Feature Writing Part 3:

Creative Writing Devices

MEDIA WRITING LECTURE 7

Housekeeping
Assignment #1 is due next Friday, 12PM

Remember: Softcopy (via TIMeS) & Hardcopy (assignment,
turnitin report, assignment cover sheet and assignment
feedback form/marking scheme).

Where to hand in hardcopy? Box outside Block C Level 9 (Turn
right at main glass door, walk towards toilets, at the end of
the passageway, there is another glass door. There will be a
box on the left corner by that glass door.)

No LECTURE OR TUTORIAL next week. LECTURE SLOT
= consultation hours (10-11.30AM LT22, I will be there).

No need consultation? Spend your free week wisely and
complete the assignment well.
Good writing requires good editing
REVISING YOUR COPY
One of the hardest lessons to learn is how to revise
ones copy.

Most writers, no matter how experienced they are,
find it difficult to put words to paper with exactly
the right order, tone and quality on the first try.

Therefore, they continue to polish and refine what
they have written.
The refining process doesnt come easily.

Too many writers fall in love with their own language.

Once they commit it to paper, they cant bring
themselves to throw away this beautifully turned
phrase or that five-syllable word, or those scintillating,
unnecessary adjectives, no matter how inappropriate
the wording might be to the end product.
As writers, you must train yourself to treat words as
tools, not as tiny mirrors to your own brilliance and
wit.

You must force yourself to stand back from your own
copy and study it on its own merits.

In effect, each writer is his or her own worst enemy.

As any good professional can tell you, youll only begin
to improve as a writer only when you learn to spot
your mistakes and weed them out.
Tips to better writing
Time creates distance.
It allows personal enthusiasm to wane and
sharpens judgement.
If you arent pressed for time, take advantage of it.
Give yourself a mandatory cooling-off period.
Stack your copy and lay it aside for a few days.
When you come back to it, divorce your ego from
it.
Try and read it as though it came from someone
elses computer.
What can you do?
1. Examine your copy from several perspectives as
editor, reader and critique.

2. Check the structure to see if it works.

3. Test each paragraph for flow and linkage to its
neighbours.

4. Study each sentence for weaknesses and make
sure you dont have any spelling or punctuation
problems.


Remember that editing for the sake of editing
accomplishes nothing each correction must improve
the copy.
USEFUL WRITING DEVICES
Some standard writing devices that can strengthen
your material in the process of revision.


Use the active voice
Its better to make the subject of your sentence do
something rather than let something be done to it.
The man stabbed the child is stronger than
The child was stabbed by the man.

The first sentence is active and the second, passive.

But theres more to putting action in your verbs
than merely avoiding the passive voice.

Be specific
Whenever possible, skip generalisation and be
concrete.

Tom Williams fell down is not as effective as
Tom Williams tripped on slab of concrete before losing
his balance and falling into the gutter

Continued
Never settle for the first verb that pops into your
head, if theres a better one available.

Look for verbs that are closer to your meaning.

Dont use shout if what you really mean is bawl or
bellow or roar or shriek.

Check your thesaurus for synonyms.

Thumb your dictionary and thesaurus for words
with precise meaning.

Use imagery
Remember that verbs can be abstract too.

The wind blew through the trees tells the reader
something but not enough.

Was it a soft breeze? Try imagery. The wind
whispered through the trees.

Perhaps it was a heavy wind The wind trashed the
trees.

Either verb gives the reader a better clue than the
first to the strength of the wind.

But if you use imagery, be selective.

Imagery should be used to illuminate, not to show
off.
Brighten your articles with quotes
Your readers like to hear people talk.

If you are writing a profile about a specific person,
by all means let the reader listen in on what the
profile subject has to say.

Quotes enliven your copy even if you arent writing
a profile.

Use quotes freely but, again, be selective.

Your story should not be all about quotes; quotes
enhance not monopolise the story.



Use characterisation
Not only do your readers want to hear a person talk,
they want to see the person.

Bring the people in your article to life. Allow
your readers to picture them vividly.

Give them a glimpse like the following excerpt:

Ken Johnson is a short, rumpled little man who wears a
green beret and his collar turned up. He has a fat nose and
big ears and he looks a bit like one of the gargoyles on the
Cathedral Notre Dame.
Continued
A writer can also give readers insight into a persons
character by:
showing the person in action
demonstrating the persons attitudes and personality
presenting significant biographical details
showing the reactions and comments of other people

If you intend to delve into a subjects character, you
should get to know the subject well.

Be observant when you go in for an interview.

Watch for mannerisms.

Make notes of things that impress you visually, as
well as taking down the subjects words


Show, dont tell
Dont be judgmental. If you tell a reader that a
person is friendly, or nervous, or angry, or
despondent, the reader may get some idea what you
mean, but judgmental words represent different
things to different people.

Show the reader. Show:
The shy smile
The shaking hands
The gritted teeth
The long, low sigh

Instead of writing The professor acted strange, say
The professor drooled on his tie, staggered against the
blackboard and slid to the floor moaning
Describe scenes
Vivid, brief descriptions of scene and setting can help
immensely in holding readers attention and propelling them
through a story.

Description can create atmosphere or mood without telling a
story.

The jukebox is almost hidden under the stuffed head of a
buffalo. Someone has dropped in a quarter and punched that
old western favourite, Laras Theme, by Roger Williams.
Diners are sipping screwdrivers and martinis and whittling
on two pound T-Bones. Every so often there is a choink as
somebody pops a beer top.
Writing Exercises
Be Specific: Write the following in more specific
sentences

Alison injured her knee after falling.
Ken is sad after failing.
Melanie raised her voice to her sister, Candice, during a fight.
George was frightened by the sound.
Luke was happy after winning the competition.
Find more descriptive words for the following: at least 2
different words for each

Anger
Sad
Confusion
Upset
Content
Confused
Tired
Run
Eat
Happy

Write a 1 paragraph description of the following person
to make her look attractive.

40-year-old Sandy Atkins
Short
Average weight, small waist, wide hips
Doesnt smile a lot
Wears boring clothes
Wears glasses
Chin length brown hair with a blunt fringe
Blue eyes
Has a hairy mole on right cheek
Large nose with wide nostrils