N 5 Writing Creative Personal and Reflective Writing

N 5 Writing Creative Personal and Reflective Writing

What do I have to do? n n Choose an interesting topic/incident/experience Include your thoughts and feelings Use a variety of stylistic techniques Try to entertain your reader

Choose an interesting topic/incident/experience n n Try to be original – avoid clichéd topics Make a short list of 3 or 4– flesh out your ideas for each. Develop your ideas for the one which has the most potential. Make a plan, ensuring you’re not simply retelling the story – consider your thoughts/feelings and reflect

Ideas -1 n n Hobbies/sports and what they mean to you Sibling rivalry – position in family/only child A narrow escape – what it taught you Your family – or family member and what they mean to you

Ideas - 2 n n n Challenges you have faced The passing of time What really annoys you? A place that means a lot to you Your hero – who do you admire and why Being part of a team

Idea - 3 n n n Friends and what they mean to you Living in – Scotland, Forres, etc. Moving – how you’ve coped A keepsake/favourite possession Choose a photo and reflect on the occasion

Ideas - 4 n n n Solitude – why you like/don’t like being alone Hopes and aspirations Your idiosyncrasies – OCD traits, being late/ early Obsessions – collections, games, etc Technology – how it affects your life

Ideas - 5 n n School – why you love it/hate it A trip which has had a huge impact on you An achievement – your thoughts and feelings about this Participation in a performance- music, drama, sport

Getting started n n n n Think of a really effective opening: Start with a key event and then go back and explain Start with a quotation Start with a definition Open with a description Use unattributed dialogue Make a statement

Techniques to include -1 n n n Be selective –pick what you think will interest/ entertain your audience Think about tone – use humour, sarcasm Use parenthesis and/ordash tags to make comments, asides Add description – figurative language, etc Address the reader – use 2 nd person: you

Techniques - 2 n Use a chatty, informal style n Use hyperbole/litotes n Use repetition n n Use a variety of effective short/complex sentences Use of emotive language, word choice

Reflection - 1 n n n Ensure you integrate your thoughts and feelings. Consider how you acted/reacted? Consider how you felt at the time and then with hindsight

Reflection – 2 n n n Consider if you made the right choice/decision Consider what the future holds for you as result Consider what other people thought then and now

Reflection - 3 n n n n Some helpful phrases: I realise… I now know… Since this happened… Now that time has passed… Looking back, I now appreciate… I learned so much about…

Ending n Be sure to think of a good way to end your piece: n Use some of the techniques suggested to start your piece n Add a final reflective comment n How have you as a person moved on/changed/what have you learned about yourself/others/the world?

Finally n n n Give your piece an effective title – try a pun, one word, a question, use alliteration Your piece should be no more than 1000 words – note length at the end Read your piece aloud to someone – were they impressed/ entertained?

Before you hand it in n n Proof read careful to ensure all errors have been eliminated: spelling punctuation paragraphing layout – 12, 1. 5 line spacing Can you improve your style, add further techniques, cut out sections, add further reflection?