Advanced
Creative Writing
Looking back at ourselves as authors
Expressive
and reflective writing – such as the type we do in Advanced Creative Writing –
can be a unique tool for gaining insight into ourselves and defining who we
are. Use the following questionnaire to
explore yourself as author and person.
Take your time and really think about your responses; we may be
revisiting this later. Reponses should
be in paragraph form, single spaced, and neatly written, though it doesn’t have
to be in full MLA, Final Copy form.
1.
(1-2 paragraphs) Give a brief overview of your own writing process – describe
how YOU do it, not how you think I want you to do it. Why do you think you do it this way? What advantages does your process have? What disadvantages?
2.
(1-2 paragraphs) Look back on all the pieces you’ve written so far for this
class. Which is your favorite? Why?
Which is your least favorite?
Why? Which would you call your
best? Your worst? Explain.
3.
(1-2 paragraphs) Similar to #2 but NOT the same: which
of your writings so far was/is most meaningful to you? How so? Do you see any connection between how
meaningful a piece is to you and how well you write? Explain.
4.
(2 paragraphs) Have you discovered anything about yourself in writing or
looking at your own writing so far this year?
Your thoughts, your feelings, your style? Describe these discoveries.
5.
(4-5 paragraphs) “Talk” specifically about any one piece you’ve done – analyze
it the way you would any other piece of literature. For starters, what techniques do you use?
What effects do those techniques create? What’s your theme? Did you intend that theme? What does that piece of writing say about
you? What might it inspire in a reader? Is that what you want your reader to
think/feel? What motivated you to write
it? Etc . . . N.B.
This one will take some work since it takes time and writing to express an
analysis of a piece of literature.
6.
(1 paragraph) Pull this all together: write a
conclusion to this activity that summarizes the insights you have gained about
yourself as writer and person by doing this activity.
Remember:
Take your time and really think about what your are
doing as a writer!