STORY WRITING

The best stories have a strong theme, a fascinating plot, a fitting structure, unforgettable
characters, a well-chosen setting, and an appealing style.
Story Writing Stages
Follow the given story writing stages that will help you write a story that makes your reader want to read
your story from start to finish:
Story writing stage 1
a) Clustering ideas- Clustering means making a collection of ideas, jotted down on paper. The ideas do
not have to be written in full sentences- they can just be words or phrases written down as they come to
you.
For example: A story about The Dragon in the Cellar useful words: sparks, licking flames, glittering,
explosion, dragon getting smaller, no one believes in them anymore, etc.
b) Story Plan- Before you begin writing a story, its important for you to plan your story. Consider the
following points as part of your planning:
*What is your story about?
* Character/characters in the story.
*An exciting, gripping beginning.
*Lots of action.
*A strong ending (a twist in the tale)
c) Character profile (who?)- The most interesting stories are also those with the most memorable
characters. In a good story, characters are fleshed out and made real, which means, not just what they look
like, but how they feel and how this affects their actions and motives. Try to get inside your characters.
For example: a) Hermione (in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling)- brave intelligent, trustworthy friend
and good at solving problems.
b) Edmund (in the The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)- greedy, selfish, jealous and whiny. He comes
good in the end.
Story writing stage 2
a) Beginning a story (when? where?) -It is the opening sentences that hook a reader and makes them
want to read on. Start the story with a bang- start the action straight away. Make sure that right from the
beginning you use wonderful, descriptive, vocabulary.
For example: a) The girl huddled into the damp corner of the alley, pressing herself back into the darkness.
Her breath came in sobs-what if they heard her?
b) Come back here, boy! boomed the angry voice. The scruffy boy scrabbled out through the doorway
into the sunshine. Parcels of food crammed his bulging pockets. His family was starving and he, as the
man of the family now, was not about to let that happen.
b) Creating a plot (what? Why?)- Before you begin writing a story, its important for you to plan your story.
Consider the following points as part of your planning:
*What is your story about?
* Character/characters in the story.
*An exciting, gripping beginning.
*Lots of action.
c) A strong ending (a twist in the tale)- It is more exciting to the reader when the story has a twist in the
end, something that he/she is not expecting. This helps keep the reader want to read on to the last word in
the story.
d) Final draft- The last process involves putting together all that has been done in the earlier four stages
and creating an interesting and exciting story.

Story writing stage 3

Editing
It is very important to make sure about the spelling; punctuation, link between paragraphs, etc are done
correctly. This is the editing stage.
Top Tips:
*Look for key words in a given story title. For example An Awful Day. Try listing synonyms of the key words
(e.g. horrible, dreadful) and use this vocabulary in your story.
*Read as many stories as you can- it is the best way to learn the craft of writing.

Sample story
It was a fur ball...or was it?
Id say, I had a really good time today! And I think I lost some weight, said Rachel to Jake. Rachels
chocolate brown eyes glistened in the setting sun. Jakes thin, straw like hair lay ruffled up from the
exhilarating hike in the woods. His stormy grey eyes smiled as he looked on fondly at his childhood friend.
I am extremely tired and glad we are getting back to camp, he sighed.
It had been a perfect morning - the sun was shimmering like a gold coin tossed on a light blue table. The
trees had been towering over the two children like giants with their hands out stretched. While Rachel and
Jake were making their way back to the camp, suddenly their eyes caught something... the question was...
What was it? There, in the centre of the clearing they saw a big ball of fur; huddled protectively on the
emerald grass, looking perfectly still; however, just as they came closer, a pair of blood shot eyes were
revealed. Aaaagh! they chorused. They couldnt tell if they were more flabbergasted than petrified when
they set their eyes on it! The thing caused them to take a step back, making their legs shake like jelly!
Slowly it rose increasing its height from four feet to five and gradually to six, causing Rachel to gape at it
flummoxed! The fur coat grew longer and longer, until a wall of white skin was visible. Suddenly, out of
nowhere, a finger drew it down, revealing a figureIt came to them like a tight slap, how foolish theyd
been!
Gotcha! laughed Luke, his brown hair tied back in a ponytail. The grin on his face had even reached his
beady eyes. Happy April Fools day, guys! He broke into a laugh!
Has such a mind blowing prank ever been played on you?