Developing THE CREATIVE WRITING TOOLKIT

In September 2026, I took a short Skillshare workshop called THE CREATIVE WRITING TOOLKIT as taught by writer Nia Hogan. Specifically, the course introduced the concept of a writer's toolbox: a personalized curated set of inspirational, motivational, mentorship, educational, and correction resources that writers keep and update to support creative work and career growth. In short, the toolkit acts as an arsenal of fallback resources to help creative individuals in times when they may feel stuck. A toolkit can be tailored to both broad and specific project goals and aspirations.

ARTIFACT 01 > Poem by Morgan Harper Nichols, from her book STORYTELLER.

This blog entry serves as a repository of notes and work I did while working through the course. I tailored my project to focus on my creative nonfiction writing such as the short memoir vignettes and photographs I post online as part of a project I call my subversive selfie project.

SECTION 1 - INSPIRATION

This section focussed on the idea of how one can generate ideas when inspiration is low.

Resources mentioned included:

  • The Creativity Portal — Generators tab: includes an Imagination Prompt Generator and 365 Pictures (adds 1 image/day) to spark ideas.

  • Positive Writer: blog posts + book links for inspiration.

  • Languages of Virus: interactive creative-writing games and Mad Libs–style generators.

Practical techniques for idea generation included:

  • Creating mood boards (e.g., Pinterest) to capture visual inspiration. This can help one keep a repository of images focussed on scene-mood phrases that can help jump-start descriptive writing.

  • Maintaining Lists / Brainstorming / Notebooks:

    • maintain a destination / activity wish list or field-guide locations for character experiences; and

    • keep a running list of inspiring books/films for a quick reference.

ARTIFACT 02 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 1 for INSPIRATION

ARTIFACT 03 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 2 for INSPIRATION

SECTION 2 - MOTIVATION

This section focussed primarily on the ideas of:

  • Intrinsic motivation = internal goals / values; as well as

  • Extrinsic motivation = external rewards / incentives.

Hogan encouraged learners to include a section for both motivation types in their toolkit project write up.

Intrinsic tips:

  • State short- and long-term writing goals to recall when unmotivated.

  • Ask: what makes voice feel worthy; what feels like success?

Extrinsic tips:

  • Build simple reward systems (not costly) that require discipline to work.

  • Example reward mechanics: punch card for consecutive writing days or word-count milestones; create badges for accomplishments.

  • Collect and save positive reviews/comments as a physical or digital morale folder or “wall of positivity.”

In regards to building community and competition, Hogan encouraged writers to:

  • Join writing challenges and competitions that fit genre/length; and

  • Find accountability partners and communities to avoid isolation.

ARTIFACT 04 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 3 for MOTIVATION

ARTIFACT 05 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 3 for MOTIVATION

In 2022, for a 3rd year interdisciplinary expressive arts course I took at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, I completed an in-depth reflective assignment on my personality which includes items which could fall under the wall of positivity idea.

SECTION 3 - MENTORSHIP

Hogan noted how mentorship can be a both a formal person(s) and a compilation of tools / resources offering guidance for projects.

The benefits of mentorship includes the ongoing opportunity to learn from others' mistakes, adopt tried methods, and access professional connections. Hogan noted how mentorship offers no guarantees, but mentors often accelerate progress and reduce wasted time / money.

Practical steps:

  • Add mentor contact information or trusted-resource links to the toolkit;

  • List areas where advice or training is needed to target relevant mentors/resources; and

  • Subscribe to trusted authors' newsletters to receive ideas and resource links directly.

ARTIFACT 06 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 4 for MENTORSHIP

The links included in ARTIFACT 06 above are as follows:

SECTION 4 - EDUCATION

This section saw Hogan discuss the topic of lifelong learning - continuous learning that supports both a writer’s craft and their career. It’s always good to be open to learning about a variety of topics that inform ones ongoing knowledge of the craft of writing and to inform what one writes (for example, learning about a job a character does).

  • Suggested content types: books, workshops, courses, websites, podcasts, subscription services, articles, blogs.

  • Hogan notes how this can take shape by making a running document of materials that one works through, and to review and revise it regularly, at least quarterly.

  • Hogan had several recommended starting books that can help improve one’s writing (ratings noted where given), as follows:

    • 99 Ways to Tell a Story — exercises in style (author: Matt Madden).

    • How to Tell a Story — The Moth and other authors (4.6★ on Amazon) for personal storytelling.

    • Stephen King — On Writing (4.7★ cited) — foundational craft book.

    • Save the Cat Writes a Novel — guide to story structure.

    • Jessica Brody — The Last Book You’ll Ever Need — highly rated on this list, strong on story structure.

    • Favorite website recommendation: Readzy.com (podcast episodes highlighted).

ARTIFACT 07 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 5 for EDUCATION

The links included in ARTIFACT 07 above are as follows:

Also,

Also -

ARTIFACT 08 > COMPLETED WORKSHOP HOMEWORK SLIDE 6 for EDUCATION

The links included in ARTIFACT 07 above are as follows:

Also,

SECTION 5 - CORRECTIONS & EDITING

Hogan encourages writers to have an openness to feedback and the right editing tools to improve one’s writing quality.

  • Categories: automated tools and human services.

  • Automated / AI-assisted tools discussed:

    • ProWritingAid: grammar, style, and writing package (free + affordable premium tiers).

    • Grammarly: daily-use tool with personalized AI guidance and paid plans for serious projects.

    • WordTune: AI rewrites to improve phrasing and diversify vocabulary; helpful for plot-critical sentences.

    • Hemingway App: simple self-editing tool that highlights readability issues.

  • Novel-writing/project tools:

    • Scrivener: formatting and organization software; trial available before purchase.

    • AutoCrit: fast self-editing focused on manuscript analysis; offers courses and blog resources.

  • Human-editing services:

    • Book Butchers: outsourcing editing to real editors; suitable for higher budgets.

  • Hogan encourages saving positive critiques and examples of improvement in the toolbox for morale.

SECTION 6 - CELEBRATE

Hogan discusses the importance of celebrating wins as a creative individual. To this end she discusses:

  • Creating a list of 10 free rewards + 5 paid rewards to celebrate goals.

  • How one should choose rewards that are meaningful and not routine (avoid rewards you would do regardless).

  • How to order rewards from least to greatest value as a progress bar visual.

  • The importance of also: sharing wins via social media; calling a writing friend; taking photos or screenshots; and publishing a blog post.



SECTION 7 - CONNECT







SECTION 8 - TRACK









SECTION 9 - ORGANIZE











SECTION 10 - SAVE







SECTION 11 - SUPPORT














CONCLUSION / WRAPPING UP


COURSE COMPLETION CERTIFICATE

KWANTLEN - On a definition of 'comedy'...

I want to know more about how to be funny. I want to scratch the surface of what defines comedy at its most basic level. And I hope to do that by summarizing and presenting different quotes and ideas from various books, interviews and online resources that I’ve recently come across while thinking about what comedy really is.

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KWANTLEN - Writing Funny!

I’ve signed on for a creative writing course at Kwantlen Polytechnic University on “Writing Funny!” that starts in January 2019, and I’m at best, both excited and terrified about it. I’ve always loved to laugh, joke around and overall in life, I generally try not to take things too seriously. As such, over the next few months, I hope to post a number of journal entries about my exploration of trying to write funny. With this first post, I want to briefly define the term “humour” and explore what humour from different forms of media have influenced myself over the years.

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MY CREATIVE NON-FICTION: “el pastor & a musical interlude...”

A number of months ago, on September 7, 2017, at about 8:20pm in the evening I was eating dinner at a restaurant called Little Ass Burrito Bar on the the east beach of Marine Drive in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada. I know the date and time because of the music that was playing. It wasn’t in English but I remember how it’s melody and rhythms flowed over me like the gentle running water of some forgotten but still meandering creek. The vocals and rhythmsvwere clearly Spanish or Mexican in origin but that’s about all I knew. Thankfully the Shazam application let me know exactly who it was I was listening to. And today that same application let me know when I first heard it.

In fact, I can still remember pulling my iPhone from my pocket, typing in my passcode to unlock it and opening the Shazam application. I worried for a moment when it took longer to load than usual, but eventually I had it listening as I held my phone up in the air like I was holding a lighter up in the air to a slow song at a concert. And after the app listened for what seemed like eternity, after it spent mere seconds calculating and breaking the sounds of the song I was listening to down into ones and zeros that it sent out over the air to find its match out on some Shazam server somewhere, it sent back to my screen the information I was looking for: the music I was listening to was by a group called Chambao. The song, Verde Mar.

My Shazam entry for Chambao

My Shazam entry for Chambao

Armed with this information I bought their album, Esencial Chambao on iTunes and as I ate my Burrito al Pastor (pineapple and pork tacos), I continued listening to their sound that had drowned out most of the other sounds in the mildly busy restaurant from entering my mind.

My burrito elpastor ...

My burrito elpastor ...

But after hearing them for the first time that night, I didn’t interact with them again. Not until tonight.

And for whatever reason, laying here in bed at just after 10pm, I decided to open iTunes and press play again while Wikipedia told me this about them: Chambao is a flamenco-electronic band originally from Málaga, Spain, known for a Flamenco Chill soun2d that fuses flamenco sounds and palos with electronic music. The name of the band is taken from an improvised form of beach tent that is constructed as a means of sheltering from the wind and sun.

 And I’m enjoying the music. I’m enjoying the memory of that night at the Burrito Bar. I can remember parking my car across the street. I can remember the dying heat of the day. I can remember how I jaywalked across the street. I can remember reading the specials on the sign in front of the establishment. I can remember entering the small restaurant. I can remember reading the menu but instead ordering the special described on the sign outside. I can remember the one other couple who was there when I went in but gone before I left. I remember the other couple come in and order takeout while I ate. And I can remember the cinnamon churro I had for desert.  

Now it’s well after 11:30pm as I pick up my phone again to type some more into this random blog posting, almost an hour and a half since I started listening to this album. And to be honest I’m surprised it’s still going as I started listening to it tonight a good 12 or 13 songs in on the Verde Mar but it’s still going strong. In scrolling through the track listing I see that this essential album would fit on two CDs if it was a traditional & tangible thing that I could pick up, hold, take a disc from and pop into a CD player to listen to not even ten years ago. More specifically I notice that Esencial Chambao has 31 songs in its track listing and iTunes  also tells me the album is just over two hours long. 

As I lay hear I find myself feeling lost, in a good way. Lost in that I have no idea what the music is about as I don’t speak Spanish. But I like it. I can infer a lot about what the music might be about just from the vocals, the rhythms and tempos. Some slower songs bring to mind thoughts of Garcia Lorca’s Poem of the Deep Song and the deep seeded waves of emotion inherent in those oral movements; while other more upbeat songs make me want to dance, and I find my right foot tapping along to the beats. 

In the near future I could see myself seeing if I can find translations for the songs lyrics that are floating through my room right now. But not today, I’m a bit too tired for that. No, today I just want to enjoy this music. I want to get to know it, like a lover I’ve met in a bar in some foreign land. A lover with whom I share an undeniable attraction even though we don’t speak much of each other’s language. A lover who I’ll spend time with tonight, and return to again from time to time to recapture the moments and the memories. But for now I’ll sleep.