Senior High School

Creative Writing
Module 1- Creative Writing
Quarter 1 Module 1

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Module 1 Contents/ Lessons

1. Creative Writing
1.1 Imaginative writing vs. technical/ academic/ other forms of writing
1.2 Sensory experience
1.3 Language
a. Imagery
b. Figures of Speech
c. Diction
1.4 Sample works of well-known local and foreign writers

LESSON 1 CREATIVE WRITING

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Definition of Creative Writing

The true definition of creative writing is "writing that expresses ideas and thoughts in an
imaginative way." It's the "art of making things up" or putting a creative splash on history, as in
creative nonfiction.

In both instances, creative writing is an art form because you have to step out of reality and into a
new realm, inspired by your mental meanderings. In this capacity, you're able to express feelings
and emotions instead of cold, hard facts, as we do in academic writing. Let's keep our creativity
caps on and explore this vast universe some more.

Creative Writing Types and Categories

The best way to define creative writing is to give a list of things that are and are not considered
creative writing. Here are things that do fall within this category:

 novels
 poems
 epics
 short stories
 screenplays
 songs
 television scripts

Forms of writing that are not considered creative writing include:

 academic writing
 textbooks
 journalism
 technical writing

Imaginations start to flow when we engage in creative writing. The majority of writing, by far, is
creative. Not only can it be a creative outlet, it can also be therapeutic. Many psychologists
recommend creative writing as a way to express our feelings. With it, you can pretend anything
you want and help a potential reader do the same.

Reference:https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/word-definitions/definition-of-creative-
writing.html

LESSON 1.1 IMAGINATIVE WRITING VS. TECHNICAL/ ACADEMIC/ OTHER

FORMS OF WRITING

What is the difference between imaginative writing and technical writing?

Today, after learning what imaginative writing is and how to get started in it, we’re going to
compare the two of them.

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There are writers all over the world in the two categories – and it boggles the mind to hear
that millions have been made from both creative writing and technical writing. Some have made
fortunes. While some have not made anything.

Enjoyment can be gained from both types, but it’s fair to say that they both serve different
purposes. They both have their own do’s and don’ts and they both have their own rules. Both are
governed by grammar and style. Both appear everywhere. So what’s the difference?

Here’s my take: creative writing is written for the right brain (creative) and technical writing is
written for the left brain (logical).

Reference:http://www.writerstreasure.com/creative-writing-technical writing/#:~:text=The
%20differences%20between%20creative%20writing,as%20purchase%20the%20writer's
%20product.

LESSON 1.2 SENSORY EXPERIENCE

What are sensory experiences in creative writing?

Raise your work above the mediocre with the use of all five senses. Drawing on the senses will
breathe life into your characters, setting and may even enhance the back story.

She wore a pretty blue dress.

Use the sense of sight: She wore a blue dress, the same one she had on the day we met. The one
that matched her eyes, showed her curves, and made my mouth go dry.

The male character above doesn't describe the dress, the pattern or style, but what he remembers
about it, what it does to him when he sees it. And we are swept along.

1) Sight. Sight is the cardinal sense. Generally before you smell, hear or taste something, you see
it. When you're writing, don’t just see it, really see it. Get specific.

The full moon rose slowly over the trees.

The full moon rose slowly over the trees blanketing the farm with its pale glow. An old hound
dog kept watch from the safety of the rickety porch, the sparkle of the wet grass reflected in his
eyes.

Use comparison or contrast.

The moon rose slowly over the trees and rained down beams of light through the branches, like a
mother ship searching for her workers.

Or add a unique detail that will deepen the POV (point of view).

The full moon rose slowly over the trees casting eerie shadows on the campsite. It gave John the
creeps and he edged closer to the fire. The same moon rose on the night the three children went
missing.

2) Sound. The world is not a quiet place. Even in the still of the night you can hear the hum of
the refrigerator or the ticking of a clock. My cat snores. Close your eyes and listen to the rustle of
a candy bar being unwrapped or the sounds of birds at a feeder. Then describe the sounds, not the
action. Use this newly discovered sensory information to enrich your story.
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The room was noisy.

Marco sat alone at the table nearest the door so he wouldn't miss her. The room was noisy. The
clank of heavy plates drifted from the kitchen and fought with the steady hum of couples in
conversation. Ice clinked as it settled in his water glass. He ran his fingers over the drops of
condensation and watched them make tracks down and onto the tablecloth. His watch read 9:30.
She wasn't coming.

What does dripping water sound like? You wouldn't write drip, drip, drip. Make your readers
hear it. You could use splat, or plonk, or plop. How about rain? Listen the next time it rains. You
might be surprised to learn it sounds like bacon cooking.

3) Touch. Let your characters feel their surroundings through their skin and their bodies. Loud
music is felt all over. It comes up through the floor, in through your feet and hammers in your
chest. Really loud music pulses in your ears. A good writer would use all of those sensations to
describe the scene.

He went for a swim in the cool pond.

The sudden plunge into the cool water took his breath away and raised goose bumps on his
arms. Kamir had been swimming in this pond since he was a kid. Swirling his hand in the dark
water, it still held the promise of boyhood laughter and summer bike rides.

(At this point I would also add how the woods and water smell, but that's the next item in this
article.)

Feelings can be non physical.

Her marriage felt like the beach after a storm; messy, tangled and trashy.

4) Smell. Smell is the sense that is most linked to memory. A simple smell can take you back to
grandma's house at holiday time, or back to your desk in grade school. (For me, that would be
the smell of coloring crayons.)

"That stinks," said Seth, holding his hand over his nose.

"That stinks like rotten meat," said Seth, clamping his hand over his nose. (Clamp was a
stronger word for a stronger smell.) He staggered back until he hit the wall. "I'm going to be
sick."

Stay away from 'nose wrinkling'. It is way overdone in today's literature. Also keep away from
having your character "make a face". That's telling. Show us. Eyes squeezed shut, his face caved
as though he were going to cry.

You can layer smells. Let's go back to the swimming pond.

He took in a deep breath and smelled the damp earth, the kind worms loved, and rotted trees
from the nearby woods. That, along with the pungent bite of algae and slime in the water, an
odor that stuck on your swimsuit long after it dried.

You can use the sense of smell to suggest mood.

The girl's willingness to commit a crime smelled like an opportunity to Clark.

Something smelled fishy but he went along with it anyway.

5) Taste. My personal favorite and the sense that gets the least use in fiction

writing. When you do get to use taste, don't rush it.

The cake tasted good. (You can't get much more boring than that sentence.)

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The sweet butter cream icing melted on my tongue. The word delightful came to mind. I closed
my eyes to savor the richness of the warm spice cake and knew I would have a second piece
before the end of the night.

Your characters don't eat or drink very often, so use taste to suggest other things.

Winter has always tasted like hot chocolate to me.

Her kisses tasted like strawberries in the sun.

Reference: https://www.quora.com/What-are-sensory-experiences-in-creative-writing

LESSON 1.3 LANGUAGE

A. IMAGERY

Imagery Definition
What is imagery? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For
instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery
that engages the senses of touch, movement, and hearing: "I feel the ladder sway as the boughs
bend. / And I keep hearing from the cellar bin / The rumbling sound / Of load on load of apples
coming in."
Some additional key details about imagery:

 Though imagery contains the word "image," it does not only refer to descriptive language
that appeals to the sense of sight. Imagery includes language that appeals to all of the
human senses, including sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.

 While imagery can and often does benefit from the use of figurative language such as
metaphors and similes, imagery can also be written without using any figurative
language at all.

B. FIGURES OF SPEECH

What are 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. We express and develop them through
hundreds of different rhetorical techniques, from specific types like metaphors and similes, to
more general forms like sarcasm and slang.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative,
more expressive, and just more interesting! Many have been around for hundreds of years—
some even thousands—and more are added to our language essentially every day. This article
will focus on a few key forms of figures of speech, but remember, the types are nearly endless!

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds of
categories. Here, though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure of speech:
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A. Metaphor
Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner other than
their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to make comparisons between
unrelated things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for example, is a metaphor, since a career is
not a literal mountain with a peak, but the metaphor represents the idea of arriving at the highest
point of one’s career.

B. Idiom
An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from other figures
of speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a particular language,
culture, or group of people. In fact, the English language alone has about 25,000 idioms. Some
examples include “it’s raining cats and dogs” when it is raining hard, or “break a leg” when
wishing someone good luck.

Example
This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:

There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two birds with
one stone.

The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same amount of
time or same place.

C. Proverb
A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s language and
used to express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular example. Most proverbs
employ metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk isn’t literally about milk).

Example
This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:
I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens before
they hatch!

Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like something
has happened before it actually does.

D. Simile
A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to compare two
things that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,” doesn’t mean
he was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really tall.
Example
This example uses a simile for comparison:
The internet is like a window to the world—you can learn about everything online!

The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets you see the
whole world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world implies that it lets you
see anything and everything.

E. Oxymoron
An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings. Some
common examples include small crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant, and so on.

F. Metonym
A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger meaning.
For example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,” meaning thirty
(curiously, this metonym survives in some places, even when the ships in question are not sail-

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powered!) Similarly, the crew on board those ships may be described as “hands” rather than
people.

G. Irony
Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative meaning. Many
times (but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related Terms). For example,
maybe you eat a really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that was the best cookie I ever had”—of
course, what you really mean is that it’s the worst cookie you ever had, but being ironic actually
emphasizes just how bad it was!

C. DICTION

Diction can be defined as style of speaking or writing, determined by the choice of words by a
speaker or a writer. Diction, or choice of words, often separates good writing from
bad writing. ... Firstly, the word has to be right and accurate. Secondly, words should be
appropriate to the context in which they are used.

References: https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/imagery
https://literaryterms.net/figures-of-speech/
https://literarydevices.net/diction/#:~:text=Diction%20can%20be%20defined%20as,good
%20writing%20from%20bad%20writing.&text=Firstly%2C%20the%20word%20has%20to,in
%20which%20they%20are%20used.

LESSON 1.4 SAMPLE WORKS OF WELL-KNOWN LOCAL AND

FOREIGN WRITERS

LOCAL WRITERS

Jessica Hagedorn

Best known for her 1990 novel Dogeaters, Jessica Hagedorn was born and raised in the
Philippines and relocated to San Francisco in her teens. Hagedorn’s ethnic heritage is a mix of
Spanish, Filipino, French, Irish, and Chinese. Dogeaters, which won the American Book Award
and was a finalist for the National Book Award, shines a light on the many layers of Filipino
society, especially the American influence prevalent in the entertainment industry. Hagedorn is
also a poet and playwright. Her first play, Mango Tango, was produced by Joseph Papp in 1978,
the same year she moved to New York, where she currently lives with her daughters.

Sionil Jose

A writer deeply concerned with social justice, F. Sionil Jose’s novels have been translated into
22 languages, and he’s one of the most widely read Filipino authors. Sionil Jose’s Rosales
Saga is a five-volume work that follows the Samson family and their changing fortunes over a
100-year timeframe. Sionil Jose’s books are especially illuminating for anyone interested in
provincial life in the Philippines, the revolution against Spain, and the framework of the Filipino
family. His anti-elitist views have made him a somewhat unpopular author within the
Philippines, but Sionil Jose’s works are among the most highly acclaimed internationally of any
Filipino writer. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature in 1980.

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Nick Joaquin

Winning the National Artist award for Literature, Nick Joaquín is probably the most esteemed
writer the Philippines has produced. Joaquin came from a well-educated family and was
published at the early age of 17. After winning a scholarship in a nationwide essay contest, he
left the Philippines to study in Hong Kong. On his return to Manila he worked for many years as
a journalist, and his highly intellectual writing raised the standards of journalism in the country.
Joaquin’s book, The Woman With Two Navels is essential reading in Philippine literature.
However many of his short stories, such as “May Day Eve,” are extremely accessible and
enjoyable for those new to the Philippines.

Merlinda Bobis

Award-winning writer Merlinda Bobis started off as a painter, but grew into a writer as “painting
with words was cheaper.” Bobis’ books, short stories, and poems tell of lesser-known aspects of
Filipino life, often from a strong feminist stance. One of her most well-known novels, Fish-Hair
Woman, describes a romance between a young village woman and an Australian soldier in the
middle of a harrowing conflict that threatens the entire province. The Australian called it a
“superb novel” that “maintains its tragic intensity throughout.” Bobis has also won the
international Prix Italia award for her play Rita’s Lullaby and the Steele Rudd Award for her
short story “White Turtle.”

Jose Dalisay Jr.

Jose Dalisay Jr. writes a popular online column where he’s more commonly known by his pen
name, Butch Dalisay. Dalisay was imprisoned during Martial Law, and his experiences from this
portion of Philippine history are brought to life in his first novel, Killing Time in a Warm Place.
His second novel, Soledad’s Sister tackles the plight of overseas Filipino workers, and was
shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2007. Within the Philippines, Dalisay has won 16
Palanca Awards, the country’s highest prize for literature.

Luis Francia

ward-winning author Luis Francia has lived in New York for decades, but his experiences of
growing up in the Philippines continue to shape the stories he tells the world. The poet, author,
and teacher emigrated to the U.S. after finishing college, where he wrote and co-edited
the Village Voice newspaper for more than 20 years. His memoir Eye of the Fish: A Personal
Archipelago won a PEN Open Book Award and an Asian American Literary Award. Amitav
Ghosh, author of The Glass Palace, described Francia’s memoir as “a hugely readable
travelogue and an indispensable guide to a fascinating and richly varied archipelago.”

Jose Rizal

The Philippines’ national hero was also a prolific writer, poet, and essayist. Jose Rizal’s two
novels, Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were social commentaries that sharply revealed
the injustices of Spanish colonization while praising the Filipino in his most natural state. The
novels, which are surprisingly wry and romantic, crystallized the growing anti-Spanish sentiment
and were banned within the Philippines. The execution of Jose Rizal at 35 years old set off the
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Philippine Revolution and paved the way for the country’s independence. Even without these
dramatic events, Rizal’s books and his final poem, “Mi Ultimo Adios,” stand on their own
literary merit, and have influenced scores of Filipino writers since.

FOREIGN WRITERS

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) English poet and playwright. Famous plays
include Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Merchant of Venice and Hamlet. Shakespeare is widely
considered the seminal writer of the English language.

Jane Austen (1775 – 1817) English author who wrote romantic fiction combined with social
realism. Her novels include Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813)
and Emma (1816).

Alexandre Dumas (1802 – 1870) French author of historical dramas, including – The Count of
Monte Cristo (1844), and The Three Musketeers (1844). Also prolific author of magazine
articles, pamphlets and travel books.

Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885) French author and poet. Hugo’s novels include Les Misérables,
(1862) and Notre-Dame de Paris (1831).

Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) Russian novelist and moral philosopher. Famous works include the
epic novels – War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877). Tolstoy also became an
influential philosopher with his brand of Christian pacificism.

Mark Twain (1835 – 1910) American writer and humorist, considered the ‘father of American
literature’. Famous works include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn (1885).

References: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-filipino-authors-you-should-
know/
https://www.biographyonline.net/writers.html

Activities:

PART 1: Identify the figure of speech most clearly illustrated by the short passage

1. Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And
splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor.
2. Turn off your television sets. Turn them off now! Turn them off right now! Turn them off
and leave them off. Turn them off right in the middle of this sentence I'm speaking to you
now.
3. Substituting the word “euthanasia” for “mercy killing" or "killing the terminally ill"

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WRITING
4. I had so much homework last night that I needed a pickup truck to carry all my books
home!
5. Let's just say that Bozo the Clown is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.
6. The chug-a, chug-a, chug-a of the train echoed down the hill, while a cloud of smoke rose up
to the blue western sky.
7. You have a lot of work to do, so I'll lend you a hand.
8. The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
9. We talked with each other about each other Though neither of us spoke.
10. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. (Genesis 3:19)

PART 2: Write details on how do you see yourself 10 years from now. Do creative writing by
following the guideline mentioned above.

PART 3: Tell me something about your favorite author. Reason/s why you like him/her.

PART 4: Learning Bank: (Summary of learning) Please write down about what you have learned
in these topics/ lessons.

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