Advice. :]

[epicFAILx]

I have my first ever HSC english task in a few weeks, and its based on creative writing. I have been writing many stories around one idea, but adapting it to the four stimuli. So when it comes exam and a random stimuli is chosen I am prepared. HOWEVER, many people in my form have many ideas, one per stimuli. Is that the best move? What would you do?
I thought i was doing okay.. now im lost

Also, upon giving one of my pieces of writing, i was told my writing skills are very good..but my creativity is lacking, and i should be changing my context. But this was about my idea.. and there is hardly ever an organic idea anymore.


What would or did you do?

Oh.. its about.. belonging.
Much appreciated. :]

 

[loaves]

My approach was to just have 1 story that was adaptable to the majority of syllabuses. I think you're doing the right thing - just practice adapting it over and over and over. You don't even need to write out the whole story - just make plans of what you'll change.

I know some people went in to the HSC exam with 2-3 stories, but I thought this was overkill when combined with all the essays we had to write.

Regarding creativity - some teachers view this as paramount, some say it doesn't matter at all. In my opinion, having a well-written story that is entrenched with BELONGING is way more important than having some complex plot or mindblowing premise. At the end of the day, that's what you're getting marks for. That being said, it's probably in your interest to avoid the "loner being bullied at school" (etc) tropes, just because the markers will be really sick of these after reading 42839 with exactly the same plot. So a bit of originality is still good, but remember that you can only do so much in ~1000 words, and your plot should still be rather simple.

 

[Bobbo1]

Yep agreed, just get really good at what your doing. The key step is to have your story around 200 words or 5 minutes less your maximum amount which will allow you plenty of time to adapt your story to the stimulus.

 

[thisiswar]

I did practice papers under exam conditions and whatever idea for that particular stimuli popped up into my head i just wrote a story on it in 40 mins. I suggest u write as manny DIFFERENT stories as possible to different stimuli so u hav lots of ideas in ur head making sure u cover all aspects of belonging, e.g. place, relationships.. etc etc.
Whatever u do DON'T MEMORISE A STORY! NOT EVEN A PARAGRAPH COZ THAT WILL BRING U DOWN. Creative writing is about creating a story from a stimuli not morphing ur prepared story into a stimuli. Lots of pplz in my year did this and they ended up doing worst than me. I literally just had ideas in my head (not even endings) and wrote a story on the spot. Believe me when you're under pressure, you'll write as quick and creative as you can when you have ideas and in the end you'll manage to think of an ending that fits perfectly

 

[loaves]

^ I would advise the complete opposite - creative is the one area where you're stupid to NOT have something memorised! But to each their own, haha. OP, you'll have to work out whether you can write a quality story on the spot (honestly, most people can't).

 

[thisiswar]

^ I would advise the complete opposite - creative is the one area where you're stupid to NOT have something memorised! But to each their own, haha. OP, you'll have to work out whether you can write a quality story on the spot (honestly, most people can't).

Yes they can! Memorising is gonna bring you down! You can't make a story about relationships to fit place - like many of my friends found out. Memorising will get u okay-ish marks but practice on the spot will get u top marks.

Up to you guys

 

[Alkanes]

I'm pretty sure you cannot get good marks if you write your creative on the spot, unless you're some freaking genius. Even authors and writers write many drafts before they publish their work.

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

Not true m8. You don't need to be a genius to devise creatives on the spot. You just need to know how to (1) integrate ideas into your essay and (2) be able to write with effectively. Anyone can do these with practice.

I guess generic characters and ideas are good but you should NEVER go in with a preprepared creative. The chances of it EFFECTIVELY fitting with the stimulus is minimal.

 

[slyhunter]

Not true m8. You don't need to be a genius to devise creatives on the spot. You just need to know how to (1) integrate ideas into your essay and (2) be able to write with effectively. Anyone can do these with practice.

I guess generic characters and ideas are good but you should NEVER go in with a preprepared creative. The chances of it EFFECTIVELY fitting with the stimulus is minimal.

Actually most pre-prepared creatives I find to be easily adaptable to broad stimuli. Obviously though you roll with more than one creative, just in case.

 

[epicFAILx]

have a vivid dream the night before, recall it, describe it in the test, throw a motif in, 15/15 done

I wouldn't be able to do that. Because what if i didnt have a dream the night before? how would i be able to remember all of my dream? and my dreams are about me... i dont think it'd be creative it was in my perspective

 

[epicFAILx]

i know all my stimuli. its just.. come the exam they will choose one for us to write a creative writing for.

 

[thisiswar]

Not true m8. You don't need to be a genius to devise creatives on the spot. You just need to know how to (1) integrate ideas into your essay and (2) be able to write with effectively. Anyone can do these with practice.

I guess generic characters and ideas are good but you should NEVER go in with a preprepared creative. The chances of it EFFECTIVELY fitting with the stimulus is minimal.

if there was a "like" button i would like this

do whatever suits u guys. I'm just giving my opinion xD

 

[epicFAILx]

if there was a "like" button i would like this

do whatever suits u guys. I'm just giving my opinion xD

Also what do they mean by using one idea and adapting it. How i see it is using a different ending.. but same characters etc.
Does it really matter how you "adapt" the story?

(I used a different ending thats why)

 

[slyhunter]

Also what do they mean by using one idea and adapting it. How i see it is using a different ending.. but same characters etc.
Does it really matter how you "adapt" the story?

(I used a different ending thats why)

An idea, a scenario (e.g. workers at a farm) then you adapt that idea to whatever the question wants.

 

[epicFAILx]

An idea, a scenario (e.g. workers at a farm) then you adapt that idea to whatever the question wants.

but what if its a visual. do i structure the idea around the visual?

 

[slyhunter]

but what if its a visual. do i structure the idea around the visual?

Yeah, depends on the question really. It may ask you to use the stimulus as a focal point in your story in which it will have to form the bread and butter of your creative. If it says simply to use it as stimulus then you do exactly that. Incorporate it in your story but not necessary to make it a major part of it.

 

[loaves]

Also remember to use the stimulus metaphorically, not just literally. (My teacher told us that one year a stimulus was a ladybeetle without any spots or something...many, many people wrote about insects. Don't do that.)

 

[jamesruserox]

Prepare bro always prepare

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

Actually most pre-prepared creatives I find to be easily adaptable to broad stimuli. Obviously though you roll with more than one creative, just in case.

True. I guess in the end it depends on how generic the question is. At my school they give very specific stimuli and ideas to constrain what we can write about. Probably different elsewhere/in the HSC i guess.