Imaginativ

e Writing

Writing an Imaginative Story

Imaginative Writing

Do I have to

Inform?

Audience

am I trying to entertain?

Which Which genregenre will I choose ? will I choose ?

Different types of stories have their Different types of stories have their individual stylesindividual styles

science fiction

horroradventure

HorHorror!ror!

Ben screamed and screamed. They had Ben screamed and screamed. They had left him there to die entombed in a cave. left him there to die entombed in a cave. When his screaming stopped and the echo When his screaming stopped and the echo vanished he heard another sound. A low vanished he heard another sound. A low moaning sound that seemed to be coming moaning sound that seemed to be coming closer . . . . .closer . . . . .

genre

Scary Setting

soften an isolated or scary location

genre

or somewhere you feel trapped!

genre

or a normal setting

Where people feel suddenly

threatened

genre

Horror CharactersOften an innocent seeming victim

threatened by a more powerful forcethreatened by a more powerful force

genre

and the adversary – or

“enemy”

is often supernatural or evil –or both

genre

Plot

genre plot

The victim struggles against impossible oddsfor freedom from a

horriblefate!

genre

sometimes the struggle is

sometimes it isnot . not .

. .

successfulsuccessful

genre

There is a build up ofgenre

and there may be and there may be somesome

genre

cliffhangers

words are chosen togenre

Sound words and figurative language build up

atmosphere

genre

genre

Figurative language

intensifyintensify the fear!the fear!

He froze. A branch cracked behind him and He froze. A branch cracked behind him and the bushes shivered. The rustling of the the bushes shivered. The rustling of the leaves stopped when he did. Silence echoed leaves stopped when he did. Silence echoed through the still and silent jungle. No through the still and silent jungle. No sound. No movement. Nothing.sound. No movement. Nothing.

But he was no longer alone!But he was no longer alone!

genre

Intensify the fear

Ben blinked, but the signal on his E-screen Ben blinked, but the signal on his E-screen remained. It was too big to be simply an asteroid remained. It was too big to be simply an asteroid shower or electrical interference. No-one knew shower or electrical interference. No-one knew about their mission, he thought. It was about their mission, he thought. It was impossible they were being tracked.impossible they were being tracked.

Science FictionScience Fictiongenre

setting

genre

in a future world

with advanced technology

genre

perhaps a similar world - perhaps a similar world - but with important but with important differences from our owndifferences from our own

genre

Similar world

or maybe a “better” or maybe a “better” worldworld

but one that somehow but one that somehow “threatens” people“threatens” people

genre

and objects often have unusual names

mini-mini-jedijedi

warriorwarriorDuff inter-galactic gargle-Duff inter-galactic gargle-blasterblaster

inter-inter-stellarstellar

petpodpetpod

genre

Charactersoften have unusual often have unusual

namesnames

ZorgZorg BlatBlat ZeeeZeee YuYu DjimiDjimi

genre

“Hero” figures often are

no matter what the odds . .

intelligent

resourceful

calm

genre

They often contrast with others

genre

The “villain” may not be humanThe “villain” may not be human

but an alienbut an alien or a machineor a machine

genre

The PlotThe Plot is often the resolution to a is often the resolution to a problematic or dangerous situationproblematic or dangerous situation

genre

The plot

or a warningwarning of a possible future

genre

WORD CHOICEWORD CHOICE often includes ideas and vocabulary referring to advanced technology

Beam me up, Scotty! My shields are down and I’m all out of dilithium crystals!

genre

‘made-up’ names for objects and places but with some similarity to life

as we know it . . . . . . . . . . . .

Plutovian Plutovian pilot pod pilot pod

Venusian filofaxVenusian filofax

Martian mapMartian map

genre

Made-up names

TThe air was absolutely still, not a breath of wind. he air was absolutely still, not a breath of wind. Ben settled himself in the tent, exhausted from Ben settled himself in the tent, exhausted from his tiring day’s activities. Still it was a pleasant his tiring day’s activities. Still it was a pleasant tiredness. Slowly his eyes closed…tiredness. Slowly his eyes closed…

AdventureAdventuregenre

adventure

SettingSettingtension is tension is created by the created by the deliberate deliberate choice of choice of situationsituation

genresetting

a citya city

a secret valleya secret valley

a moora moor

a foresta forest

usually NOT an everyday situation usually NOT an everyday situation or setting but somewhere likeor setting but somewhere like

genre

CharacterCharacterusually a “hero” typeusually a “hero” type

courageous quick thinking

genre

character

enemies or villains or “baddies” enemies or villains or “baddies” might be motivated by money, might be motivated by money, politics etc.politics etc.

Al CaponeAl Capone

genre

we want him or her we want him or her to win in the endto win in the end

we “identify” we “identify” with the with the hero(ine)hero(ine)

genre

Plot

the story presents the heroine or the story presents the heroine or hero with a problemhero with a problem

genre

it builds up to a climaxit builds up to a climax

often a battle with the enemyoften a battle with the enemy

genre

usually a resolution where the hero usually a resolution where the hero by virtue of some quality or strengthby virtue of some quality or strength

wins throughwins through ! !

genre

Word ChoiceWord Choice

description reveals personalitydescription reveals personality

hunkyhunky

boldbolddaringdaring

strongstrong

heroicheroic

fearlessfearlessgoodgood

villainousvillainous

meanmeandeviousdevious

cruelcruelcravencraven

evilevil

dastardlydastardly

genre

Create atmosphereCreate atmosphereto build up to build up suspensesuspense

Cowering, they Cowering, they huddled together as huddled together as

thethe dark, deafening,dark, deafening, helicopter, blades helicopter, blades threshing and threshing and roaring, drew closer. roaring, drew closer. The hatch opened The hatch opened and a figure and a figure emerged. Would he emerged. Would he – could he – reach – could he – reach them in time?them in time?

genre

Now think about the Now think about the characteristics of a selection of characteristics of a selection of

other genres:other genres:

Romance Western Ghost Romance Western Ghost Story Thriller History Crime Story Thriller History Crime School WarSchool War and anything else you can think of . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Don’t forget your pupil pack for ideas!Don’t forget your pupil pack for ideas!

genre