Denise Said:

Explanation for illiteracy among a post-apocalyptic society?

We Answered:

I think that in a post-apocolyptic world we will lose a lot of the values we stand for, including literacy, etiquette, and humanitarianism. People will be too busy trying to survive. It takes energy and focus to learn how to read, and if someone hasn't mastered basic reading skills so it becomes an automatic process, you will find reading going by the wayside. Remember, most people in the US have about a 6th grade reading level anyway, and the focus is now on audio-visual data streams rather than reading simple text. So what will happen? People will be so busy foraging and focusing on other things that reading will likely become an elitist behavior, and the working people will become illiterate, instead relying on word of mouth stories. Good luck with your story!

Dale Said:

I have to write a short story for creative writing. Please help!!?

We Answered:

Creative writing gives you free reign to write, like, ANYTHING!! So don't worry if you feel like none of your ideas are creative enough.

One approach would be to think of the first story about a child you can think of and write it, and as you go along, you will think of more things to make it interesting, twists to the plot, etc...but sometimes with an assignment like this the hardest part is just to get started.

After you write it, it will be easier to go back and say, "OK, now instead this part, what if....."

Ask yourself a lot of "what if"s. And ask them about every aspect of the story. What if you changed the setting? In terms of what year it is? Or the place? What if its a place that doesn't exist? What is a child....is it necessarily human? Those are interesting options to explore in addition to the events that happen in the story...So editing - it's really fun, like coming up with alternative endings. Just do that until you come up with one you like.

Good luck....and don't use anyone's ideas as they are....you will get more out of your teacher's feedback if you use your own mind - like your teacher will be able to help you more and it will make you better.

Allen Said:

Is it possible to do well in Children's literature when you haven't studied literature before?

We Answered:

That would definitely be a hard thing to do.