Dystopian Fiction Project

By -
How to Write a Dystopian Story (prompts)

Dystopian Fiction Project
Use the writing prompts from class to create your own dystopian story. Length is up to you, but remember that a good story has a beginning, middle, and end. Character is important, so you'll want to develop your character enough for us readers to care about him or her. Setting becomes an important aspect in any science fiction or fantasy story like this. Settings seem more real when they are described with specific details and verisimilitude. The shorter the story, the closer to the climax you will want to begin.

Other advice/resources:


Some writing tips:
  • No matter what, when you get stuck (and you will) remember to step into the shoes of your protagonist. What does she see, what does he think, what does she want, etc.?
  • Skip to the next scene. If you don't know what to write yet, skip it and come back later. Write the stuff you know you want to see. Fill in the other stuff later.
  • Take time to read. Often reading or taking a walk or doing something else for a minute can jar your creative juices to continue spilling when needed.
  • Work through your writer's block. Writers block doesn't exist. It's just you not making decisions or not wanting to write. Make the decision to write.
  • This is a draft. It's not ready to be published. Relax and tell a good story!
  • Freewrite. Brainstorm. Use the skills we've taught you.
  • Get back on the "horse"--if you stop writing, go back to it. Persistence is important! Keep writing and the story will arrive--just maybe in a lot of pieces and fragments. It's okay to have a story come out like a jigsaw puzzle that will need to be assembled later. Get the words down, then worry about how it all fits together!

HOMEWORK: Please continue reading 1984. If you're behind, please try to catch up. Read up to page 224 for Monday.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Namesake Analysis/Discussion Chp. 1 & 2; How It Feels To Be Colored Me

By -
Image
Let's go back to examining  The Namesake , Chapter 1 this morning to continue examining the writing style going on here. Take a closer look at these passages: Pg. 3 (1st full paragraph) to 4 (end of 1st full paragraph): How is Ashima's character compared/contrasted with the American women in the hospital? What do you notice about the sentence structure of this paragraph? What does the use of dialogue in this paragraph provide for the reader? What literary devices do you notice? Can you find figurative language/metaphor/alliteration or other elements of imagery? How are the sentences similar to a contraction (the action in the scene)? Pg. 10-12: how is Ashoke's character presented? How does his story parallel or contrast with his wife's? How is Ashoke different from the other American men in the waiting room? What details do we learn about him?  Pg. 13-14: Nickolai Gogol and the short story "The Overcoat" is alluded to here. Just notice it for now. This al
Read more

Clash of the Titans (Conclusion); Creation Myths

By -
Clash of the Titans (conclusion) Clash of the Titans   (1981)--produced and designed by  Ray Harryhausen . Directed by  Desmond Davis . Starring:  Laurence Olivier  as Zeus,  Maggie Smith  as Thetis,  Harry Hamlin  as Perseus, and  Burgess Meredith  as Ammon. Clash of the Titans (2010) & Clash of the Titans (2010) Medusa Scene Wrath of the Titans (2012) Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010) Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters (2013) Percy Jackson Titan's Curse (2017) Use mythic criticism to review (in writing or as a podcast or vlog post)  Clash of the Titans . Take notes during the film to help you prepare your review. Myth Criticism  asks: 1. How does the story resemble other stories in plot, character, setting or use of symbols? 2. Are archetypes presented, such as quests, initiations, scapegoats, descending, or withdrawals and returns? [Use your handout/notes to help!] 3. Does the protagonist undergo any kind of transformation (such as movement from innoc
Read more

Wilderness Tips - Examination & Analysis

By -
Image
Use period one to continue the story draft you started last class. Use your time to develop your ideas, theme, work on plot, character development, setting, and other aspects of your fiction writing. Remember, your story should include the following: Write a draft that includes a flashback . Consider an urban setting, but at some point in your story, move to a more natural setting. The setting should reflect the inner conflicts of your protagonist if possible. Avoid character cliches: surprise your reader (and possibly yourself or even your character) Include a secondary character who should act as a foil to the protagonist. Write in present tense ; (flashbacks can be written in past tense); Use 3rd person POV (limited, omniscient, objective). See the previous post for more details. Period 2: Let's discuss what we've read so far in the collection. Wilderness Tips is   Margaret Atwood’s second volume of short stories ( Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories (198
Read more