Creative Writing: An art or a Craft?

Is Creative Writing an Art? Or a craft?
Written by: Jezreel Madsa

I think there should be no strict dichotomy as to whether Creative writing is an art or is it a craft. It is my contention, nonetheless, that these two attributes are not mutually exclusive rather they can refer both to Creative writing. In other words, Creative Writing bears with itself the nature of being an art and at the same time a craft. 

Let me reinforce my point:

First, Creative writing is an art insofar as the writer utilizes his mental faculty to creatively generate aesthetic form towards the piece one is composing. It also involves the ability to create proper analogy and beautiful metaphors that appeal to the visual and emotional aspect of the readers. It is liken to a courier, so to speak, through which the experiences, thoughts and feelings of the writer are communicated in a way that is garbed by well-embellished rhetoric and highly imaginative languages. It is for this reason that Creative Writing is an art. 

Second, Creative writing is also a craft inasmuch as it follows a certain pattern, techniques and guidelines for writing properly. Creative writing is not purely whimsical, let alone disorganized. Instead, it conforms to a certain standard—for example, grammar, punctuation and spelling—while leaving enough liberty to follow along the trail of one’s individual uniqueness and originality. 

Given what is stated above, it is an abject error then to draw a dividing line between art and craft in relation to Creative Writing. There is always room to accommodate them both as far as their relationship to Creative Writing is concerned.