Creative Writing Bringing Stories To Life Story Writing

Creative Writing Bringing Stories To Life

Story Writing • Plot • Setting • Characters

Story Writing

Story Writing ‘Every cartoon, television program, movie and even video game starts life as a story. ’ Steven Spielberg

Story Writing • Plot • Setting • Characters ‘Every cartoon, television program, movie and even video game starts life as a story. ’ Steven Spielberg

Before You Begin • Choose your Genre – Fairy tale – Horror – Animal – Sci-fi – Thriller Can you think of any more?

Plotting your Chapters • First – Setting the scene - Introducing your characters - Engaging your reader • Then – What’s the problem? - And the impact is…. . • Next – How bad can it be? - Your Hero’s Dilemma • Finally – How do they solve it? - How have they changed?

• First • Then • Next • Finally

Creating Original Characters • One of the trickiest parts of writing – – Believable – Strengths and weaknesses – Values and fears • Why do your characters do what they do? • Why is the evil one evil? – Main character – Sidekick – Your villain

Creating Your Characters Looks Draw a picture of your character Personality

Creating Your Characters Looks • Orange hair • Bluey-green eyes • Cheeky smile • Yellow jersey (with a red stripe) • Not gorgeous! • One eye slightly bigger than the other Draw a picture of your character Personality

Creating Your Characters Looks • Orange hair • Bluey-green eyes • Cheeky smile • Yellow jersey (with a red stripe) • Not gorgeous! • One eye slightly bigger than the other Draw a picture of your character Personality § § § § Mischievous Loves adventure A little bit shy Thoughtful Inventive Intelligent Good sense of humour

Creating Your Characters Looks Draw a picture of your character Personality • Jet black hair • Abandoned • Scowls • Uncaring • Wart on bottom • Tortured insects • Big belly • Greedy • Skinny legs • Selfish • Ambitious

Creating Your Characters Looks Draw a picture of your character Personality • Ginger hair • Crazy • Bushy moustache • Unpredictable • Bald on top • Loves fun • Wear a kilt • Knobbly knees • Irresponsible • Adventurous • Youthful outlook

Creating Your Characters Looks • Orange hair • Bluey-green eyes • Cheeky smile • Yellow jersey (with a red stripe) • Not gorgeous! • One eye slightly bigger than the other Draw a picture of your character Personality § § § § Mischievous Loves adventure A little bit shy Thoughtful Inventive Intelligent Good sense of humour

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’ • What about… – Amy and her best friend Rachel were walking to school. – It was a bright, hot, summery day. – One day Jack was on his way to the shops.

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’ • Why not try……. .

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’ • Why not try……. . – The explosion ripped through the submarine.

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’ • Why not try……. . – The explosion ripped through the submarine – Blood cascaded down my arms as I stumbled through the forest.

Powerful Openers • ‘Once upon a time…. . there was a very limp way to start a story. ’ • Why not try……. . – The explosion ripped through the submarine – Blood cascaded down my arms as I stumbled through the forest. – Cautiously, Luke peered around the corner. His eyes widening in horror at what lay before him.

Some of my favourites Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a million pounds? Or a billion? How about a trillion? Or even a gazillion? Meet Joe Spud.

Some of my favourites ‘Where's Papa going with that axe? " said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. ’

Some of my favourites ‘They were going to get me. I saw them the moment I turned the corner. They were halfway down, waiting near the bus stop. Melanie, Sarah and Kim, the worst one of all. ’

Some of my favourites • Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, had been feeling slightly sick ever since he woke up that morning.

Some of my favourites • When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news.

Some of my favourites • When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news. Anthony Horowitz, Stormbreaker

Some of my favourites • The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car.

Some of my favourites • The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)

Strong, Suggestive Descriptions Remember WOW! Words

WOW! Words Strong, Suggestive Descriptions ‘The dragon was big, I mean it was really big, ’ said John. ‘Its teeth were sharp and there were lots of bones lying around the cave. ’ John then went over to the cauldron and tasted the brew. ‘And this won’t be strong enough, ’ he said.

WOW! Words Strong, Suggestive Descriptions ‘The dragon was big huge, I mean it was really big absolutely enormous, ’ cried John. ‘Its teeth were razorsharp and there were lots of bones lying around the cave was littered with dried bones. ’ John then went ran over to the smoking cauldron and tasted slurped the foul smelling brew. ‘And this won’t be strong enough needs more chilli powder and dynamite!’ he said screamed.

Now, give your words • Think about your stories again • Make them more; • Descriptive • Creative • Thought-provoking • Make your heroes vulnerable • Make your villains nastier • Paint pictures with words power!

Remember… • • • Choose your genre Plotting (first, then, next, finally) Know your characters Powerful openers Strong, suggestive descriptions

Now, write brilliant stories! Thank You

Your Hero 1. What is your character called? 2. Where does your character live? 3. Where is your character from? 4. How old is your character? 5. What does your character look like? 6. What kind of childhood did he or she have? 7. What does your character do for a living? 8. How does your character deal with conflict? 9. Who else is in your character's life? 10. What is your character's goal or motivation in the story?