Creative Teaching & Story Writing

Creative writing/Story Writing:

is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary trope.

Story: is a brief description in narrative form.

Steps in writing a STORY

Step 1: Plan for Success

A joke, a movie, a TV sitcom, a book and a great story - what do they all have in common? They all follow the same 'story graph'. Start with a bang, slowly build up the tension and end on a real high point.

Step 2: Sizzling Starts

Start where the action is. Not at the beginning of the day where nothing is happening. Begin when the volcano starts oozing lava or as you walk in the door to the big disco competition.

Step 3: Tightening Tension

You must believe the hero (male or female) will fail. The tornado is too strong, the villain is too evil, the black forces of depression are too overwhelming. Yet, through strength, talent and determination, somehow our hero wins.

Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue

Think of dialogue as a mini play in the story. Let your characters walk, talk or even stalk - that's how we get to know them.

Step 5: Show, Don't Tell

If I tell you I am generous, do you believe me??? No way. But if I buy all 20 raffle tickets to help cancer research, are you more convinced? Actions really do speak louder than words.

Step 6: Ban the Boring Bits

Everyone gets up, gets dressed, travels to school...it's not exactly exciting. So why write about it? Ban all mention of the 'boring B' words - beds, breakfast and bus trips.

Step 7: Exciting Endings

Would you tell a joke without knowing the punch line? If you want to build to a big climax you have to know where you are heading.