Definition of "imaginative writing" (1 Viewer)

[~ ReNcH ~]

This year's HSC question for Module A (Genre) was:

‘Do I dare disturb the universe?’
(T. S. ELIOT)

"Use this line as the basis for a piece of imaginative writing within the genre you have studied."

When it says "imaginative writing", does that necessarily imply a short story? Or could "imaginative" imply a poem/interview/review/feature article etc.?
i.e. basically anything other than an essay.

 

[absolution*]

An imaginative piece can take on any form you want. I did a mix of both narrative sequence and script as the elective of Post-modernism encourages the breaking of conventions. However, the module of Genre is probably a lot more conventional and strict in both its content and marking structure. You should always use techniques unique to the elective to form your style. Also, just like Advanced you should try to remain as original as possible. Creative tasks are not so dissimilar to essays in communicating your knowledge of the elective to the marker, its really only the form and structure that are different, the key points of discussion (generically the topic sentences and focuses of the paragraphs in your essays) should be evident in both essays and creative responses.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Now I see why pomo would be a better elective to do. The conventions of pomo are that you break conventions - ironic.
I wish I wasn't doing Crime Fiction (I had no say in it), but then again there were guys in the year ahead at my school who got Band E4s for Ext 1 doing CF.

 

[tennille]

Now I see why pomo would be a better elective to do. The conventions of pomo are that you break conventions - ironic.
I wish I wasn't doing Crime Fiction (I had no say in it), but then again there were guys in the year ahead at my school who got Band E4s for Ext 1 doing CF.

To create an imaginiative piece of writing for crime fiction isn't too difficult. I got band E4 and I did crime fiction. Just read a variety of crime fiction texts with different conventions. You can manipulate the conventions eg. The Real Inspector Hound. Once you read a variety of texts, you'll be able to create a good piece of writing.

 

[Karlz04]

I liked that question. It was still very 'open'. I found it easy to write that response, especially compared to when youre practically told exactly what to write.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

I have to write a crime fiction story over the holidays as an assessment. I'm just finding it difficult to create a suspenseful plot - I'm kind of stumped as to how to give clues to the reader/red herrings etc. Coz I don't want to make a boring, cliched story. Let alone doing that in an HSC exam....

 

[absolution*]

I have to write a crime fiction story over the holidays as an assessment. I'm just finding it difficult to create a suspenseful plot - I'm kind of stumped as to how to give clues to the reader/red herrings etc. Coz I don't want to make a boring, cliched story. Let alone doing that in an HSC exam....

I know nothing about Crime Fiction but if i were you id first read up on the main techniques which composers use to convey meaning within the elective. Also refer to the syllabus dot points at the top of the examination page for the hsc and make sure you follow the criteria. With regards to the plot, i guess the more reading within the genre you do the more easily youll be able to come up with your own creative pieces, though this does seem a little early to be writing creative pieces.

 

[Karlz04]

Clues cn be thinks like footprints, fingerprints left at the scene. They can be less obvious like a strand of hair. My HSC exa, creative writing I had the victim stabbed with a piece of paper with a quote left under the knife. This turned out to be more of a red herring as the murderer was actually a cop so obviously knew what would be looked for. Anyway, the knife was angled into the body slightly to the right which suggests a left handed person had done it, where the murderer is actually right handed.
Any weapton etc that were used in the crime and left at the scene are clues.
Witnesses can be used as clues or can act as red herrings too.
The position of the body (whether it ad been moved after death etc) can also be clues and red herrings.
Watch "Murder by Numbers". Trace elements were planted at the scene by the murderer/s to act as hed herrings.
False leads (also in that film) uaually act as red herrings.

 

[Karlz04]

I know nothing about Crime Fiction but if i were you id first read up on the main techniques which composers use to convey meaning within the elective. Also refer to the syllabus dot points at the top of the examination page for the hsc and make sure you follow the criteria. With regards to the plot, i guess the more reading within the genre you do the more easily youll be able to come up with your own creative pieces, though this does seem a little early to be writing creative pieces.

The first creative writing piece I had was my half yearly exam.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Clues cn be thinks like footprints, fingerprints left at the scene. They can be less obvious like a strand of hair. My HSC exa, creative writing I had the victim stabbed with a piece of paper with a quote left under the knife. This turned out to be more of a red herring as the murderer was actually a cop so obviously knew what would be looked for. Anyway, the knife was angled into the body slightly to the right which suggests a left handed person had done it, where the murderer is actually right handed.
Any weapton etc that were used in the crime and left at the scene are clues.
Witnesses can be used as clues or can act as red herrings too.
The position of the body (whether it ad been moved after death etc) can also be clues and red herrings.
Watch "Murder by Numbers". Trace elements were planted at the scene by the murderer/s to act as hed herrings.
False leads (also in that film) uaually act as red herrings.

Hmm...ok. Thanks.
I guess it'd have to be quite compact to squash it into 2000 words, seeing as a lot of published short stories (e.g. Poe's) are around 10000-20000+ words long.

Although the one thing I'm unsure of about using fingerprints/footprints etc. is that it looks too obvious. It looks as if you don't know where to take the plot, so your detective miraculaously finds a fingerprint that links a suspect's DNA to the crime scene - all of a sudden the story's finished...come to think of it, I don't know how shows like CSI retain their suspense when most of them are solved by "technical" means - fingerprints/gun powder etc - not a great deal of logic or real problem-solving in them.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

The first creative writing piece I had was my half yearly exam.

I don't have a half-yearly for Ext English.
Creative writing, speech, viewing/representing, trial - that's all I think.

 

[Karlz04]

Oh Ok. Ee2 was the only one I didnt have an exam for.

You could use your point as an arguement comparing "old" tarditional crime fiction with most modern. Modern using more technology (analysing substances, dna, etc.) whereas traditional relied on logic and deduction.

Do you have to write an entire story? All of mine were pretty much write an introduction.

Remember, crime fiction doesnt have to involve a murder. One of my friends did corruption within the police force for an assessment and got really good marks.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Oh Ok. Ee2 was the only one I didnt have an exam for.

You could use your point as an arguement comparing "old" tarditional crime fiction with most modern. Modern using more technology (analysing substances, dna, etc.) whereas traditional relied on logic and deduction.

Do you have to write an entire story? All of mine were pretty much write an introduction.

Remember, crime fiction doesnt have to involve a murder. One of my friends did corruption within the police force for an assessment and got really good marks.

Entire story in no more than 2000 words.

 

[Karlz04]

Damn! That makes it harder. I wouldnt have a murder then. Make it a different type of crime. That would be easier. Murders, with clues and stuff, are too complicated to do with that word count.

I did EE2 and part of my story was a murder, and it took up about 4000 words, not completely solved, with no justice. And there were witnesses to say who comitted it!

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Damn! That makes it harder. I wouldnt have a murder then. Make it a different type of crime. That would be easier. Murders, with clues and stuff, are too complicated to do with that word count.

I did EE2 and part of my story was a murder, and it took up about 4000 words, not completely solved, with no justice. And there were witnesses to say who comitted it!

Hmm...that's why I'm stumped as to what exactly to do. I'll think of something eventually

Btw. do you mind if I ask what you got in EE2?

 

[Karlz04]

I got 43/50 for both EE1 and EE2

When you write your story Id be happy to read it and give you my opinion if you want.

 

[Karlz04]

I just remebered. My friend did a short story for the trial, and it was complete. No justce but it was solved. Im not 100% sure how it went, but it was badically a murder, and one of the cops solved it that it was another cop who commit it. One of the clues was an old love letter (found at the victims house) from the cop and a picture of the cop in her locket. I cant remeber how she linked it as evidence though.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

I just remebered. My friend did a short story for the trial, and it was complete. No justce but it was solved. Im not 100% sure how it went, but it was badically a murder, and one of the cops solved it that it was another cop who commit it. One of the clues was an old love letter (found at the victims house) from the cop and a picture of the cop in her locket. I cant remeber how she linked it as evidence though.

I feel strange solving a murder in only 2000 words...it just feels like it would be incomplete - it's not even enough to interview a few suspects and analyse each of them.

 

[absolution*]

I feel strange solving a murder in only 2000 words...it just feels like it would be incomplete - it's not even enough to interview a few suspects and analyse each of them.

If thats the case try to deter from the generic course of events and perhaps write in a slightly post-modernistic style. Even though its not your elective, teachers love that sort of stuff.

 

[Karlz04]

I know what you mean. I couldnt solve any in 2000 words.

Have you considered maybe taking it from the perspective of a new cop on the case? As in the bodys already been found, its pretty much just compiling the evidence?
Apart from that, dont do a murder. Think of a different crime. I think the teachers also like that because most people automatically do a murder for the crime.