A Liberating Restriction?

Does having a particular structure that you must adhere to limit the creativity in your writing?

I have often been prone to answer yes to the above question, but I have decided to look into the other side of this argument.

I think that writing within a particular structure or format can enhance the creativity in your writing. When a writer is working with a particular structure it may in fact relieve some of the pressure from them, because it is one less thing that they must worry about. Having one less thing to worry about inevitably allows them to focus more on the content of their writing. If a writer is not as concerned with developing a certain style or structure in their writing they become more able to work within the piece itself as a means of expression. I think a good example of this is with poetry. Certain forms of poetry have extremely strict structures, but there is endless room within the poem to be creative.

On the other side I also think that having to adhere to one particular structure can be very detrimental and greatly restrict the creativity in a piece of writing. If a writer must keep in mind a particular structure while they are writing, they may become somewhat obsessed with that and their focus will be directed away from the content and creativity of the piece. I also believe that certain structures may stifle a writer's voice or style. Having to stick with one format may also prevent a writer from developing their own individual style or voice. A lot of times when a writer must stick to one structure there is often a great deal of pressure involved, which I think may lead to a great distraction from the content itself.