This is an example of an all-day workshop with suggested times. Some activities may take more time depending on the class. Be flexible.
- Session 1: 9:30–11am: Ideas for getting started
- Morning tea 11-11:20
- Session 2: 11:20–12:30: Character and story
- Lunch 12:30–1:10pm
- Session 3: 1:15–2:30: Language
- Afternoon tea 2:30-2:50
- Session 4: 2:50–3:30 Presentation
Session 1: Ideas for getting started
9:30–9:40 —Name cards and what will happen today
Ask each student to write their name on a card. This will help you get to know the students and make the workshop feel more personal. Explain that we’ll play games to get our minds working. From those games we’ll make choices about what our stories will be about, who our characters will be and where they will be set. With each activity, decide what you’d like to focus on for your story today. At the end of the day, we’ll have a piece of work to share with the rest of the class.
A little about me: my writing past, show a segment of Cheez TV (a previous writing job of mine). Read from current novels.
9:40–9:50 — Problem solving
Stories often revolve around solving a problem, whether it’s completing a homework assignment on time, winning a soccer match or saving the world from bad guys. Ask the students to imagine the following scenario and explain what is going on: Your character has woken up and has no idea where he/she is.
The students need to think about who or what has woken up, where they are, why don’t they recognise where they are and what will the character do next?
9:50–10:10 — Some basics
- Originality — fresh and imaginative in content and expression.
- Characterisation — should be lifelike, believable and portrayed through action and speech as well as description.
- Story construction — strong beginning, logical sequence of events, satisfying conclusion.
- Language skills — show don’t tell, no clichés, easy on adjectives.
What makes a great story?
Think about the books you love. What makes them great for you?
10:10–10:25 — Story beginnings
What’s the job of a good beginning? What do you think we can expect from these books? Choose books that have very different styles, tones and ways of beginning.
- Deborah Abela Grimsdon
- Lemony Snicket The Bad Beginning
- Morris Gleitzman Once
What do these beginnings tell us about: the story? Tone? Do they leave you curious to know more?
10:25–10:45 — Writing beginnings
Write the next part of the story (five minutes). Create your own or use an idea from the one-minute story activity.
- He was running straight towards me.
- I’ve never told anyone this, but …
- Since I was a small child I’ve been able to …
- ‘Stop!’
10:45–11 — Share
Morning tea 11–11:20
Session 2: Character and story
11:20–11:40 — Character
What methods can writers use to describe character? For example, dialogue, action, description. We want characters that feel real.
Display an image of a person to the class. Ask students to suggest details about this person that would create a full character profile, including name, mannerisms, behaviour, likes and dislikes, friends, family etc. Try to steer the students away from stereotypes.
11:40–12:15 — The bones of your story
Stephen King begins a novel by placing two characters in a situation. Have two boxes with cards. Choose two character cards and one situation card.
Priest |
bank robbery |
Prime Minister |
stuck in a lift |
sports freak |
locked in overnight in a sweets factory |
clown |
stuck in a ferris wheel over the ocean |
dentist |
suspended from a broken cable car over the snow |
policewoman |
witnessing a mugging |
school kid |
|
Tell us what happens next. Or
What happens next?
Set up a scene from a book leading into a passage you would like to read to the class. Do this by describing the story so far, the characters involved and what is at stake in the passage you are about to read. Stop at various points and ask what the students would do next if this was their story. This emphasises the point that writing is about choice and choosing the most interesting and compelling scenario for their work.
After you have heard many different versions of the story, read what the writer chose to do.
12:15–12:30 — Share
Lunch 12:30–1:10