ENGLISH
CREATIVE WRITING
Dear students,
"Once upon a time..."
Or maybe you want to start in a different way? If so, you can. Our next assignment is completely free (except for you sticking to approximately 500 words). It can be something about anything or anything about something. All genres are accepted. Basically, you decide.
Creative writing is hard and if coming up with an idea is too tricky – here's some help:
For those of you thinking about writing a (short) story, there are a few things worth considering. First of all, a story – especially a short one – shouldn't have an overly complicated plot (story line). Pick one thing, like "a fight against a dragon", "the thief in the night" or "the worst/best day ever". For more on this (and other general writing tips), check out Creative Writing Now. Oh yeah, having too many characters can also make your story hard for your readers to enjoy. Don't use more than a handful (or just a couple – to be on the safe side). Another thing you might want to think about is time. One day is usually enough.
Here are some examples on how to begin your story:
The Moon Dragons of the Far North had always been feared in the Valley of the Golden Trees, but it wasn't until...
Walking home one cold december evening I saw a light in the sky. At first, I thought it was just a star, or maybe an airplane, but when it started to move...
Not in fairy-tale mood? No problemo, you can write about something else. Maybe a hip hop song or a poem? They're actually quite similar (apart from the beat and, had I not read Catullus, the explicit language).
Do you feel like what has been proposed so far have been boring? Not quite your cup of tea? Have no fear - the solution is here! Why not write a letter to a person you really like or, if you need to let off steam, someone you absolutely loathe, hate or – at least – dislike immensely? Example:
Dear Kanye,
No only does your "music" suck, but you are also a horrible person. What you did at the award ceremony was really awful. I think you should...
Please remember that all these things mentioned are just suggestions. All I want is that you write an awesome text. Haha. No pressure.
Here's more help:
Show, don't tell. And think about icebergs.
Good luck!
