Does research background help in creative writing?

Having to do more with research writing, creative writing is particularly challenging for me, the best example of which are the first posts on this blog. It might seem that being a good academic writer helps with creative writing, but this is not always the case. Here are some of my challenges:

1. The trap of never-ending research 

Coming from a research background, my writing is usually the product of extensive research. And similarly, when I write blog posts and short stories, I am tempted to start with research rather than simply write. Research makes perfect sense for technical or detailed pieces, but that’s not what I’ve trying to write about lately. Creative writing should come naturally to me as an attempt to convey a subjective perception of the world, as I write from experience and inspiration. But I often find myself comparing my work to the work of others in order to ensure that I’ve covered all of the important aspects of an issue I’m discussing in my piece. Also, not having to provide references and meticulously record where my ideas come from sometimes makes me feel like a fraud, an imposter. Today, I am aware that doing excessive research is just another form of procrastination. 

2. Expressing my views

I’m still working on expressing myself more firmly in writing. I am taught that, when doing academic writing, I should avoid taking a position and write objectively, while in creative writing, the aim is to express my thoughts, and all I write about is subjective. That’s not something I’m used to. I rather compose in the manner of a careful scholar, rather than the confident writer I aspire to be. Also, when engaging in research and writing manuscripts, I don’t hesitate to look at issues that have been studied before but in different contexts. After all, my work will contribute to the understanding of a particular problem. I put in a lot of effort so that the research can be published, and its findings shared with a larger audience. When it comes to creative writing, however, I often catch myself thinking that everything has been already written and I have nothing valuable to contribute, ignoring my unique insights and perspective. 

3. Experimenting with the form

Unlike an academic article that follows predetermined guidelines, a written piece can take many forms, including daily journal entries, reviews, updates, event summaries, short stories, and so on. It can be several paragraphs or several chapters long, more or less structured. I can play with the format, by mixing different genres and inspirations. This variety of form and lack of constraints makes me feel like I’ve been let off the creative leash and it’s definitely a new experience that I should pay attention to. 

My creative writing can benefit from my academic writing experience too. I need to organize my thoughts better and write in a more coherent manner. Be sure to appropriately credit creative inspirations. Make an effort to share things that are useful. But, aside from that, I should welcome the ease with which I can publish my work online, not be afraid to experiment with the form, develop my storytelling skills, speak up, and avoid doing too much research. With practice, my research writing should become more engaging, and my creative writing specific and direct.