First Steps in Creative Writing
A crayon and a piece of paper can become a whole world. Today you get to be the boss of a story — you pick who is in it, where it happens, and what happens next!
What You'll Learn
- How to pick a main character for your story - How to give your story a beginning, a middle, and an end - How to use fun, describing words - How to share your story out loud
Meet Your Story's Hero
Every story needs someone the story is about. This is called the main character. It could be a kid, a dog, a dragon, or even a talking sandwich! Ask yourself: What does my hero want? A hero who wants a lost puppy back is more fun to follow than a hero who wants nothing at all.
Beginning, Middle, End
Stories have three parts. The BEGINNING tells us who the hero is. The MIDDLE is where something goes wrong or something exciting happens — like the puppy running into a spooky forest! The END is where the hero fixes the problem or finds what they were looking for. Try telling a friend what happened in your day using just these three parts — that's a true story!
Instead of writing "the forest was scary," try describing what your hero SEES (dark trees), HEARS (owls hooting), and FEELS (cold wind). Senses make readers feel like they are really there.
Words That Paint Pictures
Describing words (also called adjectives) make your story come alive. "The dog ran" is okay. "The fluffy, brown dog zoomed like a rocket" is exciting! Try adding one describing word to three different sentences about your day.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Which sentence uses a describing word to paint a better picture?
What comes in the MIDDLE of a story?
Draw and Tell Your Own Story
Fold a piece of paper into 3 boxes. In box 1, draw your hero at the beginning. In box 2, draw the tricky or exciting middle part. In box 3, draw how the story ends. Then tell your story out loud to a family member or classmate using your three pictures. Deliverable: a 3-box story picture you can retell anytime.
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