| What to do |
How to do it |
| Understand the prompt |
- Identify the core idea or emotion that you will use as the basis for your writing.
- For worded prompts, spend some time thinking about less obvious ideas and implications or alternate meanings.
- For visual prompts, look for more subtle background details that you can also weave into your stories.
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| Write an effective opening that immediately hooks the reader |
- Use an intriguing or unexpected opening line (e.g. a question, line of dialogue, or mysterious remark).
- Start in medias res (in the middle of the action) for instant engagement.
- Open by describing something that is deeply symbolic to set the tone for your piece.
- Introduce the setting subtly, using sensory details or techniques like imagery.
- Make us intrigued about the main character by showing us their personality or making us want to know more about them.
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| Be deliberate in your choice of structure |
- No matter what form you choose, you need to include some elements of a beginning/orientation (where you introduce the who/what/when/ where/why), a middle/complication (where you build up the atmosphere and give us the main focus or challenge to be overcome), and an ending/ resolution (where you tie up loose ends and leave us with your overall message).
- If you deviate from this conventional story structure, make sure you have a good reason (e.g. if you are leaving your story unresolved to represent how sometimes there are no easy answers to complex problems).
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| Plan your piece so that you can develop your structure |
- Use a five-sentence plot plan: 1. Introduce your main character(s) and/or setting, 2. Hint at the main conflict or theme, 3. Develop the tension or mood, 4. Create a climax, turning point, or moment of realisation, and 5. Resolve the conflict and leave us with a powerful ending, such as a profound question, final thought, or bookend that calls back to the start of your piece.
- Avoid abrupt endings (or running out of time!) by planning your ending in advance and making sure you leave at least a few minutes to write it.
- Avoid overcomplicated plots or poor pacing by keeping your narrative simple.
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| Establish atmosphere and build tension |
- Use all 5 senses throughout your piece to immerse the reader, and ‘show, don’t tell’ (see the next section) to describe thoughts and feelings.
- Use figurative language techniques such as similes, metaphors, personification, pathetic fallacy, and alliteration to create your desired atmosphere.
- Vary your sentence structure (e.g. short sentences for tension or blunt truths; long sentences for flowing descriptions and stream-of-consciousness).
- Use contrast and juxtaposition to strengthen one idea by comparing it to another.
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| Use characterisation to make the people in your narratives feel real |
- Show personality through actions, thoughts, and dialogue. You can also use unique speech patterns or small quirks to make characters memorable.
- Give your characters clear motivations: what do they want and why? What are they afraid of? What do they hope for the future? Even if you don’t explicitly write these things into your story, you should still be able to answer these questions yourself to ensure your characters are well-rounded.
- Use inner monologues to achieve greater character depth. Try to capture their voice authentically by choosing words and phrases that would make sense for your character.
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| Use a consistent, and meaningful narrative perspective |
- Choose between first person, second person, and third person point of view. First person is easy to write, creates intimacy and allows for emotional insights. Second person is generally not recommended as this is quite challenging and unconventional, but can immerse the reader. Third person allows for multiple viewpoints and intrigue, though can be harder to manage and might confuse the reader if not done clearly.
- Use a consistent tense (if in doubt, past tense is easiest).
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| Convey your writing style and show off your abilities |
- Vary your sentence structures to avoid repetition and enhance atmosphere.
- Use punctuation for effect (e.g. ellipses for suspense, dashes for interruptions or emphasis).
- Use precise vocabulary that is appropriate for your setting, voice, mood, and intent.
- Employ a range of language techniques (see pages 12–15)
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