No idea is a bad idea by Isabella (Year 11 General Literature)

•Alan Hancock at North Lake

On Tuesday 16 March Alan Hancock, a script writer from Edith Cowan University who has done pieces for the ABC, BBC and many more, taught a workshop for our Year 11 general literature class. He taught us the difference between a monologue and a dialogue, what is expected from someone in the writing industry, made us question our interpretations of a piece of writing, how to look at a story from a different point of view and much more.

In the end we got the opportunity to write our own monologues using the writing tips he uses. His tips were:

  1. Work with your first idea only. If you have an idea, put it on the page and run with it.
  2. Always keep your pen moving. Don’t stop writing even if you think your idea is not worth writing. Write it.
  3. Appeal to the senses with lots of sensory details. It adds a sense of realism to your writing.
  4. No reading back, no editing and no crossing out, just keep writing. Keep the flow going and check your work later.
  5. Finally, write through anxiety and discomfort. Don’t think about it too much, write down any idea you have. No idea is a bad idea.

We are grateful for his advice and letting us experience a different way of writing and viewing things.

•Alan’s presentation led to plenty of discussion