If you love writing fiction and want to know how to create a fully rounded story (or even write a book!) then this 12-week course is for you. We will discover the books you loved and the books you read but didn’t enjoy, and we will also think about why you did or didn’t enjoy them. We will cover observational skills, how to write a believable character, how to use the 5 senses in writing, settings, past or present tense, first- or third-person writing, believable dialogue, genre, and how to edit your work. Along the way, we’ll be checking grammar usage but the main point to this course is to learn how to create something people will want to read. If you read a lot, you will already be aware that some successful writers break all the rules and people still want to read their work! Why? Because they have learned how to make their writing exciting! You can, too…

Week 1 Introduction to writing fiction
What is fiction? Discussion
What is non-fiction? Is it dull and boring or is it ever interesting? Discussion
Your favourite books are...? Discussion
Which books have you read that you didn’t enjoy? Why? Discussion
Who is your favourite author? Discussion 
Why do you think it is important to read and write for fun? Discussion
Grammar – we’ll read a couple of short extracts from a book and look at how the writer has made this fun to read. Handout 1
Homework: choose your favourite book (tell me the book’s title) and answer the following questions: Did you already know what would happen in this book before you read it? Could you guess what was going to happen from the start? Did the author surprise you in the story? What would you change, if you had written the book? (If you wouldn’t change anything, why not?)

answers to this!
HomewoWeek 2 The five senses
Homework feedback.
This week we will look at the five senses – how do writers use sight, sound, smell, taste and touch in writing? 
We will compare two paragraphs and explore how the writer made what essentially gives the same information into something fun to read simply by using the senses. Handout 2 - discussion
Using what they have learned, everyone will rewrite the paragraph in Handout 3.
Discussion about disabilities of the senses (sight, hearing). How can the writer use the other senses to make the character believable? 
Quick write: 1: What would a non-sighted person do in a particular given situation? Quick write 2: How would a non-hearing person show their feelings to a hearing person? 
Homework: You will write a short story about a walk on a beach, using the senses to describe the scene.

Week 3 Observation-based writing.
Homework feedback.
People watching – do good writers look more closely at the people and objects around them? 
You will be given scenarios to think about and we will talk about the different possibilities they offer. (Handout 4) 
You will try to write a paragraph about one of the scenarios – and will let your imaginations flow freely as there are no possible right or wrong rk: Observation-based short story. You will spend some time people watching and take something small that someone does to write a short story. (Examples could be someone who rubs their nose when they’re telling a lie, (what are they lying about and why are they lying?) or blinks a lot when they have to speak (are they embarrassed, don’t like the attention, or is it simply a nervous tic?)

Week 4 Believable characters
Feedback on homework 
Following on from observations last week, this week we look at characters – their physical descriptions, personality, tics, and habits. 
We will look at the picture of a character in Handout 5 and decide what we each think that person is like based on looks alone. Write down your ideas. Are they kind? Are they unkind? Are they happy or sad? Would they have any bad habits? What would their voice sound like? 
We will then read a short piece about the character shown in Handout 5. (Handout 6)
Were any of your ideas the same as the author’s?
Is it important to put a voice to a character? Can you base a character on someone you know already?
You will then write a paragraph with your own ideas about the character shown in Handout 5.
Homework: If you go out this week, listen to snips of conversations of people you don’t know. Come home and write a short story that builds on what you’ve heard. Hint* Sometimes the best stories come from something really simple, like hearing an old lady say she can’t buy crusty bread because her husband doesn’t like it. Why doesn’t he like it? Is he allergic to it? Does the smell make him ill if it’s in the house? Or is it that the old lady can’t eat it because she has false teeth and doesn’t want anyone to know? Your story can be as wild as you like – really let your imaginations go mad with this. It can be a scary story, a funny story or a sad story. Go with what you heard and have some fun with it.


Week 5 Characters continued
Feedback on homework.
What is a protagonist? Discussion
What is an antagonist? Discussion
What makes a character likeable? 
What makes a character unlikeable? 
Does the protagonist have to be likeable?
How does an author differentiate between the two? 
Is it more fun to write about the protagonist or the antagonist? Why? Discussion
Look at the character in Handout 5 again. Would you make them the protagonist or the antagonist? Why? You will make some brief notes on this for discussion.
Homework: Your setting is a large supermarket. Two people are having an argument. Using the five senses and your observation of people skills, write a short story where one person is the protagonist and the other is the antagonist. (Examples could be a member of staff who has caught someone stealing, a child who is having a tantrum because their mum has said they can’t have something, a woman who is refusing to wear a mask in the shop, a brother and sister, or two brothers, or two sisters – what are they arguing about? – use your imaginations again. Make it scary, funny, sad or embarrassing – your inner voice is your best friend here.)

Week 6 Settings
Feedback on homework.
Looking at your favourite books, when and where does the story take place? Past, present or future? 
What settings do you like to read about? 
Why? What brought it to life for you? 
Read Handout 7
Does this writing bring a picture of the scene into your mind’s eye?
Read Handout 8
Has this writer brought the scene to life in a better way?
Look at the picture in Handout 9. When did this picture take place? Past, present or future? How do you know? Can you change this by writing? Write a quick setting for this person that changes the perspective of the picture. Use your imaginations…
Share stories. 
Homework: Look at this picture in Handout 10 – where is this? Using the past/present or future perspective, write a short story that takes place in this setting. Next, start thinking about the setting and characters you want to put in the story you are going to start writing after the holidays. Will it take place in the past, now, or in the future? Where will the story be based? (What part of the world? Another world? Another planet?) Make detailed notes.

Week 7 Past or present tense?
Welcome back after the holiday.
Feedback on homework.
This week we look at the difference between writing in the past or present tense. You will need your favourite books with you so you can decide which tense the stories are written in. 
We will then be looking at Handout 11 and writing a paragraph about this example in each tense. 
We will also start to share ideas of what kind of story you are going to begin writing – the settings you have chosen and the characters and which tense you prefer.
Choice – there will be a vote on which setting will be used for homework.
Homework: Based on the decision in class, write a short story using your own characters within this setting but in your choice of tense. Past or present. 

Week 8 Genre
Feedback on homework
What is genre? 
What kind of books does Stephen King write? How about Tolkien? Shakespeare? Stephanie Meyer? John Greene?
What genre of story do you want to write? 
Is this different to what you’re good at writing? 
Handout 12 – look at this picture. Write a paragraph based on the picture in each of the following genres: horror, romance, and fantasy.
Compare stories – discussion
Which did you enjoy writing most?
Did this surprise you?
Homework: Handout 13 – look at this picture. Write a short story based on the picture in the genre you found hardest to write in class. Use the characters you want to include in your own story (this sets them into your head so their habits, quirks, etc., come to life).

 Week 9 Plots and planning
Feedback on homework
Looking at the 3-act-plot	
A beginning – what does the start of a story need to compel the reader to keep reading?
A middle – what happens in the middle of the book?
An end – how is the story wrapped up? 
How do we link these? Where do we start? 
What is a plan and how do we make one?
Is it important to keep to a tight plan? 
Do you need to know the ending before you start writing? 
Look at these pictures - do they tell a story? Handout 14 
Discussion 
Look at Handout 15 – how would you use this to create a plan for a story?
Discussion and basic plan outline (take notes).
Homework: Create an outline of a plan for your story (using Handout 16) Use your previously chosen settings, genre and characters. Can you create a beginning, a middle and an end?

Week 10 Dialogue
Feedback on homework 
What is dialogue? Discussion
Read the example of dialogue in Handout 17
Discussion – Where were the characters at the start of this and what were they doing? Where were they at the end? 
Did the story move purely by dialogue? Was it skilfully done?
Can we use dialogue successfully to move a story along?
Dialogue tags and what can be used in place of them.
What do people say in real life that isn’t included in written dialogue?
How do people in real life show that what they say isn’t necessarily what they think? Can we incorporate this into writing?  
Homework: Using your plan, start to really bring your chosen characters to life. How do they speak? Do they have habits they use in speech? (Tips: 1. Look at the people around you. Watch their body language as they speak. Listen to how they say things. Can you use any of this in your own characters? 2. Don’t have too many main characters as it makes things difficult to keep track of – think protagonist/antagonist and maybe one or two others.)

Week 11 Dialogue tags and writing your story.
Feedback on homework
In class, using what you have learned about settings, genre, tenses, first or third person writing, write out the first draft of your story. Use ‘hooks’ to keep the reader invested. Use dialogue and really capture the reader’s imagination. 
Homework. Finish your story. Check you have included everything you have learned.

Week 12 Editing
Feedback on homework – 
How to improve your writing.
Spelling, grammar, sentence structure, adjective use.  
How could it be better? 
Rewrite it, making improvements.