Language Arts

General Creative Writing

Task 4: Rough draft

Now that you’ve laid the foundations for your piece, it’s finally time to start writing.

1. Take a few minutes to map the plot sequence of the story. That is, figure out what is going to happen in your story, when it happens, and how it happens. (Hint: In 50 words or less, summarize the action.) Example: The teen takes his brother to little league practice, but the younger brother doesn’t have baseball glove. The brothers don’t have any money for the glove, so the teen decides to steal a mall-store bracelet to sell to a classmate. The teen is caught. The police are called; the teen is taken to the police station. The police proceed with punishing the teen, but when the police learn of the teen’s reason for shoplifting, they also take up a collection and buy a baseball glove for the teen’s younger brother.
 

2. Write. As you write, let your imagination roam freely. Don’t get distracted by spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Right now your job is to have fun and be creative. Pay attention to each of the story’s elements and expand on them as you write. Example: When you place the teen at the baseball diamond, take time to describe it. Is the diamond part of a park? What sounds can our teen hear at the park? What’s the temperature outside? Set the scene for the reader.

How about your supporting characters? When discussing your supporting characters, give them more than just a name. Let the reader know who these people are. Describe how they dress, talk, or act. Hint at their personalities. Make them real.

What about point of view? Make sure the reader knows who is speaking at any given time.
 

3. Relax! The hardest part is behind you. If you can spare the time, don’t even think about your piece for a day or two. This will help you approach the next step with a fresh eye.

Task 5: Rewrite

As any poet, author, or playwright will tell you, rewriting is one of the most important parts of the creative writing process.

1. Read your rough draft again with a critical eye, asking yourself the following questions:

·        Does your opening grab attention?

·        Did you achieve your original goal?

·        Have you provided enough detail to give a sense of what’s to come without giving the plot away?

·        Does it have an ending, or will your reader be left hanging?

2. Rework any parts of your rough draft that don’t work well. Don’t be afraid to change a setting, introduce a new character, or even cut characters that don’t play significant roles.

Task 6: Final draft

You’re almost done.

1. Run a spell check on your piece. Nothing will detract more from your work (and possibly lower your grade) than misspelled words.

2. Read your short story from start to finish, the same way your teacher will. Fix any grammar mistakes or other errors you find.

3. Once you’re satisfied the story represents your best effort, get a second opinion. Ask a parent or other trusted person to read your piece with a critical eye and to give you feedback. Make any changes you think necessary.

4. Read the story one last time to make sure you didn’t introduce any new errors.

5. Hand in your work. Congratulations!

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