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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 10 WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING? The purpose of creating writing is to inspire and delight. There are two very common barriers to break down. 1. Junk Mail: “I’ve got so many ideas and I can’t decide which one to go with. I keep getting new ideas for my creative piece”. 2. Empty Inbox: “I have no ideas at all”. Dealing with Junk Mail: How do you block senders? Brainstorm time. This should range between 5 and 15 minutes in order to practise for examination conditions. Students allow many ideas to bombard them. Use diagrams to sort through these ideas. Two diagrams that may prove helpful are the basic tree or the planning of a holiday. A Student’s Tree of Possibilities: By using diagrams students visualise their creative writing possibilities. If students have lots of ideas, then use a tree to help the planning of creative writing. The trunk consists of the key events. The main idea for the creative writing that is not likely to change. The base of the tree is the setting and context of the creative writing. The twigs are all the details of ideas that can offer clutter students minds in the writing process. The branches are the possibilities, the twists and turns of the creative writing that may be included.

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Page 1: WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING? - TSFX – The School … · WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING? ... Focus on the craft of writing: imagery, figurative devices, syntax, punctuation and structure

© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 10

WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING?

The purpose of creating writing is to inspire and delight. There are two very common barriers to break down. 1. Junk Mail: “I’ve got so many ideas and I can’t decide which one to go with. I keep

getting new ideas for my creative piece”. 2. Empty Inbox: “I have no ideas at all”.

Dealing with Junk Mail: How do you block senders? Brainstorm time. This should range between 5 and 15 minutes in order to practise for examination conditions. Students allow many ideas to bombard them. Use diagrams to sort through these ideas. Two diagrams that may prove helpful are the basic tree or the planning of a holiday.

A Student’s Tree of Possibilities:

By using diagrams students visualise their creative writing possibilities.

If students have lots of ideas, then use a tree to

help the planning of creative writing.

The trunk consists of the key events. The

main idea for the creative writing that is not likely to change.

The base of the tree is the setting and context of the creative writing.

The twigs are all the details of ideas that can

offer clutter students minds

in the writing process.

The branches are the

possibilities, the twists and turns of the creative

writing that may be included.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 11

When the 5-15 minutes of brainstorming has concluded they must ‘BLOCK SENDER’. That means: No more branches or twigs can be drawn. Students must then proceed to lop the tree. Cut down the twigs and branches that seem weaker or less appealing. The branches and twigs that remain will be the basis of the creative writing.

ACTIVITY 3 Try using a diagram to brainstorm possibilities for a short story in the space below.

I am creative!

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 12

The First Three Building Blocks: 1. Student must ascertain the purpose of creative writing. This will be directly connected

to the HSC question; however, sometimes the purpose can be very broad.

2. Student must consider who the intended audience will be. This can often be determined by careful consideration of the HSC question. Sometimes the intended audience can be open (old, young, male, female, educated, ignorant, foreigner, citizen).

3. Context. This can often be determined by careful consideration of the HSC question. It can be wide-ranging (personal, social, historical, cultural, temporal). The context of composition considers beliefs, values, attitudes and social practices.

The Following Two Building Blocks: 1. Students consider their options – choose related ideas, philosophies and perspectives

to include in their own creative writing. Students’ determine what issues, themes and ideals will be put forward in their creative response.

2. Students decide on the form of their creative response. The Short Story is the most popular form chosen in Question Two of Paper One.

Planning a Narrative for Belonging Create the setting.

Think about your characters who move in the setting, your key ideas, your purpose and how you are representing your perception of belonging.

Focus on the craft of writing: imagery, figurative devices, syntax, punctuation and structure.

Ensure that your readers can ‘see’ the setting – don’t neglect the small details that can capture the essence of a place! Eg.: ‘We buzz north through hours of good farm country. The big, neat paddocks get browner and drier all the while and the air feels thick and warm. Biggie drives. He has the habit of punctuating his sentences with jabs on the accelerator and although the gutless old Volksie doesn't exactly give you whiplash at every flourish, it's enough to give a bloke a headache. We wind through the remnant jarrah forest, and the sickly-looking regrowth is so rain-parched it almost crackles when you look at it.’ (Tim Winton, The Turning)

In one to two paragraphs create the setting.

Create the character/s.

Sometimes our most effective writing is based on our lives and our experiences. Think about the people you have met, even yourself and create one or more characters.

Think about the character/s’ perceptions of belonging and how this perception has been shaped by their context, attitudes, experiences, values, perspectives, etc.

Consider dialogue and how it can be used to effectively capture and reflect the character/s.

Compose one or more paragraphs that describe or represent the character.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 13

THE SCAFFOLD Give students one word and they have to write as many relevant or related words as possible. For instance ‘Creative’ inspires words such as; artist, imaginative, inventive.

ACTIVITY 4 Your lecturer will give you a word. Be inspired from the word and use the space below to see how many words you can write in the writing race.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 14

VISUAL STIMULI Give students one image and they have to write as many relevant or related words as possible. This can be an outstanding activity to demonstrate ranges of perspective. For instance the famous image of Tank Man below raises conflicting ideas such as; iconic, menacing, tragic, and heroic.

http://www.abdek.com/stock/love-spells/stock/love_spray_by_afrodshock-by-www.abdek.com.jpg

ACTIVITY 5 Your lecturer will present you with different image. See how many ideas and words the image inspires within you.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 15

AURAL STIMULI Students’ should be blindfolded and seated silently for this activity. Ask the students to focus on the sounds around them; the tiny footsteps in the corridor, the distance sounds of traffic, the hum of the air conditioning. Any one of these sounds can be a departure point for a composition. Who did those footsteps belong to? Where were those footsteps coming from and where are they now going to? Alternatively, the teacher may bring in a recorded sound or sounds to stimulate students.

ACTIVITY 6 Your lecturer will present you with different sounds. See how many ideas and words the sounds inspire within you. Other ideas: 1. Take note of road signs and shopfront signs. Alter a letter or two and use this as a

basis for creative writing.

2. Spying: Take snippets of dialogue from a selection of school corridors, bus stops, cafes and sporting fields. Transcribe them later, and devise links between the phrases as to make sense of these arbitrary encounters.

3. Write a character sketch based on some stranger seen at a train station or perhaps a

shop. Give this person a reason of your own for buying a ticket to a particular destination.

Try this one at home! It is lots of fun with friends.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 16

WHAT ARE MARKERS LOOKING FOR?

HOW WILL YOU BE ASSESSED Section II 15 marks Allow about 40 minutes for this section In your answer you will be assessed on how well you: Express understanding of belonging in the context of your studies. Organise, develop and express ideas using language appropriate to audience, purpose

and context. QUESTION 2 (15 marks) Select ONE of the quotations as the opening for a piece of imaginative writing that explores the challenges of belonging and not belonging.

‘I am outside the door.’ OR

‘We want to believe this is how it was . . .’ OR

‘I felt expelled and exiled . . .’ Section II Creative Writing Task Marking Guidelines 2010

Composes skilfully an engaging piece of imaginative writing using one of the quotations as the opening.

Skilfully explores the challenges of belonging and not belonging.

Demonstrates skilful control of language and structure appropriate to audience, purpose, context and selected form.

13-15

Composes effectively a piece of imaginative writing using one of the quotations as the opening.

Effectively explores the challenges of belonging and not belonging.

Demonstrates effective control of language and structure appropriate to audience, purpose, context and selected form.

10-12

Composes a piece of imaginative writing using one of the quotations as the opening.

Explores the challenges of belonging and not belonging.

Demonstrates adequate control of language and structure appropriate to audience, purpose, context and selected form.

7-9

Attempts to compose a piece of writing.

Attempts to explore a sense of belonging/not belonging.

Demonstrates limited control of language and structure with limited appropriateness to audience, purpose, context and selected form.

4-6

Attempts to compose a response.

Demonstrates elementary control of language.

1-3

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 17

To focus on the craft of exploring Belonging through creative writing, try these quick writing exercises: Compose a 100 micro-word (no more, no less) story that reflects one of the key ideas of Belonging: Focus on the power of verbs.

Avoid too many adjectives.

Include figurative language – a simile is simple but effective.

You could use an analogy or extended metaphor.

Describe in two paragraphs a place that is special to you, where you feel as if you belong. Now describe a place where you feel alienated and isolated.

Focus on creating a mood that reflects your feelings through emotive language and colour.

Use the details of the place to represent your feelings without actually describing your feelings.

For example: Like I said, I didn’t miss her. But she was an addiction of sorts, and like any habit, even once you break it there are still moments that nothing will replace. Like being so amazingly warm with her in your arms that you just want to laugh at the Winter that lives outside the windows. Like the image of her washing her hands at the kitchen sink for fifteen minutes, humming a tune and wearing nothing but pale pink cottons. Or the time we made love on the living room floor, with the background noise of two planes flying into two towers, and hoping our love would make us invincible, and keep us safe.

Suggestions: Write for a specific audience and use the appropriate language and form. Eg. If you

are requested to compose a letter to a friend, remember that it should be personal, descriptive and even humorous. It usually starts with a greeting.

Show, don’t tell. Avoid too much information and focus on appealing to the senses through effective descriptions. Remember, our most powerful tool is our imagination.

A text that suggests, rather than tells all, has a powerful impact on the reader. Develop a strong, distinctive voice. To achieve this is it is advantageous to write about

what you have experienced, so that your writing comes from the heart. If this is not possible because of the nature of the set task, adopt a believable persona and maintain his/her voice. This could mean using a colloquial register and slang so that you convincingly capture the voice of the character.

Choose and control your use of a range of language features to engage and influence

an audience. This means using techniques such as:

A variety of sentence beginnings and sentence lengths. You could use short, simple sentences and fractured sentences to create tension or long, complex sentences to slow the action down. Ellipsis (…) is a dramatic way of leaving something not said or hinting that what will happen is too difficult to describe.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 18

Vary paragraph lengths – don’t be afraid to use a single sentence paragraph to make a dramatic statement.

Poetic devices such as similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, assonance,

sibilants and onomatopoeia. Imagery: Paint a picture for your reader – add colour, sound and smells. You are most convincing when you write about what you have experienced. So ground

your imaginative writing in things you know. It is a writing task, so the structure and construction of the text do matter.

Paragraphing, varied sentence structure, punctuation, word choice, and the opening and concluding paragraphs are important.

WHAT YOU MAY BE ASKED TO WRITE ABOUT Visual stimulus.

Phrase/quotation extracts.

A combination of visual and written texts.

The starting sentence or concluding sentence.

STRATEGIES WITH VISUAL TEXTS Context: Historical, past, future, in another country, rural, another century/era, or area

of expertise…

Language: Appropriate to the context idiom, use of dialogue and description.

Gender and Age: Adopt a masculine identity, different age.

Perspective: Child, aged person, different phases.

DIFFERENT FORMS Journals at different stages.

Reflective diary entries at different stages.

Interviews.

Interactive speech with visual medium.

Narratives.

POSSIBLE WAYS TO LOSE MARKS Predictable or cliché ideas.

Brief texts.

Strange texts – it was all a dream.

Offensive, highly violent or profane writing. Racial or cultural slurs.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 19

DIALOGUE

Often a response in this section of the paper is a student writing in first person describing events. Including dialogue in you creative writing in an excellent and quick way for you to reveal setting, plot, characterisation.

ACTIVITY 7 This activity requires you to invent dialogue (conversation) between two or more characters. (a) Write some dialogue that gives clues to a character's occupation.

Speaker 1:

Speaker 2: Explain what you are hoping to convey:

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 20

(b) Write some dialogue that gives clues to a character's nationality. Explain your choice: (c) Write some dialogue that gives clues to a character's social position or social class.

Explain your choice: (d) Write some dialogue which advances the action by relating to Belonging. (e) Write some dialogue which reveals something about the character and personality of

the speaker.

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 21

WRITING A NARRATIVE FOR SECTION II Narratives often contain structural and character elements that are familiar to students. 1. Characters:

Students can identify kinds of characters: dynamic vs. static; flat or stereotypical vs. well-rounded or original. This character may be you in the case of a first person narrative.

2. Plot:

Students can separate a narrative into ‘parts, such as introduction, rising and falling action, complication, crisis, resolution.

3. Point of View:

Whose voice shares the narrative or gives the reader the crucial information needed to understand what is happening? Does one character control our understanding of events, or do we have an ‘omniscient’ narrator who gives us facts and insights that the characters themselves do not have? How does the voice or consciousness that acts as the point of view shape our interpretations? What might happen if another point of view took charge?

4. Types of Imagery:

Are there patterns of colours or light and dark that develop as the narrative progresses? Are there archetypal motifs that can be used in a narrative about a journey eg. birth/death, awakening, and sacrifice? How are elements of space and time used –morning to evening, seasons, directions (east to west), closed vs. open areas?

5. Appeal to the senses.

Tell the mark what the touches, smells, tastes, hears, sees etc.

DROPPING THE READING IN IT

Within the time frame of 40 minutes you will not have time to write a long introduction in which you establish your thematic ideas regarding a journey. A good and interesting starting point is to begin a short story in the middle of some action or event or conversation.

ACTIVITY 8 Writing an opening sentence now. .

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© The School For Excellence 2011 Trial Exam Preparation Lectures – English – Section II Page 22

WHAT ARE THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF SHORT STORIES?

1. They are short. While this point is obvious, it needs to be emphasised. Short stories

can usually be read at a single sitting. This means that writers have to curtail description and ensure that the action moves swiftly. Unnecessary words are simply omitted – they are a luxury that the short story writer cannot afford.

2. They have a single focus. Writers of full-length novels can allow characters to develop

and change as time passes. They can develop a complex plot and include some interesting sub plots. They can elaborate on the setting or atmosphere, and pay attention to background details. Characters, action, setting, themes, atmosphere – all of these can be developed in a novel.

However, with a short story the focus is usually on only one of these aspects.

3. Characters are few in number. Characters have to be introduced sparingly into short

stories because each new character usually requires background information and at least a brief explanation of his or her presence. No unnecessary character can be introduced in the short story. He or she would only take important space and time from the essential action.

4. There is often a surprise ending. Short stories frequently have an unexpected twist at

the end. If the story has been well written there is often much satisfaction from the way the threads have been pulled together to complete the story, even if we find ourselves completely caught by surprise. Many of the most satisfying short stories have the most unexpected, but plausible, endings.

5. They usually end at or soon after the climax. While a novel may reach its climax and

then take a chapter or two to tie up all the loose ends, the short story will often leave much to the reader’s imagination. Quite often the story is only truly completed as we think out the ongoing effects of the events that have occurred at the story’s end.

A NOTE ON PERSPECTIVE

Writing in the first person (using “I”) is a way that you can show change perspective, thoughts etc regarding a journey. As mentioned earlier it is important that you convey a development in a character’s approach to a journey. Writing in the first person (“I”) does not mean you are in the story, create a persona and write from their point of view. Writing in the third person (“He/She”) is good for showing a broad range of elements and allows you to be descriptive.