Creative Writing Prompts and Tips | Write Like Fish

by | Nov 21, 2017 | Miscellaneous | 0 comments

The title of this passage about creative writing might sound somehow philosophical, but it is just creative in a way you would want to think about your own writing. To get straight to the point, let us remember the things we have read over the years. Which passages are still the most memorable to us even though our literary and artistic tastes have changed a lot over the years. There are many reasons for the memorability of specific passages over thousands of other, I may say, beautiful passages. The secret lies definitely in the writer’s genius, yes of course, but there are some hidden techniques under the surface of the natural and indisputable genius of writing.

Why write like Fish? Well because fish are found all over the ocean, fish are found at all depths of the ocean, fish are of so many different colors and fish move smoothly from one depth to the other. If you can imagine the realm of words as the ocean, then definitely you know by now what I mean by writing like fish. I will shortly demonstrate different examples of different depths we can go to while we are writing and the possible purpose of effect these depths have, as you know nothing is quite definite in writing. However, the most important thing from this demonstration is that we always keep in mind that we are fish that can swim at the surface as well as at the bottom and according to what we want to say, when and where and who and why do we say what we say, we can choose the depth we want and of course the unique style of swimming each one of us has.
I am going to work on one example to see the many different possible versions we can use to say, more or less, the same thing.

1- Straight Forward Sentences (Right at the surface where only dead fish float)

We use this kind of writing sentences when we want to tell facts with no emotion of any kind; we just want to say what things are; who people are; etc., without adding any special move to this swim at the very surface. However, don’t forget that this style can sometimes be necessary for our creative writing.
e.g.
Her eyes are blue.
She has blue eyes.

2- Level One Depth (The obvious level where most fish live)

We use this kind of sentences to denote that we are not writing about facts, but we are still writing in a very traditional way; there is no signature, no feelings and no unique style at this depth of swimming.
e.g.
Her eyes are blue like the ocean. (Simile 1)
Her blue eyes are like the ocean. (Simile 2)
Her eyes are the ocean. (Direct metaphor)

3- Level Two Depth (The deep level where only big and beautiful fish can reach)

Here comes the beauty of gliding through words to get to the meaning we want without being traditional or obvious. Even though the movements we make may be predictable, but they are still beautiful. In the following, we can see that the second sentence is even more beautiful than the first because it is more indirect than the first.
e.g.
Her eyes stretch far and wide to make a roof for all the birds flying up low and high.
(indirect metaphor with the main thing we compare first)

The skies with their entire link in the horizon to the sea flew in her eyes.
(indirect metaphor where we use the image of the thing we compare to first)

4- Level Three Depth (The ultimate level where only unique creatures can be found)

I wouldn’t say more than this is your own way of seeing things; of imagining links between the fish, the depths and yourself, and you go on the farthest way from normality and tradition and venture in new ways to do the same swim. One time you may be awkward, but many more times you will nail it, but the most important thing of all that, contrary to the real ocean, the deeper you go here, the safest you are from drowning and dying.
e.g.
He sailed the worlds and back to a harbor that did not tempt him enough with its safety and comfort to stay and not to venture back in the wild sea, for he was about to lose himself the last time he sailed, yet he’d rather risk his life again and put everything at stake as nothing else mattered to him so he sailed again and took another deep look into her eyes.

Just remember that it is up to you to decide where you want to swim or write. It all depends on what you see fit for the different writing purposes you have. After all, I am not here to teach anything; I am just a fish showing you how to swim. May you benefit from what I showed you and find your own unique swim, see the whole ocean and show it to us.

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