Tips on Creative writing (1 Viewer)

[omnipotent]

One week till Advanced English prelim exams, and I'm wondering if anyone can give me tips on creative writing.
Do we need to have proper sentence structures? are we allowed to be abrubt with out sentences?
How many techniques is a minimum etc.

 

[lychnobity]

One week till Advanced English prelim exams, and I'm wondering if anyone can give me tips on creative writing.
Do we need to have proper sentence structures? are we allowed to be abrubt with out sentences?
How many techniques is a minimum etc.

You need proper sentence structures in every piece of writing submitted anyway. You can only be abrupt if it serves a purpose.

Don't 'plan' on using language techniques, you'll use them subconsciously, and probably won't know their name.

 

[omnipotent]

I doubt I can use them subconsciously, looking over my current story the only thing i have is an excessive use of rhetorical questions..

 

[Absolutezero]

A good creative writing piece is exactly what it says it is, creative. It's all about applying the theory you know into something original and worth reading. It's not meant to be a reflection of how many techniques you know, but how you use them to serve your purpose. In the end, your only as good as your language skills, and your manipulation of them.

 

[lychnobity]

I doubt I can use them subconsciously, looking over my current story the only thing i have is an excessive use of rhetorical questions..

Post it up, and I'll bet I can pick out at least 3 techniques you didn't know you were using.

 

[Absolutezero]

I doubt I can use them subconsciously, looking over my current story the only thing i have is an excessive use of rhetorical questions..

They're probably one of the most ineffective language devices, if your not writing exposition.

How about:
Metaphors
Similes
Personification
Alliteration
Allusions
Assonance
Onomatopoeia
Cyclical structure
Meta
Juxtaposition

Link to techniques:
http://community.boredofstudies.org...ne-have-list-english-language-techniques.html

 

[omnipotent]

extract from a piece of my draft
" As I returned to school I slowly drifted away from my friends, I became the quiet one. Of course no one knew what happened, that would be just as bad as it repeating itself. Every morning I would get dropped off at the primary school, my mum would say goodbye to me but I just walked away. I ignored her, just like she ignored what happened. I got to class and sat in the corner on my own, never raised my hand in class, never talked to anyone else. I was scared; anything I say could reveal a potential weakness, a weakness that may be exploited and used. So quiet I stayed for a whole 2 years, until I finished primary school. "

 

[lychnobity]

say goodbye to me but I just walked away.

homoioteleuton

I ignored her, just like she ignored what happened.

ie mesarchia

I got to class and sat in the corner on my own, never raised my hand in class, never talked to anyone else.

diacope

potential weakness, a weakness that may be exploited and used

ie traductio

So quiet I stayed for a whole 2 years, until I finished primary school. "

syllogismus

eh, look them up, if you will

And in the HSC, I'd suggest refraining from writing about these sort of experiences.

 

[Master Username]

homoioteleuton ie mesarchia diacope
ie traductio
syllogismus

eh, look them up, if you will

And in the HSC, I'd suggest refraining from writing about these sort of experiences.

Where da fuck do you get these from? Did you actually bother learning em?

 

[lychnobity]

Where da fuck do you get these from? Did you actually bother learning em?

wtf, I got them from my brain, and no, I didn't bother learning them, that's why I know what they mean, and how to identify them.

 

[omnipotent]

And in the HSC, I'd suggest refraining from writing about these sort of experiences.

Well our creative writing task is on our AOS, which is Identity
I thought this would be a pretty good example of how events can change people

 

[lychnobity]

Well our creative writing task is on our AOS, which is Identity
I thought this would be a pretty good example of how events can change people

My 2 cents:

The topic was cliched, sounded like teenage angst, and had poor expression.

Plot without substance. Like the part about "I became the quiet one", you're telling the audience there's a change in identity, but you're giving the marker no insight. Show parts of it.

Why does identity change? How exactly do you know who you are? What did it take to find out? Is it worth it?

 

[Aquawhite]

Best tips I know:

- Write with maturity and over a mature issue. You are writing for sophisticated adults.
- Sneak in a fair bit of character development. Usually the odd, extremely odd characters go well. They seem normal but have quirky or OCD problems .
- A few obvious techniques such as alliteration, metaphor, juxtaposition never hurt anyone. You need to really be able to do all this subconsciously (as others have said).

 

[omnipotent]

My 2 cents:

The topic was cliched, sounded like teenage angst, and had poor expression.

Plot without substance. Like the part about "I became the quiet one", you're telling the audience there's a change in identity, but you're giving the marker no insight. Show parts of it.

Why does identity change? How exactly do you know who you are? What did it take to find out? Is it worth it?

Nah it's not teenage angst, I really tried avoiding that.
It's a story of how a horrific incident can alter someones life

Thanks for the advice, I need to work in the details now

 

[Absolutezero]

They seem normal but have quirky or OCD problems

OCD should be avoided like the plague.

Nah it's not teenage angst, I really tried avoiding that.

Sorry to say, but the section you posted really is pretty much teen angst.

 

[Aquawhite]

OCD should be avoided like the plague.



Sorry to say, but the section you posted really is pretty much teen angst.

I disagree. It's characterisation and builds individuality. I wasn't intending some crazy obvious OCD thing. In one of my short stories, the male character was slightly obsessed with being on time. Worked well into the story as well.

 

[orthentix]

Read often and it will come naturally.

 

[Absolutezero]

I disagree. It's characterisation and builds individuality. I wasn't intending some crazy obvious OCD thing. In one of my short stories, the male character was slightly obsessed with being on time. Worked well into the story as well.</SPAN>

The reason I say avoid it is because most people use it in a cliched way. It's fine to have a 'slight obsession', just don't let it by the be all and end all of your 'characterisation'. If you do, there is no way it will 'build individuality' for your character.

 

[omnipotent]

aaah screw this, I'm about as imaginative as a dead fruit fly
also in reference to the teenage angst- the character is a10 year old

 

[kateemily]

since yr11 ive slowly learnt (thankfully in time for the HSC) to write in present tense. it may not seem like a big deal but trust me u'll always get an extra mark or 2. theres alot more suspense to the story as the marker is pulled along with u, rather than having something recounted to them. you could use past tense, but have it there to serve a purpose e.g. a flash back. hope that helps. its pretty much all ive learned in english lol