Imaginative WritingOnly attempt this option if you are familiar with the conventions of the specific literary forms on

offer:Criteria shows that you need to show

‘development that is sustained’ and ‘some skill in using the conventions’

Conventions of a short story:• Short period of time or single event• Only one or two main characters• One or two main settings

Imaginative Writing

The order does not have to be a conventional narrative structure- the sections can be reordered with use of

flashback for example

Imaginative WritingChoice of narrative style•First person gives personal opinion and

feelings with use of I, me or we. Not your perspective, the character’s view point. Creates sympathy with character.

•Third person allows for an overview of events without bias.

Realistic dialogue•Make speech believable- use of colloquial

language can reinforce setting

Imaginative writing

Common mistakesDon’t rewrite a film you’ve seenDon’t include irrelevant details- it’s a

short story: we don’t need to know what they had for breakfast!

Do use dialogue but don’t overuse it or use it without correct punctuation and formatting

Imaginative writingBad endings‘It was all a dream’- it’s so clichéd. Boring!Do not summarise the rest of the character’s

lifeSudden, unrealistic happy ending such as a

lottery win- you’re not a Disney writer.Never, never, never finish ‘happily ever after...’

Good endingsCliff-hangers, climax, gory deaths, twist, and

more...

Good beginnings

•Whichever genre or tasks you choose, your beginning is the most important part of your writing

•You must make a good first impression: the marker will estimate if your writing is credit, general or foundation in the first paragraph

•You must grab the reader’s attention and intrigue them, motivate them to read on

Examples of beginnings• No. 1

It was a Wednesday morning. It was sunny. Kyle got up and looked in the wardrobe. He always put on the same jeans and sweatshirt anyway. He got dressed and went downstairs. He started to eat his breakfast. He had toast with strawberry jam and a cup of tea. He didn’t really like tea but his mum always made it. He looked for his jacket. It was where he had thrown it last night when he came in but he couldn’t find his gloves or scarf. He remember he should have done homework for that nippy Miss Lumsden. He suddenly didn’t feel like going to school. He decided to skive. He would regret it later.

Examples of beginnings

•No. 2As sleep slowly faded from his mind, he glanced around his room. Kyle knew it was going to be another dull and disastrous day at school. A sense of doom hung over him like gathering storm clouds. He decided to skip school. If only he had realised then that his day would be nothing like dull but definitely disastrous and very possibly dangerous.

Good beginnings•Use descriptions and details, feelings and

senses•Establish character and setting•Set a question in the reader’s mind: what’s

going to happen? What caused this? Who is this character?

Read the introductory paragraphs to books that you have access to: Which one appeals to you? Why? What are their hooks?

DO:•Show imagination•Show skill at using the conventions of the

chosen genre•Use language for effect (describe using

imagery)