Department of Writing Studies:
Test of Wisdom
To complete the Test of Wisdom:
The Test of Wisdom is a test meant to gauge a member’s abilities to write a story. Fiction writing is a large component of the Brotherhood, ranging from short single writer pieces to larger group writings (called run-ons).
In this exam, you will be asked to submit a story meeting certain requirements (detailed below). The course grader will provide feedback and work with you to improve the story. The goal is two-fold: first and foremost, it is meant to help you find ways to improve your own story writing; secondly, the goal is to give you a decent story about your character for use in your character history (both on your dossier and for a wiki article).
In order to successfully complete this exam, you may be asked to write several drafts, depending on what issues are found. While not everything may be completely fixed by the final draft, you should see improvement between the drafts.
Requirements
- Your story must be a titled original work about your character in his/her current time frame. No competition entries will be accepted.
- You must be the sole author of your work, and your character must be the main character.
- Your initial draft should be at least 1 & 1/4 pages long (12 pt font; single spaced); your final draft will likely reach 3-5 pages, though there is no set maximum length for any draft.
- Your story must stick within the (albeit large) confines of the Star Wars universe.
- Include your name and dossier number (PIN) in both your e-mail and the story itself.
- Submit your story to Anshar Kahn. Look up his email address on the DB site.
Judging/Grading
- The story itself will be judged on Plot, Setting, Character, Conflict, Point of View, and Theme. These are all key elements to a story and will be the focus of the drafts.
- Your writing ability will play a factor in the judging, but proof reading will be done during the drafts, hopefully to identify and correct issues. Please inform the course grader if English is not your native language.
- Failure to show serious editing (as needed) attempts will result in your test being failed.
Final Notes
All feedback from the grader is meant constructively, even though it may seem harsh. Don’t take anything personally.
Please note that passing this exam does not make you a great writer, or necessarily even a good one. However, if you learn from it and continue to practice, you will likely see improvement in your own writing.