the craft of writing
“The problems of the human heart in conflict with itself... alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about” - William Faulkner
📍 What's on this page
Welcome to the module where you stop merely analysing writing and begin crafting it—shaping language with purpose, precision and aesthetic flair. In The Craft of Writing, you develop the skills to compose imaginative, discursive, persuasive and reflective texts that are cohesive, deliberate and deeply considered.
You’ll learn from exemplary writers of the past and present, then apply those insights to your own sustained compositions.
What This Module Is All About
This module invites you to:
Write for a range of audiences and purposes
Use language with power, precision and aesthetic awareness
Study quality texts as models for your own writing
Experiment with form, structure, voice and style
Develop complex ideas through drafting, revising and refining
Evaluate how writers use language to evoke emotion, shape perspective and express vision
Reflect on your own writing process using metalanguage
By the end, you’ll be producing polished, purposeful compositions that demonstrate control, creativity and insight.
Key Things to Keep in Mind
1. Good writing is crafted, not spontaneous
Drafting, revising and refining are essential—not optional.
2. Read like a writer
Ask: How is this effect achieved? What choices did the writer make? Why does it work?
3. Purpose, audience and context shape meaning
Your choices must be deliberate—tone, structure, imagery, voice, pacing.
4. Language is your toolkit
Imagery, motif, allusion, narrative voice, characterisation, tone—use them intentionally.
5. Your voice matters
This module encourages experimentation. You are not imitating; you are evolving.
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Band 6 Mindset: How Top Students Think
1. Start with ideas worth writing about
Generate concepts through discussion, speculation and reflection.
Tip: Keep a “seed journal” of ideas, images, overheard lines, and moments that spark something.
2. Study models closely
Analyse how exemplary writers use structure, rhythm, imagery and voice.
Tip: Choose one paragraph you admire and imitate its structure—not its content.
3. Experiment with form and style
Try shifting:
perspective
tense
narrative voice
structure
tone
Tip: Rewrite a moment in three different modes—imaginative, discursive and persuasive.
4. Draft boldly, revise ruthlessly
Your first draft is discovery; your later drafts are craft.
Tip: After drafting, highlight the strongest sentence. Restructure the paragraph around it.
5. Use metalanguage to reflect on your process
Understanding your choices strengthens your writing.
Tip: After each piece, write a short reflection explaining:
your purpose
your audience
your key stylistic choices
what you revised and why
6. Practise short and extended writing regularly
Frequent writing builds fluency and confidence.
Tip: Set a timer for 10 minutes and write a micro‑piece using one device (motif, allusion, direct address, metaphor).
The Band 6 Formula: What the Rubric Really Means
To excel, focus on:
Control of language: Your writing should feel intentional—every word doing a job.
Aesthetic awareness: Use imagery, rhythm, motif and tone to create emotional or intellectual impact.
Purposeful structure: Openings, pivots and conclusions should feel crafted, not accidental.
Versatility across forms: Imaginative, discursive, persuasive, reflective—each requires different stylistic choices.
Critical and creative expression: Use metalanguage confidently to discuss your own writing and the writing of others.
Revision as transformation: Editing is not tidying—it is re‑shaping meaning.
A Final Word
This module is your invitation to become a writer—one who chooses words with intention, shapes ideas with clarity, and composes with confidence. Return to these strategies as you draft, refine and polish, and you’ll produce writing that is cohesive, expressive and unmistakably your own.
