UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY

Biglang Awa St., Corner Catleya St., EDSA, Caloocan City

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

CREATIVE WRITING
 
SUBJECT CODE: ENG 501
TOPIC OR LESSON: Introduction to Creative Writing
WEEK: 2
SUB-TOPIC/S: Basics of Creative Writing

 OVERVIEW OF THE TOPIC

Welcome to your learning material on Creative Writing. This week you are tasked to learn and
accomplish activities on introduction to creative writing.
In this module, you will explore and understand the forms and distinction of creative writing and
to other types of writing, furthermore, you are about to differentiate the left and right brain principle as
well as the two rule principles in writing. You are also expected to perform and complete activities/tasks
provided in this module.

LEARNING
OUTCOMES
On the completion of this module, you are expected to manifest an in-depth understanding on the
forms, distinction of creative writing as to other forms and types of writing. Moreover, you will learn to
differentiate the left and right brain principles and the two rule in writing as well as to introduce you on
the fundamentals techniques of writing fiction, drama, and poems; and discuss the use of such techniques
by well-known authors in a variety of genres in order for you to produce your own masterpieces.

LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
1. Discuss what creative writing :
2. Differentiate creative writing and the other forms of writing;
3. Recognize the characteristics of left brain and right brain theory and two rules in writing;
4. Discuss the specialization of the right brain and left brain;
5. Identify and enumerate the characteristics of good writing; and
6. Determine and appreciate the use of audience analysis checklist. 

ENGAGE

Task 1
Directions: Read the situations, choose from the given options and justify your response.

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 1. If you were given a chance to visit to a certain place of your interest, how would you like to reach
that place?
a. Studied and followed the routines and rules on how to get there.
b. Deviated from the rules and had an alternative route.
c. Cared nothing about the rules.

Your answer:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. If you were given a chance to write a story about your life, how would you like to write your
story?
a. Studied and followed the rules in writing.
b. Deviated from the rules and had set new ways of writing.
c. Cared nothing about the rules.

Your answer:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Processing Questions:

1. What have you noticed on your responses? Do you have the same or different answers? Why
do you think so?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. How do you regard yourself as a person and as a writer?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

EXPLORE

Let’s know and understand the basics of Creative Writing!

Nature of Literature
• Literature is mimetic. It is a mirror or a slice of life.
• Literature is language in use, and is therefore not separable from language. However, literature
involves more than language, because meanings go beyond language.
• Literature is a product of a particular culture and is more culture-bound than language.

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 • Literary competence is the ability to unlock the “grammar” of literature.

WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING?

The word creative is defined in various ways. The following are just some of the definitions:
“The ability to create”
“Imaginative”
“Productive and imaginative”
“Characterized by expressiveness and originality”

Creative writing is often defined as the writing of fiction, where the author creates events,
scenes and characters, sometimes even a world. In reality, aside from instinctive utterances like the yelp
of an injured child or a delighted ‘Oh!’ all expressions are creative.
For the purposes of this course, ‘creative writing’ is any writing that expresses events and
emotions in an imaginative manner and whose primary intent is to arouse emotions. Creative writing
can therefore be fiction, using imaginative narration, or non-fiction, based on facts and events. The
common ground of fiction and non-fiction writing is the creativity the writer uses to express his or her
thoughts and emotions.

HOW DOES CREATIVE WRITING DIFFER?

Is creative writing different from other kinds of writing? As stated before all writing involves
creativity since it is selective and is written from the writer’s perspective. Like informative writing,
expositions (detailed statements or explanations) or instructions, creative writing does convey
information, even when we define it so broadly; indeed, information is the basic component of all
communication, no matter what kind.

The overall intent of creative writing is not to inform. It is to stir the emotions, to elicit an
emotional response.

A storyteller’s narrative is designed to express the storyteller’s feelings about some aspect of life,
and to engage the reader in those feelings. A poet uses events, images and people to deliver concentrated
emotion. Dramatists and screen writers convey and stir emotions through action and dialogue. A
magazine feature writer comments on real people and real lives to arouse our sympathy, delight, horror or
concern.

Technical writing is more factual, informative, and instructional. It is written in a clear, precise
and straightforward manner. It is basically objective in nature and used specialized vocabulary.

Information and creativity

The point is that almost any genre or category of writing can be written to engage the reader
emotionally as well as intellectually. What makes a work more creative than informative is its emphasis.

Informative writing is primarily about imparting knowledge. Creative writing is primarily

about creating emotional effect and significance.

Differences between creative and informative writing are sometimes quite blurred. Some well-
known and esteemed pieces of writing that are primarily informative are also very creative, sensitive and
beautiful, while some primarily creative works are also highly informative. To understand this better, read

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a chapter from A.S. Byatt’s novel, Possession, Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Dee Brown’s history, Bury My
Heart at Wounded Knee, and James Mitchener’s epic novel, Hawaii. You will also see writing where
creativity and information carry equal weight and importance in some newspaper feature articles, often
found in the center pages of the weekend editions, and in many magazine articles.

Good creative writing uses the same kinds of writing that make for good informative writing, or
good argument, or good exposition. It is the writer’s skill at using these forms of writing that can turn any
piece of writing into creative piece of writing.

Even when we write fiction, we are dealing with reality as we know it. Fictional does not mean
false. It takes our reality, or parts of it, and shows it to us in new ways. It makes the familiar unfamiliar,
and takes us into parts of reality, making us take the time (because we read much slower than we think or
see) to see its complexity, beauty and pain. Even fantasy fiction and science fiction, which give us totally
created worlds, are based on elements of reality, and are therefore recognizable and believable. Therefore,
when we write creatively, it doesn’t matter whether we are writing fiction or non-fiction. What matters is
that we are sharing experiences and emotions with the reader and, for a while at least, leading them
towards a particular point of view.

CREATIVE GENRES

Genre is a word often used to describe categories or types of written text. Some of the more
familiar genres of creative writing are:
- poetry of all kinds ·
- short stories ·
- novels, including westerns, romances, science fiction, detective stories, mysteries, fantasy,
etc.
- stage play scripts
- film and television screenplays
- lyrics

Other genres that we may not think of as creative writing are:

- magazine articles
- newspaper feature stories
- essays
- biographies
- advertisements
- card greetings
- books or articles on science, history etc.

FORMS OF WRITING

Writing comes in many forms, all of which can be creatively employed and manipulated by the
creative writer, regardless of the genre (novel, poetry, travel guide etc) in which she or he is writing. One
form of writing is rarely used on its own.

Common forms of writing are:

1. Reflection: An internal process of reviewing and making meaning from one's own experience;
2. Exposition or Reporting: Covers a wide area of writing. Events, thoughts and situations are
exposed or shown to the reader, as in textbooks, magazine articles or news stories, but also when
the narrator or a character takes an informing role. One very important form of reporting or
exposition for writers is description.

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 3. Description: The reporting of information to convey an impression or feeling about a place,
person, thing or idea, rather than facts. Description can be a small part of a particular narrative, or
the main part of it. A lot of good travel writing is descriptive, as is a lot of fiction.
4. Explanation: A process of leading another person to a particular understanding or perception
through information and reason, rather than through persuasive language. It includes instruction,
rules and guidelines, argument and analysis. ·
5. Argument: Aims to persuade the reader to change their viewpoint or attitude about an idea or
situation. It is often quite rhetorical in nature. [Rhetoric is the art of persuading through emotion,
but using elements of logic or reason (often quite illogically)]. Most political speeches are
rhetorical in nature. Argument typically presents two points of view; then builds a case for one of
them, and either refutes or overwhelms the other.
6. Narration: The most widely used form of human expression, so much so that it is believed that,
as a species, we are programmed to tell stories. Narration tells a story of an event or a series of
events that take place over time, no matter how brief the time or how short the story.

Task 2
Directions: Watch the link below about literature and answer the following questions. Refer to
the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvAZZoK7_lQ

1. What is creative writing?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What makes creative writing different from journalistic writing?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Differentiate creative writing from non-creative writing.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Directions: Tell whether the following texts or genres is an example of Creative or Non-Creative
writing.

_________1. Romeo and Juliet by W. Shakespeare

_________2. How to prevent from COVID-19 infection?
_________3. Inaugural speech of J.F. Kennedy
_________4. Sonnet 18
_________5. How my brother Leon brought home a wife
_________6. The Little Prince
_________7. English for Life Textbook
_________8. Research paper on Education in the New Normal
_________9. Manila Bulletin
_________10. Song

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 EXPLAIN

Task 3
Directions: Read aloud, as quickly as possible the color in which the words are written but not
the actual colors.

If you merely read the words, you are likely to be using right brain. Whereas, if you read the
colors, you are using your left brain.

Left Brain vs. Right Brain Theory

I'm creative and he's analytical!

Have you ever thought why some people can paint beautifully, but have difficulty adding two and
two? Or why some people can understand the intricacies of calculus effortlessly, but struggle to write a
one-page essay?

It's all about which side of your brain dominates - the left or the right.

The human brain is bifurcated down the middle into two parts, popularly known as the left brain
and right brain respectively. We know that different parts of the brain control different bodily and mental
functions.

Over the years, a theory that has gained in popularity is that the right brain and the left brain are
responsible for different modes of thought and that the way in which a person thinks will depend on
which side of his brain predominates.

People who rely more heavily on the right half of their brain tend to be more imaginative and
intuitive. They see things as a whole and are interested in patterns, shapes and sizes. The right brain is
associated with artistic ability like singing, painting, writing poetry, etc.

Left-brain dominated people may find their thought processes vague and difficult to follow, for
they are quite opposite in the way they think. Left-brain dominated people tend to be more logical and
analytical in their thinking and usually excel at mathematics and word skills.

But this does not mean that a person who is left or right brain dominated does not use the other
part of his brain. For most people, the two parts of the brain work in tandem to enable them to function as
well-rounded personalities.

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 Look at the table to differentiate the special characteristics of left brain and right brain.

Processing Questions:

1. Based on your readings about left brain and right brain theory and its specializations, how do
you consider yourself? Why do you say so?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. What do you think is the relevance of understanding these theory on your skills on writing?
Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. What type of brain is useful in creative writing? Is it left brain, right brain or both? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What is a good writing?

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 • Often is in the eye of the beholder (or teacher)
• Depends upon the intended audience
– Letter to Mom vs. letter to the President
– Mr. King vs. a friend
• Varies with the mode of writing in question
– Short story vs. epic poetry
– Persuasive essay vs. research report

In short: There are as many definitions of “good” writing as there are forms of writing

1. Ideas

- The focal point of writing – why read if the work has nothing to say?
- Not necessarily something earth-shatteringly original (though originality is
good)
- Consistency of ideas also important – everything said should contribute to the
overarching idea or theme of the work

2. Organization

- Content should “flow” in a logical manner

- Structured conversation, not rambling
- Manner of organization should contribute to the overall aim of the work

3. Voice

- Writing style
- Distinguishes YOUR writing from everyone else’s
- Bland, third-person detached writing lacks a solid voice

4. Sentence Fluency

- Sentences are complex and demonstrate high aptitude for the English
language
- Easy to read, sound natural
- That dreaded “flow” again

5. Word Choice

- A variety of words are used

- Words are appropriate to the context of the work
- Challenging words based on writer’s level of ability
- Words “move” the reader based on the authorial purpose (i.e. forceful words in a
persuasive essay, etc.)

6. Conventions

- Writing follows proper conventions of language

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 - Spelling
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Appropriateness of conventions depends on audience and authorial purpose

7. Presentation

- Make it look GOOD!

- Follow formatting guidelines of publication or instructor
- Looks aren’t everything, but they are important

Task 4
Directions: Watch the video clip about the Simple trick to improve creative writing skills and
complete the table below. Refer to the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vun9FUHjZNU

A.
Tips or Skills Description/s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
B. Which do you think are the top three best key concepts helps in building an effective or good
writing? Discuss each.

1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

C. Read and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the link:
https://department.monm.edu/cata/mcgaan/classes/cata339/audience-analysis101.htm

1. What is audience analysis?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. When to analyze audience?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. How to analyze audience?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the three phases of audience analysis? Describe each.

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 ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

ELABORAT
E
Activity 1: Based on your readings and understanding about the basics and introduction to
creative writing, create a graphic organizer or infographics showing the basic concepts, types, forms of
creative writing.

You will be assessed using the rubric for Graphic Organizer or Infographic about Introduction to
Literature.

Activity 2: Using Venn diagram, compare and contrast Creative writing from non-creative
writing.

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 Activity 3: Choose a sample text or product of creative writing that you are familiar with and
analyze the text by answering the questions below:

Title of the text: _________________________________________

Author: ________________________________________
Genre: _______________________________________
Form of writing: _______________________________

1. What makes the text special for you?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What are the characteristics of effective writing that are evident in the text? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. Do you considered the text creative? Why or why not?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

EVALUATE

A. Directions: Read and answer the following questions. Write your answer on the space
provided.

1. Which of the following is not a branch of creative writing?

a. Essay b. Thesis c. Poetry d. Fiction

2. Creative writing is a way to...

a. Vent your emotion c. Waste time
b. Create literary masterpieces d. none of the above

3. Creative Non Fiction is also called...

a. Essay b. Fiction c. Poetry d. Novel

4. Writing is a process of constant revision.

a. True b. False

5. Writers write to earn money.

a. True b. False

6. Diaries are form of personal essays.

a. True b. False

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 7. This is the process of furnishing a written output and correct their grammatical lapses and
loopholes.
a. Editing b. Revising c. Postering d. Finalizing

8. Feature writing is a form of...

a. Poetry b. Creative non-fiction c. Fiction d. Novel

9. Technical Writing is a form of creative writing

a. True b. False

10. Creative writing is similar to technical writing.

a. True b. False

Reflective Activity
A. Directions: Complete each open-ended statement about your experience in the module.

1. What insights have you learned from the module?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. How would you use those insights as a future teacher?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. Is studying creative writing important to you as a learner and as a future teacher? Why or
why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

REFERENC
ES
Anderson, L. (2006). Creative writing. The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keyness.

Brainard, C. (2009). Fundamentals of creative writing. Quezon City: ANVIL Publishing.

Harper, G. & Kroll, J. eds. (2008). Creative writing studies: Practice, Research, and Pedagogy. Clevedon:
Multilingual Matter Ltd.

King, J. (2002). Success in writing. World Link Marketing Corporation.

Ungria, R. (2010). Modules on literature: Appreciation of sounds.

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Yap-Patron, I. (2010). Interactive reading. Responding to and writing about literature. Quezon City: Great
Books Trading.

ADDITIONAL
MATERIALS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvAZZoK7_lQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vun9FUHjZNU

https://department.monm.edu/cata/mcgaan/classes/cata339/audience-analysis101.htm

PREPARED BY:

Ryan Romnick B. Sanchez

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