The English Essay

Con9903

Aye but it would be pretty amazing for you to get everything perfect, like all the charcters, the dialogue and the locations/ happenings.

Cianan2

Coincidences...things are strange.

trishemurphy

ah now come on that would be some coincidence it would be impossibe to get the whole plot much the same

Cianan2

It can happen! Maybe, you blank a movie from your brain, and then sitting in the exam something comes to you "I got it! I'll call him....Tony Montana! Yeah, that sounds pretty gangster. He'll need a nickname....err...the plumb..no...Scarface!! Wow, im a genius. Watch your back,Spielberg!!"

Con9903

So you subconsciously write out a particular movie. You never know, the mind can act in mysterious ways.....

Cianan2

Exactly! Its a longshot, but ya never know....

trishemurphy

highly likely i'd say. if you got no marks you could argue your case like ' i subconsciously never realised it was the plot to resevoir dogs'

Vikings

In the last year i've read a whole host of Tom Clancy books, and he is a great writer (imo). Now. everytime I write a story I use his writings as inspiration, I imagine the characters from his books and change and adapt them to suit my needs, that way I have all the characters - including backgrounds - ready to put into a story. It can be a pain changing their names, family names, history, jobs and whatnot on the spot but I find that it works.

Cianan2

I have my names all sorted for my characters tomorrow, for any type of story i do! I support Tottenham, so im just gonna get a bunch of the players names and jumble them up! Eg. Ledley King, Paul Robinson=Ledley Robinson, Paul King. Voila.

rosa

If you're basing a short story on a picture, is it ok to just VERY briefly bring it in or are you expected to write the story completley around the picture?

the smiley one

Does anyone else find it really hard to write short stories??? It's either a train wreck or a masterpiece in my case.....sometimes I get these brill ideas, write about 1.5 pages and then dry up....not good when under time pressure. So, I is sticking to the 'oul persuasive/descriptive/anything besides a short story....

Oh, and btw, you usually write best about things that you have best experienced....so write about that. For example, "the sheer joy of performance" came up a personal essay a couple of years ago; if you are an actor/singer/sportsperson do that, because you actually know what it feels like - you have been there and experienced it....just a tip..

Shyster

Cianan2 wrote:

I have my names all sorted for my characters tomorrow, for any type of story i do! I support Tottenham, so im just gonna get a bunch of the players names and jumble them up! Eg. Ledley King, Paul Robinson=Ledley Robinson, Paul King. Voila.

Screw studying, that sort of logic will stand to you!!

Cianan2

Shyster wrote:

Screw studying, that sort of logic will stand to you!!

Thank you

rose**

if anyones doin this kinda essay id recommend fergal keane articles for ideas. i ave a book i found at home called "letters home" its really good. gives u ideas

honru

rosa wrote:

If you're basing a short story on a picture, is it ok to just VERY briefly bring it in or are you expected to write the story completley around the picture?

I'm wondering the same thing too.

EDIT: Just to add some input, it can be briefly inputted (in other words, your essay doesn't have to revolve entirely around the picture). However, I guess it depends on how "brief" your actual inclusion is, I don't know if a relatively insignificant inclusion will suffice.

I'm throwing the question out to you readers.

I'm pretty sure, with that picture question, that you can just use it as a starting point, or a base, then go elsewhere with the story.

Con9903

I don't think they've made this into a movie yet, maybe you could write a good story?

idea?

rosa

Well lets say you have a couple of short stories prepared that could be adapted to tie in with a picture but you only bring in the picture for a sentance or two? Will it be obvious what you're at and would you lose marks if it looks too contrived?

honru

rosa wrote:

Well lets say you have a couple of short stories prepared that could be adapted to tie in with a picture but you only bring in the picture for a sentance or two? Will it be obvious what you're at and would you lose marks if it looks too contrived?

I'm not sure.

Does your sentence describe an image in the story, then moves on? Or does it show an image that has actual significance to the plot?

I'm pretty sure it has to be the latter.

rosa

Nope, the former unfortunately! Suppose I'll just have to stop looking for the easy way out and be prepared to come up with an original on the day.
Which is tomorrow.
Oh God.

Vikings

It's easy really, there was a picture of a soldier in one of the photo's in the mocks, there was my essay for the taking. Used Iraq as location, pretended the US ambassador was kidnapped and I wrote about the rescue mission. It's easy to adapt any picture to any story really.

UncleFester

i never write stories - i always thought noone did!!! i always write essay type things thats just basically ur own opinion in something for a few pages, try not 2make it 2boring - it always does the trick 4me!