Tips on Creative Writing sponsored by Boston City Campus

Study Tips

Boston City Campus & Business College is proud to present the first of a series of study tips. In this first series, we look at English, creative writing… 

ENGLISH:   CREATIVE WRITING  The English Creative Writing Examination is divided into three sections:  Section A:   Essay writing

Section B:   Transactional writing (longer pieces)

Section C:   Transactional writing (shorter pieces) 

In this article Section A will be the focus. A further two articles on the Creative Writing Examination will follow. 

SECTION A:   ESSAY WRITING 

Writing an essay may seem like an overwhelmingly difficult task. Even choosing a topic may cause confusion and anxiety under exam conditions. The good news is that there are certain steps which can be followed in order to write a successful essay!   

As essay is an opportunity to express your personal opinions and perceptions of the world in which you live. You should choose a topic that is meaningful to you and that will allow you to write with conviction. This means that if you choose a topic that you really care about you will be able to express yourself with sincerity and confidence.  

THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL ESSAY IS WRITING FROM THE HEART!  

Your essay will be assessed on its structure, content and style so each of these will now be examined in more detail. 

STRUCTURE

A well structured essay is usually the result of careful planning. Once you have chosen your topic, spend a few minutes jotting down a few points in rough. This will help you to focus your thoughts and it is the starting point of a successful piece of writing! The structure of your essay is determined by the paragraphing techniques that you use. When writing your essay remember the following: 

1. Focus on an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Jump straight into the topic or surprise the reader with an unusual idea or expression.
2. Vary paragraph (and even sentence) length. Variety adds interest to an essay.
3. Your paragraphs should follow a logical sequence and should reflect the development of the topic.

CONTENT When writing your essay remember the following: 

1. Write from personal experience: Focusing on what you have experienced will give your writing your personal stamp of uniqueness and originality. It is very difficult to write about something with conviction if you have not experienced it yourself or if you have heard about it from someone else. This will make it second hand and it will not have the sincerity that is the measure of a successful essay. Remember that the teacher who assesses your essay would like it to have credibility – this means that he/she would like to believe in the honesty and sincerity of what you have written.
2. Focus: It is not possible to write an entire family issue or a complex story in about 500 words. You need to choose a meaningful moment and focus your writing on this one aspect. If you try to write too many irrelevant points your essay will be shallow and possibly too generalised. It will not have your personal stamp of individuality and will lack conviction.
3. Detail: A focused essay includes detail. If you are writing about a meaningful moment, detail will give it life and vitality. Examine the specifics of your reactions accurately. No one ever feels only one emotion at a time. People may feel angry, betrayed, frustrated and confused all at the same time. Tap into your own feelings and examine the details of body language, facial expressions and even different tones of voice. Consider your five senses as your explore a moment that is valuable and important to you.

Look at the following introductions to essays: 

Essay 1 

The room was cold. She sat in her favourite chair as she had always done, with her one arm left to hang over the side while loosely holding her half-empty wineglass. In the corner was a small lamp, dimly casting a slight glare over the face of the woman. There was a haze in the room, a silver mist filled with awkward silence and halted emotion. The lamp’s light flickered. 

Essay 2 

As the morning breaks, his eyelids flicker. His arms lift and his back begins to quiver. It appears as if strings of energy and life draw him up. In a magnificent moment, thoughts fill his head, and he wakes.

These introductions are highly effective. Notice that the writers use detail and focus in their writing. They have not included any irrelevant information but explore the topics directly. These introductions inspire the reader to continue. Remember that your introduction is very important as it sets the tone for the rest of your essay.  When writing your essay avoid the following: 

1. Sentimentality:  Writing that is laboured and forces emotions lacks sincerity. At all costs avoid writing: ‘a tear slowly trickled down her cheek’. This is inaccurate and is written purely to manipulate the reader rather than to convey a situation with accuracy. Be honest in your writing. Capture the reality of the moment.
2. Stories: An essay is not an opportunity for you to make up a good story. Effective

writing is from personal experience and captures a meaningful moment in your own life.

3. Moralising: The quality of your essay should suggest what you learned. You do

not need to preach to the reader. Avoid: ‘Always remember…’ or ‘You should never…’   

STYLE 

Successful writing does not necessarily include ‘big’ words. Simple words are as effective if they are used sincerely and appropriately.   Look at the following paragraphs: 

Essay 1 

Suddenly the footsteps came – the kind one hears when sitting in an empty, dark hospital corridor when the nurse walks out of the night station. The squeaking grew louder and everyone seemed to grow quiet. I looked out of the door into a sky that was dark and seemed dirty with the grime of the people who lived in the city. The white security gate was open, and strangely this made me feel vulnerable and exposed. In an instant, my father filled the doorway, with a look I could not interpret in my drugged state. I was afraid!

Essay 2 

Still she lay in her chair, her facial expression hidden from the promise only light could bring. Perhaps she had fallen asleep, still clutching at her wine, as if it were the remains of an old life that was slowly slipping away. Her sadness had become like night’s stalker, constantly present. After some time she had embraced the sadness rather than avoided it, for in sadness never lies disappointment. The lamp flickered.

Notice that the writers have used simple language but have captured the essence of the moments that they are portraying. They have attempted to convey the situations with accuracy and honesty rather than manipulate or try to impress the reader. This writing has credibility! When writing your essay remember the following: 

1. Originality: Strive to use ideas and expressions that are as fresh and creative as possible.
2. Paragraphs: Paragraph your work correctly. A new idea or a new development means that you should use a new paragraph.
3. Full sentences: A full sentence has a subject and a finite verb. You may only use sentence fragments if you are using them for impact, otherwise ensure that you write in full sentences.
4. Register: An essay should use formal language. Slang is inappropriate unless it is used for impact or for humour.  When writing your essay avoid the following: 
5. Contractions: Since an essay should be formal in register, contractions should not be used.
6. Clichés: If you have heard the expression before, do not use it! Clichés are stale and lack vitality. Strive to be original and innovative (new) in your thinking and use of language.
7. Repetition: If you have used a word once in a paragraph do not use it again. Try to find a synonym or an alternative expression. This will ensure that your essay does not become boring.
8. Changing tenses: Stick to the same tense unless you are changing tenses to achieve a specific effect. It you start in the past tense stick to the past tense throughout.
9. Verbosity: This is the use of complex words when simple words may be as effective or even more so. If you do not understand the word completely do not use it.

Common language errors in essays  

Before writing your essay be sure that you have revised the following punctuation rules: 

1. Apostrophe: This is used for possession and contraction. An apostrophe is not used to form plurals.
2. Comma splicing: This is the use of a comma when a full stop or a conjunction should have been used.
3. Semi-colons: Do not use semi-colons at random. If you are not sure how to use them correctly rather do not use them at all.
4. Direct speech: If you do not know how to punctuate direct speech correctly rather do not use it in your essay.
5. Abbreviations: These are inappropriate in an essay. Always write out the word in full.

Finally…remember to edit your essay 

Check your spelling, punctuation and use of grammar. Make sure that you have used no slang. See if you can use more powerful and evocative words anywhere. 

________________________________________________________________________  Written by Katherine Martin on behalf of Boston City Campus & Business College. Thank you to Jason Vigushin who kindly allowed me to use his essay in this article.

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admin @ August 28, 2008