In my lesson, I once again discussed the importance of using the following in creative writing:
Setting (time and place). Describe the surroundings.
Description (describe more than just sight but also
touch, smell, taste, sound).
Avoid intensifiers (avoid the words very, really,
seriously, totally, completely, extremely, super, über, etc…)
Details (little details increase realism) –
ensure they are authentic. For example, don’t name your characters Bob, Joe,
Sally, Jim.
Figures of Speech (use a metaphor or simile or
personification or onomatopoeia or rhetorical question.
Stream of Consciousness (reach into the person’s mind. Include
what they’re thinking about even though it may not necessarily apply to your
topic)
Include dialogue – often, writing is more authentic when
you hear someone’s voice. It has to be authentic though.
Here are the four telling sentences: students chose one and expanded it
1.
I walked through
the forest and thought I heard a sound coming from around the bend in the
trail.
2.
She sat on a log
and looked out over English Bay in Vancouver.
3.
He turned around
and around and soon realized that he was lost.
4.
She tapped the
brakes and smiled while thinking about what happened last night.
