Imaginative Writing - Ideas What is fiction? Dictionary definition is a piece of literature concerning imaginary characters and events. You could try to write a short story or an episode or chapter from a novel

Setting You can choose any setting in time and place you wish Use description as part of your narrative Use setting to create atmosphere, reflect mood Avoid setting you are unfamiliar with eg space, prehistoric, etc. If necessary, research your setting.

Theme Your story should have a clear theme: an underlying idea that is developed through the plot Your theme should be something you feel strongly about – ensure success in your story The way your writing reflects your thoughts on the world is what makes your writing original/interesting to your reader

Plot 1 The plot is what happens in a story and what the characters do Many people argue that there are actually few plot patterns which can be found (with variations) in all books, plays and films.

Plot 2 Plots Boy meets girl – love reciprocated – or not. Obstacles to happiness may or not be overcome. The quest – journey in search of treasure /happiness or to find out the truth Tit for Tat – a character achieves a fitting revenge

Plot 3 Entry into a new world – chance brings a character into a strange world in which challenges and dangers must be overcome Rags to riches – an ordinary downtrodden person wins recognition or wealth

Plot 4 Spider and Fly –an innocent person is lured into a trap Nemesis – a mistake or bad deed has consequences; foolishness is exposed and punished Overcoming the monster – a hero/heroine confronts a monster and defeats it against the odds. Monster might be metaphorical – bully, a threat, etc

Characters You can bring your characters to life by telling the reader facts about them and also show what they are like by what they do and say. Think of adjectives to describes your characters and think of ways to show this aspect of their personality. Think about the influences on your character and how these affect actions

Symbolism Introduce an image that clearly represents something deeper. Use extended metaphor to expand on this image/symbol

Structure 1 Decide how you will present your story Choose your narrative voice – 1 st person – adopt a persona of one of the characters or use an omniscient narrator – 3 rd person or a single third person perspective Alternate between 2 or more different points of view

Structure 2 Decide on a timescale – don’t cover years/ centuries – focus on a limited timescale Decide if you want a linear or non- linear structure Use flashback to achieve a non-linear structure Don’t give too much away at the start

Structure 3 Use flashback – indicates these clearly so the reader can follow what’s going on Start in the middle or at the end and intrigue the reader with what led to this point

Openings Your opening must act as a hook to engage the reader Start with unattributed dialogue Describe a scene or character Use a statement Use a comment by the narrator Try to add an element of uncertainty

Endings 1 A useful piece of advice is to work out the ending before you start. You can then structure your story to lead up to this ending. An ending need not be conclusive – leave the reader with something to think about Include a twist – an unexpected ending Use description of a scene or character

Endings 2 End with dialogue or a comment from a character Use a statement Relate your ending to your opening

Dos and Don’ts Do Plan your story and write notes on aspects of story before you begin Use direct speech – use this to bring out characters’ features. Try using dialect. Use speech sparingly Vary your sentence structures Using paragraphing effectively

Dos and Don’ts Don’t Start without knowing how to end Use too much direct speech Include too many characters Devise an overly complex plot Use repetitive sentence structures Have a clichéd ending

Review and revise Put your story to one side for a couple of days Come back to it and reread it with a critical eye Work on ways to improve structure, techniques, plot, etc Think what you can leave out to make the plot more effective