CREATIVE WRITING
INTRODUCTION
"One of the most difficult things about composing a creative response for HSC English is that you need to put your own personal preferences aside and consider the purpose and audience of your story. The purpose is to use limited time to showcase your ability to use language in a sophisticated and effective manner, rather than to tell a plot-driven story. The ultimate audience for your story will be the examiners - English Teachers."
(Dixon, Murphy & Alrawi, Cambridge Checkpoints 2015: HSC Advanced English, 2015, p. 8-9)
The Creative Writing requirement of your HSC English exam is in Paper 1, Section II and is within the Area of Study (AOS): Discovery topic. It is worth 15 marks and requires you to have an in-depth and sophisticated conceptual understanding of "Discovery". This means you should have read and understood the AOS rubric. A wonderfully colourful infographic has been provided below to help you visualise and understand the different and varying elements of 'Discovery' as explored by the HSC English Criteria.
(Dixon, Murphy & Alrawi, Cambridge Checkpoints 2015: HSC Advanced English, 2015, p. 8-9)
The Creative Writing requirement of your HSC English exam is in Paper 1, Section II and is within the Area of Study (AOS): Discovery topic. It is worth 15 marks and requires you to have an in-depth and sophisticated conceptual understanding of "Discovery". This means you should have read and understood the AOS rubric. A wonderfully colourful infographic has been provided below to help you visualise and understand the different and varying elements of 'Discovery' as explored by the HSC English Criteria.
EXPLORING DIFFERENT TEXT TYPES |
WRITING TIPS |
The genre of your creative piece may take different forms. You may opt to write a short story, but you may also consider reflective pieces, such as diaries, blogs, or letters. It can also include scripts, interviews, speeches or poetry. Try practicing different text types in preparation for your exam. Also, engage in reading different types of texts, especially ones you may not necessarily be drawn to.
Below are some helpful links: |
Below are a few tips to help you improve your writing:
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NETIQUETTE: FORUM RESPONSES
Before you undertake the Creative Writing activity, you must have an understanding of Netiquette - responding in a respectful, dignifying and tactful manner is essential to this activity and to all responsible correspondence online. Remember to THINK.
T - is the comment you're making true?
H - if it is true, is it helpful?
I - if it's helpful, is it informative?
N - if it's informative, is it necessary?
K - is your comment kind in that could not hurt someones feelings?
If you think someone has breached these rules, report it.
T - is the comment you're making true?
H - if it is true, is it helpful?
I - if it's helpful, is it informative?
N - if it's informative, is it necessary?
K - is your comment kind in that could not hurt someones feelings?
If you think someone has breached these rules, report it.
ACTIVITY 4: RESPONDING TO CREATIVE STIMULI
INSTRUCTIONS
An incredibly challenging but rewarding exercise to undertake in preparation for HSC Creative Writing is responding to stimuli, and analysing other creative pieces. In this exercise you will be engaging in both activities, requiring you to respond to a text and critique your peers work.
ACTIVITY:
ACTIVITY:
- Select ONE of the images or texts as a stimuli for a creative writing piece.
- Write an introductory paragraph to your piece. Make sure you establish a certain genre, theme or idea. Engage with the tips provided above.
- Post this introductory paragraph in the forum below.
- Read at least 2 other creative pieces. Pick one and provide a wish and a star (where they could improve, and what they did well). Remember to engage with forum netiquette: be helpful but not demeaning. Post this in the Creative Writing Response thread, making sure you indicate which piece you chose to critique.
CREATIVE WRITING FORUM
All images displayed on this website are under Creative Commons, deemed free for commercial use and do not require an attribution, unless stated otherwise.