SHOW DON’T TELL

Remember that the purpose of CREATIVE WRITING is not to tell the responder what to see, feel or hear. But use words to allow responders to create their own imagery. There are five different types of imagery:

Create a mind map of images you associate with that person or stereotype Create a mind map of images you associate with that person or stereotype Oldest person your know SightsSoundsTastesSmellsTactile

Using your brainstorming ideas, prestend you have just walked into a room that the person you brainstormed about lives in or is in. describe what you see, hear, smell, feel, taste. Using your brainstorming ideas, prestend you have just walked into a room that the person you brainstormed about lives in or is in. describe what you see, hear, smell, feel, taste. “When I opened the door the first thing that hit me was…” “When I opened the door the first thing that hit me was…”

SOUND Alliteration Assonance Onomatopoeia

Beware the Cliché Metaphors Similes Personification Symbolism

Simile Simile Comparison using like, as or than. Metaphor Metaphor Comparison that asks us to picture one as if it is another Personification Personification A type of metaphor in which non- living (inanimate) things are given human qualities Symbolism Symbolism The use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea. Your words or phrases can have a double meaning. Alliteration Alliteration The repetition of the same consonant sound. Assonance Assonance The repetition of the same vowel sound. Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia Words that echo the sound of the action. Rhyme Rhyme When the endings of words or lines sound the same.

KNOW YOUR ENDING

Know the end before you begin. Know the end before you begin. like buying a train ticket, if you know where you’re going, you will take the right steps to get there. like buying a train ticket, if you know where you’re going, you will take the right steps to get there.

E X C I T E M E N T TIMETIME ORIENTATION Plot unfolds - Quest revealed

Christopher Booker ‘The Seven Basic Plots’: Christopher Booker ‘The Seven Basic Plots’: Overcoming the Monster Overcoming the Monster Rags to Riches Rags to Riches The Quest The Quest Voyage and Return Voyage and Return Comedy Comedy Tragedy Tragedy Rebirth. Rebirth. (Find examples for each from your own experience) (Find examples for each from your own experience) Another interpretation: [wo]man vs. nature [wo]man vs. nature [wo]man vs. man [wo]man vs. man [wo]man vs. the environment [wo]man vs. the environment [wo]man vs. machines/technology [wo]man vs. machines/technology [wo]man vs. the supernatural [wo]man vs. the supernatural [wo]man vs. self [wo]man vs. self [wo]man vs. god/religion [wo]man vs. god/religion We tend to tell variations of the same stories over and over because they have their basis in human psychology. These are the stories we identify with. The main character (the one the audience identifies with most and cares about most) is called the protagonist

To SHOW rather than TELL a reader about their characters, writers: SHOW the objects around them SHOW the objects around them SHOW the way the character does things (body language) SHOW the way the character does things (body language) SHOWs what the character looks like SHOWs what the character looks like lets the reader speak or what they are thinking lets the reader speak or what they are thinking

Read the following text in the next slide and consider how elements of Eugenie’s character are being introduced. Read the following text in the next slide and consider how elements of Eugenie’s character are being introduced. Annotate the passage highlighting which parts reveal: OBJECTS; ACTIONS; APPEARANCE; SPEECH Annotate the passage highlighting which parts reveal: OBJECTS; ACTIONS; APPEARANCE; SPEECH

He liked Eugenie’s room. It was untidy. There was the piano open and her tea with the cup half full as usual, and the branches of withering red and yellow leaves stuck about the place in vases. She liked flowers. He was glad he had remembered to bring her his usual gift, and he held the flower wrapped in tissue paper in front of him. But why was the room so full of smoke? A gust blew in. Both windows were open and the smoke was being blown in from the garden. He walked to the window and looked out. There was Eugenie tossing whole armfuls of dead leaves onto a bonfire. She jerked them as high as she could and the fire blazed up. A great fan of red flame flung out. “That’s dangerous!” he called Eugenie saw him and raised a hand in welcome, waving with excitement. “Stay where you are!” she cried. “I’m coming” Through a cloud of smoke she hurried towards him with both arms outstretched. She was extremely handsome; she has great dark eyes like a foreigner, and a nose with a ripple in it. “I’m having a bonfire,” she said, her eyes glowing, her hair looping down, “that’s why I’m all blown about.” She was untidy, like her room, and just like the fire, cracklingly alive. From “The Years” by Virginia Woolf

Step 1 (2 minutes) Write about your character’s space: it can be their room; home; backyard; balcony Write about your character’s space: it can be their room; home; backyard; balcony Focus on three or four key objects and consider what they reveal about the character Focus on three or four key objects and consider what they reveal about the character Eg. “Eugenie’s room. It was very untidy. There was a piano open and her tea with the cup half full as usual, and branches of withering red and yellow leaves stuck about the place in vases. She liked flowers” notice that these are simple everyday, even random objects, but together create the impression that Eugenie is untidy. Eg. “Eugenie’s room. It was very untidy. There was a piano open and her tea with the cup half full as usual, and branches of withering red and yellow leaves stuck about the place in vases. She liked flowers” notice that these are simple everyday, even random objects, but together create the impression that Eugenie is untidy. In your opening lines, do not let the reader see your character yet! In your opening lines, do not let the reader see your character yet! If you have someone that can read it and give you feedback, do that! Explain to them what the objects signify If you have someone that can read it and give you feedback, do that! Explain to them what the objects signify

Step 2 (2 minutes) Now show your reader your character is doing from a distance. Your character doesn’t know that we can see them… being unaware of being watched, your character will be more natural. Now show your reader your character is doing from a distance. Your character doesn’t know that we can see them… being unaware of being watched, your character will be more natural. Make them do a particular action in a special way Make them do a particular action in a special way

Step 3 (2 minutes) Now tell your reader what your character looks like. Now tell your reader what your character looks like. Don’t focus only on appearance! You should either (or do both): Don’t focus only on appearance! You should either (or do both): Make them move as you write about them: Eugenie “hurried towards him with her arms outstretched” (shows us she is friendly towards the man) Make them move as you write about them: Eugenie “hurried towards him with her arms outstretched” (shows us she is friendly towards the man) Make something about them move: “…her hair looped down.” (what this convey?) Make something about them move: “…her hair looped down.” (what this convey?) Let the reader hear something your character says. Consider vocabulary and HOW they say it Let the reader hear something your character says. Consider vocabulary and HOW they say it

Step 4 Finish your introduction to your character with a statement about how you feel about her (evaluative): “She was as untidy, like her room, and just like the fire, crackling alive” Finish your introduction to your character with a statement about how you feel about her (evaluative): “She was as untidy, like her room, and just like the fire, crackling alive”

Now show this to a friend/parent/sibling and get feedback