Creative Writing Reflections
Thinking
How does the artifact you selected demonstrate strengths & growth in the thinking competencies? In what ways might you further develop your thinking competencies?
“I can” Statements
“I can develop a body of creative work over time in an area of interest or passion.” I was able to do this with my creative writing project, the first chapter of a novel. I was interested in creating a lead into a fantasy world, so that is what I did. I have found that the first chapters of books can sometimes over explain and over complicate the situation that the main character is in. I wanted something different, so that was what I created. It took some trial and error to create the correct balance of not over complicating and not making my work too simple. In the end, I was able to develop a piece of creative writing that I am proud of. I think that I was able to further my understanding of this competency because of my work in creative writing.
“I am flexible and open-minded; I can explain more than one perspective and consider implications.” I was able to do this during this course when we had our debate over whether ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ should be taught at school. I was on the opposite side that I supported, it should not be taught, and had to expand my thinking and step into a different pair of shoes to debate the side I was given. I was able to explain the perspective of a choice that I did not agree with and did so with confidence. I think that I was able to become more open-minded to considering different views, but I can work on being able to fully explain other’s perspectives of situations and opinions.
Critical Thinking
While doing this creative writing project, I was able to think critically about creativity, and what that means for me. My thoughts around creative writing have changed from when I started this project. Before, I often found myself thinking that creative writing was solely short stories and books. Throughout this project, I realized that creative writing means something different to everyone, whether that is short stories, poems, or even plays. Doing this creative writing project as also made me think more critically about my own creative process. While I can create an excellent, calming space for writing, I find that I can tend to force that creativity when I do not have a long time to work on something. This can cause me to become unproductive, as I am trying to force something. In the future, I will try to focus on if I am in the mood to do a large amount of writing, or just a small amount. This can help me to avoid a writers block and feel more motivated to create something that I am proud of.
Creative Thinking
My creative ideas come from experiences that I have had in the past, places that I have been, and the people around me. For example, the colors I chose for the title cover of my chapter are purposeful, as I thought back to when I was in Mexico, and movies I have seen that take place in Mexico. Common colors that I have seen are bright pinks, oranges, and blues. I have always gotten ideas for creative projects from my environment, and this class has only secured that. I have experienced writers block more than once, and it can be a difficult thing to overcome. One way that I tend to help deal with a block is stepping away from the project, whether that is for a few minutes, hours, or even days, if time allows it. I have found that stepping away from the project can help me to see my own idea from a different perspective. I overcome other obstacles, such as self-doubt, by taking a portion that I do not feel as good about and trying to take it in a different direction. I have found that this helps me to discover new ideas and feel more confident in myself and what I can create.