So you want to be a writer?
So you want to write something original?
Start with a CHARACTER.
1. Who is s/he?
2. What’s her favourite food/music/filmstar crush?
3. How does she look? What’s she wearing? Picture her in your mind. Draw her. See the world through her eyes for a minute.
4. Give her a catchphrase/a nervous tick/a way of standing.
Now for your plot: 3 words
CHARACTER
OBSTACLE
GOAL
You’ve got your character so now give her a GOAL.
1. She wants to be a singer in a band.
2. She wants to bag the best boy in the school.
3. She wants to give herself a makeover and be in with the ‘in’ crowd.
But she can’t because there’s an OBSTACLE
1. She can’t actually sing in tune. I mean this girl is tone deaf. The worst auditions on the X Factor? That’s our girl.
2. The best boy in the school fancies her best friend.
3. She has no sense of style, no money to buy makeup, and the ‘in’ crowd hate her on sight.
Now you have these three elements - go ahead and write your story!
And when you’ve written your story put it away for a month and then re-read it, change it, put it away again and do the same. Until you’re happy with it and then - the hardest bit of all: share it with someone else.
DO YOU DARE TO SHARE?
There is no point in being a writer unless someone else knows you’re a writer and they will only know this if you show them your writing.
If you like you can share your writing with me on this site.
I would absolutely love to read it!
Here are some fantastic examples of killer opening lines written by some very creative (and hilarious) Year 8’s. They had to incorporate a character, an obstacle and a goal.
These are some of my favourites:
“It’s hard to get into school when my teacher wants to kill me.”
“I was cheerily singing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ when the monster came through my door. “
“Have you been wrong since the day you were born? Are you like me?”
“The steep climb gradually became harder. My muscles ached with pain, but I couldn’t stop, not now. He’s after me.”
“I always wanted to win ‘the best nose picker in the class’ but my finger went right through me!”
“I have no friends, no life and no future at all thanks to my Mum and Dad.”
“I saw it there - just sitting there that Friday afternoon.”
