CREATIVE WRITING for a 45 minute exam
This part of the course is worth ¼ of your Language grade.
It is therefore worth taking the time to prepare 2 guaranteed good level stories. Then the only creative thing you have to do in the exam is to manipulate ONE of your stories to suit one of the titles offered to you.
HOW TO STRUCTURE A 400-600 WORD CREATIVE STORY
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Present action – BEGIN with something intense. An action scene that immediately grabs attention. Emphasise a particular atmosphere: is it a difficult place for the main character or pleasant (this will be contrasted in the next section)
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Flashback a – this should be a contrast to the atmosphere created in the intro. Build the character and make us connect emotionally with them
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Flashback b – this should start to explain how the intro has eventuated. The conflict begins.
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Ending – return to the intro scene, and briefly say what happens next. You don’t have to have a solution to the issue – it can be left unanswered.
HOW ARE THE MARKS AWARDED?
16 of the 40 marks are awarded for VSSPS
V = vocab – improve your writing by adding at least 4 new words that are more precise and sophisticated in their meaning
SS = sentence structure – varying sentence lengths deliberately, using main and subordinate clauses to affect the pace of the reading. Short paragraphs work too.
P = punctuation – take your time with this. Remember the rules:
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Main clause + main clause – you have to either use a full stop between them, or a comma and a conjunction (and, but, or) if you want to connect them.
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Main clause + subordinate clause – no comma needed
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Subordinate clause + main clause – comma after the sub clause
S = spelling – always go back over your work at the end. Some words are massive no-nos: their, there or they’re: weather
24 marks are for the content – the quality of your story.
Strategy to succeed
Write 2 storiesMemorise the stories – use flashcardsPractise adapting to other titles
1. Grandma
2. The memorable weekend
3. Write about a time you had to make a difficult choice
4. Write a story which begins ‘You’re not staying her on your own. Get in the car now,’ my mum said in that voice that did not allow any argument
5. Write a story that ends: I feared the worst but the teacher could not stop herself from laughing.
6. That fateful night
7. New Year’s Day
8. The new arrival
9. The penguin
10. The choice
11. The last time i felt afraid
12. The last ime i felt embarrassed
13. The Interview
14. Write about a time when you had to face your fear.
15. The Emergency
16. Write a story which begins: I didn’t know if I had the courage to do this…’
17. Write a story that begins with “I did not think I could do this.”
18. The School Reunion
19. Write a story beginning with the words: ‘I had never seen anything so disgusting in my life.’
20. The Important Conversation
21. Write a story which ends ‘…and I knew everything would work out somehow.’
22. Write about a time when you felt guilty.
23. Write a story ending with the words: - ‘… that’s why I’m never going to another zoo.’
24. The Decision
25. Write a story that ends with the words: He will live to regret that.
26. The House on the Hill
27. Write a story that ends with the words: ‘How wrong he was.’
28. The Camp
Send completed stories to paul.moss@southdevon.ac.uk for marking.
There are lots of examples from other students here