Creative Writing Folio

1. ITS VALUE

The Creative Writing Folio is worth 30% of your overall award—so it's important to take it very seriously.

2. WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

You must show that you can write creatively in more than one genre by submitting for assessment two pieces of creative writing. The genres from which you can choose are

• reflective essay
• prose fiction
• poetry
• drama.

 

3. LENGTH

Other than poetry, where length should be appropriate to subject and form, each piece of creative writing should be at least 1000 words in length. You are required to indicate on the Creative Writing folio flyleaf the actual number of words used in each piece. You should also note that, although there is no prescribed maximum length, excessively lengthy pieces are usually self-penalising.

4. NUMBER OF PIECES YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT

There should really be no grounds for uncertainty or confusion about what is meant by “two pieces of creative writing”. It should be noted, however, that in Advanced Higher it is no longer possible to submit a group of poems, thematically related or otherwise. The requirement is for the submission of a “poem”. Whatever form the submission of poetry takes, therefore, it must display the constraining integrity of a single piece of work and be assessed accordingly. Similar restrictions apply to submissions in other genres: each submission, however constructed (a series of diary entries, an exchange of letters, different scenes in a play, a series of monologues), must represent a single "piece of creative writing".

5. PLAGIARISM

Always remember that to plagiarise is to cheat—and this could lead to your disqualification from any award. Markers are instructed to report all instances where plagiarism is suspected for further investigation (so be warned!).

6. UNDERSTANDING THE POTENTIAL OF EACH GENRE

The distinctive characteristics of the four specified forms of creative writing require close attention.

Reflective Essay

The reflective essay will:

• aim to interest or give pleasure, not, as a rule, information
• concern itself with, usually, a single idea, insight, experience
• be genuinely contemplative; its personal tone may be confidential, concerned, amused, indignant...
• communicate to the reader a clear sense of the writer’s personality
• not merely offer the product of reflection, but engage the reader in the process of reflection.

Although the form of writing within this genre is restricted to the essay, there is scope for a range of topics and a variety of treatments.

The subject of reflection could, for example, be:

• a person, a place, an object
• a condition, a situation, a relationship
• a mood, a memory, a feeling
• an image, an idea, an insight
• an issue, an activity, a theory, a belief.

Possible treatments could be:

• the impression of a mind exploring an idea
• an apparently random approach in the course of which insight is gained
• the development of an unobtrusive narrative framework as a convenient device through which issues and experiences are reflected upon.

Whatever the topic or the approach taken, the central feature of the reflective essay will be its reflective quality.

It follows from what has been said above that certain types of writing cannot be accepted as reflective essays; in particular

• writing that is mainly transactional or argumentative in effect
• writing that is clearly in some other imaginative writing form, such as fiction
• writing that is merely an account of personal history.

 

Prose Fiction

In prose fiction, the range of subject matter and themes open to the writer is limitless, and there is great scope here for different forms of writing. You may choose to produce, for example:

• a short story
• an extract, such as the opening, the conclusion or a key episode from an imaginary novel
• a focused piece of characterisation
• a monologue or dialogue
• a detailed description of an imaginary setting
• a series of diary entries
• an exchange of letters.

Whatever the subject matter or form chosen, you should note that the writing of fiction requires skill and control of the following features:

• a plot or clear narrative framework, centred on identifiable characters and leading to some kind of denouement
• a structure which shapes content and theme
• dialogue, imagery and symbolism
• a stance or tone, which, while not intrusive or obvious, demonstrates the writer’s command of the material.

The choice of subject matter may include:

• a person, a place, an object
• an event, a situation, a relationship
• a discovery, a choice, a dilemma
• a prejudice, a delusion, an obsession
• a memory, an image, an insight
• an experience, an issue, an activity.

Fiction is primarily a means of aesthetic expression. It should be borne in mind, however, that it can serve many other functions and purposes, for example:

• to entertain, amuse
• to raise awareness of an issue
• to satirise
• to comment on the human condition.

Fiction writing allows you to choose from a wide variety of possible treatments, including the innovative and the experimental. The chosen treatment will depend to a large extent on your distinctive aim and imaginative grasp of theme and topic.

Poetry

Of all the genres, poetry allows the greatest freedom of subject matter and approach. It should be stressed, however, that it also calls for the greatest discipline and control.

Writing poetry involves much more than randomly chopping up prose into lines. Poetry should be recognisably different from prose in, for example:

• its choice and arrangement of words, lines and verses/stanzas
• the often surprising connections it makes between words
• its often condensed and heightened use of language
• its greater use of figurative language
• its deployment of sound and rhythm
• its often unconventional syntax and patterning of ideas and images.

When writing poetry, you should bear in mind the following considerations:

• a poem should present its topic in a striking and original way
• whatever the range and variety of its references and detail, the theme of a poem should be focused and unified through its imagery and structural control
• the poem should contain a clear sense of the writer’s imaginative/emotional/intellectual involvement with the topic
• a poem should aim to engage the reader’s imaginative/emotional/intellectual responses as fully as possible
• none of a poem’s individual parts will seem unnecessary
• a poem’s overall effect will be aesthetically pleasing.

For the writer of poetry, the choice of topic is limitless. For example, a poem may deal with:

• a person, a place, an object
• a condition, a situation, a relationship
• a mood, a memory, a feeling
• an image, an idea, an insight
• an experience, an issue, an activity.

Careful thought should be given to the appropriateness of stance and tone in the treatment of the topic; this will determine the entire structure of the poem.

Poetry offers great variety of layout and formal presentation. For example:

• a traditional metrical scheme
• a more modern rhythmic arrangement
• a regular verse/stanza form
• a recognised poetic form such as the sonnet
• a structured patterning that is determined by the poem's subject matter
• a visual shaping of text that is designed to be representative or symbolic as, for example, concrete poetry.

 

Drama

For writers of drama there is an equally wide range of choices—of topic, approach and form. In creating a dramatic script, however, you must be able to demonstrate your understanding of the nature and potential of the genre. In particular, you should be able to:

• create characters who are credible, interesting and capable of provoking in the reader an intellectual and/or emotional response
• make effective use of dialogue—and other modes of communication (including non-verbal modes such as gesture, body-language)
• establish a setting in which, and a situation out of which, the drama will arise
• develop and communicate a recognisable theme, a centre of interest that will give point to the script
• produce a particular effect, mood or atmosphere
• demonstrate familiarity with the requirements of script layout and presentation
• convince the reader of the potential of the script for dramatic realisation in an appropriate medium, ensuring always that stage directions, technical effects and other production notes are directly linked to the action.

A dramatic script may prove an effective vehicle for the treatment of a wide range of topics:

• an event, a situation, a relationship
• an argument, a conflict, a misunderstanding
• a discovery, a choice, a dilemma
• a prejudice, a delusion, an obsession
• a mood, a memory, a feeling.

Among the many possible approaches are:

• a dramatic monologue
• an opening scene of a play
• a complete one-act play
• a play for radio
• a television sit-com
• a storyboard, a shooting script, a film-script
• a documentary drama.

7. THE STANDARDS REQUIRED

Use the marking instructions to help you to see clearly the difference between a piece of creative writing that is acceptable and will pass and one that would earn you top marks.

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