We’ve learnt how to find ideas:

• Keep a journal
• Keep a word notebook
• Read – read all the time!
• In a lesson, you can brainstorm ideas
• You can base brainstorms around plot, characters or locations

We’ve also learnt how to turn ideas into plans:

We need to remember the Fab Four Golden Rules:

• Work out your characters
• Think of a location
• Plan the plot – think of the goal-impediment solution, or the beginning-middle-end, or decide on five paragraphs.

Let’s examine an example of good planning technique in detail.

Year Six have been asked to write a story. They have to choose from the following titles:

Hiba decides to attempt ‘Escape’. She had lots of ideas when she brainstormed:

She mainly thought about who she would have escape, rather than what happens or where the escape would take place. 

Hiba is a sensible girl: she knows that the story needs to be simple, contain conflict and, ideally, be distinctive:

Hiba is ready to start writing her story! And so are we…but before we jump into writing, we need to perfect our writing skills.

(c) Nick Hitchen 2007

Last updated on August 12, 2007