Introduction

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

When I was growing up, the most popular show on TV was called Dragnet. It was a police drama featuring a taciturn detective called Joe Friday. Friday spent most of the show interviewing suspects and witnesses, and he didn't have time for meandering speeches, so whenever a woman's story got a bit too fanciful, he'd cut in with his famous catchphrase: "Just the facts, Ma'am. All we want are the facts."

Some forms of writing are like that. All we want are the facts. Academic essays and news reports must be careful to avoid any claim that cannot be proven or backed up with evidence. But creative writing is different. Creative writing is the art of making things up (or embellishing the truth). For creative writers, emotion is often more important than facts.

This unit will help you develop a range of creative writing skills. For this unit, please don't "stick to the facts." Instead, let your imagination run wild!

Instructions for the Quiz

Answer the questions.

Quiz