I found or rather the Creative Writing Academy (CWA) found me when I was on my way home one evening, and it was like a sign and so I signed up the first chance that I got. Learning at the Creative Writing Academy (CWA) has really improved my writing skills. When I first joined CWA, I knew my writing wasn’t up to par but I was confident that at least I knew how to tell a story. I had written a couple of ‘books’, which I brunt, because I was insecure about my writing and that people would think it’s stupid, which I now regret, I regret burning M.I.A the most, a book series I did (I added a cover and drew illustrations with a blurb and all) only for me to just throw it into the fire.
Studying at the Creative Writing Academy has proved that with time and dedication it is possible for a novice to become a professional writer. I know now that there is more to writing than words on a paper. There is far more to a poem, short story, novel or script than I ever imagined. Creative writing is a challenging but rewarding study. It requires patience, persistence, passion and lots and lots of practice.
Learning about diction, pace, voice, tone, description, setting, point of view, characterisation, correct use of grammar, tenses, legal issues in writing, literary devices such as foreshadowing, etc. etc. has revealed that what I thought was my masterpiece was just a first draft.
It had bad grammar, wrong tenses, mismatched punctuations, a shifty point of view, poor diction, overly long paragraphs and unnecessary words.
After several months of studying at the Creative Writing Academy, my writing began to take form. My punctuation, grammar and tenses have improved. My diction has improved. I use less adjectives. My sentences, paragraphs and chapters are well thought through and concise. My stories are more believable and my characters come alive on the page. I have begun to appreciate feedbacks and critique. I know my strengths and what I need to work on. My writing has drastically improved. Sometimes I go back to my old writing and compare it to my current ones and there is a massive difference. People are intrigued when they read my stories. I get positive comments about my poetry which still amazes me.
I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t found the Creative Writing Academy. As well as granting me the opportunity to work at Ghanaian Times, they have offered me a publishing deal with Larajah Limited. Watch out for my novel!
- Kimberly Frempong
Author
