Introduction
Story writing is like creating your own magical adventure! When you write a story, you’re in charge of everything—what happens, where it happens, and who it happens to. Imagine you’re a movie director, except instead of using a camera, you use your words to show people what’s in your mind. Whether it’s about a brave knight, a talking dog, or a day at the park, writing stories lets you share your imagination with the world!
Reasons to Use
We use story writing to express our ideas, share our feelings, and take people on exciting journeys. Every book you’ve ever read started with someone’s story idea! Writing stories helps us communicate in fun ways, teaching lessons or simply making others smile. Plus, it’s a great way to practice writing and learn how to tell interesting tales.
Out in the Wild!
You can use story writing anywhere! The 7+, 8+ and 11+ exams usually ask you to write something, you might write a story at school for an assignment, in a journal to remember fun things you’ve done, or just for fun when you want to create a world of your own. You can also write stories for family and friends, or even enter a story-writing contest!
Examples
Beginner:
Step 1: Start with a Character
Who is your story about? Is it a boy, a girl, a superhero, or even a talking cat? Give them a name!
Example: Let’s write about a friendly dragon named Sparky.
Step 2: Pick a Setting
Where does your story happen? In a castle, on a playground, or maybe in outer space?
Example: Sparky lives in a magical forest.
Step 3: What’s the Problem?
Stories are more fun when something goes wrong. Maybe Sparky lost something or needs to help someone.
Example: Sparky’s fire-breathing power has disappeared!
Intermediate:
Step 4: How Will They Fix the Problem?
Think about how your character will try to solve the problem. Will they ask for help or go on an adventure?
Example: Sparky decides to search the magical forest for a special flower that can bring back his fire powers.
Step 5: Add Dialogue (What They Say)
Let your characters talk! Dialogue helps the reader understand how your characters feel.
Example: Sparky says to his friend, “I need my fire back, or I can’t light up the night sky!”
Expert:
Step 6: Build to a Big Moment (Climax)
Your story should have an exciting moment where the character faces their biggest challenge.
Example: Sparky finally finds the flower, but he has to cross a river full of tricky trolls to get it.
Step 7: The Ending (Resolution)
How does your story end? Did your character solve the problem? What did they learn?
Example: Sparky bravely outsmarts the trolls, finds the flower, and regains his fire-breathing powers. Now he lights up the forest every night!
Troubleshooting Tips
- Stuck on what to write? Try answering the five W’s: Who is in your story? What happens? Where does it happen? When does it take place? Why does it matter?
- Can’t figure out how to end your story? Think about what lesson your character might learn, or imagine how they feel after solving the problem.
- Too many ideas? Focus on just one character and one problem. You can save other ideas for future stories! You might need to complete your story within a time for the exam, stick to the plan, spend 3-4 mins thinking about the story and make bullet points or a mind map. Spend about 15-20 mins writing the full story and using your techniques and wow words to make golden sentences. Remember to leave a few minutes at the end to check for any mistakes!
Also known as...
Story writing is also called creative writing, fiction writing, or narrative writing. You might hear people talk about writing a tale, a fable, or a short story.
Where else is this Used?
As you become more comfortable with story writing, you can explore different genres (types of stories) like mysteries, fantasies, or adventures. You can also try writing stories from different points of view—maybe one story is told by the main character, while another is told by a narrator who knows what everyone is thinking.
You can also think about the theme of your story—what message or idea are you trying to share with your reader? Is it a story about bravery, friendship, or kindness?
Memory Tips
Game Time!
At Fynschool, we have Story Ideas to help get you started. There is a Story Writer which will ask a few questions to help plan. And finally we have the Story Feedback, using AI to make your story even better with useful help and tips!