CREATIVE WRITING
Taken from About Language: A Reader for Writers. Roberts & Turgeon. 1980.
The Process of Writing:
Your roommate writes well, but you don't. His essays come back from the writing instructor with comments like these" "convincing content...efficient structure...good use of evidence." Your own essays come back with comments, too: "focus unclear...confusing structure...lacks fresh ideas."
Or maybe your sister writes well, but you don't. Three days before her assignment is due, she sits down and writes, writes, writes. Words stream from her pen, so many words that she claims the hardest part of writing is "cutting out what's no good." And for you? Writing means confronting an intimidating empty page. Writing means laboring through every sentence, certain that "cutting out what's no good" would probably mean cutting all of it.
Or maybe your brother writes well, or your best friend, or a person you can't tolerate. Always someone else.
So you tell yourself that good writers are born, not made. You simply lost in the genetic lottery; other people won the writer's genes. Such a thought might be comforting, but the job of writing remains.
The truth about writing is this: good writing is not born; it's made. "making" good writing is every writer's true job. Good writing is not magic. It's the product of careful thought and work. Through a process, and through sensitivity to language and meaning at every step of the process, we make good writing.
The Process of Writing:
Your roommate writes well, but you don't. His essays come back from the writing instructor with comments like these" "convincing content...efficient structure...good use of evidence." Your own essays come back with comments, too: "focus unclear...confusing structure...lacks fresh ideas."
Or maybe your sister writes well, but you don't. Three days before her assignment is due, she sits down and writes, writes, writes. Words stream from her pen, so many words that she claims the hardest part of writing is "cutting out what's no good." And for you? Writing means confronting an intimidating empty page. Writing means laboring through every sentence, certain that "cutting out what's no good" would probably mean cutting all of it.
Or maybe your brother writes well, or your best friend, or a person you can't tolerate. Always someone else.
So you tell yourself that good writers are born, not made. You simply lost in the genetic lottery; other people won the writer's genes. Such a thought might be comforting, but the job of writing remains.
The truth about writing is this: good writing is not born; it's made. "making" good writing is every writer's true job. Good writing is not magic. It's the product of careful thought and work. Through a process, and through sensitivity to language and meaning at every step of the process, we make good writing.
Download the document below called GETTING GOOD IDEAS. We will read this as a class.
getting_good_ideas.pages | |
File Size: | 220 kb |
File Type: | pages |
DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENT BELOW CALLED FREE WRITING ARTICLE - We will read and discuss this article in class.
freewriting_article.pages | |
File Size: | 511 kb |
File Type: | pages |
Creative Writing Assignment #1: Write a limerick
A limerick is a VERY short poem. The link I have provided will take you to a website that tells you what a limerick is, how to create one, and which lines rhyme with which.
Read through the information provided on the website to help you create your own. The site even provides possible first lines for those who are struggling to begin. Click HERE to get to the site.
Creative Writing Assignment #2: Observation paragraph
STEP 1: Write a paragraph describing what you see in the picture I show you in class. It should have at least 5 sentences.
STEP 2: Write a second paragraph (do not delete the first). In this one, describe the same picture, only this time be sure to include 4 literary techniques we've talked about this semester (hyperbole, simile, metaphor, personification, or alliteration) to describe what you see.
STEP 3: Re-read the two paragraphs and answer the following questions:
1. Which paragraph do you personally like better? Why?
2. If you were going to publish one of these, which paragraph do you think other readers would like better? Why?
3. Was it difficult to add figurative language?
Creative Writing Assignment #3: Most Embarrassing Moment
Think about a time you were embarrassed beyond belief. Who was there? What happened? How did you feel when it happened? How did those who saw it react? Tell me a story in about 3/4-1 page double-spaced, in 12 point font.
Download the document below to view the options you have for your final creative writing activity.
creative_writing_final_activity.pages | |
File Size: | 128 kb |
File Type: | pages |