This is an English course for higher intermediate students who would like to practice their writing skills by writing short stories. Here you will be given mini-guides, writing exercises and the freedom to use your imagination! You can complete lessons 1-5 in any order you like but make sure you keep 6 for last.
The course was designed by Margarita Christoforatou, a certified teacher of English. For any comments or questions feel free to write an email at 21margie@gmail.com
The point of view (POV in short) is the perspective through which you tell your story.
When you start writing a story you have a very important decision to make and stick to it throughout the story. You have to decide who is telling the story. If you are writing a long story with many chapters, you can change perspectives, but if you are writing a short story you don't want to confuse your readers. Keep it simple!
Your story can be in first-person, in second-person or in third-person.
Read this text to learn more about POVs.
Now listen to this audio story and think about the perspective the speaker uses.
Read this text to learn more about POVs.
Now listen to this audio story and think about the perspective the speaker uses.
Punctuation marks are essential in writing. They show the reader where sentences start and finish and if when they are used properly, they make your writing easier to understand. Also punctuation can entirely change the meaning of a sentence as you can see in the picture below!
Take a look. Are there any punctuation marks you don't recognise? Pay close attention to those.
Take a look. Are there any punctuation marks you don't recognise? Pay close attention to those.
You can write your story in the present or the past tense.
•Present tense. This is where you write "I go to the door and scream at him to go away" all in present tense, putting you in the action at the exact time the character experiences it. It’s challenging; it’s also fun. Slipping into past tense, however, can make it pretty comlicated.
•Past tense. This is more popular (and a lot simpler to write): "I went to the door and screamed at him to go away." This one always feels more like a story being told, and is a good place to start for first-time writers.
So here, we recommend that you to write your story in the past tense. If you are not sure what that exactly means, you should check the resources below.
What is the past tense and which are its forms? After you go through the theory and the examples, you can comlete the exercise at the end of the page as well.
Which form should you use when talking about actions in the past? After you go through the theory and the examples, you can comlete the exercise at the end of the page as well.
What is the past tense and which are its forms? After you go through the theory and the examples, you can comlete the exercise at the end of the page as well.
Which form should you use when talking about actions in the past? After you go through the theory and the examples, you can comlete the exercise at the end of the page as well.
Narration description and dialogue are all devices or tools that the writer uses to unwrap their story. Let's have a look over their functions.
Read about the devices here.
Watch the video “How to write descriptively” to learn a bit about how description, different literary devices and adjectives can change the story completely.
Read about the devices here.
Watch the video “How to write descriptively” to learn a bit about how description, different literary devices and adjectives can change the story completely.
The 5Ws and 1H (the questions: who, what, when, where, why and how) and the 8-points (the points through which the plot of a story goes through: stasis, trigger, quest, surprise, critical choice, climax, reversal, resolution) can help you structure and organize your story better.
The 5Ws and 1H work just fine for shorter and simpler stories so you should check that before you start writing.
The 8-point story structure is a bit more complex but used in most classic stories, from children's fairytails to hollywood movies.
The 5Ws and 1H work just fine for shorter and simpler stories so you should check that before you start writing.
The 8-point story structure is a bit more complex but used in most classic stories, from children's fairytails to hollywood movies.
Time to put everything you have read into practice and see what you have learnt!
Do you remember "A story about you"? Read it and then try to imagine how the story ends.
What is in the crate? Is the man in the suit after you? Try writing at least 300 words continuing the story from where it was left off. Keep on using the second person POV and pay attention to your tenses and punctuation.
Do you remember "A story about you"? Read it and then try to imagine how the story ends.
What is in the crate? Is the man in the suit after you? Try writing at least 300 words continuing the story from where it was left off. Keep on using the second person POV and pay attention to your tenses and punctuation.