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GCSE English Creative Writing Feedback??

Could someone mark my creative writing piece and give me some points to improve on please? I read it and it's one of those where I don't know if it's good or not. Thanks in advance :smile:
The prompt is a description of a fairground

The fairground is a city of neon signs and stuffed toys and candyfloss. I walk on the ruddy-coloured ground, caked with wasted confectionery as I watch the arcade stalls pulse with childish life, as if trying to avert my attention from the uncleaned floors to their fluorescent lights and colourful prizes, hanging around the frames. Teddy bears with dark eyes and sewn lips hang from metal hooks of the roofs, with drooping heads and an unmoving smile. Other stuffed toys are stacked upon one another, strung across the ceilings like bulky bunting, enticing passerbys to empty their pockets and roll a biased dice in return.

Coins jingle excitedly in the pockets of children and clang sharply as they are fed into the metal mouth of cash registers. The loud echo of bullets piercing through targets ricochets around the street, sharp as a needle, while leather balls are thrown towards a stack of metal cans in the next stall, clattering loudly as they collapse upon impact. A cacophony of impressed hollering follows.

The scent of pink candyfloss wafts through the air, infusing into the fabrics of won prizes, held proudly in the arms of the lucky visitors as they wander around the fair with newfound complacence. Others look at the won prizes, falling under the impression that they too, can beat the rigged systems.

The lines of arcades shrink into the distance with a Ferris wheel at the very end, like a runway presenting the main attraction. Even from so far away, the Wheel's presence dominates everything else, towering over the site in a protective stance: a citadel.
It looms in the sky with an ominous figure; an undefeated villain gazing down at the people in silent condescendence.

People carried in its miniature carriages are smaller than mere dots as they're lifted into the sky.
My head cranes backwards as I stare at it defiantly - it stares back with an impenetrable gaze, inducing a dizzy feeling of vertigo within me.

It doesn't matter, I think to myself firmly, as I watch as it beacons in the darkness, because today I will climb higher than my fears. I will sit in that carriage at the highest point of the Wheel, waving as I climb to the pinnacle of that monster of amusement parks and I will be laughing all the while.
(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

Wow! It's really really good, I can imagine it all in my head. You've definitely got a talent for writing 😀 There is a very visual setting that you have described wonderfully (not just sight but also sound and even the smell of candyfloss). Maybe as an extra you can describe the weather, such as the sky, the clouds, the wind etc.

It would be helpful if you could give me the question for this so I can give some more specific advice. Is there a photo that you are meant to use as guidance? Or is it meant to be part of a story (eg. write a story with the title 'Fairground') etc.

I feel like there is not much of a plot however. It's more like a piece of descriptive writing (very, very high quality work though). If you're meant to write a story then you need an exposition, some rising action, a climax and a resolution. Again, I'm not sure exactly what the question is so it would be great if you could share it! 👍️

Reply 2

Original post by baldilocks
Wow! It's really really good, I can imagine it all in my head. You've definitely got a talent for writing 😀 There is a very visual setting that you have described wonderfully (not just sight but also sound and even the smell of candyfloss). Maybe as an extra you can describe the weather, such as the sky, the clouds, the wind etc.
It would be helpful if you could give me the question for this so I can give some more specific advice. Is there a photo that you are meant to use as guidance? Or is it meant to be part of a story (eg. write a story with the title 'Fairground') etc.
I feel like there is not much of a plot however. It's more like a piece of descriptive writing (very, very high quality work though). If you're meant to write a story then you need an exposition, some rising action, a climax and a resolution. Again, I'm not sure exactly what the question is so it would be great if you could share it! 👍️

Hi, thanks for your feedback 🙂 it's really nice. Yeah, it was a picture prompt saying to write a description. I often write descriptions easier in terms of structure than a story haha.
You can find the image here, on the 10th page if you would like to see it: https://files.schudio.com/durhamjohnston/files/documents/ENGLISH_LANG_-_GCSE_-_PAPER_1_WRITING.pdf

do you think there's anything missing in my description in terms of technique? Something that might not get me that perfect score ? I've noted down the missing weather and remember it for next time lol
(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

Original post by mango night
Hi, thanks for your feedback 🙂 it's really nice. Yeah, it was a picture prompt saying to write a description. I often write descriptions easier in terms of structure than a story haha.
You can find the image here, on the 10th page if you would like to see it: https://files.schudio.com/durhamjohnston/files/documents/ENGLISH_LANG_-_GCSE_-_PAPER_1_WRITING.pdf
do you think there's anything missing in my description in terms of technique? Something that might not get me that perfect score ? I've noted down the missing weather and remember it for next time lol

Same, I often choose descriptive over the story (it comes easier to me).

At my school we always get told by the teacher to avoid using personal pronouns at all costs when writing descriptively, in order to avoid turning it into a narrative. You can still describe touch, smell and more, just avoid using 'I' or 'she' etc. Maybe this is different for your exam board (I take CIE, not AQA) so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

For example:
My head cranes backwards as I stare at it defiantly - it stares back with an impenetrable gaze, inducing a dizzy feeling of vertigo within me.

--> The wheel stares back at the crowd, inducing a dizzy feeling of vertigo to anyone who met its impenetrable gaze.

What really caught my eye in the photo were the extremely bright, blinding lights, so perhaps mention those a bit more. Also include some description of the night sky eg. despite it being night, the fairground remained a bustling attraction... (not a great example, sorry). The air seems to be cool and breezy, so maybe refer to that as well.

In terms of technique, it has similes, metaphors, powerful adjectives. If I had to be really picky, maybe try to vary your sentence starters a bit more.

eg. Teddy bears with dark eyes and sewn lips hang from metal hooks of the roofs, with drooping heads and an unmoving smile. --> Hanging from the metal hooks of the roofs are teddy bears with dark eyes and sewn lips. An unmoving smile are plastered onto the drooping heads of the toys.

Also remember to use a range of punctuation, especially colons and semicolons.

Honestly though, it's a very solid piece of writing so keep up the good work!

Reply 4

Original post by mango night
Could someone mark my creative writing piece and give me some points to improve on please? I read it and it's one of those where I don't know if it's good or not. Thanks in advance :smile:
The prompt is a description of a fairground
The fairground is a city of neon signs and stuffed toys and candyfloss. I walk on the ruddy-coloured ground, caked with wasted confectionery as I watch the arcade stalls pulse with childish life, as if trying to avert my attention from the uncleaned floors to their fluorescent lights and colourful prizes, hanging around the frames. Teddy bears with dark eyes and sewn lips hang from metal hooks of the roofs, with drooping heads and an unmoving smile. Other stuffed toys are stacked upon one another, strung across the ceilings like bulky bunting, enticing passerbys to empty their pockets and roll a biased dice in return.
Coins jingle excitedly in the pockets of children and clang sharply as they are fed into the metal mouth of cash registers. The loud echo of bullets piercing through targets ricochets around the street, sharp as a needle, while leather balls are thrown towards a stack of metal cans in the next stall, clattering loudly as they collapse upon impact. A cacophony of impressed hollering follows.
The scent of pink candyfloss wafts through the air, infusing into the fabrics of won prizes, held proudly in the arms of the lucky visitors as they wander around the fair with newfound complacence. Others look at the won prizes, falling under the impression that they too, can beat the rigged systems.
The lines of arcades shrink into the distance with a Ferris wheel at the very end, like a runway presenting the main attraction. Even from so far away, the Wheel's presence dominates everything else, towering over the site in a protective stance: a citadel.
It looms in the sky with an ominous figure; an undefeated villain gazing down at the people in silent condescendence.
People carried in its miniature carriages are smaller than mere dots as they're lifted into the sky.
My head cranes backwards as I stare at it defiantly - it stares back with an impenetrable gaze, inducing a dizzy feeling of vertigo within me.
It doesn't matter, I think to myself firmly, as I watch as it beacons in the darkness, because today I will climb higher than my fears. I will sit in that carriage at the highest point of the Wheel, waving as I climb to the pinnacle of that monster of amusement parks and I will be laughing all the while.

I echo Baldilocks' sentiments about this piece, it's really good and juicily descriptive. Try to be mindful of repeating words too much, and the first sentence could use a comma between neon sign and stuffed toys. "The metal hooks of the roofs" bit could be shorted to just "the metal hooks," so that your description is concise and easier to follow.

In the second paragraph I think context needs to be clearer. You go from coins jingling and clanging to bullets piercing, so that could use a bit more tidying imo.

The third paragraph mentioned "rigged systems" and I'm not sure where that fits in with everything else.

The people in the carriages should be "smaller than dots," as mere isn't really necessary.

"People carried in its miniature carriages are smaller than mere dots as they're lifted into the sky.My head cranes backwards as I stare at it defiantly - it stares back with an impenetrable gaze, inducing a dizzy feeling of vertigo within me."

When I read this paragraph, it makes me think that the character is staring back defiantly at his/her craned head. I know you probably meant the wheel's carriage, but it's unclear.

Generally I enjoy the descriptions and I think it was pleasurable to read.

I hope my critique has helped.

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