Ministry of Red Tape

Sub-Directorate of Creative Writing

Warning: this page is for the creatively inclined. Proceed with caution.

Here are some tips for creative types:

Tip 1: Ignore Convention

• Don't let the rules get in the way. Write like no one's watching.

Tip 2: Find Your Inner Child

• Write with reckless abandon, like you're 10 years old and still have an excuse for everything.

Tip 3: Be a Contrarian

• Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. Write with a 4th-grade vocabulary and call it avant-garde.

Tip 4: Steal from the Best

• Read everything, then pretend you wrote it yourself. Call it 'research'.

Tip 5: Write Like No One's Reading

• Write like you're 17 and no one's going to get it, but you're still going to get a participation trophy.

Remember, the Ministry of Red Tape is watching. Don't get too comfortable.

Want more tips? Visit our Advanced Creative Writing Tips page

Or, if you're feeling really bold, try The Ultimate Creative Writing Challenge