Forms of Writing: Elements of a Story
(Please note: The term "Story" can also be referred to as Narrative or Fiction. )
Detailed Video on Story Writing 📹
The video shows you step by step process: brainstorming and a checklist to avoid common mistakes.
(see the RED buttons below for additional help/support)
Key Notes From the Video:
Story Writing (use a template or brainstorm on these characteristics/features of a story):
Characters: who is in the story (names of people, animals...) 🚴🏊
Setting: where it takes place ( park, backyard, hallway...) 🏞️☔🌪️
Problem/Conflict: disagreement ( Two best friends are competing to get the highest score on their Science test or Ari didn't see lunch in his bag).
Resolution: how the problem is solved (Two best friends decided to study together)
PlAn and add details: Include dialogues and ADJECTIVES
What is Description?
to describe something using adjectives (giving information visually and descriptively)
must use adjectives
details on touch, sight, hearing, smell and sound
Examples of Descriptive Sentences:
It was a cloudy day with strong winds and our trip was taking place.
There are tall dark green pine trees in our school yard.
My stomach grumbled in hunger as we entered the restaurant.
The small white fluffy dog was rolling in the crunchy colourful leaves outside on a warm fall day.
(📹☝️-has a checklist plus three good examples)
MUST HAVE INDENTS (spaces)
MUST HAVE DIALOGUE (" ....")
SHOULD NOT BE WRITTEN IN A PARAGRAPH FORMAT
TRANSITION WORDS ARE IMPORTANT
Story Start-Ups:
There was a boy named Alex. He was walking down the street. He saw his friend. He called her over. He said, “where you coming from?”
She replied, “from a party”.
There was a young girl named Immy. She had a math test and had not studied. She was very scared. Immy, cheated on the test. Unfortunately, the person next to her did not study either.
Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a castle made out of gold. She was resting in her bed, when three old goblins kidnapped her! The goblins wanted to take advantage of her money. They locked her in a closet with a dead body.
It was a hot summer night. All of a sudden, the lights started flickering on and off. No one knew what was going on.
Example of Descriptive Sentence(s) in a Story:
It was just another cold, autumn night. You could hear the wind gust and see the beautiful yellow and red leaves blowing. You could even see the bright moon tonight. We were at our old farmhouse, so there was a lot more wind than we’re used to. But today, the night seemed different than others. Little did I know what was going to happen tonight….
So you probably want to know who I am right? Well, my name is Sophie. There’s nothing too special about me. I’m just an average teenage girl with an annoying little sister.
Today I’m home alone with my little sister Maya since my parents had some important work to deal with. So I stayed up till midnight watching my favourite horror movies. I got up to get a snack, and all of a sudden it started to pour like cats and dogs. I could hear thunder and it sounded like it was inside the house. Then I started to notice all the lightning streaks right next to the house. A few seconds later the power went out.