The creative writing course I’m teaching: evaluation of a press release
I have a course coming up, one that I’m teaching. I asked an AI writer to draft a press release for it. Here’s what it came up with, with my annotations in italics and in square brackets.
Image generated by AI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12 February 2024
Renowned Creative Writing Guru Terry Freedman Inspires Students with Unique Course on Writing with Constraints [How did it know I'm a creative writing guru? Wow, I'm impressed!]
Accomplished author [well, I do have several books under my belt] and celebrated [not sure I'm celebrated, but still] creative writing expert Terry Freedman is set to redefine the boundaries of literary imagination with a groundbreaking course on writing with constraints. [I think I might adopt that as my strapline, and even stick it on my Substack description: Redefining the boundaries of literary imagination.]
Through his unparalleled expertise, [aw, shucks] Freedman aims to inspire aspiring writers to unleash their creativity within the confines of specific frameworks, inviting them to embark on a truly transformative artistic journey.
The course, aptly titled "Unlock Your Creative Genius: Writing with Constraints," [No it ain't! It's called Creative Writing with Constraints] challenges convention by proving that limitations can, indeed, be a catalyst for innovation and ingenuity [This is very true, and found to be so in many fields, including art, music and photography].
Freedman believes that embracing the element of surprise and necessity provided by constraints can result in astonishingly original masterpieces, as well as a more focused and intentional creative process [I do believe that as it happens].
Drawing on his extensive experience as a published author, blogger, and educator, Freedman will provide participants with invaluable insights into various literary constraints, such as word limits, specific themes, constrained word choices, or even writing within a particular time frame. [That sounds dead boring. The techniques I'll be showing are much more imaginative than that. Read the description at the link above. Come on, AI, sort yourself out!]
By exploring the uncharted territories of constrained writing, Freedman will help students overcome creative blocks, foster discipline, and sharpen their writing skills. [I think that should be relatively uncharted, but the rest of it is true.]
"The most astounding works of art often emerge from the tension between creative freedom and the confines of specific constraints," Freedman remarks. "Through this course, I hope to help writers navigate this delicate balance, enabling them to discover unique ways to express their thoughts and stories."
Here’s a comment from the evaluation form on the course I ran last time, the person concerned having used one of the techniques I went through:
Terry Freedman is a masterpiece. He delivered one of the best courthouses I have been a stuffing on. An engaging roof through workaday with a bit of matricide thrown in. More stump from the wobbler please!
No, I don’t know what it means either, but you have to admit: any writing course that involves matricide and stumping from wobblers just has to be worth trying out, right? Here’s that link again: Creative Writing with Constraints.
Getting back to that AI-generated press release, I don’t actually think it’s wholly awful. Yes, it’s over the top, just like most press releases, but it also provides phrases and ideas one could work with I think.
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