radioheadfan42
Well-Known Member
YES MACRO TECHNIQUES ALL THE WAY!! This is what i always use for evidence, its super flexible. Both in my essays and in creatives i will always choose a macro technique, its a lot more straightforward to talk about, and it helps your analysis feel much more "rounded"...in the sense that its connecting to the entire text. Its easier to talk about it as a whole, like, as a whole piece for lack of any better term.I think your structure is fine, just a few tweaks here and there. Just when you get you into your analysis of your own text, link back to your prescribed text, do something along the lines of:
"Inspired by Brook's 'A Home in Fiction' in its emphasis on the power of words and by extension writing..."
"Mirroring Brook's extended metaphor of building a wall, my text similarly employs the extended metaphor of x to
For techniques, I recommend 'macro techniques' (techniques that deals with the structure i.e type of narration, motif, extended metaphor, vignettes, flashbacks, characterization, epigraph etc"
As for word count, if its a 10/10 split between creative and reflection, spend half the time on your reflection. For me personally, since I write around 28 words per minute and I have 20 minutes to write a reflection, my reflection should be roughly 560 words. Your word count for reflection shouldn't be set in stone but rather reflect the mark allocation.
I also 100% agree with what Radioheadfan42 said about personal voice and the 60/70%
Just my take.
This reminds me a little of how i do unseens. When looking at a unseen text i always look for macro first. Like how long the sentences are, weather they are super long and flowy or if theyre quick, snappy and straight to the point. How its sectioned, or how its structured, or if theres any consistencies in the metaphors they use...
ie, if a text is criticising, lets say industrialisation...they may imbue a whole lot of references to things like smoke, or soot, or metal, Plasticine...often they may physically decribe something in a way thats super hyper-specifc to this theme, even if its an object or thing you wouldnt at all associate it with. Ie, lets say a pair of black boots. An author COULD say they are "midnight black", or just "black", but if they say - for instance - "tar-coloured" boots that IMMEDIATELY gives me at least a really icky sensation. You wouldnt ever associate those two together, and it makes for a really powerful image.
Of course, only use evidence like this if its relevant to the question but what im saying is...look for things which SOUND really unique too, because theres probably a reason why. Go with your gut! A text is supposed to be read after all