Writing is often done in isolation, away from community. This, in itself, can make creative writing a very alienating experience for artists.

The organizers of the Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop know this and that’s one reason they have established a prestigious virtual workshop for African writers living in the continent. Eligible writers are invited to apply to the inaugural edition of the Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop. Selected writers will be notified via email.  There are no entry fees. Also, Attendance is free.  The workshop will be held virtually from the 6th through the 11th of January 2025.

Submission Guidelines For Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop

• Prose entries (fiction and creative nonfiction) should not exceed 1000 words.

• Poetry: A maximum of 5 pages.
  

• Manuscript format: Font 12 (Times New Roman or Arial), Margin: 1, Left-aligned, Double spaced. Poetry can be single spaced.

• Blind submissions are preferred. Be sure to omit all identifying information. This means:
  

No name/pen name or email address should appear on your submission document. Only the story title and wordcount should accompany the first page of your manuscript.

• Applications are accepted from 15th October – 15th November 2024 or until the submission cap of 100 is reached.

• Save your entry story/poem and cover letter (which should include the title/genre of your entry and a short bio) either as a PDF or Word document and submit through this form: https://tinyurl.com/3yaecnsy 

• The file name of your submission must be the manuscript name only. E.g., THE HONEST POLITICIAN.

• Please submit only unpublished work.

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but no multiple submissions. Only one submission per entrant.  
  

Eligibility Criteria

Only writers with three or fewer publications are eligible to apply (self-publication is excluded). Entrants must be African and currently resident in Africa.

Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop Instructors 

The Workshop

Classes will take place on Google Meets from 5PM – 7PM UTC and will be taught by the following writers:

• TerryAnn Adams 
• Peter Njeri
• Chido Muchemwa 
• Ifeanyichukwu Eze 
• Resoketwe M. Manenzhe

Deadline For Submissions

Application window will be open from the 15th October – 15th November 2024 or until the submissions cap of 100 is reached.

What Will Writers Gain From Attending The Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop 2025?

• Writers will learn how to write more eloquently.
• Participants will have a chance to have their stories critiqued constructively by other writers.
• There is an endless list of benefits. However, time and space will not allow us to enumerate them all.

How to increase your chances of getting accepted:

1. Don’t panic.
2. Choose your story idea wisely. If you can, avoid old and tired storylines.
3. Make sure your story has a narrative arc, an interesting theme. Ensure that it is rendered from an irresistible point of view.
4. Write what you know. Readers can tell when you’re being pretentious. Or better still, write what scares the hell out of you. What you don’t know can’t scare you.
5. Read a few classic short stories. I’ll recommend John Updike’s ‘Pygmalion’ and Alice Walker’s The Flowers.
6. You can find a few more fantastic short stories HERE, HERE and HERE.
7. Poets may benefit from reading the writing tips in this article based on a poetry masterclass and this guide.
8. If you’re a poet, here’s how to edit poetry.
9. Don’t be in a hurry. Do your best to find the best story ideas that will make your application stand out.

Ready to learn how to write like the great literary artists you admire, don’t hesitate. Apply to the  Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop 2025. Got inquiries? Forward them to idembeka@gmail.com

The post Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop 2025 / How To Apply appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Figuring out what to include in your MBA personal statement can be tough. But you can write an impressive MBA essay if you read successful goal statements that have followed the correct format.

In this article, Dorian Martins guides business school applicants on:

• how to write an MBA application essay,
• what to include in an MBA Personal Statement
• and what essay format to follow.

Each point features MBA essay examples that impressed the admissions committees of various business schools. 

Ready to learn how to write an MBA personal statement?

Read on.

This resource starts with a definition of an MBA personal statement.

An MBA personal statement is the gateway to your goal. In some schools, it is referred to as a goal statement or a statement of purpose. It is a document that convinces members of an admission committee of your suitability as a candidate in a Department of Business Administration and therefore able to pursue your MBA or Related MBA dual degree.

A poorly written MBA essay will only make the ad coms reject you. The first step in writing the personal statement for business school, would be discovering what to include in the personal statement and what the professors expect your MBA essay to say.

Here’s a tip from an expert:

Without further ado, let’s dive into the nitty gritty of writing a kickass personal statement for your MBA application.

Conduct A Research On the Business School and the MBA Program 

Why this program? What motivated you to apply to this business school?

To explain why you are a good fit, you need to do a great deal of research.

Every Business School is different in one way or another. They have unique missions, values, and goals. Understanding that will help you hit the sweet spot.

You need to reason the motivation behind your application. Self-reflection is one part of it. The other one is research.

Doing research is the foundation for good writing. It is the first step to take in learning how to write an MBA personal statement.

You need to find out what these schools seek in candidates. Also, get acquainted with the goals of their programs.

Typically, students apply to 2-3 schools the least. Cover every school and program you will apply for.

When you know their goals, you can detail how you can contribute. That’s what schools want. They want to see how you fit in the picture.

Get to know more about the school culture. It would help in your MBA personal statement. Use that information to show that you belong there.

Here’s an example of what good research can do. This essay is packed with Harvard-specific information.

Source

Conducting Research

But how do you approach the research? You’re probably wondering. Listed below are some research suggestions that will help you use the right MBA essay format:

• Reach out to department heads for insights
• Check out the school’s website
• Find about events conducted by Business Schools
• Look into previous or current students’ profiles
• Get in touch with current or previous MBA students
• Learn about special opportunities that a school offers (entrepreneurship training, startup funding, great summer job options, etc.)
• Head to the school’s online communities such as forums and social media groups

It can help if you outline specifics for each program. Create bullet points that you find useful. This can be your preparation for writing.

Look at the bigger picture rather than the numbers. Remember that you don’t need to reflect every virtue they want. This is just for inspiration.

The research can help you see yourself as an asset. It can bring you closer to the school you desire. Thus, you’ll feel more confident when you start writing.

Focus on Specific Question when writing your MBA Personal Statement. 

The most beautiful MBA personal statement can be worthless if it’s not specific. The admission committee needs an answer, not an autobiography.

Make sure that you address the question at hand in your MBA application essay.  Don’t waste space and time on non-related information.

The need to present yourself in the best light can do damage. It can get you to take the wrong path.

Sample A MBA Personal Statement

This Sample MBA Personal Statement by written Sandra Onah does a good job of this.

The information on in your statement of purpose must focus on the specific question you intend to answer.Yes, it ‘s important to write about your strengths and positive experiences. But even then, your essay must be focused on the theme and question you intend to explore. If an information isn’t related to the lead question you intend to answer, skip it.

Resist the urge to ramble. You have a limited word count. Use it wisely.

Sample B MBA Personal Statement

Take a look at another MBA Essay example. The student jumps straight to the point. That’s how it should be done.

Source

Writing an MBA personal statement can seem easy at the start, but the truth is, the introduction is where you hook the readers. The point where students tend to break away is the introduction. They have the need to set the tone. However, it’s better to start strong with a suitable topic.

You don’t need an elaborate introduction. Begin with specifics right away. The less irrelevant information you include, there’ll be more room for examples.

To ensure that you aren’t beating around the bush, ask yourself this:

Is this sentence relevant?

Repeat this question for every sentence you write. If the answer is no, delete it.

Pay attention to lengthy sentences. They often consist of excess words or information. You can use a proofreading and editing tool that will point them out.

Be Yourself in your MBA Personal Statement.

Show what makes you unique. Don’t just aim to tick all the boxes.

There will be hundreds of others who will try to fit in. They’ll list everything that the school wants.

But there’s nothing special there. Nothing that will make them stand out.

Don’t write what the committee wants to hear. That is a mistake. There’s no original value in trying to mimic them.

Schools want character. They want unique personalities that can add to the diversity.

Innovators and entrepreneurs are always considered to be different. People that can be noticed in the crowd are the leaders.

Give your MBA personal statement something special by showing who you are. Don’t be scared to open up and break the mold.

Your experiences and life path can ensure originality. Put the focus on that.

No one else has had the same life as you. There lies your advantage. Think about what makes you non-traditional.

Do you want an example? This is an sample MBA personal statement from a student applying to Stanford. The story he shared is memorable and different.

Source

You can also show your vulnerabilities or express your humor. Don’t hide your humanity.

Think about how your experience ties to the MBA program. What made you go in this direction?

Show who you are and you won’t risk blending in. You don’t need to be driven by world peace. The only thing you need is to be yourself.

Write about Your Passions in your MBA Statement of Purpose.

“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”

― Steve Jobs.

Show the business school admissions committee that you can stick it out. Tell them how passionate you are.

Passion tends to ignite us. It can light that fire within you and fill you with inspiration. Use your passion to create a compelling MBA personal statement.

People without passions are usually people without enthusiasm. No Business School wants that. They aim to shape future leaders – and future leaders need to be driven.

If you opted for an MBA program, you probably have a business goal. What do you want to accomplish?

Do you see yourself as a startup owner? Do you want to run a sustainable business? Tell the admission committee where your interests lie.

Mrs. Amaka F. Onyeabor does this very well, Not only does she show that she’s a good business leader, she uses storytelling to demonstrate her passion for her field of study.

Here’s how she made the most of this MFA Essay format:

By applying to a business school, you are pursuing your dream. Which only shows that you are a person of action. You dare to take charge of your circumstances.

Writing about what excites you will make the essay more impressionable. Passion can give your MBA essay some power.

However, you need to find the right question that can handle this topic. For example, “Introduce yourself.”

Sample C MBA Personal Statement

Here’s a sample MBA personal statement and how you can introduce yourself through your passion:

Source

Learn from this example how to approach the topic. You want to go back to the roots. Explain what planted the seed that grew into this devotion.

The origin of passion is always thrilling to read about. It helps the readers understand your aspirations better. What’s more, it helps them see potential in you to write just the perfect MBA essay.

Tell Your Story, Not Your Resume.

Every piece of the admission puzzle has its role. What you wrote in the resume and cover letter is behind you. You can’t retell the same information over and over again.

Now, it is time to focus on your story.

Forget about methodology and chronology. It’s time to get personal.

The purpose of the essay is to get to know the candidates. Praising your GPA and listing your work experience won’t help. You need to make the essay captivating.

Take on the role of a storyteller and draw the readers in. This is your chance to let your personality shine through.

Use vivid language and descriptions. Illustrate situations and emotions that were present at the time. Bring your story to life.

Here’s another sample MBA personal statement that shows the impact of storytelling. This MBA letter of intent or application essay captures your attention with the very first sentence. It takes you on a journey.

To prepare yourself, read some books for inspiration. Observe how good storytellers do it. Read articles on how to write an MBA essay. You could even read previous samples of MBA personal statement to draw inspiration on how to write yours.

The success stories of entrepreneurs can stimulate your ideas. You can learn from their story and their writing style.

Here are a few more methods for telling a story effectively:

• Choose a central message or the moral of the story.
• Progress the story towards central moral.
• Build compelling plots on obstacles and conflict.
• Stick to the clear structure: introduction, action, climax, and resolution.
• Don’t’ complicate it. Eliminate unnecessary backstory.
• Use your own voice and writing style.

Your MBA Statement Of Purpose Must Reflect Your Leadership Qualities

Leaders build companies from the ground up. Leaders inspire people. They take proper actions in the present for a better future.

Business schools want leaders. Show them that you are one.

But stating “I am a leader” won’t do. Nor will the statement “I want to be a successful leader” help. Your MBA statement of purpose needs to show that you have what it takes.

Give insight into your motivations, capabilities, and strengths. Emphasize experiences that present you as a proactive person. When was the time when you took charge?

Don’t stress if you can’t spot such an experience right away. Think harder.

You don’t need to be the team captain to prove your leadership skills. They can be seen in many ordinary situations.

Let’s say that you organized painting the benches in your neighborhood.

You gathered people together and led them to a set goal. You made a change in your community. This portrays you as a leader.

Leadership can be found everywhere. Just closely look at what you’ve done. Where can your progressiveness be noticed?

Observe the following sample MBA personal statement. It’s a story of a boy, a dream, and an action. A simple story that demonstrates leadership.

Source

The whole essay doesn’t need to revolve around leadership. Slip in an example that hints at your proactive capabilities. You can do this in any type of essay question.

Your MBA Personal Statement Should Back Up Claims with Examples.

Are you ready to rock that university term? Prove it. Better yet, show that you are ready through examples.

There’s nothing like examples to illustrate the point. The claims can seem empty if you can’t prove them.

Back up your statements with real-life examples. Use plenty of them.

If you want a winning essay, you can’t go around specific anecdotes. Broad summaries can never make an impact like details do.

Your character, the best traits, and work ethic are best seen in different situations.

Do you know what’s best about examples? You can lift yourself up without bragging.

Don’t say that you are resourceful. Tell a story that proves it. Share how you started Business A or freelancing or volunteering. How did your experience sharpen yor business acumen?

Don’t list your best traits. Share stories that put them in focus.

Real-life examples are interesting and edifying. They won’t be interpreted as personal praise.

Pay attention to the sample MBA personal statement you are about to see. It shows how examples make the essay more vivid.

Source

Instead of listing what he/she learned, the student told a story. This made the essay more fun to read. Moreover, it still answered the question perfectly.

Stories and examples are more memorable. They stick into the readers’ minds. General statements don’t have that effect.

Whatever question you have, supply the answer with examples. There is always something in your life that you can use.

What’s more, examples show that you memorize your lessons. You take notice of what happens to you. Present yourself as the person who values what life teaches you.

Wrap Up On MBA Personal Statement Examples

You Got This!

Turn the MBA application essay into your golden ticket for the interview. This piece of writing will help the committee understand who you are. Therefore, approach it with care.

Take your time. Do your research. Reflect on your uniqueness.

Resist the temptation to be under a lot of pressure. Especially if you don’t know how or where to start.

The question that puzzles many is: How do you write an MBA personal statement that stands outs?

Now you have your answer.

“Let’s get it over it” attitude won’t get you far. You need patience. You need to take a deep look inside yourself.

For starters, let go of the pressure. Simply focus on the question. That’s the only thing you should think about right now.

Now, sit at your desk, turn on the computer, and get to work. Embrace your authenticity and remember: you are worthy.

I hope this article guide on how to write an MBA application essay was helpful. You might want to learn how to write an MFA Personal Statement too.

Dorian Martin is a writer, editor, and proofreader. He studied computer science and continued to develop his knowledge in the fields of academic writing and content writing. Currently, Dorian works as a senior writer at a thesis writing service GetGoodGrade and educational expert at digital marketing conferences. Along with all of that, Dorian runs his personal blog.

The post 10 MBA Personal Statement Examples: How To Write An Application Essay That Will Impress Ivy League Business School Admissions Committees. {Tips + Samples} appeared first on Creative Writing News.

A writing workshop is a great opportunity for budding writers to have their works subjected to peer review and critique. Readers and writers workshops come in various models, but the goals are to teach writers to be better writers

Every year, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie organizes the Purple Hibiscus Creative writing workshop. Various writers are selected to hone their crafts. Teaching the writing workshops are professional writers.

In 2018, Simbiat Haroun attended the writer’s workshop. In her essay, she shares everything she learned. From the writing workshop model to the writing tips. Simbiat bares it all. Ready to learn how to write like a noble laureate? Keep reading.

Writing Workshop With Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Learning To Write Like A Nobel Laureate At The Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop.

The thing to know about acceptance letters is that they usually come when you least expect them. Most people are never ready for an official endorsement of their work.

Even if you send in your best, the moment the positive feedback comes is usually so euphoric that every thought flies out of your head no matter how prepared you thought you were to receive it.

You forget the certainty that made you send out the application in the first place. And then, you forget the fact that by getting this chance, you have robbed hundreds, maybe thousands of people of the opportunity.

You even forget people. And you forget where you are. Chances are that you even forget your body. Then, you condense as you become a mixture of air and euphoria.

This feeling enveloped me at five a.m. on the seventh of November, when I woke up to check my email. You must know that the day before, I had been looking up writing workshop attendees.

What had I been researching? Everything. I had been checking the number of people who are being accepted to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s creative writing workshop each year.

Also, I’d been sending pathetic messages to my younger brother, wailing to him about how I would never get into this highly selective writers’ workshop.

So in the morning, I woke up to go to work, and I checked my email because Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would be sending out emails to the luck workshop participants that day.

When I saw the subject of the mail, my palms became clammy and my breath started to come out in puffs. Fear crawled through my body unknowing to me – the sneaky bastard – and sat firmly in my blood, planted itself on my chest.

With this choking feeling acting as a witness to one of the most euphoric moments of 2018 for me (it comfortably sits in the top five), I opened the mail.

“Dear Simbiat, thank you for applying to the Purple Hibiscus Trust Creative Writing Workshop,”

it began. No clue of what was coming. After,

“I am pleased to let you know you’ve been accepted…”

and finally,

“I enjoyed reading your entry…”

My Reaction To The Acceptance Letter.

My body became one again and I flew up, down, up, down and the floor was shaking beneath my feet and I was vibrating with excitement, and my youngest brother, who had slept in my room that night, was jarred awake by my silent screaming. (I was dimly conscious of how early it was and I did try to keep it down). Unimpressed, he begged me to tone it down, and then he went back to sleep.

I continued to jump up and down, stopping at some points to try to let out excited tears – which never came out –and trying and failing to contain my excitement. That was probably my best day at work after I managed to calm down long enough to get ready.

After I told my brother, who at first couldn’t believe it and then I told my parents but they didn’t understand the gravity of what had happened. They correctly read the waves of excitement pouring from my body and extended their most hearty congratulations.

For the duration of the days it took between receiving that letter and going off to the writing workshop, I was buzzing with excitement, making plans, making, and canceling arrangements.

The Arrival To The Writing Workshop Venue.

Finally, the day came for me to leave home. I arrived at the hotel a day before the writing workshop was due to start (as did most of us, really).

I lived in Lagos, where the writer’s workshop was billed to take place, so I could have to the workshop early on the start date. But I was too excited to wait for a whole day.

The day I got there, it was if a rush of creative juices got emptied on my head. This is proof that the writing workshop still works. The conducive environment and the idea of collaborative learning simply make the writer more productive.

I sat at a very comfortable writing desk, with its bright lights, and its soft perfect chair and its distracting mirror. And I wrote two stories. Afterward, I ate and slept.

How To Write Like A Pro. Everything I Learned From Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie On Day 1 Of The Writing Workshop.

The next day, the writing workshop kicked off. To prepare, I did nothing. It was all in the mind, I reasoned, and short of literally cracking my skull and parting it open, there was nothing I could do to fully get ready.

I had attended the writing workshop only to learn how to write like a nobel laureate. Some other participants hoped to learn about teaching writing workshops. I realized later on that the later was also a useful skill.

Don’t think about the audience when writing, think about the story.

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

At the top of my mind was my decision to do my best. And hopefully not remain star-struck throughout the creative writing workshop!

When I got downstairs, I was greeted by a congregation of eager students clustered in pockets of small groups. There, I met H. I joined her small cluster, which consisted of herself and G.

I remember that day and all the others that followed very vividly. We sat together and spoke about the things that connected us: our nervousness at meeting Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. We spoke about our uncertainty about being at the writing workshop, random things, mundane things.

Soon, it was time to eat and we proceeded to the dining room; I still miss the food. After, I quickly went to the room where we were to have classes.

Chairs were arranged in a U formation, with sweets, a bottle of water and a jotter and a biro. I walked in and I sat. Less than five minutes later, I walked out again and went back to the dining room.

The room was too cold and I had been the only one there, everybody else was too busy learning the patterns of other people’s minds.

Many minutes later, we were ushered back into the room, into the freezing cold. It felt like stepping through the doorway from the summer into the winter. Somehow, in the minutes I had been away, it had become even colder. We sat there in the cold, waiting.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Comes To Teach The Creative Writers’ Workshop

When Chimamanda finally walked into the room, I can only speak for myself and say that it felt like the sun had just risen. She had a large smile on her face, and she was gorgeous and she looked genuinely happy to meet us.

I didn’t notice when but eventually, I felt the strain in my cheeks that told me I was smiling widely. She came in and sat beside me, to my immediate right.

When editing, look at the first and last few sentences.

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Here was a woman whose books I had read back to back and who I had loved for so many years and she was sitting so close that if I stretched my hand, I would have been able to touch her. She smiled at us many times and then she introduced herself to raucous, disbelieving laughter.

“We already know you!” Many of us wanted to shout. “We know everything there is to know about you.”

She told us bits about herself, declared the room a safe space, and invited us to share pieces of ourselves. It was like we were transported out of that freezing space by the sea to the safest place everyone could be. (For me, it was an island away from civilization).

It was like we had been transported and told that we could be our deepest truest selves. Some of us poked the change with sticks, and others embraced it wholeheartedly.

What is important is that one after the other, we shared pieces of ourselves. And in that room, we started to form bonds that I believe will endure. And this is what I found most fascinating about the writing workshop model Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie built.

Why Our Writing Samples Stood Out From The Other Applicants.

After our brief introduction, we began the business of the day. Chimamanda told us why she had selected the stories she did.

Use more detail so that your story is more believable.

— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

She didn’t pick perfect stories, she said. She added that It had been particularly hard that year, to select the stories she did. And then she began to critique our entry stories one after the other.

During the course of this session, which stretched into the next day, she shared a few gems. I’ll share a few of the writing tips Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie shared while she was teaching the writing workshop:

• Don’t think about the audience when writing, think about the story.
• When writing out of your box (gender, nationality, etc.), it is important to come to it with humility.
• When editing, look at the first and last few sentences.
• Use more detail so that your story is more believable.
• Allow your characters some vulnerability.
• Be specific but don’t overdo it in order to write a more believable story.

Finally, she got to my story. And she told me something I will remember forever. Sorry, I will not share it with you.

The First Three Days Of The Writers’ Workshop and The Writing Prompts We Explored.

We spent the first three days of the writing workshop with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

We wrote more stories. They can serve as a writing workshop idea or a writing prompt for you.

• One assignment was to write a story using only dialogue,
• Another prompt involved a story about what we like and dislike about ourselves. These exercises opened us up and forced us to confront parts of ourselves we had never dared to open up.

For many of us (myself included), we had never been able to write anything so personal. For many of us, it was like opening a can of worms.

The stories were so hard to write but eventually, the worms grew into butterflies. We found that we were better for the sleepless nights we had to endure to complete our writing assignments.

Writing Tip: There should always be layers in everything you write.

— Lola Shoneyin.

So yes, the first three days of the writing workshop were daunting but absolutely worth it. Above all, they were fun as we had started to develop stronger relationships over fried fish, and chicken curry sauce, and salads, with sugary drinks to wash it all down.

The Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop With Lola Shoneyin, Author and Founder Of The Ake Festival.

The fourth day of the writing workshop saw us paired with Lola Shoneyin and brought what would become a fun, poetry session.

Writing Tip: Use symbolism to show how people are different.

— Lola Shoneyin.

I definitely did not know before I met her that she had published at least three poetry collections. And that she’d published these before releasing her critically-acclaimed novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives.

During the writing workshop, Lola taught us about brevity and subtlety in writing. The workshop participants learned how to use writing as therapy.. And we learned about foreshadowing.

Some golden creative writing tips she shared with us are as follows:

• There should always be layers in everything you write. This will help you build a great narrative arc.
• To be able to tell overly personal experiences, learn to detach yourself.
• The more you translate someone’s work into your language, the better your description will be.
• Use symbolism to show how people are different.

She also discussed how to write from many perspectives when writing a novel. To make it all easier, here are some things to note when writing different voices:

• Draw very clear lines.
• Get to know each character intimately.
• Write down a character bible.

To practice, we took a poem that Lola chose. After she’d separated us into groups of four, we translated it into pidgin.

This exercise was an illustration of how description can be more vivid when translated into your language. It showed how translation exercises can aid the writer in painting a clearer picture in a story.

The Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop With Tash Aw.

After Lola was Tash Aw with whom we learned to write about people who are close to us.

Write about things you’re more emotionally drawn to.

— Tash Aw

Tash’s writing workshop model was slightly different from Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s model.

Tash Aw had us pair up. And for his assignment, we had to discuss parts of ourselves with our partners. From what each writer had learned of the other person, everyone had to write a story about their partner. It had to be something they could relate to.

Colour narratives of people with what you know about them.

— Tash Aw

On the second day, my roommate, D, finally arrived. And it was with her that I completed this assignment. This was particularly hard for me, and I ended up doing a fairly decent job only on my second try.

Are you interested in trying this writing workshop idea? Here are some writing tips which I noted from Tash’s class:

• Write about things you’re more emotionally drawn to.
• Be able to say the things that they said, didn’t say, and could have said.
• Stories can be used to antagonize the subject.
• Writing is about going into their emotional space, about invading their personal lives.
• Colour narratives of people with what you know about them.

Learning How To Write From Eghosa Imaseun.

Next, the workshop participants enjoyed a visit from Eghosa Imaseun. Before he showed up, he sent us stories to read. Short stories and articles that taught us a lot about the proper way to submit stories and how to maintain voices while we write.

We also got an assignment to re-write a chapter of a popular book. The winner took home the complete set of Chimamanda Adichie’s books (I’m still jealous, T).

Below are some things to note from Eghosa’s writing class. His tips focused on things to consider when submitting a book to a publisher:

Write a striking cover letter.

Write a letter of approach requesting publication. This should have three parts: why you write, what you write, who you are.

Include A Short Synopsis.

Summarize what you’ve written in two sentences. Include why you’re the best person to tell the story.

Include Samples Of Your Work.

Submit three chapters or 50 pages or 10,000 words of your novel, whichever is longer.

Don’t Hesitate To Send A Follow-Up Email To The Publisher.

Follow up on your submission after two months.

Follow The Publisher’s Submission Guidelines.

The safest thing is to go to their submissions page and check if they have a preferred format; it’s usually best to send a traditional format.

Eghosa was hard surfaces with soft tips. He asked questions and actually expected an answer. Again, he was self-critical and magnanimous. And he said things that shocked you but at the same time did not, because you knew he meant them.

You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.

He shared some tips about points of view with us and their specific differences. An important thing I learned during Eghosa’s session is that the best way to transport yourself to the time where you’re writing is to use music and things that are relevant to that place.

What Dave Eggers Taught At The Writing Workshop About Points Of View And Editing.

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Dave Eggers was last to see us but in no way the least. With Dave, we discussed how to humanize a character, for writing about people we don’t particularly like.

Some of the ways a writer can humanize a character are:

• Show vulnerability in the character.
• Portray the character with someone or something they love.
• Present their weakness in relatable ways.
• Reveal their doubts, their internal struggles.
• Show what they are like when they fail.
• Reveal their inner justification for evil. In most cases, people who do evil think they have good reasons for their actions.
• Take readers into the character’s head.

Dave took us through an invaluable editing class that is worth more than I can ever say. Gold, maybe? With Dave, we discussed experimental stories, stories that are told not from the typical points of view but strange ones.

Workshop participants had to think about possibly writing from the point of view of a housefly, of a dead woman, using different structures, and we did, with many of us producing stellar work.

For our assignment, Dave told us to pick a newspaper story and write a fictional story out of it. It was particularly boring as none of the stories seemingly had good material. We spun gold out of the ordinary thread after which we took the practical road to ‘editing’.

How To Edit Your Story: Tips From The Writing Workshop With Dave Eggers.

• Never use so/then.
• Do not put a semicolon in dialogue.
• Analyze your story sentence by sentence and remove words that don’t do anything for the sentence.
• Don’t overdo the dialogue tags.
• Show more than you tell.

We were encouraged to share our work and until today, a quote rings in my head every time I think of holding back: “You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

The quote may be overused but it is no less important.

Other Interesting Extracurricular Activities We Participated In During The Writing Workshop.

It is crucial to note that we were not just props sitting in class, and trudging back to our rooms at the end of the day.

In the middle of the unending work, we found time to watch movies together in J’s room, have a dance party, go on long walks as a group during which I had a soul-moving talk with T.

We took our time to grow as writers as well as individuals as well as Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Trust Students.

Also, we spent nights staring at the sky, sitting in the bar downstairs discussing ourselves, peeling open wounds that had been long forgotten, and left buried under a bandage.

We talked and laughed and selfied among ourselves. Each day of those ten days is well documented.

The Final Days Of The Writers Workshop.

All too soon, it was the tenth day. We would spend the day getting ready, making ourselves up and stuffing beautiful outfits, shoes, and gorgeous makeup into the gaping holes our oncoming departure would leave within us.

At the oriental hotel, I floated through the day. It was finally the day we would have our long-awaited selfies with Chimamanda who had to travel and couldn’t make it on our previously scheduled date.

One by one, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, with our certificates in hand, called our names. And one after the other we climbed onto the stage, to hear her say the things about us that she had liked best, things we had thought she would have forgotten.

Not Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; She had a sharp memory and remembered the most important things about each one of us, gave us words we each held to our chests, and as we went back to our hotel, one sentence played over in my mind which she had said at a point during the writing workshop, “I can’t wait to read your books.”

Author’s Bio:

Simbiat Haroun lives in her head and when she is not writing, she is silently watching, thinking about what next she will turn into a story. She is a graduate of Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Trust Workshop.

We’ll be publishing more feature stories from other writers. Keep visiting CWN. Or better still, subscribe for our newsletter and you’ll get updates right in your inbox.

Want to write for us? Great! Read the submissions guidelines on our Write for Us Page

The post Writing Workshop With Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Learning To Write Like A Nobel Laureate At The Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop. appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Serious poets want to be better writers of poetry. Also, they want to learn how to edit poetry.

Many poets understand that editing is as important as the actual writing. It’s your opportunity to examine and refine your work into a better and more developed piece worthy of awards. It makes sense to learn how to edit poetry. Who knows where your reputation as a poetry editor might take you?

Editing can seem daunting, and it’s also quite exciting. So take some time to experiment and find the techniques and processes that best work for you and your poetry.  Yes, you’ll have to learn to edit your poems first.

Here’s a guide on how to edit poetry. This guide includes poetry editing strategies guaranteed to help you become a great poetry editor. One strategy is to use poem editing tools like AI PoemGenerator to help you create and edit poems in a blink of an eye.

Take a Break From The Poem. 

Writing poetry can be difficult and consuming. After completing your poem, take a break from the creative process. Let your brain relax. Reapproach your poem with a fresh mind. You want to be able to read the line with fresh eyes.

This technique works when you’re editing your own poem and when you’re editing another writer’s poetry.

You’ll do a better job of assessing and editing the poem more objectively if you implement this technique.

Save the First Draft Of The Poem.

One of the reasons editing can feel intimidating is because of the idea that you’re “killing your darlings.”

Keep your unedited first draft, so the poetry editing process doesn’t feel like you’re cutting and discarding your own precious lines of poetry.

If your poem is typed, it can be helpful to print it out. Your unedited draft will remain on your computer, and editing is often easier when you physically highlight and make notes on the poem.

This way, instead of killing your darlings, you’re still letting them hang around, and the unused ones can be used in other poems.

In addition, your edits will be reversible, and you can compare your unedited and edited versions for even more improvements. All the best poetry editors use this strategy. It’s a good tactic for anyone who’s still learning how to edit poetry.

Read your Poem Like a Reader Would.

Read your poem in its entirety. Don’t make edits or think about adjustments. Let yourself enjoy the words and experience your poem like a reader would. After a complete read, note down your immediate thoughts and impressions. 

• Do any words or lines feel strange? 
• Which parts could use reinforcement? 
• Do some areas seem choppy or cramped? 

Think about the reader’s perspective. 

• Is the writing clear or confusing? 
• Is the theme or message of your poem coming across?

It can also be helpful to read your poem aloud so you can pick up on how it sounds. 

• How is the rhythm and flow? Is your writing eloquent enough?

Reading through your poem and breaking down what exactly needs to be fixed will result in more productive and efficient editing. Now you’re prepared to make your first level of edits.

Enhance the Style

After making the first round of adjustments, begin focusing on style edits. The style of a poem is all the choices that are made to create the poem’s meaning. Coleridge’s The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is a good example of a well edited poem.

This can range from literary devices to punctuation to rhythm to mood. Examine your style elements and how they contribute to the poem; they should enhance your writing and complement the themes and meaning of your poem.

That being said, you should also make sure that your poem isn’t crowded with style elements. Poetry is a form that operates by the “less is more” policy, so sometimes it can be helpful to remove excess.

• Does your style complement your poem?
• What elements could be enhanced to contribute to a more developed piece?
• What elements could be taken out to clear unnecessary crowding and confusion?

Assess the Language Of The Poem.

Carefully study your word choice. Every word should be contributing to the theme, structure, and rhythm of your poem. Also examine your diction and what it is implying. 

• Does the diction match your theme and style? 
• Are there ways to maximize the effect?
• What is one way to revise for word choice?
• Is this poem good enough for oral reading?

This is a good time to take out your thesaurus and experiment with word choice. Also, poetry usually isn’t as word-heavy as other forms of writing. Keep that in mind while editing; it’s better to remove unnecessary adjectives and adverbs. Additionally, make sure you are beginning and ending with powerful lines for a stronger poem and greater impact.

Reorder and Restructure

Once you’ve done all your writing-based edits, give your poem another read. Assess the order and structure of your poem. Experiment with different stanza and line orders to find which sounds and flows the best. This will help you to learn how to edit poetry.

Poetry also involves an aesthetic element; try altering your lines to make your poem look better on the page. If your poem is typed up, a helpful tip is to change the font.

Your brain gets accustomed to observing the same text; changing the font will let you assess it with fresh eyes and assess the structure better. As a bonus, grammar and spelling errors are easier to detect with a font change.

• Can your stanzas be reordered to flow better and make a better poem?
• Could your lines be rearranged within the individual stanzas to emphasize meaning?
• Could your lines be shortened, lengthened, or combined to create a better structure?

Ask Others for Feedback

After you’ve made all your edits, it can be helpful to ask others for their suggestions. Share your poems with trusted friends, family, or other writers and ask them for feedback.

A good practice is to ask others what they think the poem is about. You may get some interesting poetry analyses that can indicate whether your poem is being understood the way you want it to or not.

Keep in mind that you get to decide what to do with the feedback you receive. If you found it insightful you could use it to do another level of edits. You could also choose not to act upon the feedback; it’s your poem, edit it as you see fit. 

You can also seek feedback on the behalf of the writer whose poem you’re editing. The feedback you’ll get will help you do a better job of editing the poem. With time, you’ll figure out everything you need to learn about how to edit poetry.

Rewrite Your Poetry.

Every poet has heard this saying, ‘the first draft is always trash.’

While editing a poem, be prepared to revise some lines. Writing experts advice poets to edit until your poem says what you want it to say. Writing experts advice poets to edit until your poem says what you want it to say before getting it published.

Edit the poem until it sings. If you’re still learning how to edit poetry, don’t be in a haste to rewrite ‘imperfect’ sentences. Be careful to avoid editing out the writer’s voice. Strike a balance between maintaining the writer’s voice and improving the lines of the poem.

Read The Poem Out Loud.

After a few rounds of revision, read the poem aloud. This will help you to spot errors you might have missed.

Read the poem to a small audience, and listen to their opinion. Good poems are often good for oral reading.

Also, ask yourself if you’re satisfied with the edited poem. If you aren’t, revise the part that require some improvement.

Congratulations on completing your poem, if you feel satisfied with the completed poem!

If you aren’t happy with the finished work, no worries! You can always return to the editing process and write as many drafts as you need.

Use A Grammar And Spell Checker Like Every Good Poem Editor.

Every poet who’s still figuring out how to write a poem must use a grammar checker or a spell checker. This will go a long way to help you to correct small grammatical and spelling errors.

Wrap Up On How To Edit Poetry.

Poetry editing isn’t a small feat. It requires a lot of writing and reading, as well as a ot of practicing. You have to learn to take a break from the poem with the aim of backing back to the poem with fresh eyes. Other strategies include:

• rewriting the poem
• Getting feedback from seasoned poetry critics or writers
• Restructure your poem
• Read the poem aloud to yourself and them to a small group of cohorts.
• Using a grammar checker
• Take a break from the poem.
• Using a thesaurus or a dictionary. 

It’s standard practice for every editor to use a dictionary or a thesaurus. This ensures that only the apt and concise words make it into the final draft.

While figuring out how to edit a poem, strive to choose the best words in the poem you’re editing. Many editor poets often wonder, “what is one way to revise for word choice?” My answer: revise awkward-sounding lines and use a thesaurus or a dictionary.

Did you ever have to actively learn how to revise a poem? What lessons have you learned from your experience? Please share your story in the comments section below. There are thousands of poets who want to learn how to edit a poem.

You can find more poetry writing tips in this article.

The post How To Edit Poetry: A Guide On How To Become One Of The Best Poem Editors In The World. appeared first on Creative Writing News.

What is a story arc? Does it mean the same thing as narrative arc or plot arc? These are questions many budding and professional writers often ask. And they are very important questions too. Storytelling arcs help to make great stories memorable and outstanding.

In this article, Charles Opara will give apt narrative arc definitions. Then, he’ll dissect a sample story that has a clear story arc. What’s more, he’ll explain the difference between a character arc and a narrative arc. You’ll also get bonus tips on how to create the arc of a story in a narrative 

Ready to learn about arcs in stories? Read on.

The Story Arc Also Known As The Narrative Arc.

When many writers get a story idea, the last thing they think about is the narrative arc. But the story arc is one out of many techniques that keeps the reader hooked.

Before we learn how to create a story arc, let’s define a narrative arc.

What is a narrative arc?

The story arc or narrative arc or dramatic arc is the path a story follows. It gives a story a definite form, one with a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

The concept of narrative arc as we know it today was created by Gustav Freytag, a German novelist and playwright who closely analyzed ancient Greek writing, along with William Shakespeare’s five-act plays.

As the term suggests, when plotted on paper, a typical narrative arc forms the shape of a hill or pyramid.

Creative writing experts suggest that a typical story arc has five elements..  Understanding these elements will help you know what to focus on when trying to create a narrative arc in your story.

Here they are, arranged in the order in which they appear:

The Five Elements of a Story Arc

Exposition.

This is the reader’s introduction to the story. The exposition offers background information to prime the audience for the rest of the story, including introducing the main character(s) (the “who”), setting (the “where”), and circumstances or time period (the “when”).

Rising Action.

This is when conflict begins to ramp up. The rising action usually begins with what’s called an “inciting incident”—the triggering event that puts the main events of the story in motion. This is when the audience starts to see what your story is really about.

This element forces you to answer questions like, what visual representation describes the structural elements of your plot?

Climax.

This is the highest point of tension in your storyline, and often the point at which all the different subplots and characters converge. Typically, the climax requires the main character to face the truth or make an important choice.

Falling Action.

This is what happens as a result of the protagonist’s decision. During the falling action, the conflict gives way to resolution. Loose ends are tied up, and tension begins to dissipate.

Resolution.

Also known as a denouement, this is how your story ends. The resolution of a narrative arc isn’t always happy, but it does close the loop and show how the events of the story have changed the characters and the world around them.

How To Create A Narrative Arc (Examples and Tips).

I will demonstrate these 5 elements using excerpts from my horror short story piece: It Happened.

A Demonstration of the Five Elements of a Story Arc using the horror short story piece

‘It Happened’ by Charles Opara

Exposition (Opening)

It is official. My son is missing — if you believe the statement I made back at the station. I am in the backseat of a squad car, on a manhunt for the prime suspect in my son’s abduction, and we have just gone past the orphanage at Aladinma. Chuma, my first child, left home for Church to rehearse for a play his youth group plan to stage on Sunday and has not returned since. Look at the time. It is past nine. The police chief and I have spent the last forty-five minutes visiting some of Chuma’s friends in their homes and interrogating them. They all said the same thing: they last saw him at the rehearsal and do not know where he went after that.

The police chief is constantly on his phone, constantly talking to his boys, asking if they have made any progress. Every negative response he gets threatens to turn me into a nervous wreck.

Help me, Lord, before I lose my mind. I am a poor widow whose mite comes from her earnings as a nurse at a state-run clinic, one of the outstations for the proper reference hospitals in the city. I have no one else but you, Lord, and I thank you for revealing to me who my son’s abductor is. I speak of Ihemee, the destitute on our street. Would I even know his name if it were not for my son, whom he chose to befriend?

Chuma has been acting strange ever since we moved to Ikoku Avenue, almost three months ago. He has a knack for expressing ideas that could not possibly come from a nine-year-old. Like the time he asked me a riddle: “Grass eats dirt, cow eats grass, and man eats cow. What eats man?” I answered ‘nothing’, and he said, “Maggots. Maggots eat man. They turn him into dirt so the grass can eat.”

When Chuma became fascinated with setting traps for house rats — when I noticed he was a little too eager to take out the rubbish, every evening — I asked Uchendu, my second child, to follow him and see where he would take the trash. Uchendu came home to report that he had seen Chuma speaking with Ihemee at the dumpsite.

What? My son? Talking to that mad man? After I specifically warned him to steer clear of him? What sort of mind-control medicine is that homeless herbalist using on him? Ihemee, of all people! How can Chuma want to be friends with that disgusting thing? A tramp who could be carrying skin diseases yet unknown to man? Who might even be a runaway from a mental institution, and potentially dangerous?

Analysis Of The Opening (Exposition).

Notice the background information. I’m referring to the incidents that happened before we joined the story:

• Chuma’s relationship with Ihemee.
• Chuma not returning home after a rehearsal at church.
• The narrator calling the police. 
• The narrator and the police chief making house calls to inquire about the whereabouts of Chuma.
• The narrator going to the police station to give a report.
• The manhunt. The narrator and the police chief boarding a squad car that’s part of a convoy of two police vehicles on a search for the suspect.

We also learn a bit about the narrator.

She’s a nurse.

And two other characters, who are at the heart of the conflict: Chuma and Ihemee.

Rising Action.

The police chief gets off the phone and says to me, “My men have apprehended the suspect.”

“Praise God,” I chant. “Is my son with him? Have they found him?”

”Calm down, Madam. Your son is not with him, but we will find him. I assure you.”

He tells the driver to turn the car around and our convoy of two makes a U-turn. At one point, the other car’s headlight strikes me with a blinding haze of white that catches the tears welling up in my eyes.

If my premonition misses, my son is not in a black cellophane bag and Ihemee is not a ritualist looking for a human head while pretending to be shelter-challenged.

I keep my head turned towards my window, away from the police chief, and watch the dark shapes of trees as they fly by. A quick flash of light from a working streetlight ambushes me with my sad reflection.

Analysis Of The Rising Action.

The inciting incident is the phone call the police chief receives. It informs him that the suspect has been apprehended.

At this point, we start to get a sense of what the story is about.

Climax

At the shoulder of the hill, a putrid smell filled my lungs. But I was like a moth drawn to the strong light on the other side, I could not be denied. I crawled up the slope, taking my time. At the summit, I fell on my chest and slithered up and poked my head over the hill. The first thing that caught my eye was a bright furnace. And then a man. He was naked, stark naked. He looked like the driver of our bus. There was another man by the fire. He was tending to the flames with a long stick. I knew I had seen him somewhere before, on the bus, perhaps. Wasn’t he the one who sat closest to the door?

The first man dragged an equally unclothed body by the ankles—dead from all indications—out of a pile of human remains and laid it flat on its back. The corpse he had pulled out belonged to the woman who had offered me ukwa while we were waiting for the bus to fill up with passengers. The first man—who, in the glaze of firelight, I could now confirm was our driver—lowered himself on top of the woman’s corpse and assumed the missionary position. It was a sickening sight. I could not think of anything more depraved. I could not think at all. He belched. He puked all over her face. His vomitus poured and poured (bucket-loads of it) and as it did, his head lurched forward and he gurgled, “Bleeegh!”

His oral discharge seemed alive, the way it swirled over the woman’s face and then over the rest of her, soiling and unsoiling her body parts. Jesus! It was a swarm—of maggots. The driver coughed out the last ones. And then came… a long worm—no, a leech, the longest I had ever seen in my life. Maggots, leeches (and God knows what other vermin) turned the woman’s face into a hive. The last thing I saw, before slinking away, was of the driver licking the woman’s skull, slurping back the maggots, and exposing her soggy half-eaten face.

Analysis Of The Climax.

In this scene, the narrator faces a shocking truth: the men, she initially thought were rescuers, are scavengers, decay-feeding supernatural creatures.

Falling Action

Where am I?” I ask.

“In hospital,” Chuma says.

“How do you feel?” Ngozi asks, her eyes the pale red of someone who has been crying.

“Excuse me. That’s my job,” the strange face in the room says. She raises her stethoscope and slips it into her ears. “Now, if the rest of you will give me a moment, I will be done here.”

I feel the cold dab of her stethoscope on my chest and jerk back a little. 

“So it was all a dream,” I say. “Thank goodness. But what happened? Why am I here? Doctor, did you give me a hallucinogen? You can tell me. I’m a nurse.”

“Hold still.” She pulls down my lower eyelid and shines her retinoscope in my eye. She does the same with my other eye. “I did not,” she says. “Your bus had an accident and, for all we know, you are the only survivor.”  

No. She can’t be serious. “Noooo,” I scream, alarming the young woman leaning over me. 

Ada, whom Chuma is trying to prevent from clambering up into my bed, stops struggling and gapes at me for a brief moment before she opens her mouth wide and releases a bawl.

“Mummy, what is it?” Uchendu asks.

“She is still in shock,” the woman in white overall says to Uchendu. “Now, I want everyone to leave so that she can get some rest. She will feel much better after she sleeps it off.”

Analysis of the Falling Action.

Here, we see how the protagonist reacts to her realization in the climax. This action, which starts in the ‘Falling Action’ will lead to the resolution.

Resolution

“Confused, I watch the woman lift Ada into her arms, and shepherd my family out of the room. 

Chukwunna, lekwa nu mo, Father, see me-o, I repeat to myself each time I recall the accident, and the driver scavenging that passenger’s face. 

Before the woman can shut the door behind her, an impulse makes me say, “Chuma. I want to speak with Chuma.”

“Of course,” the doctor says and allows my son back into the room. 

Chuma bounds over to me and the woman pulls the door shut. He stands by my bed, waiting. He doesn’t know what to say. And for a while, neither do I.

“That thing Ihemee said to the police, the night Obasi went missing, did you understand it?” I ask, finally.

“Yes, Mummy.”

I blink to clear the tear-clouds from my eyes, my lips shuddering slightly.

“Mummy, what is it? Don’t cry. You’ll be okay. The doctor says you will,” Chuma says, switching to Igbo.

“How does Ihemee know what he knows?”

Chuma hesitates.

I reach out and touch his arm. “You can tell me. I won’t get angry. I promise.” 

“He is one of them. He is like Pastor Ikenna, but he is not bad like him. He doesn’t kill and bury children so he can eat them later. He only eats dead rats and the things he finds in the garbage. Mummy, Ihemee is my friend, and he can be your friend too, if you like.”

 End Of Story.

How Story Arcs Work.

Story arcs in contemporary drama often follow the pattern of bringing a character to a low point, removing the structures the character depends upon, and then forcing the character to find new strength without those structures.

In a story arc, the character undergoes substantial growth or change, which culminates in the denouement in the last third or quarter of a story.

What’s The Difference Between The Narrative Arc and The Plot Of A Story?

Plot refers to the individual events that make up your story. In other words, the plot is what happens.

Narrative arc, on the other hand, refers to the path or sequence of your plot, and how that series of events creates a flow and progression that keeps the reader engaged at each stage in the story.

What Is the Difference Between a Narrative Arc and a Character Arc?

If a narrative arc is the path of the overall story, a character arc is the path a specific character takes during that story.

The story arc is external, and happens to all of the characters, while a character arc is internal, and happens to one person.

A character arc usually involves a character overcoming an obstacle and changing the way they see the world. (Undergoes an internal change, if nothing else.)

When the narrative arc begins its descent down the pyramid into the falling action and resolution, the character arc has its moment to shine.

This is when a character experiences a turning point by:

• asking for help,
• learning a new skill,
• making a critical choice,
• and/or becoming more self-aware.

Typically, only major characters have character arcs, though minor characters can undergo this type of character development as well.

The character arc of the narrator in our sample story

From the story “It Happened”, the narrator’s character arc is her realization that Ihemee is not what she thinks, but something much worse,  something hard to believe.

She now knows that Ihemee is not insane and was speaking the truth when he accused the general overseer of the church she attends of being a cannibal. We don’t know how she’ll respond to this. But it can be inferred that a change has occurred within her, a change in the way she sees the world.

And this change results from her acceptance of the fact that men who feed by digesting their prey extracellularly exist.

Wrap On Narrative Arcs, Story Arcs, Character Arcs and Plot Arcs.

The story arc can be seen as a pyramid that shows the different changes that take place in a story. There are five elements of a narrative arc. And each element plays an important role in defining the clear arc of the story.

The narrative arc is different from a plot. A character arc differs from a narrative arc. With our aforementioned example, you can decipher what the differences are. And hopefully, you can write classic short stories the everyone will love.

Have you ever tried to decipher the narrative arc of your story? What did you learn from the process? 

Got more tips on creating a story arc? Please share in the comments section. We look forward to learning from you.

About the Author:

Charles Opara is a Nigerian-born author who writes suspense, speculative fiction, literary fiction and short stories. He is a programmer with a passion for groundbreaking technologies. His creative mind enjoys the logic involved in writing stories and programs, puzzles and problem-solving, basically. In 2015, his horror short “It Happened” was shortlisted for the Awele Creative Trust Prize and in 2017, another story ‘Baby-girl’ was long-listed for the Quramo National Prize in his country. His stories have appeared in Ambit, Flash Fiction Press, and Zoetic Press. He is about to publish a collection of short stories with Fomite Press called ‘How Hamisu Survived Bad Kidneys and a Bad Son-in-law’.

Twitter handle: Charles Opara@OparaCc

INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

1. Fake It, Flash Fiction Press http://www.theflashfictionpress.org/2016/06/24/fake-it/
2. Fermenting, Zoetic Press, Non-Binary Review #7 The Woman in White
3. Broken Sleep, Ambit Magazine, Ambit 229 (19th July 2017) ISSN: 0002-6972 http://ambitmagazine.co.uk/issues/229

WRITING CREDITS 

1. ‘It Happened’ shortlisted for Awele Creative Writers’ Prize 2014
2. ‘The Dream’ longlisted for Fiction Desk’s Best Newcomer’s Prize 2015  
3. ‘Fermenting’ nominated for the Best of the Net (Zoetic Press 2016)
4. ‘Baby-girl’ longlisted for the Quramo National Short Story Prize 2017

The post Narrative Arc, Story Arc, Plot Arc and Character Arc (Definitions + Examples + Tips For Creating A Narrative Arc In Your Story) appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Speculative fiction is becoming more and more popular. Many budding and professional writers are constantly trying to break into this fantastic genre. If you’re new to SpecFic, you’re probably wondering, what is speculative fiction? Or what are the best examples of speculative fiction? 

Horror, science fiction, alternate history, and black speculative fiction all fall under the genre of speculative fiction. But do they sometimes converge and diverge in some stories? Where can one find such examples of speculative fiction?

If you’re seeking answers to these questions, you’ve come to the right place. Here, prolific speculative fiction writer, Simbiat Harouni addresses frequently asked questions like:

• What is speculative fiction?

• What’s the difference between science fiction and speculative fiction?

• And more.

Simbiat’s comprehensive definitions of speculative fiction, will be followed excellent examples, a deep analysis of the genre and tips on how to write. Ready? Let’s read on. 

Everything You Need To Know About Speculative Fiction: Definitions, Tips And Examples.

Books (and stories) can do so much more than provide an experience for the reader. They can immerse you into a whole new life and a completely new experience. They can transport you to a new world, showing you perspectives that you never considered. 

One typical genre of such beautiful stories is the speculative fiction genre. It consists of so many sub-genres that it is hard to properly assess and categorize them all. When people ask about examples, they’re often referring to the subgenres. Rarely story samples.

The sub-genres or examples are so many. They include but are not limited to:

Science fiction.

Science fiction is a sub-genre that often takes place in a dystopian setting with marked technological advancements interwoven into the story. In many cases, science fiction cases take place many years in the future.

“Adjustment Team” is an example of a science fiction short story. It was written by American writer Philip K. Dick. The award-winning movie, The Adjustment Bureau, was based on this science fiction short story.

More examples of science fiction novels:. 

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 

2. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 

3. The Martian by Andy Weir; 

4. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov; and 

5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 

Fantasy:

One common example of a fantasy novel is St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. Written by Karen Russell, this fantasy short story about children who were born to werewolf ancestors. Her novel Swamplandia!was a 2012 Pulitzer prize finalist .  

Horror. 

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is another example of a horror novel and film. ;English author, Mary Shelley, wrote Frankenstein in the 19th century. It was published in 1818.

Superhero fiction. 

Superman, wonder woman, batman and black panther are examples of superhero fiction comics, books and films.

Alternate history. 

This is another interesting sub-genre. Common examples of alternate history novels include:

• Mallory Blackman’s 2001 novel, Noughts and Crosses.
• Philip K. Dick’s 1962 novel Man In The High Castle.

Utopian 

This genre explores ideal worlds in which the rules of engagement are different from those of the real world’s.

Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel Always Coming Home, Is a good example of a Utopian novel.

Dystopian fiction,

This sub-genre features stories that portray human misery. George Orwell’s 1984 is arguably the most popular dystopian science fiction novel.

Lesley Nneka Arimah’s dystopian fiction short story Skinned won the Caine Prize in 2019.

Supernatural fiction, 

In this genre of, supernatural themes are explored in creative ways. Most of these stories explore themes that go against naturalist laws.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot are good examples of supernatural fiction.

 Science fantasy.

This is a combination of two speculative fiction genres. Stories under this subgenre mix elements of science fiction and fantasy. Star Wars is a good example of a science fantasy story.

Of all these examples, fantasy is the oldest sub-genre, going back thousands of years. A look back at the earliest civilizations such as the Greek civilizations finds that they told stories in the form of fantasy even then. 

After fantasy became popular, other sub-genres slowly came into the limelight. This happened with science fiction leading the way. Science fiction has gained popularity in recent centuries. 

As the speculative fiction genre is growing, writers such as myself have found ourselves wondering, what the right definition is.

Also, what exactly does it take to write good speculative fiction stories and excel in this exciting climate. 

So What is Speculative Fiction?

Speculative fiction is a broad category of fiction. It’s used for work that doesn’t qualify as literary fiction and also doesn’t completely fit into the science fiction or fantasy genre. 

Because of the sheer broadness of the speculative fiction genre, some people have even taken to calling it the “super genre”.

Speculative fiction can accommodate literary fiction with elements of fantastical events. It can include the aforementioned sub-genres.

However, there are some writers that don’t consider horror to be a good example of speculative fiction. To properly understand this, let’s explore the history of this genre.

A Brief History Of Speculative Fiction.

Speculative fiction started a long time ago when poets and writers started to reimagine reality for their art. According to the Oxford Research Encyclopedias article on speculative fiction, the term Speculative Fiction was coined by the writer, Robert Heinlein in 1941.

 It wasn’t until 1947 though, that he popularized the term in his essay, ‘On the Writing of Speculative Fiction’. In this essay, he defined Speculative Fiction as,

[N]arratives concerned not so much with science or technology as with human actions in response to a new situation created by science or technology, speculative fiction highlights a human rather than technological problem.

Now, the term has been expanded to capture the true meaning more accurately. 

Wikipedia gives another apt definition of speculative fiction as,

a genre of fiction that encompasses works in which the setting is other than the real world, involving supernatural, futuristic, or other imagined elements.

Here’s my definition of speculative fiction.

Speculative fiction is a genre of literature where a writer explores real-world situations through a fantastical or speculative lens. It is basically asking, “What if?”

Because writers are constantly willing to ask these important questions, several aspects of speculative fiction have been born. These include:

• Fantasy,
• Science fiction,
• Horror and so many more genres. Some of which are not as well known as others. 

Speculative fiction has spread to so many areas of life and literature. So wide is its appeal that it cannot be classified as a mere medium. It has now graduated into a group.

A testament to its popularity is the fact that it’s being used across a wide range of media including:

• movies, 
• Short stories
• comic books, 
• games, 
• art, 
• and other forms of storytelling and entertainment.

In the article, will share my time-tested tips for writing great speculative fiction. But first, I’d like to discuss the most common reasons why people, like me, write speculative fiction.

3 Good Reasons To Write Speculative Fiction?

People write speculative fiction for so many reasons. Just like any other career path, more than one road can lead to your destination. 

Here are good reasons to write speculative fiction. 

You Are Inspired By Folklores You Once Heard. 

My journey to speculative fiction was sparked by popular folktales. I particularly recall those about the Tortoise’s adventures in the animal kingdom. 

Myself and my siblings – sometimes cousins too – would sit in a semicircle in front of my grandma. And she would regale us with tales of these beings. Of course, we knew that these animals could never climb up to heaven. 

And of course, we know they couldn’t make special sweets with which they tricked each other. But the stories did a good job of opening up our minds to the possibility of more.

Perhaps, you heard these mind-boggling stories. It’s one reason to consider writing speculative fiction.

You Are Inspired By The Examples Of Speculative Fiction You Read.

After grandma stopped telling these stories, I started reading about the old Yoruba kingdoms and about juju. I learned about the almost unbelievable things that happened in the past. 

These stories were fascinating and they led me to start writing my own short stories in the form of plays. This is how I started writing speculative fiction. 

Perhaps, you’ve read some fascinating fiction or non-fictional stories. And perhaps, these stories have inspired you to write yours. 

To Explore The Unknown, And The Strange Thoughts That Run Through Your Mind.

Occasionally, strange ideas cross my mind. And I do my best to put them to paper.

I succeed only a handful of times because speculative fiction is a special kind of fiction writing. Yes, it is. 

Didn’t I make this clear when I addressed the question, ’What is speculative fiction’?

A story in this genre needs to have all the elements of fiction while satisfying the demands of speculative fiction. 

The elements of fiction include: (characterization, language, theme, and all the rest). But the demands of specific include:

• Worldbuilding, 
• Factual storytelling, 
• Emotional triggers required to connect readers to the story. 

Seamlessly, combining both the elements of fiction and the demands of SpecFic requires some sort of expertise.

What Is The Difference Between Fantasy And Science Fiction?

What is the difference between fantasy and science fiction? I would say that this is a fairly simple question. And that it is as simple as what is speculative fiction. Except that it is really not a simple question. 

These two sub-genres of speculative fiction are nuanced and interwoven so that a more intimate look is required to properly assess their differences. On the surface, it is easy to classify and define them.

Science fiction is a sub-genre that often takes place in a dystopian setting with marked technological advancements interwoven into the story. In many cases, science fiction cases take place many years in the future. 

On the other hand, fantasy stories particularly feature mythical beings like ghosts and gods. And the characters in these stories display some sort of supernatural power. 

The writer, Orson Scott Card explained it best in his science fiction definition:

Science fiction is about what could be but isn’t while fantasy describes what couldn’t be.

However, these two share many differences in three areas:

• Their believability,
• Their settings, and
• Their characters. 

Believability: 

One major difference between science fiction and fantasy novels is their differing levels of plausibility.

In fantasy novels, it is generally understood by the writers and readers alike that no matter how much they may want it to be so, the characters and even the places described in the books can never be real.

I remember how I felt while reading Brandon Sanderson’s ‘The Emperor’s Soul’, and wished that I could somehow transport myself into the book.

I longed to see the wonderful description, live in that land by myself. But no matter how I wished for it to be so, it couldn’t happen.

 In fact, it will never happen. That’s because nobody can actually do the things that were described in that book. 

On the other hand, science fiction takes its roots from the real world. In a number of years, it could be possible for someone to develop and wield the lightsabers used in Star Wars. Maybe. 

Settings

Settings of science fiction and fantasy stories often differ a lot too. In science fiction, the stories are usually set in a dystopian, high technological setting. 

In fantasy stories, however, the story features a wide range of mythical beings, places, and settings.

In some situations, the settings can look like the real world. But they always have a twist or two, especially in high-grade fantasy stories. 

Characters 

Finally, the characters in fantasy and science fiction can be somewhat different too. From what I have read of science fiction, there is usually a wide array of characters.

They include aliens and more advanced species, in addition to some human characters which may be present in the story. After all, Aliens, robots, and the likes are what science fiction is made of. 

On the other hand, the characters in fantasy stories are mostly humans or close to being so. They can have a few distortions to their looks like dwarves or fairies.

They can be beings who look like Gollum from ‘Lord of the Rings’. These characters are rarely found in science fiction stories though. 

But, even with all of these differences, there are certain things that tie these two sub-genres together. These things can be divided into the following:

• The problems that their characters have to face
• The lessons that they learn. 

Certain things are common to all stories, whether they are speculative or not. Things like war, famine, racism, government, and family struggles are common to these stories. 

Examples Of Science Fiction Stories and Books.

Usually, people who ask what is speculative fiction often want examples. For more context, below are some examples of science fiction novels:. 

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 
2. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 
3. The Martian by Andy Weir; 
4. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov; and 
5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 

These are all examples of science fiction novels. And they’ve themes, settings, and characters that fit into the science fiction description. 

When considering fantasy novels, on the other hand, you can think of such books as:

1.  The Lord of the Rings by J. R.R. Tolkein, 
2. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, 
3. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, 
4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, and 
6. so many other books by other brilliant authors including Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Helen Oyeyemi, Ben Okri and others. 
7. You can read recommended fantasy short stories by Simbiat Haroun and Pemi Aguda for free online. 

Many things set these stories and books apart from each other, like the very fabric that makes up the stories and the settings and such.

But at its root, they have similarities, like every other story that has ever been written, speculative or not. 

Understanding How To Write Speculative Fiction: A Detailed Guide.

Now that you understand everything there is to know what speculative fiction is. How can you succeed as a speculative fiction writer.

Is there a magic trick?

Reading will teach you the tips and essentials of writing speculative fiction. 

There is no special trick or magic potion to learning how to write speculative fiction.

However, yo improve your chances of excelling as a speculative fiction writer, if you:

• read, read, read a lot of speculative fiction. You can star with the read the recommended examples of speculative fiction on our list
• And you need to write a lot of work in this genre as well.

It’s not enough to have an answer to the question, ‘what is speculative fiction’. You have to put in the time.

Whether you are writing speculative fiction or regular literary fiction, these essentials remain the same, as far as I know. 

These speculative fiction writing essentials include:

Get Your Theme Right. 

Your story should have a central theme whether it is a fantasy or science fiction story. What does the story revolve around and what are its main themes?

In the Harry Potter series, we saw a boy grow up alongside his friend while facing off against an all-powerful enemy.

Themes in this series include coming of age, power, love, family, and many others. Consider this when you are writing your next story. 

Create Rounded Characters 

If your story does not have interesting characters, then it will not be very interesting to your readers.

It is usually the interesting characters that draw readers into the story. And they do this even before the writing or the conflict has a chance to draw them in.

Ensure that your characters are nuanced and interesting. Nobody wants to read about cliche characters or one-dimensional characters that are hard to connect with. 

An important example is the characters in the Harry Potter series. They are multi-dimensional and interesting enough so that years later, people continue to connect with the characters. Sometimes even more than the story.

Be Creative With Your Setting

This is one of the most important parts of your story and will make or break its believability.

Whether you are writing fantasy or science fiction, the settings in your story must be flawless and beautifully described. 

Before you start writing your story, try to plan the special features of your setting in order to spare yourself the headache while editing.

Highlight You Character’s Conflict

 The key to every great story, more than nuanced characters and a wonderful setting is conflict.

Explore inner conflict within your main character, small scale conflict between characters, as well as large scale conflict in the story itself. 

Define The End Goal Of Your SpecFic Story 

What is the end goal of your story? What is the whole thing working towards? And, what are your characters fighting for? Answer these questions and you have yourself a wonderful story. 

Opportunities Available For Speculative Fiction Writers

There are several opportunities available for speculative fiction writers. 

Online magazines that publish and promote speculative fiction stories include 

• Omenana magazine, 
• Fireside Fiction magazine, 
• FIYAH Magazine,
• Nightmare
• The Dark
• The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy, 
• Asimov’s Science Fiction, 
• Clarkesworld Magazine, among others. 

 You can also subscribe to Creative Writing News and submittable. This will grant you access to calls for submissions as soon as they are issued. 

Speculative fiction writers can also take advantage of:

• Funds,
• Grants,
• MFA degrees (some programs are tailored to speculative fiction writers), 
• Fellowships, 
• Prizes, and other opportunities. 

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Speculative Fiction.

If you’re asking the question, what is speculative fiction, you’ll probably want to know common mistakes to avoid. Common mistakes to avoid when writing a specific story.

There are several mistakes that you can make as a beginning speculative writer. But the majority of these mistakes lie in your craft. Some of them are:

Writing cliche stories and characters 

There is a reason why nobody wants to read cliche stories anymore. No one wants stories that have been over flogged and boring.

Don’t kill your story with overdone ideas. Think of fresh and exciting stories and your reader will appreciate that.

Speculative fiction podcasts will spark your imagination just as much as books will. Writing Excuses and Unexplained Mysteries are good examples of such podcasts.

Not properly planning your story setting. 

Your story setting is one of the most important things in your spec-fic story. 

If there are places and things that are not properly explained, your reader will definitely notice. Ensure that your story setting is as flawless as it can possibly be. Ensure that the reader is not thrown out of your story. 

Going overboard with story description

Many definitions of speculative fiction emphasize the description. This often gives writers the false impression that spec-fic is all about descriptions.

Avoid this mistake. No matter how clearly the story comes to you, you must be able to identify which part of the description makes it to the page and which part stays in your head.

You don’t want your reader to get bored. 

Letting your style take over your story 

This is something that I learned during a writing workshop. Let your writing skills shine through without letting it take over your story.

Chances are high that the readers are there more for the story than for your writing. Even so, you can wow the reader with your writing without necessarily detracting from the story.

Choosing overly complicated names for your characters

Resist the temptation to give your characters names that are too complicated. It is hard to keep track of characters when you can’t even remember their names. Remember that. 

Wrap Up On What Is Speculative Fiction? Examples and Tips For Writing SpecFic.

Stories are the foundation on which a lot of things in life are built on. There’s hardly anything you can get away with doing in today’s world without being told to ‘tell a story’

. One of the most interesting branches of storytelling is speculative fiction. I hope you understand what speculative fiction is. I also hope you learned everything you need to know to excel in the speculative fiction genre. 

Don’t forget to use your imagination, don’t burden your reader with pages of description. Also, read the stories and books recommended in this resource. Feel free to suggest more examples of speculative fiction stories and books.

Have you ever asked the question, What Is Speculative Fiction? What kind of answers did you get?

And have you tried to write speculative fiction? What has your experience been? How have you overcome the challenges you faced while trying to break into the SpecFic genre.

Also feel to share other examples of speculative fiction you absolutely loved. We’re looking forward to hearing examples we forgot to mention.

Author’s Bio:

Simbiat Haroun lives in her head and when she is not writing, she is silently watching, thinking about what next she will turn into a story. She is a graduate of Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Trust Workshop.

We’ll be publishing more feature stories from other writers. Keep visiting CWN. Or better still, subscribe for our newsletter and you’ll get updates right in your inbox.

Want to write for us? Great! Read the submissions guidelines on our Write for Us Page

The post Speculative Fiction: Everything You Need To Know About This Genre {Definitions + Tips + Examples + Opportunities.} appeared first on Creative Writing News.

In order to learn how to analyze a poem, you have to understand what poetry is. Poetry is a literary form used to express feelings and ideas. Poetry analysis involves examining the independent elements of a poem to understand those feelings and ideas.

There is no one right way to analyze a poem. However, some of the possible ways will be explored in this article.

We’ll break down the main aspects of poetry analysis and poetic elements to help you form and focus your own analyses. This guide can also serve as a poetry analysis worksheet as there are questions to guide you.

Below are the poetic elements, tips, and examples you need to guide you in your quest to analyze any poem.

Understand and Dissect The Theme of The Poem

The theme of a poem is its central topic, subject, or message. Examining the theme of a poem is a great method of analysis; the easiest way to break anything down is by understanding what it’s about. 

To understand how to analyze that poem, start by studying the poem for its main idea. It could be about love, loss, patriotism, nature, etc. 

As an example, let’s look at “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost.

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

Learn To Find The Theme Of The Poem

To find the theme of the poem, we have to break it down to find what it is about. Let’s break down Frost’s poem to find the theme.

Frost begins this poem by talking about nature and flowers, and how they don’t last very long. He says the same about dawn; at first, the sky is golden but then it rapidly fades as the sun rises higher. This loss is compared to the fall from Eden, and then Frost concludes with “Nothing gold can stay.”

The recurring message here is that nothing golden and beautiful lasts. We can then develop this idea into the main theme of the poem, which is transience; the most beautiful things tend to have the shortest longevity. After finding the theme, an analysis can be made about how Frost delivers the theme. 

You can also explore the literary devices he uses in order to do so, who the intended audience is, etc.

Poems can also have multiple themes. And a poetry analysis can be built on their relationship with one another. Moreover, you can write or generate a poem that delivers a message or moral which can also be a point of examination.

Poetry analysis questions to ask about the theme:

• What is the theme of the poem?
• Are there multiple themes? How do they relate to each other?
• Is the poem trying to deliver a message or moral?
• What audience is the message for?
• What techniques does the poet use to deliver the themes in the most effective way possible?

Pay Attention To The Context Of The Poem

The context of a poem forms the foundation of its comprehension. A poet’s background can be crucial to your ability to understand their poetry. A poet’s life and experiences can affect the interpretation or provide extra information. Examining such context is another solid method of poetry analysis.

Details about a poet’s life can suggest a specific point of view. For example, some of Grace Nichols poetry, such as “Island Man,” is more meaningful if the reader knows that Nichols is a Guyanese poet who moved to London when she was 27. And a lot of Nichols’s poetry is inspired by her homesickness. 

The culture of the place and time a poem was written in also has an effect on the interpretation. For instance, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel L. Coleridge has strong themes of nature and religion. The reason for this is because it was written during the Industrial Revolution when people were entranced by science and technology. Coleridge wanted to draw their attention back to what they were overlooking. 

The effect of the culture of place is observable in Dareen Tatour’s poem “قوم يا شاب قومهم” (“Resist, My People, Resist Them”) which she wrote as a Palestenian in protest against the Israeli government. Her poem made a defiant statement, and she was arrested for it. 

In some cases, poetry is influenced by the era or movement it was written in, like how Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” was written during the Beat Generation movement.

Researching About The Poet Can Help You To Analyze A Poem

A little extra research about a poet and their life can go a long way in improving your understanding of their poetry.  Take some time to read up on the context.  You’ll be better equipped on how to write a case study analysis of the poem.

Poetry analysis questions to ask about context:

• Do details about the poet’s life suggest a specific point of view?
• Does the culture of that era (I,e. time, and/or place) have any effect on the interpretation of the poem?
• Does the poem belong to a movement? How might this affect its interpretation?

Focusing On Mood and Tone Is A Solid Way To Analyze A Poem

Mood and tone are similar, but the distinction between the two is important. Mood refers to the feeling the audience gets from the writing. 

For instance, a mood shift can be observed in Billy Collin’s poem “Introduction to Poetry.”

I ask them to take a poem

and hold it up to the light

like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem

and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem’s room

and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski

across the surface of a poem

waving at the author’s name on the shore.

But all they want to do

is tie the poem to a chair with rope

and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose

to find out what it really means.

In the first four stanzas, the mood of this poem is of wonder and exploration. It’s light and invokes the marvel of learning new things.

However, in the later stanzas, the mood becomes darker and sinister. The mood shift and how and why Collins creates it is a strong point of analysis.

Remember, Tone Differs From Mood

Tone, as mentioned earlier, is a little different than mood. Tone refers to the attitude the writer has towards the subject they are writing about. 

For example, the tone of a poem could be satirical, serious, humorous, critical, or appreciative. The tone in “Another Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries” by Hugh MacDiarmid is quite easy to detect.

It is a God-damned lie to say that these

Saved, or knew, anything worth any man’s pride.

They were professional murderers and they took

Their blood money and their impious risks and died.

In spite of all their kind some elements of worth

With difficulty persist here and there on earth.

As previously mentioned, the tone is how the writer feels about the subject of their poem. The subject here is mercenary soldiers. It’s pretty clear that MacDiarmid doesn’t care very much for them.

The tone of the poem is undeniably contemptuous and angry. Taking note of this tone creates an opportunity for analysis on how MacDiarmid conveys the tone and why he feels so strongly about mercenary soldiers.

Poetry analysis questions to ask about mood and tone:

• What is the mood of the poem?
• Does the mood change over the course of the poem? Why did the poet create said change?
• What strategies does the poet use to convey the mood?
• What is the tone of the poem? Does the poet agree, disagree, admire, ridicule, or condemn the subject of the poem? What is the reason?
• How does word choice affect the tone of the poem?
• What strategies does the poet use to convey the tone?

Explore The Literary Devices Used In The Poem

Literary devices are techniques writers use to produce special effects in their writing.  It is especially helpful when you’re still grappling with learning ways to analyze a poem.

As can be sensed from the definition, it’s a pretty broad category. As such, an analysis of a poem based on literary devices can go in many directions. A few of them have been highlighted below.

Repetition is a literary device frequently found in poetry, as can be demonstrated by Merrill Glass’s “But You Didn’t.”

Remember the time you lent me your car and I dented it?

I thought you’d kill me…

But you didn’t.

Remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was

formal, and you came in jeans?

I thought you’d hate me…

But you didn’t.

Remember the times I’d flirt with

other boys just to make you jealous, and

you were?

I thought you’d drop me…

But you didn’t.

There were plenty of things you did to put up with me,

to keep me happy, to love me, and there are

so many things I wanted to tell

you when you returned from

Vietnam…

But you didn’t.

To learn how to analyze repetition in a poem, first, find the repeating phrases. Secondly, assess their function and contribution to the poem. 

The repeating phrases in this poem are “Remember the time” and “But you didn’t.” Their functions are reinforcing the mood of the poem and the building structure.

 The repetition of “Remember the time” produces a nostalgic mood. The repetition of both phrases creates a framework for the poem. 

Therefore, when the mood drastically changes in the last stanza, the continued repetition of “But you didn’t” still keeps the poem within its structure; it doesn’t feel like it came out of nowhere. It is important to consider this when figuring out how to analyze a poem.

Next in literary devices, let’s discuss the imagery and sensory language. Imagery is an author’s use of descriptive language to build visuals. Meanwhile, sensory language is words and phrases that create vividity in writing. This vividness is created by appealing to the senses. 

Both are employed by writers to add depth to their work. The use and effect of these two devices can be observed in this excerpt from “The Young Sun’s Greeting” by Léopold Sédar Senghor.

The young sun’s greeting

On my bed, your letter’s glow

All the sounds that burst from morning

Blackbirds’ brassy calls, jingle of gonoleks

Your smile on the grass, on the radiant dew.

This stanza is rich with sensory language. The description of sunlight on the bed, the sounds of birds in the morning and dew on the grass creates a strong image of a serene morning. 

The resulting effect is a vivid and entrancing poem. This effect can be analyzed in terms of how it’s achieved, the impact it creates, and how it supports the theme of the poem.

There are many other literary devices that are frequently found in poetry including metaphors, personification, flashbacks, symbolism, diction, and more. These can all be analyzed in a similar manner as highlighted above. 

Poetry analysis questions to ask about literary devices:

• What are the most prominent literary devices used in the poem? How can it help you to analyze the poem?
• What function do the devices have in the poem? Do they build the structure? 
• Do literary devices contribute to the mood? Do they support the theme?
• How does the poet’s use of literary devices make for a better and more meaningful poem?

Analyze The Language and Structure

Poetry allows for eccentric language and structure use in a way that no other literary form does. This makes for engaging reads and great points of analysis. 

As an example, here is an excerpt of “Half-caste” by John Agard

Explain yuself

Wha u mean

When yu say half-caste

Yu mean when light an shadow

Mix in de sky

Is a half-caste weather??

Well in dat case

England weather

Nearly always half-caste

In fact some o dem cloud

Half-caste till dem overcast

So spiteful dem dont want de sun pass

Ah rass

Explain yuself

Wha yu mean

When yu say half-caste?

Yu mean tchaikovsky

Sit down at dah piano

An mix a black key

Wid a white key

Is a half-caste symphony?

This is a great piece about the absurdity of racism, but let’s focus on the language. Agard writes in his Caribbean dialect. By doing so, he is legitimizing his way of speech and asserting himself and his mixed race identity. It’s a strong statement and connects well with the message of the poem.

Pay Attention To Creative Use Of Grammar

In terms of grammar and punctuation, what better example is there than Emily Dickinson’s poetry? She’s well known for her odd capitalization and punctuation.

Here’s poem #466 “I dwell in Possibility.”  In this poem, Dickinson writes about the limitless power of poetry and its superiority over prose.

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

Of Chambers as the Cedars –

Impregnable of eye –

And for an everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky –

Of Visitors – the fairest –

For Occupation – This –

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise –

Dickinson’s grammar can seem daunting, but it’s just a matter of breaking it down. Beginning with the capitalization, these are all the words (excluding the words at the beginning of each line) that she capitalizes: 

Possibility, House, Prose, Windows, Doors, Chambers, Cedars, Roof, Gambrels, Sky, Visitors, Occupation, This, Hands, Paradise

The most recurring image produced by these words is of a house, which is the main metaphor of the poem. Dickinson compares poetry to a fair house that has many windows, an endless roof, and other appealing characteristics. 

So, it can already be reasoned that Dickinson’s capitalization is in order to emphasize the main focus of her poetry. This analysis can be furthered by examining the capitalized words that don’t fit in with the rest, such as “Paradise.”

A possible reason that “Paradise” is stressed could be the religious context; Dickinson could’ve been trying to portray just how divine poetry is by giving it a more powerful connotation. 

The other notable grammatical element in Dickinson’s poem is the abundance of em dashes. Almost every line ends in an em dash, and several have em dashes in the middle of them. 

Dickinson’s use of em dashes in the middle of her lines is usually to highlight words of significance. For instance, “for Doors” is enclosed in em dashes in the first stanza. To find out why, let’s consider the rest of the stanza. 

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

Dickinson is talking about the superiority of the “Possibility” a.k.a poetry house over the prose house. Poetry has more windows and it has doors. 

It’s important to notice that she says “More numerous of Windows,” because this means that the prose house also has windows, poetry just has more. In terms of doors, however, the prose house doesn’t seem to have any. So it’s just a house of windows.

Windows are nice, but you need doors to enter and exit. Therefore, “for Doors” could be stressed because Dickinson wanted to establish that prose isn’t as open as poetry.

Just as important as the use of em dashes,is the absence of them. Dickinson uses so many of her trademark dashes in this poem, so the two places where she doesn’t stand out: “And for an everlasting Roof” and “The spreading wide my narrow Hands.” 

Both of these lines describe something that’s expanding: the eternal roof and hands that are reaching out to paradise. Without the usual em-dashes, these lines visibly expand on the page which enhances their meaning.

Poetry often accommodates unusual structure and language that many poets utilize for emphasis, to make a statement or other similar reasons. All these can act as effective focal points of poetry analysis. 

Poetry analysis questions to ask about language and structure:

• Does the poet make use of language or grammar in an unconventional manner? What effect does this have on the poem?
• Do the language and diction complement the theme and mood of the poem?
• How is the poem structured? How are the lines and stanzas arranged? Why might the poet have made that decision?
• Do the language and structure correspond with the poem’s form? Why or why not?

Identify and Explore The Poetic Form

Identifying and exploring the poetic form is a great way to analyze a poem.

The poetic form determined by the poem’s rhythm and structure. The easiest way to detect the rhythm and structure of a poem is by listening to it.

Poetry is meant to be heard, so read it aloud or listen to a recording of the poem. This will allow for the detection of patterns in rhythm and rhyme schemes. Use that information to identify the poetic form. 

A fourteen-line rhyming poem may be a sonnet. A poem with an AABBA scheme is a limerick. A long narrative poem could be an epic, and a poem that seems to be a tribute may be an ode. Maybe the poem doesn’t seem to follow any form, which would make it free verse. 

While it’s not necessary to know the exact poetic form—you don’t have to memorize all the forms and their distinctions—it can be helpful because certain forms have specific associations. 

For example, sonnets are usually about love. Limericks tend to be humorous, and epics are often adventurous and historical. An understanding of the form of the poem can then open up opportunities for analyses about whether the poem adheres to or challenges its conventions.

Poetry analysis questions to ask about the form of the poem:

• Is the poem traditional or contemporary?
• Does the poem follow a rhyme scheme or rhythm?
• Does the poem follow a specific structure?
• Can the poem be classified under a certain form?
• Does it adhere to or challenge its respective form’s conventions? 
• Does the poem break away from its form or structure at any point? Why might the poet have made the change?

Last Words On How To Analyze A Poem

Analyzing poetry can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Simply break the poem down to its basic elements. Most of the major poetic elements have been outlined in this guide. Then, choose one or two to examine.

Also, make sure you’re asking the right questions. Create your own analysis worksheet or use the ones in this guide. 

The main idea of poetry analysis is to investigate and evaluate the way the poet makes an impression. Find what jumps out and talk about it in your essay, literary magazine, or audio podcast. Good luck!

Have you tried to analyze a poem? What challenges did you face? And how did you overcome these challenges? What poetic elements do you explore the most in your poetry analysis?

Please share your ideas and experiences in the comments below.

Interested in poetry contests? Check out the The 6th Singapore Poetry Contest 2020/How to Submit ($170)

and

The Origami Poems Project 2020/ How To Submit ($175)

References

Collins, Billy. “Introduction to Poetry.” The Apple that Astonished Paris. University of Arkansas Press, 1996.

Dickinson, Emily. “I dwell in Possibility.” The Poems of Emily Dickinson. Harvard University Press, 1999.

Frost, Robert. “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Collected Poems, Prose, & Plays. Ed. Richard Poirier and Mark Richardson. New York: Library of America, 1995. 

Glass, Merrill. “But You Didn’t.” Family Friend Poems, www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/but-you-didnt-by-merrill-glass.

Macdiarmid, Hugh. “Another Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries.” The Complete Poems of Hugh MacDiarmid. Penguin Books, 1985.

Senghor, Léopold Sédar. “The Young Sun’s Greeting.” Leopold Sédar Senghor: the Collected Poetry. University Press of Virginia, 1998.

The post How To Analyze A Poem (Examples, Worksheet Questions and Tips) appeared first on Creative Writing News.

Every writer will, at some point, be presented with the opportunity to write creative non-fiction. In this article, the prolific biographer. Mike Ekunno, teaches us how to write an autobiography, biography, and memoir. Ready to learn from this maestro? Keep reading.

To understand how to write an autobiography, you must consider how a biography differs from an autobiography. 

A biography is the story of one’s life which when written by the subject becomes an autobiography. A memoir is also a biography or autobiography but concerned more with the subject’s career and public life. Understanding these terminologies will help you on your journey to learning how to write an autobiography.

While late Owelle Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s My Odyssey is a good example of an autobiography, Malam Nasir el-Rufai’s The Accidental Public Servant is a memoir. Michelle Obama’s Becoming is another good example of a memoir. 

Autobiographies and memoirs are often written with the assistance of professional freelancers. By prior mutual agreement, this fact can be hidden. When anonymous, the paid author or co-author becomes the ghostwriter. He/she is paid off and loses all future claims to authorship or co-authorship of the work.

A Detailed Guide On How To Write An Autobiography.

At this point, you’ve probably ascertained that there isn’t much of a difference in the process of writing an autobiography and a biography.

Below is a step-by-step guide for writing that award-winning autobiography or biography.

Draw Up The Outline For Your Autobiography Or Biography.

Generating an outline is like drawing the building plan for a construction project. As with building construction, the outline is of existential consequence for the biography or autobiography project.

 In the classical biography, the outline follows a chronological order beginning with family genealogy, birth, childhood, education, career, and so on. 

But with a memoir, the outline is episodic dwelling on the milestones in the subject’s career path and public life. The freelancer must work with the subject-client to tease out a workable outline. 

Since the chapters of the resultant book will mimic the outline, a grouping of topics in the outline is to be done with an eye for coevality and volume. By coevality, I mean those events that occurred around the same period of time. 

These should naturally be grouped together. However, the chances of overlap of references to the same event are always there. And this shouldn’t be a worry at the outline stage.

How To Group Your Headings and Sub-Headings.

While grouping the headings and sub-heads, the writer should be sensitive about achieving approximate uniformity in the volume of each chapter. This is to forestall a scenario where one chapter is five pages long, while the other is twenty-five pages long.

The autobiographer or biographer has a duty at this stage to tease out as wide a range of events and occurrences as possible. This should include their ramifications done by asking the kind of searching questions that will help the subject clarify fuzzy connections. 

In other words, this is not the time for minimalism. Rather, it is the time to be expansive.  Understand that the outline will form the compass for the project. Just as architects take one section of the project and blow it up for details in the plan, the biographer also has to explore the detours and subheads to the main headings and events.

Embarking On Background Research For Your Autobiography, Biography, and Memoir.

In the run-up to beginning the biography or autobiography and having drawn up the outline, one should prepare oneself with background research. This step is important for autobiographers, biographers, and memoirists. 

Many writers wonder how to find materials for their autobiographies and biography projects. If you’re such a writer, you should consider exploring the most popular sources of research materials. 

Sources of background research can be divided into: 

• Written 
• Oral. 

How To Use Written Sources During Your Background Research.

Written sources include files and diaries relating to the period under consideration. Also, newspaper cuttings if the issues involved were captured in the media. There would probably be pictures and other graphic records. 

As social media becomes a prominent part of our lives, future biographers may also have recourse to social media archives. Clients who had public service careers should be mindful of the Official Secrets Act. Also, be well advised on excerpting official documents.

The oral sources would include relations and workplace colleagues of the subject. However, these sources needn’t be approached at the onset until the outline progresses and these sources’ perspectives become relevant. 

The ethics of the business demands that the freelancer must obtain the client’s fiat before speaking with these third-party sources. In the sub-genre known as unauthorized biography however, the freelancer operates more like a sleuth to unearth what may not be favorable to the subject which makes the requirement for the subject’s prior approval unnecessary. 

One of such unauthorized biographies happened by serendipity in Nigeria in relation to a man of letters who fell out with his biographer. Interesting right?

The Quest for Volume and Why It Should Matter To The Writer.

During the outlining and research phase, think about the volume of the project. The volume will determine how successful you’ll be in your quest to figure out how to write an autobiography or a biography.

Most biography-writing projects are faced with a mortal threat in the quest for a sizeable volume for the resulting publication. This is caused by the subject-client overestimating the quantum of the story he/she has got.

Also, the volume is often a source of worry to many writers who are in the process of figuring out how to compose an autobiography or biography.

Many prospects for autobiographies think because the story of their life appears huge to them, it can actually make a good volume in book form. For others, it is a question of not having the ability of a raconteur to tell their story in a compelling way. 

One client of mine ended up with essay-type print-outs of her life’s story which were useless to me. I had to subject her to a re-telling of the narrative in order to give it flesh as a story.

Many who think of their story as vast start off well, but end up with something very scanty. This is where the professional freelance biographer comes in to help achieve your dream of writing a biography.

Again, many biography prospects do involuntary self-censorship of their stories or adopt a minimalist approach believing the reader would not be interested in the details. 

It is the duty of the professional biographer to tease out these details glossed over by the subject during recorded interviews with follow-up questions.

If you’re experimenting with styles and ways to write an autobiography, you can adopt the strategies of professional biographers. Put in a lot of details.  It is better to over-write and cut than under-write and look for augmentation. 

Handling The Interview Session.

For a freelance biographer whether writing overtly or ghostwriting, the interview sessions with the subject are of utmost importance. The freelancer should pre-arrange each session in consultation with the subject-client and agree as to venue and time. 

Over time, all parties will come to know what works best for them as to durations, venues, and times. Many biography prospects are senior citizens and would be managed as such. 

I remember having to pre-order one such client’s favorite wine to be at the ready at our rendezvous. With a glass of this drink, he came alive in his best narrative elements and began to ‘sing.’

More tips on having a successful interview session.

• The freelancer should come to each interview session prepared with extra batteries for the voice recorder and a clear idea of where the day’s session stood on the outline. 
• Also, there should be a way of identifying the voice files with alphanumeric codes in the transcription file in order to be able to access the right voice file at the right time knowing the approximate time count of anything needed on playback. 
• Files that have been transcribed and vetted by the subject should be deleted to free up space in the recorder. 

In working as a freelance biographer, progress comes incrementally. It comes through many continual cycles of the interview – transcription – vetting – final drafting – vetting until the work is complete.

Narrating one’s life story can be an emotional rollercoaster and freelance biographers should come loaded with a good swathe of emotional intelligence to manage their clients. 

The major part of managing clients comes in their tardiness with timelines. He is expected to vet and approve a transcribed section in one week but he has not got back to you after one month.

How To Get Payment For The Writing Project.

Except the writer has achieved name recognition in the trade of biographing, there’s always the prospect of being regarded with suspicion by most clients. One way to assuage this suspicion is to agree to a Pay-As-You-Go arrangement. 

This aspect might come in handy for anyone who’s in the process of figuring out how to write an autobiography. Chances are that you might want to employ the services of a professional biographer.

In a Pay-As-You-Go arrangement. the client pays on a pro-rata basis as the manuscript progresses according to the outline. (This is another raison d’etre for the outline). If the project does not go to full term and gets aborted midway, neither party would feel short-changed.

When the full manuscript is ready, a professional book editor should be engaged to edit it. This goes beyond spellings and typos and nothing can fully capture all the ways in which a good editor can improve a literary piece.

 Sections of the story with legal implications should be shown to a lawyer. An experienced lawyer will do a good job of vetting your book for possible libel. It is the duty of a good freelancer to not presume to be a Jack of all Trade in these matters. It is wise to advise the client as a fiducial power.

Talking of the fiduciary relationship between the client and freelancer on a biography project – this cannot be overstated. The implication of this for the freelancer is that all information received in the process should be treated as privileged and of confidential nature. 

A contractual agreement should be endorsed by both parties at the beginning with provision for arbitration if things don’t go well.

Backing Up Files For The Book And Why It Matters When Learning How To Write An Autobiography..

Backing up files is of acute importance in writing a biography. The freelance should use the client as a veritable back-up resource, in so far as the relevant section of the manuscript has been paid for. 

No writer should depend solely on their digital devices for back-up of sensitive work. Always use email to send your drafts. Emails provide an unwitting but reliable back-up in the event of any system crash or loss. 

What’s The Purpose Of An Autobiography or A Biography?

One of the first things the subject-client must determine is the goal of the proposed memoir, biography, or autobiography. Reviewing the goal of the project will help you determine if you really should go through the long haul of learning how to write an autobiography or a biography.

People embark on writing autobiographies for different reasons including:

• vanity  
• financial gains 
• setting the records straight 
• leaving a legacy for posterity. 

Most memoirs from past public officers are written for posterity and to court the favorable judgment of history. However, past American presidents and entertainment industry celebrities write for financial gains also. 

The more common thing is to find a combination of these goals undergirding one’s excuse for penning an autobiography, biography, or memoir. In Nigeria, if one hasn’t lived in the public space, one has no business writing an autobiography or expecting any commercial success from the publication. 

Also, any expectation of massive financial returns has to be highly moderated except one were ready for an elaborate launch at the book presentation.

Wrap Up On How To Write An Autobiography, Biography or Memoir.

Writing a book is not an easy feat. You have to plan, strategize, and give a lot of thought to the literary elements at your disposal. While drawing up your outline and unearthing background information, take note of subtexts, themes, and plotlines that you can play up.  

Don’t overestimate or underestimate the volume of the material. To do this is to risk boxing yourself into a corner. Remember, it is better to overwrite than to underwrite.

Have you written an autobiography, biography, or memoir? Let us know in the comments section. Your experience might help those who are learning how to pen down an autobiography, memoir, or biography.

Author’s Bio: Mike Ekunno is a creative writer, book editor and freelance biographer with copious credits in reputable literary journals including The Blue Nib, Nzuri Journal, Written Tales, Bridge Eight, The First Line, Crack the Spine, The Hamilton Stone Review, Creative Writing News, Dugwe, Gambling the Aisle, Warscapes, bioStories, The African Roar Anthology, Ebedi Review, Rigorous, Thrice Fiction Magazine, Dark Matter Journal, Bullet Pen and Storymoja, the last two coming with wins in continental contests. 

His career path has passed through film, television, radio and newspaper. He was Senior Speechwriter to late Prof Dora Akunyili as Information and Communications Minister and Special Assistant to DG of Radio Nigeria. His children’s book, Cowboy Lamido, is on the approved text for schools in the FCT and across the states.

Interested in writing for Creative Writing News? Our submission guidelines are on the Write for Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo credit: Stephen Phillips – Hostreviews.co.uk on Unsplash

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If you’re working on a cover letter, you’re probably asking, how long should a cover letter be? You’re probably wondering what you should and shouldn’t say in it.

But first, in other to understand how long should a cover letter be, one should understand what a cover letter is and what its purpose is.

So What’s The Purpose of A Cover Letter?

This is often a requirement for getting a publishing deal or a job. The cover letter is often sent along with the resume. But sometimes, you only need to send it with your writing sample.

Your cover letter is an opportunity for you to highlight your qualities and especially make your work valuable to the literary magazine or the company. This increases your chances of being called for an interview.

More important facts about a cover letter you should know.

• Your resume intends to emphasize the facts, but a cover letter is supposed to emphasize more of your personality and your work.
• A cover letter is your first introduction to one who intends to employ you, so the goal should be to make your cover letter as unique and worth remembering.
• Your cover letter should make the employer curious, captivated and interested in you.

Is A Cover Letter More Important Than A Resume?

The cover letter is a means for you to establish communication with the recruiter. Many even believe that the cover letter is as or more efficient than the resume. This is because it is more personal and goes beyond listing data such as previous training and experience, as happens in the curriculum.

With the letter, besides being able to present your professional history, you can tell how important the job is and how you can contribute to the development of the company with your work.

It can also clarify how the new job will help you with your future goals and how prepared you are for it.

By now, you probably have a faint idea of the length of your letter. But even then, we shall address the topic in detail.

How Long Should A Cover Letter Be

The length depends on the depth of experience and what the interviewer wants. While some want one-page cover letters, others want two or more. But sometimes, the length isn’t specified. In such a case, you can write down the most important facts and hope for the best.

Typically, the cover letter should be no longer than three or four paragraphs. Try to synthesize your ideas, after all, recruiters receive several cover letters. Often, they stick to those that offer more consistent content and can yield a good interview . \

So make your cover letter as brief as can be, while also putting all the necessary details into it. Do not go about giving unnecessary details. The most important to know is what the company needs. Your brevity should have that information emphasized in it.

So perhaps, you should stop agonizing over the question, and just get to work.

In as much as this is a valid question, I believe the real question should be what makes up a cover letter. And how can one write a good cover letter?

A Step-by-Step Guide To Writing A Cover Letter That’s The Perfect Length.

First, there are steps to write a cover letter, and in considering  the page length of your query letter, it is advisable that the following be take care of.

Address a Person and Highlight the Company or Organization’s Name

To make communication more personal, always give the name and position of the person – or department – to whom you will send the letter. If you do not know this data, no problem: start the text with “Dear Acquisition Editor” or “Dear Recruiter” or “Dear Recruiter”. 

Beginning the letter with ‘To whom it may concern’ disconnects you immediately to whom you are writing to. Irrespective of how you got the information to apply for the job, make an effort to address your letter to someone.

It would establish a solid communication so that whoever is receiving it would feel connected to you, and connection improves your chances of being accepted.

Show Your Skills, Experience, and Competencies

This is the perfect time to get the recruiter’s attention, and you should take the context to talk about your strengths and show that you are prepared for this new career challenge.

Write the letter with professional and personal characteristics that make the reader consider you for the intended position. Put yourself out there in the best way possible.  

If you’re applying to a literary magazine, you might not need to mention your strengths and weakness. However, it is an important aspect of a cover letter intended for a regular HR officer.

So talk about your strength and weaknesses. Make sure to start with your weaknesses, as as to end on a good note — with your strength.

Also, make sure that the weaknesses you mention can be considered positive, in the sense that it is not something that affects what you can give, but rather a particular reluctance for a valid reason.

Match Your Letter To The Opportunity You Are Applying For.

Show your willingness and interest in the job you are applying for. Use your cover letter to briefly demonstrate that you know their products or services. 

While speaking of your qualities and skills, associate them with the needs and the job requirements of the organization. Show that the skills and experienced which you have are in line with what the organization needs.

It is usually advised that a cover letter should be written specifically for a particular job. Do not use the cover letter sample written for another job.

Show How You Can Help The Business Develop.

Contextualize by showing how you are willing to contribute to the development of the sector/area. Tell the recruiter how you will do it. While showing off your skill and dexterity in a cover letter, do not forget to write about how that skill benefits the organization you are applying to.

These things go a long way in determining the page length of your cover letter.

All they want to know is how you can help build and develop their organization. So tell them that you can. Align your experiences to their field. In doing this, make reference to your resume.

Encourage the recruiter to read your resume as you talk about how you can develop their organization. Remember that everything and more should be in the resume. Therefore, encourage the recruiter to read your resume.

Send a Positive and Optimistic Message

Never speak ill of previous companies. Stick to positive messages and highlight your potential for this new moment in your professional life. 

Positivity speaks a thousand words. If you bring in negativity, it would decrease your chances of being considered. Always stay positive, optimistic and appreciative.

Positivity and optimism also involve you announcing your anticipation for an interview. Ask for an interview or a meeting. Make sure to do so politely.

Be Aware of The Correct Use of Language.

The first impression is always the one left, and by the cover letter, you will be evaluated. Therefore, be careful about the correct use of language and prefer to keep a formal tone in the text.

It is important to consider the segment of the company and try to adjust the tone of the language. Make use of proper grammar, punctuation, and tone.

You would be considered by all this. Your use of proper language increases your chances of being called for an interview. Also, make sure your tone stays formal.

Slipping between formal and informal would be careless and considered unethical by the recruiter. 

Review Before Submitting

Before sending the cover letter, reread it several times to avoid grammatical errors. You may call on someone for assistance. Editing is very important.

You do not have to do it alone. Make sure that it is as perfect as can be. Also, be certain that every information given there is genuine. Place the information in a logical order. So that the reader can easily make connections.

Remember to sign the letter. Unlike the curriculum, which should not be signed, this document must be signed at the end.

Mention Nominations.

If you have been nominated by a company employee or someone else from the company contact network, you can mention this in your cover letter. Obviously, this won’t make much of a difference in the word count of your submission or application letter.

Many organizations continue to value this type of initiative as they find their chances of adapting to the new work environment greater.

Choose the Best Channel to Send Your Cover letter

It is common today to send cover letters by e-mail, but if you need to print for personal delivery, use good quality A4 paper. 

Once again, make sure there are no mistakes or misinformation in your cover letter. Once you are discovered, it automatically ruins your chances of ever being considered.

Wrap Up On  How Long Should A Cover Letter Be.

Cover letters are an important part of every application. Whether it’s literary submission or an MFA application, you need to write a great cover letter the editors cannot resist.

Ensure that it states the exact kind of material you’re submitting. Is it a short story or a novel? What’s the length of the piece you’re submitting? Ensure that your cover letter also includes a brief summary of the piece you’re submitting. Also, include a brief bio. Your author’s bio should outline your experience as a writer and your awards too. 

Don’t forget to wrap up your letter with a nice thank you note. 

Have you written a successful cover letter lately? What did you write about it? Did you agonize over the question, what length a cover letter should be? Or did you just write about the important things? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post How Long Should A Cover Letter Be; 10 Tips That Work. appeared first on Creative Writing News.

The Future Newspaper, “a speculative newspaper set in the future”, is looking for writers to contribute interesting and eye-opening pieces to its pages. The pieces could be on a variety of topics, especially those that “disproportionately impact Black and other marginalized people”, including (but not limited to): police violence, housing, wealth inequality, and the prison system. Writers contributing to this newspaper will identify and report on solutions to these social issues, and they will consider “what promise these solutions hold for the future?”

According to the Future Newspaper website: “Each article will be grounded in a solutions journalism framework, which critically explores how people and institutions respond to problems. Examples of solutions stories include, this Mother Jones article, which focuses on a novel approach to supporting people after prison. And this New York Times article about cities fighting inequality with free public transportation.”

Black writers and writers of color are strongly encouraged to submit. The newspaper pays $1.50 per word and will accept pieces between 1200—2000 words long. The deadline for submissions is February 16, 2020.

Who is Eligible:

• Any writer who can identify and report on solutions to social issues currently being implemented in communities around the country.
• There is no application fee.

How to Apply:

• Send a pitch of between 2—3 paragraphs that identifies a real problem, how people are working to resolve it, and what promise the solutions holds for the future.
• 2—3 writing samples that reflect your best writing and reporting.
• A brief bio and links to your most used social media accounts.
• All this should be sent to: alexandrabellstudios@gmail.com
• The subject line should read: “Future Newspaper _ Your Last Name”.
• The deadline for submissions is February 16th, 2020.

Payment:

• $1.50 per word.

Good luck.

You can also check out The Africa Is a Country Fellowship.

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