I have to say that writing about fiction is much different than writing fiction. What i really loved about creating my own fiction story was that I was in complete control. It was great because i was able to write about different situations that i would probably never experience or isn't who I am. In creating a story you are able to take on a persona of someone that is completely opposite of yourself. I felt that was really a significant difference between the two. What i found to be similar between the two was the thinking process. In both writing fiction and writing about fiction, you have to dig deep within yourself to either create work or experience the work. As a college student it is difficult to splurge and travel as much as i would like to. When writing my fiction story i was able to have my character travel and experience life on her own and i feel that is something of a hidden desire within myself. The fact that at this point in my life i am at the moment unable to just pack up my things and start a new life, gave me confidence that the character would be able to embark on her own journey and get the chance to live carelessly.
What I learned from this experience is that writing fiction can be multifaceted. It does not have to be so cut and dry, and that you can have a layout or blueprint to help you get started on the writing and thinking process. When i thought about how i would approach this in the classroom, i found it would be best to have the students write about what is most comfortable for them. For example, the fiction they write can have an aspect of their life that is true, yet they will be able to add on as much detail to make the story come to life. I like the idea of having my students read their stories aloud, if they are comfortable, and my main purpose with this type of exercise would be to make them feel confident about their writing.
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Hey Tiff, Agree with most points of your response, totally agree that you can write or be someone completely different than who you are when writing fiction. I think this is good if you have some alter ego that from time to time surfaces to remind you that you need to play out an important fantasy in life. I think this would work well or be valuable for students who may want to become the hero or heroine of their own comic book if students are into that of course. And it is valuable since those book royalties are raking in some especially on the big screen these days. However, I found it easier to write from a place of truth and rearrange the details. For instance, my dad used to beat the living daylight out of me; looking back I wished he did it more, miss that old man (lol).Yeah also agree that one has to really delve into your inner realms of your own creativity to produce something that is captivating and of interest when it comes to fiction. nice post.
ReplyDeleteI think you pick up on two conflicting, yet necessary, sides to writing fiction. The first is that you can be someone else and do things differently by creating a character who you could despise, and this can often lead to a cathartic release. The other is that when one writes fiction, a writer can choose to write almost entirely about themselves but pass it off as fiction so as to not reveal humiliating or wicked events from the writers past.
ReplyDeleteI believe it was Anatole France that said “Nine tenths of education is encouragement.” I think the best way to help facilitate creativity and a want to learn is through encouragement of a student’s work.
Tiff,
ReplyDeleteI CONCUR! Haha. Writing fiction is both different and similar to analyzing fiction in precisely the ways you described. After reading your piece of fiction, I definitely found your blog very engaging because I got a sense of your writing process, but also how creative you really are. Writing fiction, like Josh said, is very cathartic because it expresses the very aspirations of the author. Even though someone hasn't experienced something doesn't devalue one's imagination or vision of how that experience is played out. I think fiction, in allowing author and reader to experience something, anything, is truly art in the best form.
In terms of your application of our fiction unit to your own classroom, I think you have great ideas and you seem to really grasp the student-centered pedagogy we had gone over in 406. I would definitely incorporate fiction in my lessons because, again, it is very cathartic, and it also is a great avenue for discovering and learning more about your students. So, great JOB on the blog!!
Hey Tiffany! I read your blog and thought, wow I feel exactly the same way! I like what you said about being in complete control when you write fiction. When I was working on my story, I kept thinking, I can make this end in so many different ways. I loved having the freedom to just explore my imagination and let my ideas flow. I also like the parallel you made about writing about fiction and writing fiction, and how they both require creativity. Also, your idea about taking on the persona of the character was interesting too. I felt that way when I wrote my story as well.
ReplyDeleteI liked your ideas for you classroom. I agree that this would be a good exercise to help students become more comfortable with their writing, and I think they would enjoy the freedom of creative writing the same way we did! I think it would help them to start out we did, with one idea that they can expand on.
Hi Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did not mention it in my blog (Which I should have), I have to say that I also like creating my own short story because I enjoy having complete control of how a story is going to progress. I also liked having my “creative juices” flowing and thinking about the different situations I could place my characters. For my story, I chose to place my character in unfortunate situations, but at the end he accepted that people have their bad days and he is not the only one to experience suck unfortunate events. I like the idea you have about having your own students write their own stories by using an experience they are comfortable to write about because that will lead the students into writing a lot more than they would if they were given a certain topic to write about. I would also like to have my students read their stories aloud, but I know most would not want to. However, like you stated, students that do want to share with the class, should be allowed to share with the class.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed writing fiction because I got to write about something I would never experience...or at least I hope I never experience (I wrote about being high on a hallucinogen and worshipping a stone haha.) What I like about your fiction is that it was a reflection of your inner self and your desires to be independent and travel the world. I doung that really interesting because short story was not something I have any hidden desire to experience! I like that you stated your main goal would be to build confidence in the students as writers. I think if you can do that then the students will be more receptive to writing assignments and they will likely do better and improve their writing skills. Overall, I agree with your blog entry!
Hey Tiffany—
ReplyDeleteI felt the same as you with writing fiction. I think the control part of writing fiction is what makes me love it even more. It’s like you are the creator of all things. If you want someone to fall, you can decide how they fall, where they fall, and if they hurt anything when they fall. I just love it! I like the fact that no one has to agree with your writing. What I mean is that no one has to like what you say, or how you say it, you don’t even have to agree with the words you write down or type. If someone doesn’t like what’s said—TOO BADD! There are no limits with writing fiction. That’s why I enjoy it so much. Nice to see that I am not alone with enjoying writing fiction over writing about fiction. It’s also nice to see that I am not the only one who loves to be in control.