FIFTY FICTION how to write short short stories
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION KS2 Learning Objectives (mapped from the National Curriculum for English En3 (Writing)) 1.d—Use and adapt the features of a form of writing, drawing on their reading. 2.a—Plan: note and develop initial ideas. 2.b—Draft: develop ideas from the plan into structured written text. 2.c—Revise: change and improve the draft. 9.a—Imagine and explore feelings and ideas, focusing on creative uses of language and how to interest the reader.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION KS3 Learning Objectives (mapped from the National Curriculum for English) 1.2.b—Use inventive approaches to making meaning, taking risks, play with language and use it to create new effects. 2.3.j—Vary sentence structure for interest, effect and subtleties of meaning. 2.3.q—Use planning, drafting, editing, proofreading and self-evaluation to shape and craft their writing for maximum effect.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION KS4 Learning Objectives (mapped from the National Curriculum for English) 1.2.b—Experiment with language, manipulate form, challenge conventions and reinterpret ideas. 2.3.a—Write imaginatively, creatively and thoughtfully, producing texts that interest, engage and challenge the reader. 2.3.l—Use planning, drafting, editing, proofreading and self-evaluation to revise and craft their writing for maximum impact.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION Here’s a story written by a famous American author called Ernest Hemingway:
For sale: baby shoes, never worn. How many words does the story contain? From those (very) few words, what do we know? And what ideas do you have about why the shoes are for sale and have never been worn? Do you think it is a good story? Explain.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION The key to Hemingway’s sentence is that he clearly had an idea in his head about a whole story. But instead of writing it all down, he just chose one episode. And once he knew what he was going to write down, he chose as few words possible. He avoided using connecting words (such as ‘and’ or ‘but’) and used punctuation (a colon and a comma) instead.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION Your turn! You are going to write a ten-word story about a particular object. You’ll find out what that object is in a minute. Remember to: PLAN out a whole story (think about characters and setting). Decide what part of the story is the most interesting and think how you can hint to your audience WHO is involved in the story and WHERE it is set. Write out a DRAFT of your chosen episode, then count up how many words you’ve used. REVISE your story by crossing out any connecting words and replacing them with punctuation. Make sure you include at least one ADJECTIVE. Keep revising your story until you have just TEN words.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION 10 words at least 1 adjective as few connecting words as possible clever use of punctuation —:;,.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION 10 words at least 1 adjective as few connecting words as possible clever use of punctuation —:;,.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION Now let’s have a look at a fifty-word story, it’s called Porch. The glider glides as the sun slides down. “Almost time for our afternoon shower,” Audrey says. “ I can hear that thunder a-coughing.” The New Moulin Rouge awaits the shuffle of feet. The old chair creeks as we prepare ourselves for another sultry, southern night. Porch time is among us.
WHO is involved in the story? WHERE is it set? WHAT is happening? HOW is punctuation used? Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION On the next page you’ll see another fifty-word story, this time with an illustration to go alongside it. Remember to ask yourself WHO is involved in the story, WHERE it is set, and WHAT is happening. Remember to look at HOW the story is written What punctuation is used? Are the sentences are long or short or a mix? What adjectives are included? How many (if any) connecting words are used?
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION Your turn! This time you will be writing a fifty-word story. PLAN the whole story: WHO is going to be involved? WHERE is it going to be set? WHAT is going to happen? Choose one part of the story, one episode, that you think will be the most interesting. DRAFT the first version of this episode: Include at least one adjective. Include a mix of different sentences (some long, some short). Take out as many connecting words as you can (such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘although’). Try to use a range of different punctuation (such as commas, colons and dashes). EDIT your draft: Count up how many words you have and decide what you can cross out or add in. Check you have kept everything in the same tense (past, present or future).
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION an EPISODE out of your whole story idea at least one adjective a range of long and short sentences as few connecting words as possible dierent types of punctuation just one tense (past, present or future)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION an EPISODE out of your whole story idea at least one adjective a range of long and short sentences as few connecting words as possible dierent types of punctuation just one tense (past, present or future)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION an EPISODE out of your whole story idea at least one adjective a range of long and short sentences as few connecting words as possible dierent types of punctuation just one tense (past, present or future)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION an EPISODE out of your whole story idea at least one adjective a range of long and short sentences as few connecting words as possible dierent types of punctuation just one tense (past, present or future)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION an EPISODE out of your whole story idea at least one adjective a range of long and short sentences as few connecting words as possible dierent types of punctuation just one tense (past, present or future)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION This time it’s a competition. You are going to write a fifty-word story on the same subject as a published author. When you’ve finished planning, drafting, and editing your story, you can read it out. Then the story by the published author is read out. You can decide which story is better! The subject of the story is...
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION
PEN Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION There’s an opportunity to have your story illustrated like some of the ones you’ve seen in class, and to have it printed and sold alongside stories written by famous writers such as Michael Morpurgo. There’s a website called www.fiftyfiction.org that accepts submissions from ANYONE who wants to write a fifty-word story, although it does have some simple rules when it comes to writing them. If your story is chosen by the editors, it will be turned into a limited edition beautiful print (only ten copies will be made) and all proceeds go to charity. People who go to the website choose a story without knowing who has written it. So they might well pick your story over Michael Morpurgo’s! And they’ll only find out once they receive it in the post. On the following slide, you’ll see some examples of subjects you could write a fifty word story about. You can choose one of them, and have a go...
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
FIFTY FICTION Mushrooms Cabbage Carrot Cherries Pumpkin Lemon Fork Flour Teapot Weighing Scales Corkscrew Ketchup Coee Salt Soup Butterfly Caterpillar Owl
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Rat Dog Cat Cuckoo Spider Beetle Hot air balloon Sail boat Trumpet Rollerskates Dice Sofa Toilet Roll Clothes Peg Iron Washing Powder Basket Bed
Watch (Smoking) Pipe Suitcase Toothpicks (Eye) Glasses Handbag Ring Wig Comb Razor Shirt Hat Guitar Mill Book Ink Camera Birdcage
WWW.FIFTYFICTION.ORG
Wednesday, 18 August 2010