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Chemistry and Creative Writing (English) (1 Viewer)

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Hey everyone,

What is a good way of improving Creative Writing skills ?

Hey Chemists,

I need to know,
what are the meanings of:

  • Flash Point
  • Ignition Temp
  • Volatiles

How are they related

Also,
what precautions should use when handling hydrocarbons ?
 

nwatts

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writing-

- read heaps. read lots of poetry. read outside what you immediately like. borrow cool images/ideas/styles from writers you like reading.
- talk to people about your own writing, preferably those who are writers/study writing - don't get too attached to what you write, take criticism properly.
- be conscious of how professional writers' write - you learn stuff about metaphors and metonyms and style etc in school for a reason.
- less is always more. aim to be simple in what you write unless you know exactly what you're doing.
 

airie

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Flash point is the min temperature at which the mixture of a fuel and air is combustible (where the vapour pressure of the fuel is enough).

Ignition temperature is the min temperature to which this mixture must be raised in order for it to light spontaneously. This is often much higher than the flash point of a fuel, and the spark that starts the combustion will generate enough heat to continue the ignition of the fuel.

A substance is said to be volatile if it is easy to turn into a vapour at room temperature.

Hope that helps :)
 

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The best way to improve in creative writing is to write write and write. Then go over your stuff and critique it. Over and over and over and over again, then go get someone elses opinion.

You practise even when its not for assessment, just to improve your results. Set yourself a task to do, give yourself a week to write something- improve it as much as you can then say give it to your english teacher and ask them to mark it. 99/100 they are happy to help you, and happy to say what mark you'd get. Find out what makes a good story and what makes it bad, and try to put that into your story.

My sister was an average english student until she got addicted to fanfiction, she writes Harry Potter stories there all the time and now she is a freaking straight A+ student even if she does the work the night before, she can turn out a essay easy peasy nothing phases her.
 

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Season said:
My sister was an average english student until she got addicted to fanfiction, she writes Harry Potter stories there all the time and now she is a freaking straight A+ student
Something really bad is wrong with the world.
 

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airie said:
Ignition temperature ...... this mixture must be raised in order for it to light spontaneously .....
Hope that helps :)
You mean when ignition temperature has been reached, the mixture can be set alight ?


Oh by the way kids, I dislike reading novels ... but I will take all your advice anyway, because I practised writing essays, and I am a better essay writer than a creative writer somehow and hopefully your techniques work ...

nwatts said:
writing-

- read heaps. read lots of poetry. read outside what you immediately like. borrow cool images/ideas/styles from writers you like reading.
- talk to people about your own writing, preferably those who are writers/study writing - don't get too attached to what you write, take criticism properly.
- be conscious of how professional writers' write - you learn stuff about metaphors and metonyms and style etc in school for a reason.
- less is always more. aim to be simple in what you write unless you know exactly what you're doing.
So the guy who came 1st in English Extension 2 in 2005 even mentioned we should read over texts outside our comfort zone ...
 
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  • Read other people's creative writing and see the similarities and differences between your story and theirs. Like, why is their piece better than yours and why is yours better than theirs.
  • Try writing with different structures i.e: poetry, first person, 2nd person etc
  • Usually the best stories are "close to home" (and simple, as Nwatts said), things that are familiar to you, touch on values important to you such as family.
  • Re-read and re-write your original draft several times. Even better, write your story, put it away and then come back some hours later to read it again with a fresh pair of eyes and mind.
 

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m0ofin said:
  • Read other people's creative writing and see the similarities and differences between your story and theirs. Like, why is their piece better than yours and why is yours better than theirs.
  • Try writing with different structures i.e: poetry, first person, 2nd person etc
  • Usually the best stories are "close to home" (and simple, as Nwatts said), things that are familiar to you, touch on values important to you such as family.
  • Re-read and re-write your original draft several times. Even better, write your story, put it away and then come back some hours later to read it again with a fresh pair of eyes and mind.
1. It's more the case of their piece of writing is always better than mine
2. That would not be too much of a problem
3. I realise it's easier to write about something that happened to me. Change, the area of study anyone ?.
4. Considering I do have some spare time, I better use for the 4th tip rather than play on the computer.
 

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f3nr15 said:
So the guy who came 1st in English Extension 2 in 2005 even mentioned we should read over texts outside our comfort zone ...
What?
 

airie

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f3nr15 said:
You mean when ignition temperature has been reached, the mixture can be set alight ?
That's right. Assuming that you have an initiative eg. a spark, a material to be ignited, and plenty of oxygen, of course :D
 

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