I'm not a good student, so when I take exams, I make sure I know literally everything about the subject before I go in. If I do so, I come out of the exam feeling refreshed, knowing that I've done everything I can, and that I would get at least X% of the exam correct. There is no such thing in creative writing, however. There is no landmark, no clear indication about the quality, and reading it myself just makes me want to die. How could I change this? How do I recognize the good things, rather than the bad?
Do what the Japanese do and make a story behind every lesson and a genre for every subject. If you find it hard to study just make it more fun through imagination through facts
Fake a lot of confidence, eat a large amount of bananas, and sell your soul to @Satan are the only tips I can give other than accept the fate of crucifixion via essay grade.
Creative writing class huh, that's a hard one mate, usually you're given a topic then start pulling things out of your ass. After that make sure your grammar and spelling is correct. Once you're good at that make your sentencing more eloquent. Creative writing - done. Edit: question for a class or for fun?
ask your teacher they'll point out what you can do better and what you've done wrong. and if that teacher won't help then ask another. And if they try to summarise and pass you off keep pestering them with questions because they're not allowed to not help a student in need.
Accept your fate of crucifixion via internet comments. Just write something and they will tell you what to fix just post it somewhere that people know you are looking to improve so that they can tell you what they don't like. Saying "don't make you MC a whim ass little bitch" might make some people think MGA or ATG while others may think of Our-Lord-And-Savior-Kirito-kun. The best way to find out what is wrong is to just do it wrong.
For creative writing, two things are important as determinant of success: 1. Determine your audience. 2. Determine the purpose of your writing If the end result of your writing could be well-accepted by your audience and they do what you want them to do, then it is a good one.
if you don't like it then you don't like it~ no one gets to do everything they like afterall~ it's like math in hs, even if no one likes it that doesn't change the fact that it's compulsory~
I think I remember someone linking this article at some point: http://nofilmschool.com/2012/06/22-rules-storytelling-pixar
Make sure the your thoughts flow correctly onto the paper. What's in your head is not the same as what is written. Think about who is reading your story. Want you want to be taken from your story.
World building is important, do that first, then write your story ' Show, don't tell ' Describe how it started raining instead of saying 'It started raining'. Give your characters a personality, then write how they would react in those character's shoes. People HATE it when characters don't feel like themselves. Plan your future arcs, and put hints in the previous few arcs. Give your characters a main goal, and make sure they do not side track from it too much. This is all I can think of for now Edit: Relationships, the other characters must have a reason to like/ hate the MC. A good example (IMO) would be Mushoku Tensei MC had a good starting interactions with the girls, and left an impression on them. Character growth, it would be better if your MC learns things. Sevens is my choice of example, the MC relied too much on his ancestor's skills and neglected his own. He would eventually learn this, tho it was his ancestors who made him realize.
Thanks for the replies, guys. A lot of it is quite alien to me, so it all helps, but the big Q was how I could gain more confidence in my writing.
The first thing that pops into your head. Make a story around it... For example I'm thinking of a flying squid. Why is the squid flying? Can it talk? Why can it talk? And then make the laws of the world or something. Try and make them make sense and somehow connect. If it doesn't work scrap it?