Story Writing

Story Writing:
A story is an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.

Story structure: A story is like a SNAKE with its tail in its mouth. It has a beginning, middle and an end. Some stories even end up in the same place they started.

Main Character --
The person, animal or thing your story is about

Every story starts with a main character. It can be any animal, human or thing you want it to be.

Start by asking yourself some questions:

• Who is your main character?

• What does he, she or it like/dislike?

• What is your character's personality?

• What does your character look like?

Setting --
Where your story takes place every story needs to take place somewhere.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Where does your story take place -- on the moon, in the classroom, school, playground or someplace completely different?

• When does your story take place: past, present or future?

• How much does your setting affect your main character's problem?

Problem --
Ask yourself these questions:
 * The challenge your character must face and overcome, without a problem, your story would be dull as watching paint dry. But when you give your main character a problem to solve, your story comes alive. Be sure to make it a big enough problem. Remember: a small fire in the mid day meal kitchen is ok, but fire in the classroom which is located in the 2nd floor is a big one…
 * Important tip:  Use the magic of conflict. Conflict means someone or something tries to stop your character from solving the problem. The more times your hero tries and fails the better.

• What is your main character's problem?

• Is it a big enough problem that it will take a whole story to solve it?

• How does your main character try and fail to solve her or his problem?

Resolution --

 * How the character finally solves the problem.The most satisfying resolutions come when you think your hero is about to give up. When they've tried everything else, they finally solve the problem. It's best if your main character solves the problem on his or her own.

Ask yourself these questions:
 * Look back at your character web,and see if one of your hero's characteristics can help him or her solve the problem. It's even better if one of their faults turns out to be strength.

• How does your main character finally solve the problem?

• If possible, can they solve it using their own strength or wits?

• Does the story or character end up back where it started?

Exercise – Write a Story based on following questions. Examples of stories:
 * What is his / her name?
 * What is __________ about them? (e.g. strange / unusual / nice...)
 * What was their --problem last year?
 * What happened?
 * Why have they become so __________ ?
 * How many __________ have they__________ ?
 * Who have they been __________ recently?
 * What have they been __________ for the last five years?
 * For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn. (Shortest by Ernest Hemingway)


 * Kim a Negro married Jane who was a white. Jane delivered quadruplets, one was white, one was black, one was brown and one khaki. They lived happily.

A story: The peacock who wants to dance
Here is a peacock.

The peacock can walk. He can fly. He can run but he can’t dance.

The peacock’s forgotten how to dance.

He says to the frog, “Frog, frog teach me to dance.”

The frog says, “I can hop but I can’t dance. “

The peacock says “No Thanks! I don’t want to hop. I want to dance.”

The frog says, “Sorry!” and he hops away.

The peacock says to the duck,

“Duck, duck teach me to dance.”

The duck says, “ I can swim but I can’t dance. “

The peacock says “ No Thanks ! I don’t want to swim. I want to dance.”

The duck says, “Sorry ! ” and he swims away.

The peacock says to the monkey,

“Monkey, monkey teach me to dance.”

The monkey says, “I can swing and climb but I can’t dance. “

The peacock says “No thanks! I don’t want to swim and climb. I want to dance.”

The monkey says, “Sorry!” and he climbs to the top of a tree and swings upside down.

The peacock says to the crow, “Crow, crow teach me to dance.”

The crow says I can shout ‘Caw! Caw! but I can’t dance.”

The peacock says “No thanks! I don’t want to shout ‘caw, caw!’. I want to dance.”

The crow says, “Sorry!” and he shouts CAW CAW very loudly.

Just then there is the sound of thunder. DADADADA.The sky is black. It is raining.

The peacock is dancing. His blue and green tail is open wide.

The frog, the duck, the monkey and the crow are watching.

The Elephant and the Hunter
One day a hunter saw an elephant in the jungle.

He wanted to catch the elephant for the king.

The elephant ran this way and that way.

He tried to hide behind a tree but he was too big.

He tried to hide in a cave but he was too big.

He ran this way and that way.

He saw a black and orange tiger.

The elephant said,         “Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw two deer and three jackals.

The elephant said,            “Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw four  squirrels up in the tree.

The elephant said,                Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw five frightened rabbits.

The elephant said,               Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw six parrots flying overhead.

. The elephant said,             “Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw seven snakes telling stories to eight tortoises in the grass.

The elephant said,          “Bang, bang, bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

He saw nine sunbirds and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten butterflies in the flowers.

The elephant said,         “Bang, bang,bang

Goes the hunter’s gun.

Where oh where,

Oh where can I run?”

Help me, help me

If you can.

Then the elephant was very tired. He sat down. One by one the animals climbed on top of him. Altogether one tiger, two deer, three jackals, four squirrels, five rabbits, six parrots, seven snakes, eight tortoises, nine little sunbirds and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten butterflies sat on the elephant.

The elephant looked like a big, big grey rock.

The hunter ran this way and that way. He could not see the elephant anywhere.

He said, “ Drat! That’s that!”

