Learning Through Creating: Creative Writing
Neil Gaiman recently made the argument that people can learn a lot by reading and crafting creative work (as you will read or watch for Side Quest 3). For this assignment, you will be required to do just that: create an artistic piece that communicates something to readers/viewers.
Choose one of the following:
- Write short fiction. It could be a story about anything; a bunny, Santa Claus, wizards, frogs, princesses, knights, a high schooler, an actor, etc. Anything.
Remember, the story needs to be complete in itself (it needs a beginning, middle, and end). If you choose this option, your story will need to be 1500 to 3000 words (please single-space your assignment).
- Write a narrative. Remember that a narrative is an experience from your own life; it is not made up like fiction, but you still need to use the same rhetorical devices to make your experience feel real to the reader. Just like fiction, your narrative should have a beginning, middle, and end. If you choose this option, your story will need to be 1500 to 3000 words (please single-space your assignment).
- Write a one act play. A play has many similarities and differences with both narratives and fiction. Like both previous story modes, your play will need a beginning, middle, and end. Unlike the previous modes, your play will rely heavily on dialogue (though stage directions are also important, the movement of the piece happens through what is or isn't said). This takes a lot of work; your dialogue needs to feel natural, but still needs to have purpose. If you choose this option, your story will need to be 1500 to 2500 words (please format your play as we discussed in class).
- Write a series of themed poems. If you choose this option, you need to create aseries of poems that are all different but related to one another. It may help to have a specific theme or concept in mind (such as nature, humanity, love, hope, family, brokenness, death, etc). Poems are very different from the other options; they require a lot of meticulous work based on word choice, chosen formatting, and tone. Be sure that your poems can reach your reader; don't be too ambiguous. If you choose this option, your story will need to be 1500 to 2000 words (remember that the formatting you choose for each poem affects each poem's overall feel).
- Create a music video and explain your process. If you choose this option, you must create a visual text that coincides with lyrics and sounds. You must pick a song that currently has no music video, so that your work doesn't turn out the same. Your video should strive to tell a story (not just reveal a series of images of people rocking out).
After creating the video, you must write a 1000 to 1500 word explanation for why you chose these images (please single-space your assignment). This doesn't mean you tell me the story; this means you analyze your own work (much like how we analyzed the "Afraid" video in class).
- Storyboard and create character sketches for a comic. If you choose this option, you must create a storyboard and written synopsis for a comic or graphic novel you would like to create. Your synopsis should have some detail in it (but it doesn't need to be a novel) and should be 1000 to 1500 words, single-space. Your visuals should clearly match up with your synopsis. Much like the fiction option, your story must
have a moving plot and contain a beginning, middle, and end.