SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE

Quarter 2 – Module 8.3: The Story Factory; The Men, The Twist
and The Abode
Conceptualizing Character/Setting/Plot in One-Act Play

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: “No copyright shall subsist in
any work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other
things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.”

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand

names, trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective
copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission
to use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and
authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: GILBERT T. SADSAD

Assistant Regional Director: JESSIE L. AMIN

Development Team of the Module

Author: CARLENN P. MERIN

Editor: JOE-BREN L. CONSUELO
Reviewers: JOE-BREN L. CONSUELO and SDO CAMARINES NORTE
(headed by EMMA V. DASCO)
Illustrator: JOHN LEONARD P. CUIZON
KENNETH OCAMPO
Layout Artist: CRIZ T. NUYLES, ANTONIO L. MORADA

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Introductory Message

For the teacher:

Welcome to the SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE!
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by
educators from public institutions in Department of Education Region V (Bicol)
to assist you, the teacher in helping the learners meet the standards set by the
K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social, and economic
constraints in schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and
independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this
also aims to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.
As a teacher, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing
them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to
encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

Welcome to the SHS CREATIVE WRITING MODULE!
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time.
You will be enabled to process the contents of the learning resource while being
an active learner and at the same time an adventurer. Diego your learning
companion is with you as you embark in this learning journey. You will transport
in the different realms to learn and perform noteworthy tasks.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful
learning and gain a deep understanding of the relevant competencies. More
so, use your notebook or a separate sheet of paper in noting significant details
and pieces of information in the different modules and even in accomplishing
the tasks given to you. You can do it!

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How was your day, Learner? We are now embarking a new venture. This portal
will bring us to the home of creators. Please present your Skilled Badge to
enter.
It’s me again Diego, your mighty guide in the Pen Kingdom. A world where
literature and language will be integrated.

Have you ever wondered how characters, setting, and plot play an important
role in one-act plays?

This module will develop your skill in conceptualizing character, plot, and
setting as you embark different activities using your creativity and knowledge.
Are you ready? Let’s start!

ONE-ACT PLAY is one of the principal divisions of a theatrical work (such

as a play or opera) a play in three acts

CHARACTER is a personage in a narrative or dramatic work; also a kind

of prose sketch briefly describing some recognizable type of person.
PLOT is the sequence of events that make up a story, whether it’s told,
written, filmed, or sung.
SETTING is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It’s a
literary element of literature used in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and
usually introduced during the exposition (beginning) of the story, along with the
characters.

Unlock the unfamiliar words that will be used in this lesson. Follow the
directions to help you find the hidden words in the puzzle.

Direction: Find in the puzzle the word being defined in each item. The words
can be read vertically, horizontally, or upwards. Write your answer on the
space provided before the number.
 P C D D O S S I E R R V E
L R E I I F Q P M E E C S
A T H M O E W O A D Y X S
Y V I E W P O I N T L E E
W H K N Q T A U T T S A N
R B N S E U S Y E U S Q T
I M K I O I R H P M E Y I
G E O O P O V I T A L I A
H I N N O C U O U S T O L
T E R A B E R R A T I O N
W E R L G K C S D C W L E
_______________ 1. a file containing detailed records on a particular person
or subject.
_______________ 2. a name that is used instead of someone’s usual first
name to express fondness or familiarity
_______________ 3. one’s distinct perspective on things
_______________ 4. having sufficient depth and substance to be believable
_______________ 5. foolish; stupid
_______________ 6. a person who writes plays
_______________ 7. not harmful or offensive
_______________ 8. a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected,
typical one that is unwelcome
_______________ 9. absolutely necessary
_______________10. required to be done

Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career
spans genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular
fantasy and science fiction. He is a well-known actor in several stage plays.
Guide Questions

Have you ever watched a live or televised stage play before? If yes, how was
your experience watching it?
Look at the quotation above. According to Sir Ian Mckellen, who are the only
persons visible to the audience during stage play? You’re right! It’s the
audience.

Do you agree with him when he said that it is only the actor who can take total
control of an ongoing show or performance and not anyone else? Why or why
not?

CONCEPTUALIZING CHARACTER
Character is the heart and mind of your story– John Gardner
Characters are so vital. They literally define the art of drama and
distinguish it from all other literary genres. A one-act play is 9-12 pages with four
characters or less.
Your main character is everything in your story. They might be likable or awful,
yet we generally emphasize with them because we feel what they feel too. You
may also use pet names.
The viewpoint character may or may not be the main character. Nevertheless,
we see and hear the story through them and there may be more than one
viewpoint character. They are the narrators. Generally, you rely on them to
move the story along and tell the truth of it. However, you may invent what is
called an unreliable narrator. It is usually a character who we monitor and soon
learn to distrust, however much fun they are.

The most common and effective ways by which to present a character in a story
are:
1) through appearance or physical description;

2) through speech or dialogue;

3) through action; and

4) through the thoughts and feelings of the character.

It helps to further flesh out character in pre-writing by using a character profile -
dossier. Even if you will not include all the information on the character profile in
your story, it helps to make the character more real. You may include standard
bio-data like the name, birth date or birth sign, height, weight, and also more
information, like favorite hang-out, least liked school subject, dream car, etc.
You can also write down the things the character is most likely to say in given
situations, such as when someone cuts in front of the line, when asked for an
excuse for tardiness in class, or when called to claim the grand prize in a raffle.

CONCEPTUALIZING SETTING
A basic formula to remember is: setting = scene (time + place) +
mood/atmosphere.
For example, the combination of a time like “midnight” and a place like “a
Gothic cemetery” has a natural resulting atmosphere that is “eerie or scary”. This
could be the static backdrop of a novel on Dracula.
Unusual or unexpected details, however, may be added. Setting, then,
becomes more dynamic and ceases to be a mere introduction or decoration
in the story. In our example, the cemetery at night could be “invaded” by a
group of teen-age Halloween revelers who bring their class party to an
authentic setting, thus waking up the dead, both in a literal and figurative way.
The niches could be lined with lanterns and the tombs laden with food.
Setting can also be treated like a character if it is made “to do things” in the
story or to the character that create tension or conflict. For instance, a stubborn
wind in the UP Sunken Garden messes up the hair of students and whips up a
storm of loose sheets of xeroxed hand-outs.
CONCEPTUALIZING PLOT
A one-act play is a play that has only one-act, as distinct from plays that occur
over several acts. One act play may consist of one or more scenes.

To begin your plot, you need to choose the genre of your story followed by
these Guide Questions:

✓ Romance: Do the lovers get together and live happily, or do they separate
and feel miserable?

✓ Mystery story or quest: Will the character solve the mystery or find what he
seeks?

✓ Adventure or war story: Does the character survive the hostile environment
he’s battling against or overcome the enemy?

✓ Rags to riches: Will the character succeed or fail?

✓ Redemption story: Will the character save others, or transform himself?

✓ Coming of age: Does the character grow up, and if so, how and why?
✓ Tragedy: Does the character escape his fate or not, and if not, why?

Ten Tips to Develop your Plot

1. Create a world that's true to real life or fantastical or that mixes the
mundane with the
magical. But whatever set of rules you create for that world, make sure you
follow
them.

2. Write a conflict that builds as the play progresses. As you structure the
conflict, think in
terms of your play having a beginning, a middle and an end.

3. Write characters that want something (which puts them in conflict with other
characters) and try to get what they want at every moment.

4. Make sure that each character has something at stake, a consequence if he

doesn't get
what he wants.

5. Create a "ticking clock" that puts the characters under pressure to get what
they want
right away.

6. Make sure there is a good reason, an "event," for your play. It's not enough for
two
characters to sit around and talk for a while and then leave. There needs to be
some
important reason why we're watching them now, at this particular moment.

7. Write dialogue that illuminates your characters and advances the plot at the
same time.

8. Make each character speak in a distinctive voice. If you have trouble with
that, try
imagining a specific actor you know - even if it's someone who will never play
the part -
in the role.

9. Do not have a character tell us something she can show us instead. For
example, it's
much more effective to hide under the bed than to say "I'm afraid."
10. Give each character a "moment," something that justifies the character's
existence in
your play and that makes him attractive for an actor to play.

One-Act play follows the standard format of short story. See the figure below.

My dear learner, you are one of the Knights of Pen Kingdom, and your most
awaited day has come. Use your magical pen to create your own stories.
Remember that to be able to defeat the Copy Beast, you must write
something readers haven't already experienced or thought up on their own
before reading it in the pages of your stories. The freedom of the kingdom lies
in your hand. Good luck!
ACTIVITY 1. Write a character profile for a person whom you think best fits each
description. The character profile must include physical attributes, educational
background or professional training, special skills or talents, personality traits,
etc.

Direction: Fill-out the table below to create Character Profile.

Rubric for Activity 1, 2 and 3: Creativity – 5
Originality 2
Appropriateness – 3
10 pts.
CHARACTER 1: a student who doesn’t want to attend classes regularly

Character Profile
Name
Gender
Age
Height
Weight
Address
Physical
Appearance
Favorite hang-out
Favorite subject
Class schedule
Describe him/her
when; a. he’s happy
b. he’s frustrated
c. he’s nervous
For him;
a. what is family?
b. what is school?
c. what are friends
for?
Other descriptions:

CHARACTER 2. a teacher of 34 students of various ages who live in a remote

mountain village

Character Profile
Name
Gender
Age
Height
Weight
Address
Physical
Appearance
Work schedule
Salary per month
Mannerism
Describe him/her
when he/she’s ;
a. happy
b. irritated
 c. exhausted
d. discussing the
lesson
e. administering a
test
f. at home
g. dealing with
students’ personal
problem
For him/her;
a. what is family?
b. what is work?
c. what are students
What is his/her
dream job?
What is his/ her
future plans?
Other description:

ACTIVITY 2 Now that you are done creating your own characters it’s now time
to form the perfect setting. This exercise will help you to explore how you can
use a place to reveal your
Characters.
Direction: Choose one character from Activity 1, then answer the questions
that follow. Please use a separate sheet of paper for your answer. To show
coherence and clarity in your answer, write in paragraph form.
1. Describe your character’s home.
Start from the outside before writing about your character walking through the
front door and through each room; describe how he feels about each one.
Think about the following:

• Which is your character’s favourite room?

• What would he most like to change about his home?
• What objects does your character possess, and what memories do

they connect with?

2. Describe your character at home on a typical evening.

What activities does your character enjoy? Does he read, watch TV,
phone friends, cook, play computer games, drink, take drugs, eat chocolate
or shop online?

3. Think of some other locations that feature in your character’s life.

Think of key places where your character goes regularly: his workplace;
the houses of friends; anywhere he visits daily, such as a café or wine

bar, a library or swimming pool.

4. Write a paragraph describing your character in each of these settings
in turn.

Again, think about how your character feels in these different locations. A
place is always more interesting to the reader if a character has a strong
reaction to it.
ACTIVITY 3. We are almost done with the structure of your composition. Now for
the last part, referring to your character and setting, it’s time to kickstart the
plot your story. We will now create the opening scene of your masterpiece.
Write your answer on the space below.

Direction: Follow the steps below to create the beginning of your plot. Write
your answer on the space provided.
Step 1: Introduce the characters: By name if you’re writing in the third person,
or by individual voice if in the first person.
______________________________________________________________________
Step 2: Set the scene – the time and the place: You can do so simply with a
place and date, or by describing the scene.
______________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Create a mood: You create atmosphere by description, but also by

style, length of sentences and choice of vocabulary.
______________________________________________________________________

Step 4: Describe an action or situation – including dialogue if needed: The

more dramatic, the more arresting your opening is likely to be.

______________________________________________________________________
Step 5: Ask a question: Don’t try to give too much information – provide
enough to orientate readers in the story but leave questions to entice them to
read on.
______________________________________________________________________
You have come along way with this lesson. Thank you for bearing with the
tasks. You have shown a great sense of creativity and independence.
This time, we’ll test your mind by recalling the literary terms used and their
purposes.

Direction: MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE. Read and understand each statement

carefully. Write TRUE if the statement is correct. If it is incorrect, replace the
underlined word/s with the correct one to make the sentence true.
____________1. A person portrayed in a literary work is called character.
____________2. The story’s time and place is called setting.

____________3. Resolution is the part of the story that reveals the solution and
takes care of the conflict.

____________ 4. Rising action is the element of plot where the author introduces
the characters and setting.
____________ 5. In exposition, the problem/conflict is introduced.
____________ 6. Prewriting is essential to create believable characters.
____________ 7. Setting can be an antagonist because time and weather can
affect the character.

____________ 8. In a one-act play, there is only time for one significant event.
____________ 9. Your main character plays the most important role in your story.

____________10. The playwright arranges the dramatic action into a cohesive

design also known as setting.

Direction: Read the poster below and submit your short story.
Playwright-In-Training Challenge
Your Creative Writing President or class manager will create a private online
group for the whole class, where you can upload your stories. Your classmates
can comment or emoji-react to appreciate or evaluate your story. Avoid
innocuous comments. Your teacher will rate your story using the Short Story
Assessment Rubric in the Appendix.
You are done creating new stories. Isn’t it fantastic? You have just defeated
the Copy Beast and restore the freedom of the kingdom. The whole kingdom
would like to pay you back by showing you a grand presentation. See you
there.
Remember that characters, setting and plot are essential elements to keep
the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way
that the reader can follow.
Setting entails time and place with mood or atmosphere description.

Begin your plot by choosing a genre. In one-act play, keep your plot short and
less complicated.
Have no fear in writing your own story. Our previous activities pumped up your
creativity muscle and helped you build story ideas that will keep you writing for
hours on end.
Vocabulary
Keeping You In Practice Cooling Down Learning Challenge
1. dossier
2. pet name Answers vary 1. TRUE Answers vary
3. viewpoint 2. TRUE
4. dimensional 3. TRUE
5. witlessly 4. Exposition
6. playwright 5. Rising Action
6. TRUE
7. innocuous
7. TRUE
8. aberration
8. TRUE
9. vital 9. TRUE
10. essential 10. Plot
Eusebio-Abad, Heidi Emily. (2006). “Creative Writing Without the Pain of
Grammar: A Sourcebook for CW 10.” Journal of English Studies and
Comparative Literature. Vol. 9. No. 1
Vena,G.(1988).How to Read and Write About Drama:ARCO Press

Morley,D.(2011).The Cambridge Introduction to Creative Writing:Cambridge

University Press

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-

development/resource-support/net/assessment%20form%202.5-
%20short%20story%20assessment%20rubric.pdf
Oxford Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.oxfordreference.com/search?q=CHARACTER&searchBtn=S
earch&isQuickSearch=true
Sample Script. (2000). Retrieved from www.whartoncenterassets.com:
https://whartoncenterassets.com/tcoh/pdfs/1819/YPF/YPF-sample-
script.pdf
Weebly.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://moellerlit.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/2/4/10248653/faustus_--
_one_act_play.pdf

APPENDIX
Short Story Rubri