CREATIVE WRITING

Lesson 1: Various Elements, Techniques and Literary Devices of Drama

Drama also known as a play, is a form of literature written intentionally for theatrical
performance. It is usually fictional and most of its parts are consisted of scripted dialogues, or only
the acting in some cases, between characters intended to be performed.
What is Drama?

Drama comes from the Greek Word, “Dran” which means “To do” or “To Act”. Doing/Acting
makes drama. It is the presentation of actions on a stage through actors/actress before an audience.
Like a short story or novel, it has a setting, characters, plot, and even symbolism.

What Makes Drama Unique?

▪ Drama has one characteristic peculiar to itself—it is written primarily to be performed, not
read.
▪ A literary composition involving conflict, action crisis and atmosphere designed to be acted
by players on a stage before an audience.
▪ Its origin is from Greece around 500 B.C.

A Brief History of Drama

A. The Greek Theatre

▪ It is a theatrical tradition that flourished in ancient Greece between 550 and 220 B.C.
in Athens.
▪ Athens was the center of ancient Greek theatre.
▪ Tragedy- late 6th century
▪ Comedy- ~ 486 B.C.
▪ Satyr
▪ Designed to worship gods and goddesses specifically Bacchus and Dionysus
▪ In 534 B.C. a contest was won by Thespis in Athens. He is the first recorded winner of
this contest.
▪ Thespis- first actor
▪ Thespians- actors
B. Decline of Drama
▪ It went into a period of decline around 400 A.D. (Roman Empire) due to the power of
Christians.
▪ Acting has been deemed at times to be unchristian, idolatrous and depraved or worse,
boring.
▪ Actors have frequently been seen to be one of the humbler classes and only towards the
end of the 19th century did their status improve.
C. Medieval Drama
▪ Revival of Drama (A.D. 900-1500)
▪ It was a new creation rather than a rebirth. The drama of earlier times have almost no
influence on it.
▪ Reason: oppose from the Christians
▪ The Christian church revived drama to teach religion.
▪ Miracle plays- lives of saints
▪ Morality plays- being good/ moral
▪ Mystery plays- life of Christ
▪ Most plays were about the lives of saints and/ or bible stories.
D. Renaissance Drama
▪ Ruler: Elizabeth I
▪ It is an English dram written before the reformation and the closure of theatres in 1642.
▪ It may also be called early modern English theatre or (misaccurately) Elizabethan
theatre.
▪ It includes the dram of William Shakespeare, the most notable playwright during this
period.
▪ One distinctive feature of the companies that put on Elizabethan plays was that they
included only males.
Classifications of Drama

1. Comedy- a form of drama that has a happy ending. Humor comes from the dialogue and
situations.

2. Tragedy - is a form of drama in which events lead to the downfall of the main character, often
a person of great significance, like a king or hero.
▪ It is a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a
superior force
▪ Sorrowful or disastrous ending that elicits pity or terror
3. Farce- Light dramatic composition broadly by satirical comedy/ humorous
4. Melodrama- A work characterized by extravagant theatricality/ Predominance of plot and
physical action over characterization
5. Fantasy- Imaginative fiction/ Strange settings and grotesque characters
6. Musical- Film or theatrical production typically or a sentimental humorous nature that
consists of musical numbers and dialogue based on a unifying plot

Elements of Drama

I. Literary Elements
a. Plot refers to the action; the basic storyline of the play.
▪ Linear plot- events are arranged chronologically (Exposition to Resolution)
▪ Modular/ Episodic
b. Theme refers to the message that is intended to be expressed through the story. In other
words, it is the main idea or the lesson to be learned from the play.
c. Characters and Actors- the people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors.
▪ Characterization is the way the playwright/author presents a character.
Types of Character
▪ Protagonist is the main character of a story.
▪ Antagonist is the opposite of a Protagonist. Usually, the villain or opponent of the
main character
▪ Round characters are complex and undergo development.
▪ Flat characters are relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the whole
story.
d. Dialogue refers to words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in the
play. It is the conversation between two or more characters is referred to as dialogue
(usually the majority of speech in plays consists of dialogue).
Forms of Dialogue
▪ Monologue is when one character delivers a speech to convey his or her thoughts,
although other characters may remain on stage in scene.
▪ Soliloquy is a speech made by one character but delivered when he or she is alone
on stage/ similar to a monologue
e. Music/Rhythm- referring to the rhythm of the actors’ voice as they speak
II. Technical Elements
a. Scene (Set) refers to the theatrical equipment
b. Costumes refers to clothing and accessories used by actors to portray characters
c. Properties any movable object that appears on stage
d. Sound refers to the effects an audience hears during the performance
e. Lights
f. Makeup includes costumes, wigs, and body paints used to transform characters
III. Other Elements
a. Playwright-the author of a play (script)
b. Script- the written pages of a play. Scripts are divided into Acts and Scenes.
▪ Acts- long sections of a play, made up of multiple scenes, usually designed to
separate the play into its main parts and to give the audience a “break” from the
performance.
▪ Scenes- shorter sections of a play, usually each scene occurs in one location at a
specific time. Multiple scenes make up an act. It is often signaled by the entrance or
exit of a character or change in setting or focus of the action.
 c. Setting - the place, together with other conditions, such as time and the environment,
involved in which the events occur. The setting in the drama can be presented through the
visual element deals with the scenes, costumes and special effects used in it. The setting
can as well be enhanced by using viewable elements, sound effects, and music.
d. Conflict - the internal or external struggle that creates dramatic tension.
▪ Internal Conflict -Person vs Self
▪ External Conflict -Person vs. Fate/God Person vs. Person, Person vs Society, Person
vs. Nature, Person vs. Supernatural, Person vs. Technology

Techniques in Drama
1. Vocal Dynamics – actors need to expand their vocal toolbox and learn about the ways that
range, pitch, and pronunciation which affect performance
2. Body Language and Mannerisms - actors bring their characters to life by moving, reacting, and
even standing in nuanced ways that are natural for their character.
3. Use and Awareness of Space - actors need to be aware not just of your “marks” on stage, but
also of the actors who must interact with or move past you
4. Improvisational Techniques refers to the on-the-spot creativity of the actors.

Common Literary Devices Used in Drama

1. Figures of speech – words that goes beyond its literal meaning (metaphor, simile, hyperbole,
synecdoche, metonymy, apostrophe, etc.)
2. Imagery - the author’s attempt to create a mental picture in the mind of the reader. It appeals
to the senses.
3. Symbolism - when an object is meant to be representative of something or an idea greater than
the object itself or it is the frequent use of words, places, characters, or objects that mean
something beyond what they are on a literal level.
4. Dramatic Irony – involves the reader (or audience) knowing something about what's happening
in the plot, about which the character(s) have no knowledge.
5. Foreshadowing refers to the use of indicative words/phrases and hints that set the stage for a
story to unfold and give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing
the story or spoiling the suspense. It is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story.
6. Backstory- It is the history relating to the characters or plot, something that happened before
the novel begins. It is a character’s past experiences, events, and relationships that shape his/
her personality, motivations, and actions in the present.
 Lesson 2: Understanding Intertextuality as a Technique of Drama

Intertextuality is the interconnection between similar or related works of literature that reflect
and influence a reader’s interpretation of the text. It is a literary device that creates an
interrelationship between texts and generates related understanding in separate works. The term
“Intertextuality” was developed in 1966 by the French semiotician Julia Kristeva. She created the
term from the Latin word “intertexto” which means to intermingle while weaving.

Kristeva developed the term in order to synthesize Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotics – the
study of how signs derive their meaning within the structure of a text; and Mikhail Bakhtin’s
dialogism – theory which suggests a continual dialogue with other works of literature and other
authors, and his examination of the multiple meanings in each text (especially novels) and in each
word (heteroglossia).
Kristeva argued that all works of literature being produced contemporarily are intertextual with
the works that came before it. As she stated, “Any text is constructed of a mosaic of quotations; any
text is the absorption and transformation of another.”
In a nutshell, intertextuality is a literary discourse strategy utilized by writers in novels,
poetry, theater and even in non-written texts (such as performances and digital media). Examples of
intertextuality are an author's borrowing and transformation of a prior text, and a reader's referencing
of one text in reading another.

INTERTEXTUAL FIGURES

1. Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is

referred to covertly or indirectly. If the allusion is explicitly stated (as opposed to indirectly
implied), it is usually termed a reference.
Example: He was lying so obviously; you could almost see his nose growing.
2. Quotation is the repetition of one expression as part of another one, particularly when the
quoted expression is well-known or explicitly attributed by citation to its original source, and
it is indicated by quotation marks.
3. A calque or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal,
word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, to “calque” means to borrow
a word or phrase from another language while translating its components, so as to create a
new lexeme in the target language.
4. Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an
equivalent target-language text.
5. A parody (also called spoof or lampoon) is a work created to imitate, make fun of, or comment
on an original work – its subject, author, style, or some other target- by means of satiric or
ironic imitation.
6. Unlike parody, pastiche celebrates rather than mocks, the work it imitates. The word pastiche
is a French cognate of the Italian noun pasticcio, which is is a pie filling mixed from diverse
ingredients.
7. Appropriation is a reworking or re-imagination of a well-known text, to change or extend its
meaning. For example, Marcel Duchamp’s artwork, L.H.O.O.Q. is an appropriation of Da
Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Duchamp took an image of the painting and drew a moustache on it.
8. Adaptation- A film, TV, drama or stage play is based on a written work. For example, J.K.
Rowling’s Harry Potter has a film adaptation.
What Is a One-Act Play?

A one-act play is usually between 10-40 pages long, and is often called a “tenner” because of
the short length. It has one location, set over a period of no more than one day, and has one central
plot.

A one- act play usually will have four or fewer characters that are developed in varying degrees.
Depending on the story you are trying to tell, there may be one or more main characters.
In some short plays, the roles are balanced equally; in others, some roles may only have a few
lines. Even though your play is short, you should have a clear idea of who your characters are, what
they want, and how they will try to get what they want.
 The most important element to any play is conflict. This does not necessarily mean fighting or
arguing. A man being sad about throwing away his baby blanket is in conflict with himself. Equally,
two people trying to decide what couch to buy is also a conflict. Conflicts are essential to give a scene
and a play life.

One-Act plays should:

1) be set in a single location

2) be set over a period of no more than one day

3) have one central plot

4) have four or fewer characters

5) have conflict that is resolved by the end

6) develop characters primarily through dialogue

7) not rely on the use of a narrator (instead, dramatize everything)

8) be a complete, compact drama, with a beginning, middle and end

9) follow the standard format of a short story (linear plot).

Story Development Tips

1. Create a world that's true to real life or fantastical or that mixes the mundane with the magical.
But whatever set of rules you create for that world, make sure you follow them.
2. Write a conflict that builds as the play progresses. As you structure the conflict, think in terms of
your play having a beginning, a middle and an end.

3. Write characters that want something (which puts them in conflict with other characters) and try
to get what they want at every moment.

4. Make sure that each character has something at stake, a consequence if he doesn't get what he
wants.

5. Create a "ticking clock" that puts the characters under pressure to get what they want right away.
6. Make sure there is a good reason, an "event," for your play. It's not enough for two characters to
sit around and talk for a while and then leave. There needs to be some important reason why we're
watching them now, at this particular moment.
7. Write dialogue that illuminates your characters and advances the plot at the same time.

8. Make each character speak in a distinctive voice. If you have trouble with that, try imagining a
specific actor you know - even if it's someone who will never play the part - in the role.
9. Do not have a character tell us something she can show us instead. For example, it's much more
effective to hide under the bed than to say "I'm afraid."

10. Give each character a "moment," something that justifies the character's existence in your play
and that makes him attractive for an actor to play.

Lesson 3: Exploring Different Staging Modalities Vis- a –Vis Envisioning the Script
Staging is the process of picking out, designing, changing or adjusting the spaces for the
performance for a play or a movie. This does not refer only to the stage but it includes everything
that you do in order to bring the drama to life.
It includes:

❑ Blocking, stage business, scenic background, props and costumes, lighting and sound effects

❑ Stage set, set dressing

It involves:
Different Stages

1. Proscenium theater- the audience can view the

performance through the fourth wall or picture
frame. This means that the house or the
audience can see the actors and actresses on
the stage from a single view. In this type of
stage, the audience feels disconnected from the
actions but it is easy to stage your work in this
space.

2. Arena stage- the audience can view the

performance from all sides. This is also called
theater-in-the- round.

3. Thrust stage- the audience can view the

performance in three sides, in this stage , the
audience feels being part of the actions and
there is an intimate atmosphere created. The
performers can utilize the backstage.

4. Traverse stage – the audience is in two sides of

the stage and are facing each other. They can see
the work that happens on both sides but may see
entirely different shows.

5. Experimental stage- this is also known as an informal stage or promenade theater. The
performance can be done in front of the store, in the forest, supermarket, beach and others or
indoor. The world is your stage as they say.

Stage Directions
▪ Precise language about the parts of the stage and directional movements
▪ Proscenium and thrust have that stage divided into 9 quadrants
▪ Arena uses the areas of a clock
 ▪ The nine positions on a stage below are from the performer’s perspective on a proscenium
stage.

a. Upstage - this means away from the stage front. In the proscenium stage, this usually serves
as the entrance or exit of the performers. It is where crosses or counter crosses of the actors
and actresses take place.
b. Center stage- the center of the playing area
c. Downstage- the area closest to the audience, when a character is placed in this area, this
leaves the impression that he/she is an important character.
Note: downstage and upstage cannot be used in other types of stages but proscenium only.
Body Positions

▪ 8 different body positions at different levels which

create different pictures
▪ Ex: sitting, kneeling, laying, on a platform, on
shoulders, etc.

Blocking

▪ Involves body language of the actors

▪ The planned physical motions of actors that aid the storyline, convey the subtext of the
dialogue and help to focus the audience’s attention
▪ A collaborative process between the director and the actors that emphasizes what the
characters might naturally do in any given situation

Cheat Out

▪ A common theatre term said to actors to remind them to open up to the audience even if it
doesn’t seem natural.

The Script and other Influencing Circumstances on Staging a Play

1. Scenery- includes any non-costume visual element used in support of a production. This is
any nonpermanent two- or three-dimensional background or environmental element that is
placed on the stage so as to suggest the historical period, locale, and mood of the play being
performed. This relies on your imagination and interpretation of the script.
2. Script - is a form of writing in the form of drama. It consists of dialogues and information about
the characters like their age, occupation and the relationship of the characters.
3. Dialogues- are what the characters say to each other. This is central to a good drama. To make
it sound realistic, you need to read it aloud yourself.
4. Structure - the order that action and scenes are placed for dramatic effect. This can be linear
and non-linear. When events in the play run from beginning to end or in chronological order,
you have a linear structure. When events unfold from the present to the past or flashback, you
have a non-linear structure. Reading and understanding the script is vital to know in which
manner the events of the play happen.
5. Set- this is the scenery and the furniture on stage. You can choose between elaborate and
minimalist set. The current trend, however, is the minimalist set.
 6. Props- are the items held or used by actors/actresses onstage to make the action more realistic.
When staging a drama always think of what is necessary. Too many props can be very difficult
for the performers to use and as they are to be brought on stage and off stage, they can slow
down the action.
7. Transition and Flow- this the movement from one scene to another. A messy transition like
interrupting the actions for costume change or to rearrange the set ruins the attention of the
audience.
8. Proxemics and Levels-this is how the characters are on a stage. The distance or level between
character/actors shows their relationships and feelings and give clues of the situation or the
people within the situation at that moment. For instance, when characters stand close to each
other, this gives the impression that they have intimate relationship. If they are apart, you
show the idea that they must be strangers or no longer speaking to each other.
9. Costume- special kind of clothing's on the body of the characters on stage to help in the
dramatic action and the interpretation of the script contents. They can be every day clothes or
symbolical ones. You can add accessories such as masks, walking sticks, necklaces and
others.
10. Blocking- is not just the movement of the performers on a stage but this also reveals the
relationship of the actors and actresses between each other and one and another. This
communicates your interpretation of the key points of the story in your script.
11. Audience awareness- along with interpreting the script, it is important to think of who the
audience is. This is a group of individuals gathered together at a certain period and place for
without any other purposes but to see the performance.

Lesson 4: Creating a Literary Online Portfolio Using Multimedia Forms

Multimedia is a form of communication that combines different content such as text, audio,
images, animations, or video into a single presentation.
The combination of different communicative elements such as text, images, animations, or
video into a specific presentation is called as multimedia.

Here are the basic concepts about multimedia:

Multimedia presentations can be downloaded or streamed. One can view it on stage,
projected, transmitted or played with a media player. These are characterized as analog or digital
electronic media technology.
Multimedia categories:
1. Linear active content is not dependent on the control of the viewer. An example of this is a movie
presentation.

2.Non-linear is dependent to the control of the viewer like video game or computer- based training
Hypertext Literature:

People are good in reading. With the vast changes brought by technology, everything becomes
readily available with a single click. That includes your favorite literary pieces.
Hypertext attempts to share control of literature with the reader. A reader can click through
a document without conforming to any linear order the person who created the hypertext document
might have intended. The key creative problem in building literary hypertexts is delivering a
satisfactory reading experience, including tension and closure. The hypertext way of experiencing and
describing events in art is everywhere. It is an excellent way of organizing principle for many kinds of
information but attempts to capture the accumulating narrative of fiction don't work well on the Web.
Hypertext Literature allows readers create their own narrative and connections, regardless
of the order in which the screens are presented. Every time a person reads it, it's a different story.
The reader gets to make the decision as to when the story is over.
Things to Consider in Making Blog:

According to Thompson (2020), there are several ways on how to enhance your blog.
1. Know your audience. Before you start writing, it’s crucial that you know who your audience
is, and what they are looking for. Instead of guessing what your audience needs or wants, try
to make data-driven decisions by doing industry research and competitor analysis.
▪ KeywordTool.io: This is a free tool that you can use to see what some of the most popular
keywords searched by users in your industry are.
▪ Twitter Advanced Search: Simply type your keyword and select the filter “questions” and it will
show you all the questions that folks in your industry are asking.
▪ Quora: A great resource to find questions folks in your industry are asking.
▪ SEMRush: Although it’s a paid tool, it works extremely well and allows you to spy on your
competitors and steal their best ideas.
2. Write captivating headlines. If you don’t have a compelling headline, then there’s a very good
chance that your blog post will not be read or shared. As humans, we are shallow. We judge a
book by its cover and a blog post by its title. That is why your blog post title is crucial for the
success of that article.
3. Add subheadings and shorter paragraphs to break up the page. Formatting is super
important for blog posts. There’s nothing worse than reading a blog post that is just one giant
paragraph. Most of the time people skim through the content before they actually decide to
read it, so it is recommended to break up your article with subheadings. Anything you can do
to make it easy on the user’s eyes is going to help your audience read your blog post (and take
the action that you want them to).
4. Use bullets. People tend to skim blog posts before they decide to read it. That means you need
to make sure to highlight your best information. That way, they can quickly see that your post
is worth their time. Bullet points are an excellent way to spoon-feed your audience in a way
that keeps them coming back for more.
5. Add images. The human brain processes visual content a lot faster than text based content.
That’s why adding captivating images can help boost your engagement. Take your own photos
or create your own images.