expression adds to the birth of new ideas in the world, variety, and diversity in perspective.

20. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo Da Vinci

We’ve dedicated an entire post to the beauty of simplicity . Making something complex simple in art and design is often the most significant challenge.

It takes craft, intelligence, and experience. When trying to convey sophistication in a project, always keep the overall goal of simplicity at the center.

21. “Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use – do the work you want to see done.” – Austin Kleon

When in doubt, create what you’d like!

We can get so caught up trying to create for an audience or a client that we neglect to create for ourselves.

The most impactful and beautiful creations come from artists and designers who personally love what they are creating.

22. “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” – Dorothy Parker

This quote speaks to the balance that’s necessary for any creative project.

Yes, it requires freedom, letting go, letting your imagination run wild, and all the rest. But it also requires a refined eye that knows how to pull everything together in an aesthetically pleasing way that makes it enjoyable for a viewer to experience.

23. "Creativity doesn't wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones." – Bruce Garrabrandt

Bruce Garrabrandt, a self-taught artist, emphasizes the active nature of creativity with this quote. He believes that creativity does not depend on waiting for the perfect moment but making the most out of the ordinary ones.

As an artist who began with no inherent talent for drawing, Garrabrandt's perspective on creativity is rooted in his own journey of learning skills, overcoming frustrations and setbacks, and eventually becoming a professional artist.

He encourages the development of individual gifts into talents and abilities, fostering creativity.

24. "You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." – Jack London

This quote is from a 1905 essay by Jack London titled "Getting Into Print." London was a prolific writer who depended on his literary skills for his livelihood. He encouraged other writers to proactively seek inspiration rather than waiting for it to come to them.

He saw the writing process as requiring discipline, persistence, and the willingness to learn from others.

25. "If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play." – John Cleese

John Cleese is an English actor, comedian, and writer. Cleese is known for his comedic work in Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers , and he has often spoken about the importance of creativity, play, and humor.

26. "Serious design, serious play, is something else. For one thing, it often happens spontaneously, intuitively, accidentally or incidentally." – Paula Scher

In her 2008 TED talk, Great Design is Serious, Not Solemn , designer Paula Scher describes the difference between serious and solemn design. Scher is most famous for the album covers she created at CBS records, and the large text-based designs she created in the span of her accoladed career.

Seriousness is a laser focus on the task at hand, and a full immersion in the creative process. Solemn design, on the other hand, is focused on perfection and quality.

It's this creative energy that has led to some of the most surprising, delightful, and effective designs of all time.

27. "My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status." – Sir Ken Robinson

We now know creativity is serious. And we understand that it's a form of play. But do we consider it to be as crucial in society as academic literacy?

Sir Ken Robinson is an educator and author of Creativity in Schools (2015) and other books on creativity and education. He argues that schools are killing creativity through merit-based education and "teaching to the tests."

It's this approach to education that has led to most people missing an essential aspect of everyday life: critical thinking.

28. "Belief in your creative capacity lies at the heart of innovation." – Tom and David Kelley

The brothers Tom and David Kelley are thought leaders in the design space. Together, they authored Creative Confidence (2014). David is the Founder of Stanford University's d.school, a multi-disciplinary school focused on innovation to solve real-world problems.

Many business leaders and "non-creative" roles at companies think of themselves as unartistic, and wouldn't place themselves in situations where they don't know how to perform the task at hand.

But allowing yourself to act creatively, and make mistakes, is essential for your personal and professional growth. And you may even discover a new passion and career path.

29. "Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous." – Bill Moyers

Bill Moyers is an American journalist and political commentator, and former White House Press Secretary. He's been involved in public broadcasting for many years, producing documentaries and news journal programs.

Moyers' quote emphasizes the idea that creativity is about finding the extraordinary within the ordinary. This perspective encourages us to look at the world with a fresh perspective and to find inspiration in everyday life.

30. "True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new." – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Antoine de Saint-Exupery was a French writer and aviator, best known for his novella, The Little Prince (1943).

This quote reflects his view that happiness isn't derived from the result of our actions, but from the process of creation itself. His idea of creation isn't limited to the arts, but extends to all kinds of human endeavors where something new is brought into existence.

Key takeaways: quotes about creativity

After reading these powerful quotes about innovation and creativity, you may have come to some of your own conclusions about the creative process.

We’ve also put together a few key takeaways that we’ve learned from getting lost in the world of creativity quotes:

• Your unique perspective is your creative gold.
• Bringing the spirit of fun, excitement, and child-like wonder is extremely valuable to being creative.
• The more you live a life that inspires you, the more access you have to your creativity.
• You’re not always going to be inspired. Sometimes you must sit down and work despite how you might feel.
• Self-doubt is normal. Create anyway.
• It takes time and effort. Small wins are stepping stones to success.
• Create for yourself, not for the approval of others.
• Be curious about life.
• Creativity is not a moment—it's a flow.
• Creativity can come from your inner world, or be inspired by things around you.
• Refining and simplifying your creations lead to beautiful finished products. It’s a skill that must be learned.
• Being creative is as important for solving real-world problems as literacy.

Creatives in all industries—marketers, designers, artists, business leaders, etc.—need to feed their inspiration to keep creativity alive.

What’s your favorite quote about creativity? Share and tag Linearity Curve (formerly Vectornator) on social media , and we'll reshare your post.

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Ben is a Content Lead for Linearity living in Berlin. His hobbies include board games, cooking, reading, and writing.

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