HANDOUT IN CREATIVE WRITING

TOPIC 1

Literary Elements

Tone. It is the speaker’s attitude toward the poem’s subject based on the other elements. In the example haiku above, notice
that the writer Matsuo Basho regards the nature as something great represented by the pond that even if the frog jumps and disturbs
the water, it will be still again.
Mood. It means the atmosphere created by the text. What feeling is created at the beginning of the text? Is it bright, cheerful,
inspiring, depressing, dark, or frightening? Look at the example in “To be or not to be”, Shakespeare is giving us the frightening mood
when Hamlet, the character is thinking about death.
Form. This means how the poem is organized to convey the message and the meaning embodied in the poem. It can be a
sonnet form, a free form, haiku, etc.
Theme. It refers to the main idea embodied in the text and it should be stated in complete sentence. It is made up of the topic
plus the idea about it. In the example tanka written by Yosano Akiko, the topic is about beauty and it is being defined by the age and
physical appearance.
Diction.Itmeansthechoiceofwordsinaliteraryworktorevealcharacter, imply attitudes, identify themes, and suggest values. It can
be formal, informal, colloquial, or slang.
Stanza. This is how the lines are being grouped set apart by a space and commonly has a meter and rhyme. For example in
the free verse poem “This is Just to Say”, it has three stanzas although it has no meter and rhyme.
Setting. In poems, setting is an important element. It refers to places, time periods, weather condition, and socioeconomic
environment. In the example cinquain above, notice words “hills, wintry wind, and snow” tell about the weather condition, and the place
in the poem.
Point of view. In literature, it is the mode of narration that the writer uses to let the readers hear and see what is happening in
the text. It can be first person point of view which involves the use of pronouns “I, me, us or we”; second person point of view employs
the pronoun “you and your”; and third person point of view uses the pronouns “he, she, it, and they”.
OTHER TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY DEVICES IN FICTION
Mood/Tone
Tone- The reflection in a work of the author’s attitude toward his or her subject, characters, and readers.
Mood-Feeling of the atmosphere the author is describing what the author makes you feel when you read his writing
Foreshadowing- providing hints of future events.
In medias res-exposition begins right in the middle of the action.
Flashback-when the narrative moves backward in time, usually as a memory or remembrance.

Symbolism and motif

Symbol- an object, a picture, a written word, or a sound that is used to represent something else either by resemblance, convention, or
association. Every language have symbols; in fact, our names are symbols that represent us as individuals.
Motif- is a symbol that is REPEATED in a work of literature, found on multiple occasions in the same work.

TOPIC 4

FIVE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF PLOT: (TRADITIONAL)

1. Exposition
(Introduction)This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about
the setting of the story. This section also presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.
Important Parts of the Exposition; Setting -Time -Place Characters
2.Rising Action
Events in the story become complicated; the conflict is revealed. These are events between the introduction and climax. This
is the situation where the initial conflict or the generating circumstances, which create a conflict to arise. Rising action usually
heightened anticipation for the reader.
CONFLICT: the struggle between opposing forces while in the central Conflict, the main character must fight against some force or
make an important decision.
There are 2 types:
1. Internal— Struggle within one's self.
-Character vs. Self
*EXAMPLE: a character is torn between risking his life to save someone else. Struggles with own soul, physical
limitations, choices, etc.
2. External-Struggle with a force outside one's self.
-Character vs. Character Struggles against other people.
Character vs. Nature Struggles against animals, weather, environment, etc.
Character vs. Society Struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of others.
3.Climax
The “high point”. This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main
character will change in some way.
Consider the climax as a three-fold phenomenon: Main character receives new information. Main character accepts this information
(realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it). Main character acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether
or not objective is met).
4.Falling Action
is where the resolution begins; events and complications start to fall into place. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.
1. Resolution
denouement or conclusion. The final outcome of events in the story.

PRESENCE POSITION CHARACTERIZATION MOVEMENT

Refers to how often we Refers to whether the reader is for or The manner of creating or portraying a How far the plot of your character
see the character/s in the against the motivation of the character character in a story moves along
story
MAJOR PROTAGONIST ROUND DYNAMIC
Majors characters are The major character whose motivation Fully-developed Usually exist throughout the entire plot.
usually point-of-view the audience believes and empathizes personalities that are affected by the A change usually occurs in the
characters and are with. story's events; they can learn, grow, characterization (e.g from a coward to a
central to the plot of the Clear center of story; or deteriorate by the end of the story. brave person).
story all major events are important to this Characters are most convincing Character who does go
character. when they resemble real people by through change and "grows" during a
being consistent, motivated, and life- story
like.
MINOR ANTAGONIST FLAT STATIC
Minor characters only The major character whose motivation Are portrayed using only one or two aspects Usually exist only during a certain
appear in specific scenes the audience does not believe or of a character. They exist to support round section of the plot. Character does not
or have specific role and empathize with. characters. go through a change.
are not central to the plot Opposition or "enemy" One-dimensional character. (e.g a coward remains a coward)
of the story of main character.

WHAT IS A POEM?
 If a poem, according to William Wordsworth, is a “spontaneous overflow of feeling “, then it is easy enough to
assume that all sentimental writing is poetry. But Wordsworth goes on to say that poetry is “emotion recollected in
tranquility”, meaning these feelings that one attempt to put into words have been processed and meditated on as
represented by the word “tranquility”. Poetry is a combination of words in lines, rhyme, tone, voice, theme,
language, and emotion which makes it a creative means to liberate the poet’s thoughts and feelings.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF POETRY

 Tone is the attitude that an author takes toward the audience, the subject, or the character. Tone is conveyed
through the author's words and details. Use context clues to help determine the tone. Author sets the tone through
words.

 Theme is the central idea, or insight, about life and human behavior that a story reveals. The theme is what makes
a story linger in our hearts and minds long after we have read it. It is the idea on which the story is
built. Theme most often applies to literary texts such as novels, short stories, dramas, and poetry. Below are
examples.
a. Do not judge a book by its cover.
 b. Be positive.
c. Love yourself.
d. Accept every challenge.
 Line –the line of words in poetry. The verse is the line of a poem arranged in a metrical pattern. Stanza is referred
as the “unit of poetic lines”.

 Two terms to remember when looking at line cuts/break:

1. End-stopped- the end of the line either has punctuation or follows syntax, whether the line is a dependent or
independent clause
2. Enjambment- the breaking of the line happens mid-clause or unexpectedly
 Rhyme-the link between music and poetry, adds music quality to the poem, which gives the readers reading
pleasure.

 Meter- poetry’s measured accent and syllable arrangement; the systematic sound pattern of a poem.
 Poetic Foot
  A poetic foot is a repeated sequence of rhythm comprised of two or more stressed and/or unstressed syllables.
 Poetic meter is comprised of poetic feet
FIVE MAIN PATTERNS TO POETIC FEET:
1. Iambic pattern
 1 unstressed syllable followed by 1 stressed syllable (ta - TUM)
 EXAMPLES:
 repose (re-POSE)
 belief (be-LIEF)
 complete (com-PLETE)
2. Trochaic Pattern
 1 stressed syllable followed by 1 unstressed syllable (TUM-ta)
 EXAMPLES:
 Garland (GAR-land)
 Speaking (SPEAK-ing)
 Value (VAL-ue)
3. Anapestic pattern
 2 unstressed syllables followed by 1 stressed syllable (ta-ta-TUM)
 EXAMPLES:
 on the road
 interrupt (in-ter-RUPT)
 unabridged, contradict, engineer, masquerade, Galilee
4. Dactylic pattern
 1 stressed syllable followed by 2 unstressed syllables (TUM-ta-ta)
 EXAMPLE:
 happiness (HAP-pi-ness)
 galloping (GAL-lop-ing)
 fortunate, Saturday, daffodil, murmuring, rhapsody
5. Spondaic Pattern
 All syllables have equal stress (TUM-TUM)
 EXAMPLE:
 Heartbreak
 “Out, out…”
 "pen-knife," "ad hoc," "heartburn"
 Combinations of Poetic Feet
 One foot per line: monometer
 Two feet per line : dimeter
 Three feet per line : trimeter
 Four feet per line : tetrameter
 Five feet per line : pentameter
 Six feet per line : hexameter
POETRY FORMS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS