Fiction Writing: How to Write Stories People Will Want to Read! (Ages 9 To 12)

This is an 8-week course that will show you how to create and finish a whole fiction story. We will talk about books you loved and books you read but didn’t enjoy (and we will also talk about why you did or didn’t enjoy them). We cover grammar skills (in a way that isn’t boring), how to use your 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 lastly, how to present and edit your work. 

Week 1 Introduction to writing fiction
We will talk about your favourite books and why you like them so much. Then we will look at how good writers use the five senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch in writing.  
We will look at two paragraphs and explore how the writer made what essentially says the same thing into something fun to read simply by using the senses and then you will try to do the same from a prompt.

Week 2 Observation-based writing.
Homework feedback.
People watching – do good writers look more closely at the people and objects around them? How can we use what we see to create great stories? 
You will be given scenarios to think about and we will talk about the different possibilities they offer. (Handout 4) 
You will then write your own short story about one of the scenarios – and you can let your imaginations flow freely as everyone will have different ideas!

Week 3 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 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 your ideas the same as the author’s?
Then we will look at protagonists and antagonists - what are they?
Why is one likeable and the other 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

Week 4 Settings
Feedback on homework.
Looking at your favourite books, when and where does the story take place? What settings do you like to read about? 
Why? What brings 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. 

Week 5 Past or present tense? Genre.
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. This will naturally lead us to talk about different genres and we will discuss the genre you want to write. 
Then we will find out if this is different to what you’re good at writing...! 

Week 6 Plots and planning
Feedback on homework
Looking at the 3-act-plot	
What is a plan, how do we make one and why is it important?
Discussion and basic plan outline (take notes!).

Week 7 Dialogue
Feedback on homework 
What is dialogue? Discussion
Read the example of dialogue.
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?  

Week 8 Writing your story.
Feedback on homework
Finish our stories and learn how to present them so that people want to read them!