Business Writing Vs. Creative Writing

Writing is a way we express our thoughts and ideas, whether on paper or on a computer screen. There are different kinds of writing depending on what we want to communicate and who we are sending the message to. Generally, there are two types of writing, formal and informal. From there, we can further break them down into different categories such as Creative Writing, Business and Marketing Writing, Technical and Research Writing, and Academic Writing.

For this article, though, we will concentrate on Business and Creative Writing, their differences and similarities.

Business Writing involves writing facts about aspects of business, such as products and services. It is clear, concise, and provides relevant information to the readers.

Although formal in nature, business writing can be written in a conversational tone and second person to build trust. Copywriting is designed to be persuasive, enticing a consumer to buy. When written with this approach, the tone is less formal because the reader gets the impression that whatever they are reading is meant for them and designed to help them resolve a pain point.

In contrast, Creative Writing, such as novels, short stories, bios, poems, and screenplays, is about creating an imaginary world through narration and character development. Ideas and thoughts are expressed to entertain and elicit emotion rather than to inform.

However, both can be similar in that they can open a world of knowledge to readers and make them feel. There can be a mingling of facts within a piece of fiction or an injection of creative flair within a piece of non-fiction. For instance, historical fiction has a narrative set against a particular event in history, and a blog giving information on a topic can be written in a tone that elicits feelings related to a value system or point of view surrounding that topic.  

Business and Creative Writing may serve different purposes, one to inform and the other to entertain, but the law of attraction applies to both in that each has a specific audience that is looking to have their needs and wants met, whether through facts or fantasy. If the writing is well done, it will attract readers who want either or both.