Cultural influences on Macedonian students' creative writing in German: challenges, opportunities and interventions

This paper explores the cultural dimensions of creative writing faced by Macedonian students learning German, focusing on the challenges and opportunities that arise from the intersection of cultural expectations and the conventions of creative writing. The study examines how cultural influences—such as linguistic structures, communicational strategies, and creative norms—shape the writing practices of students as they navigate the German writing system. Specifically, it highlights the impact of students' home culture on their German creative writing, revealing a tendency to use phraseological expressions, follow the syntactic structures of their mother tongue, and incorporate informal elements such as interjections, onomatopoeia, wordplay, metaphors, and symbols. While these cultural writing habits are deeply rooted in Macedonian linguistic traditions, they often clash with the formal and precise nature of German creative discourse. The paper further identifies opportunities for enhancing students’ creative writing skills through targeted cultural and linguistic interventions. It argues that increasing cultural awareness can help improve writing competence and creative expression. The study collects data from Macedonian students learning German at the University "Goce Delcev," specifically from the Department of German Studies and Literature. The core data consists of creative writing samples, such as short stories and essays, which provide insights into students' linguistic expression and cultural influences. The findings suggest that by addressing these cultural differences, educators can better support Macedonian students in mastering German creative writing, leading to enhanced performance and greater integration into the German-speaking academic community.

Key words: Culture, Creative Writing, Writing strategies, Interculturality