How to Write a Belonging Creative Piece

Students do struggle with the creative writing aspect too. And they do so for the following reasons: 1. They feel like they are totally uncreative - they dont know how to make up a story. !. They have an idea of what they want to write" #ut dont know how to go a#out it $how should it start?%. &. They dont know what makes a good creative writing piece. 'rafting up a creative writing piece on (elonging that you can prepare and take into the e)am is as important as the essay* +riting a creative piece on the spot,will -.T turn out well. /nless youre a creative writing genius. (ut even then" think of all the reknowned authors in the world 0 1m sure they had to write several drafts* So here is a guide to helping you to plan and ultimately write your (elonging creative piece.

1. What ideas about Belonging are you going to convey in your creative?
2irst of all" lets start with thinking a#out (elonging ideas" rather than the creative piece itself. 3ou should choose !-& ideas that you think you want to write a#out or that you find the most interesting. 1f youre unsure a#out what ideas a#out (elonging there are 0 4ust think a#out the ones in your essay* 1t could #e things like:

(elonging and identity: #elonging gives us a sense of identity. (elonging and conformity: #elonging depends on us conforming to the group5society. (elonging to people" place and culture (elonging and choice: we have control over whether we #elong or not

3ou can then think a#out how these ideas relate to your character:

+ill your character gain a sense of identity through #elonging in the story6 +ill your character struggle to #elong #ecause they refuse to conform6 +ill your character feel a sense of #elonging to a particular place6 +ill they struggle to #elong to a new culture6 +ill your character choose not to #elong6 +ill your character find himself5 herself forced to #elong anyway6

As you can see" there is a lot of potential here for what could happen and how they demonstrate ideas a#out (elonging*

2. What is going to be the premise o your creative?

(y premise " 1 mean,.what is the #asic #ackground or situation that the story will occur in6 The premise is very important to your creative" #ecause that is what will set your creative apart from others* Think simply a#out +7. and +7898. There is usually no need to discuss +78-" as it is too difficult5 confusing to write a#out another time $past5future% in a short creative piece. Anyway" here are ! #asic e)amples:

A migrant family arriving in Australia. $3ou can vary this up #y having refugees or illegal migrants instead. .r using another country #esides Australia.% A school student struggling to #elong in school. $:ake this more creative #y thinking a#out reasons why they may #e struggling. ;erhaps they are deaf5 handicapped5 severe depression6 A young family moving to a new town. $+hy are they moving6 A new 4o#6%

7ere are more creative e)amples $though the fact that they dont #elong is <uite o#vious%:

A homeless person living on the streets. A mentally ill patient in an asylum. A drifter traveling from town to town. A circus performer moving from town to town with the circus.

7ere are e)amples of less o#vious instances of not #elonging :

A middle-aged #usiness worker" who has worked at the same company for over 1= years. An old" retired man5 woman" living in a nursing home or even e)tended family mem#er who cannot relate to grandchildren Someone who does not <uite fit in at school #ecause of alternative viewpoint or worldview

8ssentially" try to come up with a creative and original premise as this will really set apart your story from others.

!. "leshing out your premise and structuring it

.nce you have selected your premise" really flesh it out.

1. +ho is the main character5s6 !. +hat is going to happen to them during your creative6 $the (elonging complication % &. +hat are they going to realise at the end6 $the (elonging resolution or realisation %. The a#ove points are important" #ecause your creative :/ST have a complication of some sort and there :/ST #e a resolution5 realisation. +ithout these aspects" the creative piece is pointless. There would #e no point in reading something that >/ST has a complication without some sort of finality or at least a glimmer of hope. Something must change $whether it #e simply psychological or actual%:

The character has learnt or realised something important. The characters attitude or perception has #een changed. The character has decided to #egin something new. The character has decided to end something.

So thats the end. +hat a#out the #eginning6 7ow are you going to start your creative6 (ecause your creative is short and must #e written in the ?= minutes" 1 strongly recommend you to:

(egin your creative in the middle o the con lict. >ump straight into it* This helps to gra# the readers attention. 3ou can then introduce some #ackstory afterwards to e)plain how your character came to that point of conflict. 2or e)ample: o 7e had never felt so alone #efore. o 7e had now left the only place that he had ever felt at home. o They laughed at him and walked away" leaving him #leeding on the dust covered floor. @onfine the time line of the story to a series of days or a week. 1t can tend to sound a #it too contrived or childish if your story spans several years. (y anchoring your story in a shorter time span" youll also #e a#le to get more into the detailed descriptions of what is happening. /se lashbacks or #umps in time $indicated #y three asterisks in the middle of a line% if you want the story to cover a longer time. Aimit yourself to 1-! important characters.

$. Writing it and how to get good marks

>ust start writing* 8ven if you are a #it unsure" 4ust start 0 often your story will flesh itself out once you start writing. 7ere are some e)tra recommendations on how to write it:

/se 1st person. -ever use !nd person. 3ou may use &rd person" #ut 1st person is generally easier to write in and to convey the characters emotions5thoughts. Show rather than tell. 2or e)ample" show that the character has found #elonging #y what he does $e.g. putting his feet up on the ta#le% rather than saying it $e.g. 7e finally felt as though he #elonged%. +rite in short paragraphs. Bary #etween short and long sentences. /se short sentences for dramatic moments. (egin with a particular image or moment or emotion that you think will really gra# the readers attention.

7ere are some things you can do to try and improve your marks in a story:

/se descriptive language 0 imagery" metaphors" similes. 'etails can make your story more real. 7ave a motif or e)tended metaphor that recurs throughout the story. 2or e)ample" a dolls house5 o#4ect that sym#olises #elonging. ;erhaps the character loses the doll house when her family moves to another country. Then" in the end of the story" she finds the dolls house again /se sensory imagery if suita#le. Tell your story in a non-linear manner. 2or e)ample" #egin your story in the end 0 then flash#ack to the past and tell the story of how the character reached that point.

Anyway 0 thats all 1 have for now* Cood luck with your creative pieces.