Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Blogging with Mr. B for 5th block Creative Writing


Okay, so here's the deal. Instead of being in Nashville, Tennessee, where I'm supposed to be right now getting ready for presentations at a conference, I'm stuck in Denver, Colorado. Anyone seen Planes, Trains, and Automobiles? I'm living it right now!

So, as I wait for my pizza to be delivered to the hotel I have to stay in, I thought I'd get you started for tomorrow, since I might not be at a handy-dandy computer when your blogging session rolls around.

Here's what I want to know from each of you...

What is it about writing creatively, from the heart, that interests YOU? Not why others do it. What about your experiences with writing is interesting to you? What is your favorite genre to write? Poems? Short stories? Flash fiction? Non-fiction? What? What do you get out of writing from the truly creative inspiration you get?

Answer that question with full purpose and detail. Be honest here. Yes, others will see your posts and laugh hysterically, but who cares??? Be honest with yourself for once and be bold enough to include those thoughts here in the blogosphere.

Remember to put your first name and last initial at the bottom of your post each time. No name or full name = NO CREDIT. Yes, that's ticky-tack. Yes, you're big kids now with big kid skills. First name, last initial.

88 comments:

BBAXLHS said...

Actually, I am at a computer right now. I finally made it to Nashville.

So, let's hear it.

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

I personally think that when you write something creatively, you have to write about something that you enjoy and something that you are pasionate about and that you care about the most. Writing comes from your heart, so you should use your whole heart when you write something to make it yours. You shouldnt worry wether people make fun of it or not, because at the end of every paper you know that you put your own heart and soul into it.

Anonymous said...

Well the thing that intrest me to writie would be pomes. I say because you can express your feelings and say what you want.

Rich S.

Anonymous said...

I like to write poetry and short stories. I like poetry because it is easy and I enjoy it especially funny poems. I enjoy writing short stories because I enjoy putting themes so I can teach others things I believe for example, treat others with respect.

Luke K.

sorry forgot to put my name

Anonymous said...

The reason that i love creative writing is because it allows me to take real life experiences and make them more exciting or make them turn out better.It also helps me get some of my feelings out on paper. Theriputic almost in a way that i dont have to tell anyone that its the truth they just get to read it and enjoy. My favorite type of writing would have to be short stories. i love how you can take it and make it short so that everyone can enjoy it.

Michelle H.

Anonymous said...

Well i love to write short stories. Its a way to get some of the tings i think about out on paper to make it in to my own creation. Sometimes i write stories that come from the world inside my mind my own private place that one one can change. I think that writing short stories is one of the best assignments that we have done in the class even though i never got mine done in time to turn in but you cant rush a creative mind.

Kayla H

Anonymous said...

Well i would have to say what i like about writing creatively....would have to because you get to tell anyone how you feel and they really cant judge you......you dont have to use someones idea to start one.... you dont have to go by their guide but your own......
Jennifer T.

Anonymous said...

Well, I am glad u have made it Mr. B and i hope you have fun and the weather is nice.... on to the question.

So I write because of what i feel. If I am sad I tend to write songs and poems. Same if I am happy really. I like to write passionatly but i have to be feeling it. So if I am not sad then writting something sad doesnt work. When I am passionate about the subject my goal is to make myself, (who wrote it) fell what i want others to feel. If I am sad. I want to write with such detail that I make myself cry, which is hard to do, but i have done it. And if I am happy, I want to read my writtings and laugh and be joyous. That is my motivation and it is from my heart. That is why I write and how I define creativity is just doing what your heart tells you and being you in every aspect of your work.
Kasey W

Anonymous said...

Mr. Baxter,
I actually do have a question for you. Other then us reading our epitaphs, what else are we doing, because I will be absent from your class on monday.

BBAXLHS said...

Demetria,
Well said. Who cares what others think, as long as you're sincere about your writing.

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

by the way i love Nashville! its a great place.
But i enjoy short stories the most. i think i like them more just because they dont have to be very long, but you can still go indepth about certain things that are the most important to you, and you can have fun with the story line. the story can be very weird and doenst have to fit into reality, it can just be some crazy dream you had or an insane thought and you just make it into a story.
-Ruthie G

Anonymous said...

Sorry Lutz for spelling Poems wrong. So anywas what do you like to write about?

Rich S.

BBAXLHS said...

Michelle O,
The therapeutic (or cathartic) nature of writing is exactly why most writers write. You're on the right track.
Mister B.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Baxter

That was me, Demetria that asked the question what we are doing in class on monday, the computer was having a moment and sais anonymous.

Anonymous said...

I think that when you write something that comes from you, from your heart, it holds mostly the writers attention because it's their story they are writing so they get to put as much detail in it as they want. Me myself, i like.. Well i dont really know about liking, but when i have to write, i like to write stories and poems, not too long of stories because im not into all that reading and such, but poems you cant mess up.. No matter what.. You can pretty much make anything a poem...

Taylor H

BBAXLHS said...

All,

Monday will include reading of epitaphs and continued work on the storyboards.

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

Ok. Mr. Baxter, were you being honest or was that just a little sarcastic note? jw...

Anonymous said...

what interests me is that you can write aboout things you like. my favorite genre is short stories. it does not matter what people think about your stories because they are yours.

Allen S

Anonymous said...

When you write creatively from the heart you get out a lot of emotion that you been feeling. I really like to write a fiction stories because you can create everything that goes on.

cgriffin

Anonymous said...

I like creative writing because you can write what you want, and if it is non-fiction you know exactly what you want to say. I have been writing factual papers too and they are much harder to write because sometimes you don't know exactly what you want to say. I enjoy writing fiction, non-fiction, flash fiction (was weird but it was fun).
-Brenna C.

Anonymous said...

This is just a side note, but I love that movie...it's a must see in my book-haha
Anyways, personally I like to write poems because if you want them to be, you can make them super unique. They're harder for me to write because it takes a little extra creativity, but they can be cool to write if you can just get started.
-Laura S.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. B
You want to know what I like about writing, where my 'inspiration' comes from? Well, a shallow answer would be, I write what my teachers tell me to write about. Say I'm in history class, I'll write an essay relating to what our history prompt is. But obviously the piece I produce will be quite dull if I have no feeling behind it. So normally, for a good piece of writing to come out, I need to have strong feelings on the topic..solid ideas...I know the subject front to back. But that can't always be the case in 'creative writing' because you might not be writing about anything informational. So here, you need something that is important to your soul. Something that means a lot to you. Say religion topics, or ethics, or values. Those are things I would get inspiration it write about.
Tiffany D.

Anonymous said...

my favourite kind of literature to write is poems and songs. With those i can express my feelings thoughts and moods. I can writ it of my soul lol. Afterwards i feel better. These mood thougts and feeligs are a great source of creativity to me. The other kind of literature mostly comes outof creativity for me. i just get those flashes and then i just write. This is different then writing poems because there i mostly know what to write about. I personally don't give much about if other people make fun about my poems writing and stuff becasue they come from my inside and if they differ from other peoples beliefs....hmmm well tough luck....im sincere about my stuff

Lutz Z

Anonymous said...

It's interesting to me because I can explain what i want to say a lot better in writing than I can speaking, which makes it a little easier for me to write more creatively (if that even made any sense). I think when I was younger, in 5th or 6th grade, I created better stories than what I have now. Some of my friends would tell me I was a really good writer. Which is mainly because I mostly like to write fiction stories, because it lets me be more creative. K I'm rambling about nothing now so I'm going to stop so I can work on homework.

Kayla N.

BBAXLHS said...

Taylor,

I think you'll find that poetry isn't quite as wide open as you think (as far as what is good and what isn't), but that you have a LOT of freedom to express yourself. You're absolutely right. BUT, poor poetry is not worth much.

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

Ok Mr. Baxter, so can i read my epitaphs on tuesday? i will have them done by monday and turned in but can i read them on tuesday and still get full credit?

Anonymous said...

Well, I like writing just because it's a way to express your thoughts in your own way and be creative about it. Short stories are my favorite to write, because making up stories is really fun.

Mary S.

Anonymous said...

Ruthie

I love your comment! I love Nashville too. It is a very beautiful place, and we did have good times back there, and now at this time next year, hopefully we can be in Indiana!

BBAXLHS said...

Mary,

And...

Mr. B

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, Mr. Baxter how many of those story boards are we supposed to have?

Kayla N.

BBAXLHS said...

Who is Ruthie G.?

Mr. B.

Anonymous said...

I love to write because i can express my feelings, and share my ideas and thoughts without having to face my audience. I love being in front of people whether it be singing or acting or something like that, but when it comes to my work, i like to keep that personal. if people happen to stumble upon it, thats fine, as long as i don't have to present it. im a little shy when it comes to sharing my work with people because most of the time it doesn't compare to some of the genius floating around this classroom. but, ive written in ways ive never heard of until now...pretty cool. who would have thought we could be so creative? :)
Hailey L.

Anonymous said...

OH BOB... that is a severe misconseption u have about poetry... U can definitly mess up poems.... and no, you may never find anyone who finds meaning in a suck poem.... sorry bro... poems have to have some meaning or they are...well, not poems...
Kasey W

BBAXLHS said...

Kayla N.,

Get to work on actually responding to the blog's questions!

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

hey sara what do you like to write....
Jennifer T.

Anonymous said...

And... what do you mean by and?
Mary S.

Anonymous said...

My favorite genre to write about would be umm short stories. Hunting stories. I hunt alot and fish alot and that what i like to write about. Have fun in Nashville.
Taylor W

Anonymous said...

Quick question, since you left us all in a state of confusion over the storyboard assignment. How many slides are we suppost to have? Do we just say the camera angle below the picture, or do we also write the story it self. Do we need to have the arrow things on our pictures to show camera angles? We are slightly confused.
Tiff and Bren

Anonymous said...

Mr B. Man..
Yes i agree, actually Kasey just came over and tried to preach to me all about it, you know how he is.. But still though, a poem is a poem.. Doesnt matter if its not very good or not alot of people like it, but somebody will.. Somebody could think it was the greatest poem ever written and you may become all famous cause somebody may write a sweet song about it.. You never know what Mr. Wonka will do...

Taylor H

Anonymous said...

Mr. Baxter you never responded to my questions! lol...jk....

Anonymous said...

Bob, (taylor H)
Dont u be talking crap bout me over the net to mr. B...lol
Kasey W

Anonymous said...

I would have to say that short stories is my favorite type of genre. I really like making things up and I like feeling like I actually finished the story. My favorite part about writing creativly would be that I actually get all my thoughts down on paper and organize them.
-molly m.

Anonymous said...

I did respond to them though.

Kayla N.

Anonymous said...

i think that writting from the heart shows people how you really think and its a good way to tell people how you feel. i like to write songs mostly but im good at writting poems too. they are both fun and relaxing at the same time for me. my songs let me show my emotions and the best part is i can chose to keep them to myself or show them to people.
Kesha D.

BBAXLHS said...

Taylor H.,
Yes, I do know how Kasey is. He's right though. Just 'cause it looks like a poem on the page doesn't mean it is a poem.

Mr. B.

Anonymous said...

Kasey..

Dude, you are wrong.. You dont know anything about writing then... You should not be in creative writing..

Taylor H

P.S. I wasnt talkin smack about you.. Its just the way of life Kasey.. Get used to it..

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to put my opinion out there again because... well, because I can... I think that music and poetry are the most expressive things on the planet. to express urself is creative and you can display any emotion to anything with music and poetry.
Kasey W

Anonymous said...

Mr. B..

Who's makin these rules up about MY POEM? I mean, if its my poem, i can write what i want.. It can still be a poem..

Taylor H

BBAXLHS said...

Storyboards should be as many frames as needed to tell the story on the big screen. Remember, we're showing hightlights of scenes, not every single movement of every single character.

Tiff and Bren, of course you can't write the story on the storyboard. That's what the frames do. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Mr. b

Anonymous said...

Writing from the heart allows what ever you are writing about to have its own personal flair that comes from yourself not someone elses opinions or ideas. The story becomes a part of you and others can tell that, which may in turn inspire them to write from thier heart. Writing from the heart is not neccisarily easy but allows others and yourself to see what is inside you. My favorite genre to write is fiction as well as fantasy. When I write a story it allows me to imagine things that I have personally never experieced nor could be real. So only in writing can I feel like I am going through the experiences with the characters. I like to read poems but I am not any good at writing them. To write from creative inspiration allows me to expand and further myself in whatever form or feeling i am holding within. I can usually express myself better in writing then i can in speaking. As I am fairly quiet and shy the paper does not care if you are not a peoples person, for it just their to hold the story of time.
Michelle O.

Anonymous said...

hmm even tho it doesn't look like a poem to everyone it might be tat it is a poem to the person who wrote it and if the person chose this way to express herself its ok. but if you just find words that rhyme ad make a silly poem out of it hmmm then its not good...

lutz z

Anonymous said...

Its cool Bob... I understand... it is just a difference of opinions and that is way chill man... u keep what u believe and I will continue to hold fast to mine.
Kasey W

Anonymous said...

Yeah I would like to add my name to that list of people confused about the storyboards. :) We need a little more direction on it if you can. Thanks!
-Laura S.

Anonymous said...

So the lines under the picture is just to write camera angles. Are you sure you're going to get the jist of our storys? Our art sucks!
T & B

Anonymous said...

kasey,
it can still be a poem if it means nothing to the person who wrote it. its still a poem just not a meaningfull poem... and im sure it might mean some thing to some one.
Kesha D.

Anonymous said...

When we write creatively what we are doing is that we are expressing the ideas that our floating around in our heads out on paper for the world to see. When we write creatively it means that we have thought up something that we think is worthy of mentioning to the world. How the world recieves it usually depends on how good of an idea it was.
My favorite genre to write in is probably historical nonfiction. I think it is just amazing how much stuff there is out there that no one knows about, but could still help everyone out. The driving force for writing in this genre is to keep from repeating history, because when we repeat history, we return to that period of time and make no forward progress.

-Jace Q.

Anonymous said...

Mr. B,
So on monday our epitaphs are due and on tuesday the "Rough Draft" of our story boards are due but not the real deal right.

Anonymous said...

Hailey, yes i agree with you totally.. Not everybody can keep up with me super-duper mind of CREATIVE WRITING.. But i may teach you sometime...

Taylor H

BBAXLHS said...

That's the challenge of it, ladies. If it was easy, everyone would do it, and Hollywood would be out of business. Look at your scoring guide for the things to include. Of course, Laura, Tiffany, and Brenna, if you're only shooting for a C, it won't take too much effort.

Mr. B

Anonymous said...

I understand Molly. There is a great feeling you get when you know that you have completed your story and you have put everything that you wanted to down on paper. That's what I find most appealing about short stories. They share your message and you get a satisfactory feeling at the end.

-Jace Q.

Anonymous said...

Hey do we get partners on this who storyboard thing??????
T&B

BBAXLHS said...

No partners, girls.

Mr. B

BBAXLHS said...

Kasey,
I know you're up out of your seat talking to Taylor or Jace or Luke or Demetria, so sit down and work hard until the bell rings.
Mr.B

Anonymous said...

ouch... and ya i was talking to Bob... but it was relivent to life in general... so can u answer my question now Mr. B???\
Kasey W

Anonymous said...

Mr.B So hows Nashville or where ever your at right now treating you? Did you see the comment i sent JJ.
Taylor W

BBAXLHS said...

Kasey,

Email me.
bbaxter@lagrande.k12.or.us

Mr. B

Anonymous said...

Yes Mr B..
Kasey was out of his seat.. Weird i know.. He would never be off task.. No not him.. But yes, we were talking about poetry...

Taylor H

Anonymous said...

Taylor H. lol i was not talking about u in my comment...i was talking about the stories i like. what exactly could u teach me...about creative writing?
Hailey L.

BBAXLHS said...

TW,
Who's JJ?
BB

Anonymous said...

I think he's lying about Nashville.
Mr. Baxter's definitly in Maui or Bermuda or someplace nice and he's definitly feeding us false info.
I say, tell the truth!!

-Jace Q. for truth.

Anonymous said...

Mr. B Kasey seems to be having a hard time staying on task today. Who could of guessed it?
TW

Anonymous said...

Oh you never know.. I could teach alot of things.. Im like Albert Frankenstein... The smartest man ever...

Tay

Anonymous said...

Mr. B What are you doin down in Nashville. We all know your not getting any thing construcktive done. Dont hit to many clubs y your there.
Taylor W

Anonymous said...

K Mr. B
I emailed u and now im just hanging... IN MY OWN SEAT...Quiet... waiting for ur reply.
Kasey W

BBAXLHS said...

Nashville is overcast and sprinkling rain. If I could have planned this conference for the Caribbean, I would have - believe me! Being stuck in Denver for yesterday hasn't helped my mood though.

Jace, please keep Kasey under control in my absence.

bb

Anonymous said...

Jace..

Yes i know.. He has problems.. I think Baxter is holding out on us.. I think he is a scammer! Scammin on the lil guys...

Tay H

BBAXLHS said...

Part of our conference is at Opryland, so I guess that's about all I'll get to see of Nashville. I'll keep my eye out for Elvis.

bb

BBAXLHS said...

See you guys on Monday.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with each other today. Have a good reading workshop tomorrow and a great weekend. I'll see you next week.

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

I'll only keep an eye on him if you tell us the truth. I still don't think your in Nashville. You need to bring back a belt buckle the size of a dinner plate to prove it, or I'll know that you weren't telling the truth.
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREEE!!!!

-Still asking for the truth. Jace Q.

Anonymous said...

Mr B JJ is Jacob Johnston I know he is in first block but i wasnt smart enough to notice there was one for both classes and i seen he hasnt been doing enough hunting. So i thought i would be nice and offer to take him again.
TW

Anonymous said...

Fine then, run away. But I'll alwayrs know the real story.

- Defiantly yours. Jace Q.

BBAXLHS said...

Alright, Jace, one more just for you. I'll bring back some sort of proof of Tennessee for ya.

bb

Anonymous said...

Good.

Jace Q.

Anonymous said...

It's an interpretation of our own ideas and beliefs. Although just words, and probably heard before in another context. A twist of information and thought different than our own, the creativity is individualized to the person. It interests me to write creatively, to think that I may come up with something in essence ‘good’. I may myself be proud of my accomplishment. Maybe even to be appraised by others, but because of this fact I am hard pressed to conform to a regular schedule of such output, of which I do fall short of.

Experiences? Every output of idea onto paper is an experience. That’s how we learn and better ourselves (alongside reading). It’s interesting to me to look at a work (My own of course) and know that it is not completed; not yet finished still raw in its achievement. Appealing to me is that, I can be captured and drawn out by the wonderful reaction of others as they read my work. (Sometimes not so wonderful, as if they don’t like/understand my work. I then know all to clearly that something needs to be changed)

Genre:
Poetry: (Sometimes).
Short Fiction: Like those stories we are writing in class. (Ever noticed how Mr. Baxter hasn’t let us elaborate upon these stories?)…(Just joking Mr. B.)
Stories: Fun! (Very basic, yet very broad)
Novel: These are hard. (Not sure quite how to continue)
Essays: Can be fun. (These suckers can be boring! Oxymoron to my previous statement.)
Debates: I love these things! (Sugar coated with biasness!)
Speeches: -.- (Negative, Red, Gross, Yucky)
Reviews: (Never tried one ha ha… That is… Not one that wasn’t forced upon me.)
Lecturettes: I think one of these could be fun. (Reminds me of some old fart, standing up and talking on and on in a monotonously never ending drone of dribble… Sounds like fun. =D)
Explanations: Why not? (If I must explain this one more time I’ll…)
Persuasive Essays: I’d like to try it. (I mean hey, who doesn’t like trying there best to dissuade another’s personal beliefs with their own biased ideas?) (Just joking… I hope…)

Oh… I forgot *slaps self* (I like all the ideas Mr. Baxter suggested: “Flash fiction? Non-fiction?”… Why yes Mr. Baxter I do.)
That’s all I’m saying about Genre’s, and if your eyes haven’t popped out by now, I’m impressed.

I get a “Job well done” and a good ol’ handy dandy slap on the back. And the knowledge that I accomplished something, that my words had meaning and helped others to think, feel, or act in some positive way. It’s a coherent step forward I’d like to say. Which of course isn’t necessarily always true. But I get the feeling that I aspired to something, although extremely brief. I was once told about how we get those ‘creative sparks’… It was said that the neurons within our brains fired off electrical impulses to each other and ‘connected’. This connection between our neurons allows us to acquire perception, and think about a matter. (Before we can think/perform an action our neurons must first make a connection between each other.) Once this is accomplished we may ‘think easier’ about that topic (relatively). It is through that process of making connections, and thinking about a certain topic that allows us to become creative, our talking/dealing with other people in the unique ways of our experiences allows us to touch base with our own ideas. In the ties of our emotions and feelings we think through a process that allows us to contact a sense of matchlessness, for it is our own and no others.

Anonymous said...

Oh wait... I forgot to post my name hehe. Um yeah.... That one up there... ^ It's mine,

(Sorry),

Mike O.

BBAXLHS said...

Mike,
Have I said "you're the man" yet this week? Well, consider it said. A truly thoughtful response. Maybe we could continue the conversation via this blog? Vis á vis, our "non-vis á vis" conversation here? You could write about your stories and other writing assignments on here, from the comfort of your evil lair.
What say you?
Mister B.

Anonymous said...

My evil lair it is. Our own person to person, without looking face to face. How quaint!

Indeed Mister Baxter, I accept your proposal. I however raise a question, which hopefully you are capable of answering...

Is it on this particular blog that we are to have this conversation? (And is the subjects we deem fit to 'talk' about concerning only has been said?) e.g. "...stories and other writing assignments..."

Either way, I will enjoy the topics. (Given my state of wickedness in my evil lair, they will no doubt prove pleasurable)
I leave you with a fond farewell, and a cordially Vale, lacerte!

Mike O. (The one and only, mind you.)

BBAXLHS said...

Let me think about that. I'll decide if we'll start a new post or keep going on this one.

bb