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CREATIVE WRITING

MODULE 01 / Week 01 / 1st Quarter

INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING

Definition and Characteristics of Creative Writing

Learning Competency
Use imagery, diction, figures of speech, and specific experiences to evoke meaningful
responses from readers (HUMSS_CW/MP11/12-Ia-b-4).

Objective
At the end of the lesson, the students shall have been able to:
a. Define and characterize Creative Writing

Let’s Recall

"Writing" is the process of using symbols (letters of the alphabet, punctuation and spaces)
to communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form. Merriam-Webster defined writing as an
act or art of forming visible letters or characters that serve as visible signs of ideas, words, or
symbols in order to compose a letter, note, or notice used to communicate or record information
or idea. Writing is the fourth language skill we may acquire in our native language along with
listening, speaking, reading and viewing. To write clearly, it is essential to understand the basic
system of a language. In English, this includes knowledge of grammar, punctuation and sentence
structure. Vocabulary is as necessary as the correct spelling and formatting.
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/writing)

Directions: Try to recall some basic ideas that you already know or remember about writing as
one of the basic macro skills in language. You may write down words or phrases you can associate
with the following questions related to writing. Write your answers on the spaces provided below
each key word.

1. What are the writing activities you usually do?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is writing important?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are the basic skills in writing?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s Understand

Defining Creative Writing

Creative Writing is the artistic expression through written word. It is used to express the
writer’s idea and emotions in an artistic manner. Unlike other forms of writing, it uses a language
that aims to entertain and captivate the audience. It is any writing that goes outside the bounds of
normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by
an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with
various traditions of poetry and poetics. (https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/creative_writing)
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Generally, Creative Writing is considered to be any written literary piece such as fiction,
poetry, or non-fiction which displays imagination or invention. It basically goes outside the bounds
of or is often contrasted with normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of
literature.

Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative Writing is characterized by the techniques used in the various forms of literary
compositions. These techniques likewise describe a well-crafted literary work written by notable
writers from the imaginative creativity of the poets in expressing deep emotions through poetry, the
intelligent sequencing of events narrated by short story writers and novelists, and the spectacular
exposition of extravagant performance visualized by playwrights on a stage play or drama or
scriptwriters in cinema and digital films.

1. Character Development. One of the most important elements of any literary piece is the
characters. These are the personified individuals who moves and makes the story more relatable to
the readers through their actions and emotions based on how they represent a significant part in the
story. In literature, character development is the craft of giving a character a personality, depth, and
motivations that propel them through a story. It is also defined as how a character evolves throughout
the course of a story.

2. Plot Development. Plot development is the unfolding of a story. It is considered the basic engine
of a story, that which dictates the actions of the characters and, hopefully, offers a satisfactory
solution for the reader. A story must have a beginning, middle and an end. Plots can take a long time
to work out, and the twists may develop naturally or as a last attempt to make a dull part more
intriguing.

3. Vivid Setting. Setting is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It’s a literary element
of literature used in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and usually introduced during the
exposition (beginning) of the story, along with the characters. The setting may also include the
environment of the story, which can be made up of the physical location, climate, weather, or social
and cultural surroundings.

4. Underlying Theme. One of the first questions to ask upon hearing someone has written a story
is, “What’s it about?” or “What’s the point?” Short answers may range from love to betrayal or from
the coming of age to the haziness of memory. The central idea, topic, or point of a story, essay, or
narrative is its theme.
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5. Point of View. Point of view (POV) is what the character or narrator telling the story can see (his
or her perspective). The author chooses “who” to tell the story by determining the point of view.
Depending on who the narrator is, he/she will be standing at one point and seeing the action. This
viewpoint will give the narrator a partial or whole view of events as they happen. Many stories have
the protagonist telling the story, while in others, the narrator may be another character or an outside
viewer, a narrator who is not in the story at all. The narrator should not be confused with the author,
who is the writer of the story and whose opinions may not be those written into the narrative.

6. Dialogue. Dialogue (pronounced die-a-log) means “conversation.” In the broadest sense, this
includes any case of two or more characters speaking to each other directly. But it also has a narrower
definition, called the dialogue form. The dialogue form is the use of a sustained dialogue to express
an argument or idea. This article will focus more on the narrower definition, since this definition is
generally less familiar to people than the more general one.

7. Heavy Description. Description is one of the three key elements in fiction, along with narrative
and dialogue, which brings your story to life. It is the lifeblood of the writer’s role as storyteller. It
means a writer must involve the reader at every level, and he or she can do that through the medium
of description. Description creates a vivid picture for the reader, it allows them to open a gateway to
the writer’s story and imagine themselves within the fictional world the writer has created.
Descriptions that incorporate sensory stimulation help the reader to transport themselves from real
life to the character’s story. This is where the power of a writer’s observation and imagination mix
with amazing results.

8. Emotional Appeal. Emotional appeal is used to sway the emotions of the readers to make them
support the writer’s argument. It is a means of persuading the reader by appealing to their emotions,
and emotional (connotative) language is an important factor. In literature, it is referred to as Pathos,
which means the involvement of emotional or motivational appeals used to support a claim.

9. Figures of Speech. A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language

that has other meaning than its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied
or suggested meaning, rather than a dictionary definition. Figures of speech are words or phrases
conveying a meaning of something that is different from its literal meaning designed to further elicit
a concept.

10. Anecdotes. An anecdote is a very short story that is significant to the topic at hand; usually
adding personal knowledge or experience to the topic. Basically, anecdotes are stories. Like many
stories, anecdotes are most often told through speech; they are spoken rather than written down. The
term “anecdote” originally comes from the Greek phrase meaning “things unpublished.”

11. Imaginative Language. Imaginative language is the language of the imagination, contrived to
create thought through its appeal to the imagination. It aims to create images in the mind which are
often referred to as "word pictures” which appeal to our senses and our emotions. It aims to use
language creatively by producing images of characters, settings and situations. The language of
imagination uses vivid detailed description that appeals to the senses, emotive vocabulary, strong
verbs, adjectives, adverbs and figures of speech. (https://literaryterms.net)

Let’s Analyze
Directions: Identify the characteristics of Creative Writing based on the stated descriptions.
Choose the best answer from the options below. Write your answer on the space provided before
each number.

a. Character Development e. Plot Development i. Dialogue

b. Vivid Setting f. Underlying Theme j. Anecdotes
c. Heavy Description g. Emotional Appeal k. Point of View
d. Figures of Speech h. Imaginative Language

___ 1. Exposition, Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Complication, Climax, Reversal, Falling Action,
Resolution, Denouement
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___ 2. They say she was deranged, brought by the loss of her two sons. A mother scorned, tormented by
the beatings of her drunkard, womanizing husband. She was laughing and sobbing while singing a lullaby.
Dressed in rugged, torn and dirty robe.

___ 3. Once upon a time in a land faraway, there lived a princess in a tall cobblestone tower.

___ 4. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at this miserable man, in a wheelchair, unable to use his
legs. Could such a man really be guilty of embezzlement?

___ 5. I heard a gunshot that silenced her loud scream. I wish I could stop him but he has taken over me. I
tried to take control but the more I resist, the more he consumes me.

Let’s Apply
Directions: Complete the information being asked in the concept map below by writing down some
words or phrases which you could use in defining and characterizing Creative Writing. Write your
answers on the space provided. The first one is done for you.

Let’s Try
Directions: Test your knowledge by answering the following questions. Choose the best answer by
writing the letter on the space before each number.

_____1. "Never take a learning opportunity away from another student, no matter how smart you need everyone
to think you are."
A. Dialogue C. Anecdotes
B. Underlying Theme D. Emotional Appeal

_____2. “Think carefully, everything after this moment will not only determine your career but life. You can spend
it in a corporate office drafting contracts and hitting on chubby paralegals before finally putting a gun in your
mouth or you can join my firm and become someone you actually like. So decide, do you want the job or not?”
A. Underlying Theme C. Point of View
B. Emotional Appeal D. Character Development

____3. The following statements pertain to Creative Writing EXCEPT—

1. It primary aims to educate and inform the audience or readers.
2. It is the artistic expression through written word.
3. It is used to express the writer’s idea and emotions in an artistic manner.
4. It typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary devices.
5. It goes outside the bounds of or is often contrasted with normal professional, journalistic, academic, and
technical forms of literature.
A. 1 and 3 C. 3 and 4
B. 2 and 4 D. 2 and 5

___4. Creative Writing uses imaginative language. Which of the following explains imaginative language as “word
pictures?”
A. Imaginative language is the language of the imagination.
B. Imaginative language is contrived to create thought through its appeal to the imagination.
C. Imaginative language creates images in the mind which appeal to our senses and our emotions.
D. Imaginative language uses vivid detailed description such as strong verbs, adjectives, adverbs and
figures of speech.
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___5. Character development is an integral part of any literary masterpiece. Which of the following characters
do you think evolved interestingly well in their stories?
A. Juan Tamad C. Mighty Thor
B. Bella Swan D. Winnie the Pooh

Let’s Create
*Goal: You are to compose an essay about the significance of learning Creative Writing.
*Role: You will be an essayist.
*Audience: Your audience will be your learning facilitator and teacher. Your work may also be
read by your fellow students.
*Situation: You may choose one from any of the two given topics below which focuses on the significance of
learning Creative Writing. It is hoped that the basic knowledge you have learned from this module would be
able to help you in conceptualizing the importance of learning Creative Writing for you as a senior high school
student.
1. Why is it necessary to include Creative Writing as part of the academic curriculum in SHS?
2. How relevant is creative writing in understanding the present condition of the society?
*Product Performance: Compose a three-paragraph essay about your chosen topic. The essay should have an
enticing introduction in the first paragraph, a body with supporting details to justify the main idea of your
essay, and a remarkable conclusion. To be written in a short bond paper with 1 ½ inch left margin and 1 inch
margin on the top, right and bottom parts. No erasures, either printed or cursive using upper and lower case
letters legibly with proper indention and single spacing.
*Standards: Your work shall be scored as follows:

Inadequate 1-3pts.
Criteria
(Below Standard)
Organization Writing lacks logical
organization. It shows some
coherence but ideas lack
unity. Serious errors.
Content Shows some thinking and
reasoning but most ideas are
underdeveloped and
unoriginal.
Development Main points lack detailed
development. Ideas are vague
with little evidence of critical
thinking.
Spelling, punctuation, and
grammatical errors create
Grammar & distraction, making reading
Mechanics difficult; fragments, comma
splices, run-ons evident.
Errors are frequent.
Style Mostly in elementary form
with little or no variety in
sentence structure, diction,
rhetorical devices or
emphasis.
Adequate 4-6pts. Above Average 7-8pts. Exemplary 9-10 pts.
(Meets Standard) (Exceeds Standard) (Far Exceeds Standard)
Writing is coherent and Writing is coherent and Writing shows high degree of
logically organized. logically organized. Some attention to logic and
Some points remain points remain misplaced reasoning of points. Unity
misplaced and stray and stray from the topic. clearly leads the reader to
from the topic. Transitions evident but the conclusion and stirs
Transitions evident but not used throughout thought regarding the topic.
not used throughout essay.
essay.
Content indicates Content indicates Content indicates synthesis
thinking and reasoning original thinking and of ideas, in-depth analysis
applied with original develops ideas with and evidences original
thought on a few ideas. sufficient and firm thought and support for the
evidence. topic.
Main points are present Main points well Main points well developed
with limited detail and developed with quality with high quality and
development. Some supporting details and quantity support. Reveals
critical thinking is quantity. Critical high degree of critical
present. thinking is weaved into thinking.
points.
Most spelling, Essay has few spelling,
Essay is free of distracting
punctuation, and punctuation, and
spelling, punctuation, and
grammar correct grammatical errors
grammatical errors; absent
allowing reader to allowing reader to follow
of fragments, comma splices,
progress though essay. ideas clearly. Very few
and run-ons.
Some errors remain. fragments or run-ons.
Mostly in elementary Attains college level Shows outstanding style
form with little or no style; tone is appropriate going beyond usual college
variety in sentence and rhetorical devices level; rhetorical devices and
structure, diction, used to enhance content; tone used effectively;
rhetorical devices or sentence variety used creative use of sentence
emphasis. effectively. structure and coordination.

Format Fails to follow format and
assignment requirements;
incorrect margins, spacing and
indentation; neatness of essay
needs attention.
Meets format and Meets format and Meets all formal and
assignment assignment assignment requirements
requirements; generally requirements; margins, and evidences attention to
correct margins, spacing, and detail; all margins, spacing
spacing, and indentations are correct; and indentations are
indentations; essay is essay is neat and correct; essay is neat and
neat but may have some correctly assembled. correctly assembled with
assembly errors. professional look.