Applying our Knowledge

Creative Fiction

BrainstormingWhat are some examples of Creative Writing?

Short Stories Poetry Screenplays Novels Periodicals Short Shorts Historical Fiction

What about these? Nonfiction Comics E-mail Notes to friends IM transcripts

Anything else?

Let’s Write!!A Short Story!!

At least 3 pages in length Incorporating concepts we have covered Such as Climax, Dialogue, Setting, Protagonist, etc.

What elements of the stories made them likeable/annoying?

Core Components of Fiction Protagonist

Main character Empathy! Depth, Mystery, Action

Side Characters Main function is to

interact with the protagonist and reveal things about them.

Conflict Whole point of writing

the story, the interesting stuff.

Protagonist must overcome, fail, learn from, hide, exploit, cry, react in some way to conflict.

Core Components Cont’d Resolution

What has happened from the conflict?

Where is the Protagonist at the end of the story?

What do we learn from the story?

How do we make our Protagonists Interesting? Ambiguous past Special Talent Distinguishing Physical

Feature Strong belief/opinion

about one thing Lack of some key

human characterization

Problem Empathy/Sympathy

Relationships Family Friends Love Interests Strangers Enemies

Memories Good Times Bad Times Both None at all

Others

How to we balance our Antagonists? Must oppose

Protagonist who has our sympathy

Must not be too one-sided and all bad

Some empathy/sympathy

Must drive the plot

Examples? Tybalt Capulet Jason Compson Javert Frankenstein’s Creature

Practice with Prompts! Write a short scene set at a lake, with

trees and stuff. Throw some birds in there too.

5 min.

McSweeney’s

Setting Settings can mirror

the tone of the story or the feelings of the protagonist. Sad – Desert Happy – Sunshine Struggle – Messy place

Can be used to introduce people, places, and things

Prompt 2 The tarantula hawk wasp reproduces by

paralyzing tarantulas and laying it’s eggs in their bodies. When the larvae hatch, they devour the still-living spider from the inside out. That’s messed up. Write a story about how messed up that is.

McSweeney’s

Ulterior Motives Stories can be used to

convey: Messages Opinions Theories Recommendations Calls for Action Critiques Etc.

Mainly done through symbolism, extended metaphor, or other embedded meaning

Subtlety is good

Due DatesBrainstorm idea list by next class

First Draft in one weekFinal Draft w/ first draft in two

weeks