Can rote memorisation make you a better writer? (1 Viewer)

[HazzRat]

This term for English I have to write a creative piece. If I write a few exemplar creative pieces, memorise them, and modify one of them to the stimulus, would I write a better work than if I went in blind? I struggle with creative block a lot when writing so I know this would at least somewhat ease the pain. It's only the 'write an exemplar' part I'd probably also need to work on.

 

[carrotsss]

I don’t think you should ever go into an exam blind, at the very least it’s worth having a concept because it’s very hard to write a perfect creative in timed conditions without any ideas

 

[HazzRat]

Ok thx. To write better creative works would you recommend taking heavy inspiration from other stories? Say I was to write a story set in Mexico - could I then read three stories set in Mexico, take note of the vocabulary to describe the surroundings and then use them in my own story, creating the illusion of a more sophisticated and inspired piece?

 

[Masaken]

Ok thx. To write better creative works would you recommend taking heavy inspiration from other stories? Say I was to write a story set in Mexico - could I then read three stories set in Mexico, take note of the vocabulary to describe the surroundings and then use them in my own story, creating the illusion of a more sophisticated and inspired piece?

'heavy inspiration' as in their style of writing (which is what you're expected to do for mod c in english anyway) or the idea?

regardless, if you're doing a story about a time period or place you haven't been to - especially for historicals - you need to do your own research, not just read other fictionalised pieces of it. don't just rely on those stories to do it for you. look at pictures, look at videos, and think about how *you* would describe them. as someone who writes for fun, often i feel like you can tell if something has just been inspired by a story, or if you've just used elements of the text you're using for your own composition without much thought as to why and how.

 

[Masaken]

and no, rote memorisation doesn't make you a better writer. even those who go into module c with pre-memorised, pre-prepared pieces (which is recommended by my teachers) have to start from somewhere involving you using your creativity. practice and extensive reading makes you a better creative writer.

 

[HazzRat]

But what is me? When you first learn to write in kindergarten, your work naturally isn't going to be very original. Maybe like a 3/10 on the originality index. Senior year and onwards though, your work would be more original, say 6-7/10, but how would you bring that to a 10/10? It wouldn't be by writing in a totally insular environment where the only words available would be just your own and the only ideas that you can describe are ones you have experienced and studied yourself. Instead it would involve reading/reviewing the works of others and incorporating more of their work into yours, creating a more inspired piece with every iteration. Think of like a spiders web that starts off small and gradually gets bigger as more connections are formed along the web. So by that standard, there has got to be a role in plagiarism in shaping the work of a writer. Maybe not total plagiarism but plagiarism by a different name. Don't you agree?

 

[HazzRat]

and no, rote memorisation doesn't make you a better writer. even those who go into module c with pre-memorised, pre-prepared pieces (which is recommended by my teachers) have to start from somewhere involving you using your creativity. practice and extensive reading makes you a better creative writer.

Ok. I wrote my big lengthy post before reading your responses. I now agree.