Lets Write a Mystery Story Step One Story

Let’s Write a Mystery Story

Step One – Story Skeleton Ø Fill out the story skeleton sheet ØSetting ØCharacter List ØConflict ØRising Action ØClimax ØResolution

Choose the Setting for Your Story Ø Where will the story take place? Ø Will it be in the city where you live or somewhere else? Ø Writing about someplace you can picture is easier. Ø Use the five senses to help describe the setting. Ø When will the story take place? Ø Will your story take place in the present, past, or future? Ø Will your story take place all in one day or over a longer time? Ø Your choice of pictures follows:

Choice of Pictures

Cast of Characters Ø Make a list of the people in your story. Ø The main character is most important. Ø Minor characters may help the main character, or they may prevent the main character from solving the mystery Ø You need an antagonist.

Step Two – Character Webs Ø For each character, make a web or cluster. Develop your character’s personality and appearance. What is the motivation for how your characters act and talk?

Conflict Ø WHODUNNIT? What is the mystery? What is the problem that your main character will have to solve? ØIs someone or something missing? ØDid someone steal something? ØWas there a murder?

Rising Action Ø Rising action is the steps between learning there is a mystery and finding the solution. Ø List these events in order, but stop right before the mystery is solved. Ø Develop suspense with clues. Ø Red herrings are clues that lead the reader to suspect the wrong person. Ø One clue must be the key to solving the crime.

Climax Ø This is the moment when the mystery is solved. Ø The climax is the solution to the mystery. Ø This is the moment you have been waiting for!

Resolution Ø This is the end of the story – the last paragraph or two. Ø The resolution ties up the loose ends. Ø Tell the reader any details the reader needs to know to understand how the mystery was solved. Ø It should be obvious that this is the end of the story. (Do not say “The End. ”)

Write Your First Sentence Ø Grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read the rest of the story. Ø Begin with action, and with something interesting happening at the beginning. Ø Starting with a conversation or someone talking is another way to make your story come to life right away.

Step Three – Rough Draft Ø Write on every other line of the paper. The extra space will be used for revising and editing later. Ø Be sure to include dialogue to help the story come to life. Ø Let your reader know early in the story what the setting is. Ø Use the skeleton and character webs to help you organize your thoughts. Ø Think of an attention grabbing title.

Step Four – Revising Ø Do you need to add information? Ø Do you need to subtract information? Ø Do you need to move sentences or paragraphs? Ø Did you include dialogue? Is it punctuated and written correctly? Ø Are you happy with the beginning? Ø Have you used interesting vocabulary? (Avoid unnecessary repetition. ) Do you need to replace any words? Ø Do you need to combine any short, choppy sentence?

Step Five – Editing • Look for corrections to be made: spelling capitalization punctuation run-on sentences fragments verb usage pronoun usage Paragraph indenting

Step Six – Final Copy Ø Handwritten Ø Use looseleaf paper Ø Use neat margins on both sides Ø Make corrections neatly Ø Double space Ø Typed Ø Use 12 point font Ø Double space Ø Use 1” margins Be sure your name and period are in the upper right hand corner and TAP.

The Mystery Is Solved Self Evaluation And Teacher Evaluation

Self-Evaluation Ø On a separate sheet of paper, you will write about your experience writing this mystery story. The questions Included are on the following slide. Ø Staple the evaluation to the rough draft, webs, and skeleton. Ø Turn your final copy in separately. Be sure your project is turned in on time.

Questions to Ask Yourself – How much time did you spend? – What did you enjoy or not enjoy about this assignment? – What do you think you learned from completing this project? – What is your project’s strong point? – What are you most proud of? – What do you think you could have improved on? – What grade do you think you earned?

Teacher Evaluation Ø Following directions on each step Ø Original work Ø Interesting title Ø Sensible story order Ø Carefully chosen vocabulary Ø Correct spelling Ø Correct Capitalization Ø Correct punctuation Ø Well constructed sentences Ø Correctly written dialogue Ø Correct use of paragraphs Ø Neat final copy Ø Project turned in on time