What not to write for Creative Writing? (1 Viewer)

[uman1234]

I was just brainstorming ideas for the creative writing task, and was just wondering what topics are considered not worthy/welcomed by examiners?

 

[u-borat]

anything cliched.

 

[wixxy2348]

apparently...
alcohol, abuse, suicide

not sure if thats just our teachers playing it safe or if its true lawl.

 

[my1stpost]

Don't write about boyfriend/girlfriend stuff because everybody else writes about it and it's just crap.

Don't write about every other typical teenage topic like drugs, gangs, leaving home, love/romance etc.

And don't end your creative off with something like "and i woke up from my dream bla bla bla"

 

[tania O]

Don't write about boyfriend/girlfriend stuff because everybody else writes about it and it's just crap.

Don't write about every other typical teenage topic like drugs, gangs, leaving home, love/romance etc.

And don't end your creative off with something like "and i woke up from my dream bla bla bla"

THAT IS SO TRUE MAN THATS WHAT MY ENGLISH TEACHER SAID TO ME TOO OHHHHH CANT WAIT TILL THE HSC IS OVER.

WHEN DO YOU GUYS FINISH YOUR EXAMS AYY??? I FINISH MINE ON THE 4 NOV THATS MY CAFS EXAM.

 

[sonyaleeisapixi]

Unless you're a very competent and comfortable writer, don't try and write outside of your own experience.
An average kid in my english class was given 15/15 on his english trial cw piece. It wasn't particularly amazing in terms of plot like, nothing fancy, just about a persona based on himself undergoing an inner journey during a triathlon or something. Very simple, but very real because that was his area of knowledge.

 

[uman1234]

ah, thanks for the info

but so far I've only come up with the protagonist beginning in an unsuited lifestyle, and as the years pass by, he slowly comes to realise, it sucks! and moves on...
...
yeah I'm not very creative lol, usually get like 8-10/15 for creative tasks

 

[Kujah]

Yup, individual central personas shouldn't really die (the person with the central/first perspective) or writing at the end of your story that it as all a dream...

 

[sonyaleeisapixi]

Like I said, go with something you know. Incorporate a hobby, a holiday you've been on, some experience you've had that you can easilly draw on.

 

[Forbidden.]

回复: What not to write for Creative Writing?

Writing about being pregnant when you are not or your "journey" through the HSC.
Bottomline, write something realistic.

 

[mathslover]

my story has a bit of romance in it.. like its a journey based on love..
but i think its appropriate, cz the protagonist comes to self-awareness in the end..

wat u guys rekn?

 

[henry08]

Re: 回复: What not to write for Creative Writing?

The main charcter of my storey kills himself at the end. Got 14/15 for trial.

 

[sonyaleeisapixi]

Romance is fine
Drawn out makingout, love scenes, cliched passionate glances, or teenage romance is now.

 

[gloworm14]

my trial cw was pretty much about a guy on a plane reminiscing about his high school sweetheart that he left ages ago while flying to a school reunion.
it was quite corny and lovey dovey.
surprisingly it got 15/15 so i think a woman marked it.

 

[want2bdifferent]

never ever end in and i woke up and it was all a dream or something really really bad like that

 

[Absolutezero]

Some general notes:

Cliche is out, unusual is in.

Try writing from a unique perspective. Don't do a child's voice unless you can balance it with sophisticated writing.

Pick an unusual, but not stupid, location. It will help create interest.

Don't do anything to do with angsty teenages. Or driving around in cars, picking up girls.

Don't make your protagonist die if you are writing in first person.

Do NOT do the journey of the HSC. Markers are sick of it. It is not original or creative.

Don't use excessive swearing.

Stories about terrorist plots to assisinate the prime minister have 'apparently' been shown to police. For this reason I'd avoid them.

Try something out of the box. If you come up with it in five minutes, chances are 60 000 year 12 students out there also did.

Write from experience, but never just tell a real life story. Chances are your life isn't that interesting (a general statement).

Don't make up highly obscure facts if you know they're are not true. Unless your plot revolves around this 'alternate universe' idea.

 

[uman1234]

Some general notes:

Cliche is out, unusual is in.

Try writing from a unique perspective. Don't do a child's voice unless you can balance it with sophisticated writing.

Pick an unusual, but not stupid, location. It will help create interest.

Don't do anything to do with angsty teenages. Or driving around in cars, picking up girls.

Don't make your protagonist die if you are writing in first person.

Do NOT do the journey of the HSC. Markers are sick of it. It is not original or creative.

Don't use excessive swearing.

Stories about terrorist plots to assisinate the prime minister have 'apparently' been shown to police. For this reason I'd avoid them.

Try something out of the box. If you come up with it in five minutes, chances are 60 000 year 12 students out there also did.

Write from experience, but never just tell a real life story. Chances are your life isn't that interesting (a general statement).

Don't make up highly obscure facts if you know they're are not true. Unless your plot revolves around this 'alternate universe' idea.

Great notes there, Thanks for that.
But on with the ending. I know it is a very important part of the creative writing task, that it could be ambigious, interesting, ideal etc and I know I shouldn't end it like "it was all a dream" or "ughh *protagonist dies*". I was wondering what other things make an ending good or great, rather unique in a way. Some sample endings would be great.

 

[Absolutezero]

One of the hardest parts of creative writing is finding an appropriate ending. To find a twist that is orginal is exceedingly difficult. I recommend you end will a realisation of something (an epiphany if you will) by the character. Something that wouldn't be the most obvious answer.

An quick example would be Frost's poem "The road not taken"

"I took the one less travelled by/ And that has made all the difference"


Another would be The Gift, a song/story by Velvet Underground. Basically, a boy sends himself in a box to his girlfriends house across the country.

"... [she] plunged the long blade through the middle of the package, through the masking tape, through the cardboard, through the cushioning and (thud) right through the center of Waldo Jeffers head, which split slightly and caused little rhythmic arcs of red to pulsate gently in the morning sun"

 

[shinninggum]

One of the hardest parts of creative writing is finding an appropriate ending. To find a twist that is orginal is exceedingly difficult. I recommend you end will a realisation of something (an epiphany if you will) by the character. Something that wouldn't be the most obvious answer.

An quick example would be Frost's poem "The road not taken"

"I took the one less travelled by/ And that has made all the difference"


Another would be The Gift, a song/story by Velvet Underground. Basically, a boy sends himself in a box to his girlfriends house across the country.

"... [she] plunged the long blade through the middle of the package, through the masking tape, through the cardboard, through the cushioning and (thud) right through the center of Waldo Jeffers head, which split slightly and caused little rhythmic arcs of red to pulsate gently in the morning sun"

Definitely. I was reading past HSC Creatives and they always have something that is ironic or funny or a pun that is to contrast to what is said at the beginning. You need some surprising. Of course, that is difficult.

One story was like a struggling actor on a train. So he faked talking to a man that he was a doctor. But at the end, man is actually a director who goes "oh i wish you were an actor so I could hire you" Stuff like that

 

[Absolutezero]

Lol. That's good.

I think I'm taking the more sentimental revelation route for my own story. That way, there is no chance of ruining the twist throughtout the story. Although, I am thinking of a slight twist, but nothing major.