The importance of setting in creative writing - have you got it right?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭? 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 Many pieces of writing, whether it be for the English component of school entrance examinations or for IGCSE English Language benefit from a sense of place.

𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Essay titles in examinations are usually intended as wide-ranging prompts, provided as an invitation for the candidate to demonstrate the very best of his or her work. A title may invite candidates to write about a visit to a memorable place. The piece that candidates create may not necessarily be palm-tree-laden holiday-brochure purple prose. Visits to New York’s Ground Zero or concentration camps frequently produce memorable writing.

𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 It is useful if pupils acquire experience of describing a variety of locations. Writing a description of a crowded and grimy urban setting could provide an atmospheric setting for a detective story. In contrast, paragraphs chronicling an airy outdoor adventure could be utilised for a narrative of a challenging experience.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Writing some descriptive pieces on places they have visited helps pupils to develop their descriptive skills. Having a few strong pieces stored in the memory bank prior to the examination also boosts confidence. Though candidates must ensure that the piece they write complies with the requirements of the title set in the examination.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 Pupils should transport their reader to the location by appealing to each of their five senses. Describe the colours of the sky. Find a simile that does justice to the fiery heat of the local food. Conjure up a metaphor for the enveloping crowd. Communicate the icy cold air. Bring the smell of the market to the reader’s nostrils.

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 Creatively and effectively describing locations is a key skill that gains valuable marks on both coursework tasks and examinations.

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 & 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐆𝐂𝐒𝐄, 𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 / 𝐈𝐁𝐃𝐏 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲-𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝. For details of how we can help your child, please contact Valerie Weston on: Email: valerie.weston@minervatuition.com Phone: +852 6156 5705. We would be delighted to hear from you.