How to story write

Ages 7-11

Learning objectives:To think about story writingTalk about the important parts of your storyThink about the settings and the characters To think about your story plans and openings Settings, events and resolutions

Thinking about settings

What is a setting?A setting is where the story takes place. It could be anywhere, for example maybe a cottage, haunted house or even the park.

CharactersTwo- four characters are enough for a short story here’s how to make them sound real.

For examplePirate names: scared face bob, red beard,The horrible buccaneer of the east.

Don’t use your friends names In the story! Use your imagination use names that people don’t use often ,think of funny names if your doing a humour story.

Describe what they look like, who they are, how they move and maybe how they talk.

Show how they feel using adverbs and adjectives.

For exampleTired, angry, excitedly, happily, sadly, curiously

Pick 2 of these characters and write 3 or 4 sentences about them.

Writing an excellent story!

These question words are very important when writing storiesWho, what, how, where, when and why

The little girl ran quickly to the shop to get some bread, at 7 am so her mum can make toast.

Use these ways to improve your writing

Alliteration- (2 or more words that start with the same letter )- e.g scary spiders.

Rhyme- rumble and tumble

Onomatopoeia- (words that sound like the thing they describe)- e.g jangling, tinkling coins

Similies- they compare one thing to another and are introduced as like or as e.g the wet mud was sticky like fudge cake

Metaphors- compare one thing to another but are not introduced by like or as e.g the wet mud was sticky fudge cake.

What should I include in a good story?

eventsAn interesting story will contain events

A strong exciting plot has an unexpected event, a crisis, or a problem, which needs to be sorted out by the end of the story. Stories can contain more than one problem. Plans could go wrong:

There could be an accidentSomething or someone could get lostA machine could break downSomething important could get stolen

Story endingsExplain the result of the events or show how the problem was solved. (but don’t end with everyone going home for dinner or someone waking up to find it was all a dream –that’s boring!)

Endings usually bring the story round full circle for example:

Start: three scruffy pirates sat gloomily around a table in the lord nelson pub, staring down into their empty beer glasses. One by one they emptied out their pockets. It seemed they all had run out of money.

End: the pirate gang made their way down the quay to their favourite pub to celebrate their success. They had earned enough money now to buy a whole years worth of beer- and have change.

Story endingsThe final sentence is as important as the opening sentence. It usually sums up the stories theme or message.

It had been the best day of my life.I’ll never forget her.If only he hadn’t been so selfish.She realised taking part is much more important than winning.It just goes to show, crime really doesn’t pay.They were richer than they could ever have dreamed.

Story board?Storyboards help you to plan a story without writing it all out

Opening? Setting? Characters?

Problem…How it is solved… Ending…

Now you are going to plan a great story!

Checklist:Title for your storySetting where will it take place?Characters who will be in your story?What problem will they have?How will they solve the problem?How will the story end?