1. Writing Workshop Narrative Writing: Story

2. Story: Assignment
Assignment: Write a short story that includes the elements of plot, character, and setting. (You choose the audience—classmates, teachers, family, or friends.)
A good story creates a new world for the reader. As the writer, you may model your characters and events on real-world people and happenings, or draw these entirely from your imagination.

3. Story: Prewriting Choosing a Story Idea Brainstorming
Feature Menu
Choosing a Story Idea
Brainstorming
Creating Interesting Characters
Plotting Your Story
Choosing a Setting
Getting Started
Assignment

4. Story Prewriting: Choosing a Story Idea
Your life is your best source of ideas for your story. Let your memory give you a story “seed.” Freewrite responses for these questions.
Of all the people you’ve known, who was the most unusual? The funniest? The most serious?
my uncle the watchmaker Jessie is the funniest. I’m very serious.
What place do you know best? What happens there?
my hometown nothing much happens there

5. Story Prewriting: Choosing a Story Idea
What interesting experiences have you had?
One day Jessie and I were late for school and got locked out. We went down to the river and threw sticks in. I got into a lot of trouble for that when the school called my mom.
Is there an adventure you’d like to have?
I’d like to build a big clock that Jessie and I could ride in. We could travel to other towns or maybe other times. We could always be on time in that clock.
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6. Story Prewriting: Brainstorming
Brainstorming gives you many choices to use as the characters, settings and problems for your story.
Write down several characters on separate slips of paper.
best friend
shy seventh grader
park ranger
veterinarian
On other slips of paper, list settings where your story might take place.
national park
river
big city
shopping mall

7. Story Prewriting: Brainstorming
Finally, list problems that your characters may have to solve.
battles a fire
needs a friend
always late

8. Story Prewriting: Brainstorming
Now, mix and match the characters, settings, and problems until you come up with an interesting combination for a story.
Story Plan
My main character is (name)_________________________,
who (basic situation)_______________________________.
This character wants (goal)__________________________, but (main conflict)_________________________________.
Eventually, (climax)________________________________, and in the end, (resolution)__________________________.
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9. Story Prewriting: Creating Interesting Characters
Use details to create interesting characters.
1. Write a short description of your character’s appearance.
Jessie has dark hair that looks like a mop, glasses, and always wears jeans and a white t-shirt.
2. Describe how your character talks and acts.
Jessie talks so fast it’s hard to keep up with the words. Jessie moves fast too—jumps up out of a chair, runs rather than walks, rides a bicycle at top speed.
3. How do other people react to your character?
I laugh a lot when I’m with Jessie. My mom doesn’t laugh at Jessie, but my uncle does.

10. Story Prewriting: Creating Interesting Characters
Look at your story ideas and your character notes. Decide if these can be used to create a plot.
Jessie’s my best friend, but mom said we can’t see each other because we get in too much trouble.
conflict
I went to visit my uncle and told him about Jessie.
My uncle gave me two old watches—one for Jessie and one for me.
series of events
When mom saw the watches, she gave Jessie and me one week to prove we could be on time.
climax
Not only were we on time—we saved a kid’s life!
resolution
Jessie and I get to be friends again.
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11. Story Prewriting: Plotting Your Story
When plotting your story, think of these elements:
characters
narrator and his friend, Jessie
goal
to be on time and together again
narrator’s mother ends his friendship with Jessie because they’re always late
conflict
climax
narrator and Jessie save a kid’s life one day when they arrive at school on time
resolution
narrator and Jesse are friends again
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12. Story Prewriting: Choosing a Setting
To help your readers imagine where your story takes place, describe each change of setting as the action moves along.
Where will the story begin?
Where is the next major setting?
How much time has passed?

13. Story Prewriting: Choosing a Setting
Provide details of the setting throughout the story, not just at the beginning.
Use the setting to help set the mood of your story.
My uncle lived on a quiet little farm a few miles from town.
Include details (images) that help readers imagine your story.
I like to help my uncle mend fences and feed his two horses.
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14. Story Getting Started
You should have lots of ideas for a story after all that prewriting. Look back through your notes and pick an event, character, or place that interests you.
You don’t need to think of everything at once—just start writing and trust your imagination to fill in the blanks!
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15. Writing Workshop Narrative Writing: Story
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