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FREE Discovery Creatives | 99.65 ATAR, English Advanced State Ranker (97) (1 Viewer)

OryxCrake

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Creative writing is a strange beast, especially in the HSC - which in so many ways pushes formulaic, prescriptive writing - the exact opposite of what creative expression should be!

I've decided to upload the creative pieces I used in my own HSC. While they were for Belonging, I've had a quick skim and edit of both pieces so they should work really well with Discovery. I've put them up because honestly, I don't really have much use (personal, professional, or otherwise) for these pieces anymore, and I thought, well, if it helps illustrate what HSC markers are looking for, then I suppose that's a good enough reason. I'm uploading them as an example of what creative writing looks like, not as something I recommend you plagiarise in the actual exam.

Hopefully these pieces show you what HSC markers might be looking for - that is; a brief moment in time that descriptively explores a protagonist's emotions

Good luck! :) And just to state explicitly; I'm NOT claiming to be a literary genius. Rather, I think I know how to "tick the boxes" in the HSC.

View attachment Creative - Russia.pdf
View attachment Creative - Boardwalk.pdf
 
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sy37

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Hey thanks for this heaps these are excellent as a benchmark for HSC standards

What are your thoughts on the way HSC creative writing is compared to actual creative writing? I agree that it is too formulaic, and that you have to conform to a particular style (a style, which, mind you, I do not have) to do good.
 

OryxCrake

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Hey thanks for this heaps these are excellent as a benchmark for HSC standards

What are your thoughts on the way HSC creative writing is compared to actual creative writing? I agree that it is too formulaic, and that you have to conform to a particular style (a style, which, mind you, I do not have) to do good.
No problem! :)

In the common paper it's incredibly formulaic (in the extension papers there's more room for movement). It's definitely frustrating but at the same time you can understand why they want certain criteria to be fulfilled because the markers have to go through so many papers and they're trying to standardize marking across a massive cohort.

But yeah, it's honestly a bit annoying how sort of stifling the marking / criteria can be. I guess it's just important to keep in mind how you do creatively in the HSC common paper is not in any way necessarily indicative of your actual imaginative ability.
 
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sy37

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No problem! :)

In the common paper it's incredibly formulaic (in the extension papers there's more room for movement). It's definitely frustrating but at the same time you can understand why they want certain criteria to be fulfilled because the markers have to go through so many papers and they're trying to standardize marking across a massive cohort.

But yeah, it's honestly a bit annoying how sort of stifling the marking / criteria can be. I guess it's just important to keep in mind how you do creatively in the HSC common paper is not in any way necessarily indicative of your actual imaginative ability.
I completely agree with what you said there. I've read some awesome short stories by some awesome authors online that, when I showed to my teacher, she said by HSC standards and criteria, they would be quite sub par. It's understandable the way the mark it though.
 

Praestigia

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Holy crap!! I've been looking all over the place for exemplar discovery creatives!! Thank you so much for sharing :)
 

OryxCrake

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No problems guys :) Bumping in case anyone wants to see them.
 

zeeteebee

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Hi there, thanks so much for posting! I just immigrated here and i find it difficult to understand how to write here, creative writings are new too. I just wanted to clarify - having read both 'russia' and 'boardwalk' where the discovery is? I'm sorry, i feel really stupid asking this but i thought it's better to check and ask questions from you than for me to just assume and get wrong.
Alos, kudos for Boardwalk, it really captivated me and felt relevant to me and i enjoyed it, as i did enjoy 'russia' too. Thanks again. :)
 

OryxCrake

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Hi there, thanks so much for posting! I just immigrated here and i find it difficult to understand how to write here, creative writings are new too. I just wanted to clarify - having read both 'russia' and 'boardwalk' where the discovery is? I'm sorry, i feel really stupid asking this but i thought it's better to check and ask questions from you than for me to just assume and get wrong.
Alos, kudos for Boardwalk, it really captivated me and felt relevant to me and i enjoyed it, as i did enjoy 'russia' too. Thanks again. :)
Hey there :) Briefly; to me "Boardwalk" is about the persona's discovery of a new-found connection with the other woman; however, she finds that discovery too confronting (because it's laced with homoerotic undertones) and hence decides to attempt to leave those realisations behind. "Russia" is about the persona's gradual realisation over the years of her inability to actually effect change in her country; however, the key part of that creative is that she is constantly re-discovering the past, and the horrors of the Tsarist rule, and she is ultimately unable to escape the errors of her husband and of herself. I hope that helps, and best of luck with the HSC!
 

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