Classroom: Creative Writing

[Halahan]

fast approaching? what day is it due?

 

[Pineapple]

fast approaching? what day is it due?

Tomorrow.

 

[Halahan]

Oh dang.

 

[Pineapple]

lesson 1 is delayed do to a few issues.

 

[Halahan]

Alright here it is finally. I rushed the idea and the ending a bit, so keep that in mind.

 

[New_U.S.]

is this class dead for now?

 

[Pineapple]

Lesson 2 will be this weekend, I just had problems so classes are going to be 2 weeks apart! Gives you an extra week for assignments.

 

[Halahan]

Did you read Amaranthine?

 

[Pineapple]

Not yet, but i gotta get going now, I will read it tomorrow for sure! And if i find time tonight then i will read it tonight!

 

[Pineapple]

I gotta do some volenteering tomorrow so the lesson will be up sunday.

 

[Pineapple]

Lesson 2​

Specifics

Fantasy (example: Crystal Shard – R. A. Salvatore)

The main things to remember about Fantasy writing is that It will teleport people to a world unlike like one they live in; with different species, weapons, and the like. Remember that the main defining point of Fantasy is the setting and not as much the characters. In Fantasy themes often play a significant role. The theme gives more depth into the world which people want to get pulled into.

Pick your setting first. Do you want the readers to explore your whole world? Should they meet the inhabitants of this strange world? It is all you to you to decide. Usually A fantasy will be in series of books (well, from person experience, I find they are.). Often in each book you meet a new land, and new Inhabitants, this brings readers in more because it’s not the same thing from a previous book.

You need to develop themes into your book; it adds a feel to your world along with bringing readers in on an emotional level. Great examples of this can be seen in R. A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt who constantly faces racism, friendship, and pain from losses of friends. Often times the theme may be love as seen in Christie Golden’s Lord of Clans; where Thrall loves Taretha (In a non-sexual way!) because she sees past his orcish exterior. These themes make us enjoy the book more whether we know it consciously or sub consciously. Just remember not to pump your work full of themes or it feels like we are drowning in them!

Epic Fantasy (example: Eragon - Christopher Paolini) [sub-genre of Fantasy]

See Fantasy for a few tips before continuing…

There is one huge difference between Epic Fantasy and Fantasy; the characters. In Epic Fantasy your characters need a good solid base and need a good past for the read to explore to further understand how they came to be where they are. Unlike in Fantasy where you can find out the main character past through Dialog, we should read the main characters past at the start of the book in Epic Fantasy.

Epic Fantasy is all about one main character that goes from being a normal person to a hero in a fantasy themed world. In Eragon, a seemingly ordinary farm boy becomes a dragon rider when he claims an egg. In Lord of the Rings, a hobbit is sent on a quest to destroy a ring of power. Before all the events the main character was just a normal person.

If you ever saw Eragon the movie, although it is not a book seeing as it’s a movie (I am talking about Eragon the MOVIE and not plain Eragon) we can use it here. In the movie it barely talks about the characters histories, when it ended it left you with an empty feeling. You need to avoid that by making sure there is plenty of depth to your character.

Mystery (example: Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown)

Mystery is easily one of the hardest genres to write. You will have to plan out the book, you cannot just start one day and expect it to all work out in the end. Most often Mystery is written in First person, It gives it a better feel than Third person does. Harder still is keeping the readers attention while reading with suspense because unlike Fantasy, there isn’t going to be a huge battle or many fights. Your characters need to have a shady feel to them and it gets revealed over time, as the mystery becomes even closer to solved. There is two main ways to writing a mystery, the reader will either join with the person trying to solve the mystery or they will read from both sides; this only works if the mystery involves finding a person.

Too keep the reader into the story you need lots of suspense, some of the best things I have seen do that is through something out there that makes the reader go “They were so close!” or “What’s happening next!” or “Wow!”. An example would be… ok lets visualize.

-------------------------
I walked through the streets, he had to find her, she was his life, he needed her back, but where could she be he wondered. Thunder could be heard in the distance and the clouds began to darken as droplets of rain fell down. Soon enough it was raining strong and I had to retreat into a near by hotel for the night, I couldn’t afford to get sick now. “Excuse me; I would like a room for the night.”

“Certainly, may I have your name?" The clerk asked as he began to open up something on the computer, most likely a client database.

“Joseph Devinat”

“Sir, a room Is already booked in your, name. 216.”

I was surprised, I hadn’t rented a room. “Thank you.” I walked off to the room, what could be there?”
***********
Before my eyes there was a small pouch on the center of the bed. Across it was a note, it read “I have her, but can you find me in time?” I picked up the pouch and inverted it over my hand to see what was inside. Out came a finger.
-------------------------

See that? Don’t you want to know more or whats to happen?

Usually in a mystery the main character will go about asking questions to people trying to get answers. These characters need a feel of shadyness(not a word but what ever), making you feel they are guilty of something, like they are hiding something. Do this even If you don’t plan on them coming up later in the story because it gives more for people to think about and wonder. Now, don’t keep the characters shady forever! Have the main character find out the truth of what there hiding, maybe it will declare them innocent or just rise more questions.

Keep the reader on there toes with the person trying to solve this mystery! Have clues that the person solving the mystery finds so that the reader can follow along and try to nab the bad guy themselves. If you use something like "Joseph discovers a piece of evidence in the cabnit that points toward Frankie." people wont want to read, what was the evidence? If say you mentioned that frankie loved to each chocolate... "Opening up the cabnit Joseph saw something smeared across the handle, the smell was arousing-it was chocolate." That will get the reader hooked even more becuase they know about the clue, it gives it a fell of first person in third person becuase you feel like you are playing as the detective as well.

When writing from both sides it is much easier to keep peoples attention because there reading from the bad guys perspective as well. So If say there trying to find a person who kidnaps women to torture and kill you can write about how he feels, what’s going on in his head and put in scenes where he is doing to torturing making you dislike him more (I would hope!).

Assignment 2

Tiny Story!

Ok, Here is what you must do, Write a 1 page section of a chapter with one of the above themes. In semester 2 this story will be continued to 3 then 5 pages. Write it in Word and upload it. It must be in Times New Roman size 12. Remember, you cannot wrap this up, it needs to be left open because it will be continued. I ask that you do not continue it until the times comes for it to be continued. You think it’s to long? This lesson is 3 pages, so don’t complain! I am doing this to help; of course assignments are not mandatory. You will get rep for doing this assignment and the One after this. None if you only do 1. You have 2 weeks to hand this in.

Assessment

Follows the assigned task well || || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
Notes:

Grabs the readers attention || || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
Notes:

Creativity || || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
Notes:

Makes use of genres characteristics || || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
Notes:

Writes appropriately for genre || || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
**Example: A Fantasy where the characters Swear, inappropriate for that genre but would work for Mystery.**
Notes:

Overall ___/50 || || ___%
Notes:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I got it up on time! Count yourselves lucky! After the volunteering i just wanted to collapse but i wrote some and finished it tonight.

 

[Jindo]

Y'know? I might have a go at this !

 

[Pineapple]

Well, welcome to the class if you are going to Jindo. Read post 1 and see what to do.

You are too late for assignment 1 but In time for assignment 2

 

[Jindo]

Oh right lol:

I'm In!
Preference: Short Stories
Story Genre: Fantasy
Poetry Genre: Limericks

 

[IKilledKEnny]

Nice lesson, although I have few comments:

1. I really disagree with you about the epic fantasy project for several reasons.

A. Eragon is more of a fanatsy rather then epic fanatsy. Epic fantasy is a huge world, and usually each chapter is from other charecters point of view (for example lord of the rings, we got sam and frodo, legolas, gimly aragon etc.). That's in my opinion anyway.

2. There are much more genres then those listed, usuallt I read one of those, but write somthing else.

 

[Pineapple]

I wrote the Genres that the people in the lesson said they prefer. If i was to write about all the genres... Well, it would be long.

Also, That is how I classify epic fantasy, you may think differently but in Literature its hard to be exactly wrong. (Unless you write a romance in modern day and claim fantasy) If I get tmie to sit down and add your view point I will but I have other things to do such as my Tower Defence, my pieces of Writing and hoping that I did good on the Macbeth test.

 

[pheonixashes]

Hmm.. this seems cool, I'll start writing it up.

 

[Jindo]

I could well be done, I'll attach it soon .

(And no, I didn't wrap it up, I actually read the rules this time :]!).

 

[Pineapple]

Well, thats good to hear - both are good to hear (that you are almost done and that you read the rules). Just remember to check over what i asked before submitting, don't want to lost points for not doing things properly.

Pineapple

 

[New_U.S.]

nice - good lession

I got an idea for my story but it might be a bit longer then the one page (I'll try not to make it too long but I don't it to feel rushed)

Also if the main charactors were soldiers, and I'm writing a fantasy, would it be appropriate if once in a while they were to swear.
(You said it would be inappropriate if characters swore in fantasy, but it would be a normal attribute for someone of that occupation to have)