Creative Writing: Narrative (Storytelling)

To write a good story, you will first have to consider the plot which should relate closely to the title
given.
1.

Make an outline of the 5 Wives and 1 Husband (5W- who, what, where, when, why and 1H- how).
2.

Make sure you use PAST TENSE when you are writing the story which is over (except for dialogues).
3.

You may start with any of the Big Bang Introductions if it is not given in the question
(story/questions/examples/opposite/imagination/dialogue etc)
4.

Ensure that you have a combination of Level 1, 2 & 3 sentence types (simple, compound &
complex); therefore, using the semicolon will surely get you bonus marks.
5.

Try to use all 6 of the dialogue styles. (All over the story, not just in one place.)
6.

Use similes to express your feelings.

7.

Use paradoxes to be unpredictable as this will increase the interest of the reader. (It was my
birthday and I was so incredibly sad.)
8.

Show your wide vocabulary by using pronouns and synonyms for different words that mean the
same. Add proverbs, sayings and common English expressions like 'burn the midnight oil' etc.
9.

End with a memorable closing that is related to feelings or moral values.

(I regretted everything that happened that day and it was the most expensive lesson that Ive
10. learnt.)

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Tip 4. BIG BANG INTRODUCTIONS
1. Story It was a week ago when I ....
Last year, when I was only 15...
It all started when...
2. Questions - Have you ever wondered if...?
Do you think that...?
What would happen if...?
3. Examples - Anger. Fear. Hatred. These are deadly emotions.
Ice-cream. Chocolates. Blue skies. I love these things because they make me happy.
Commitment. Diligence. Motivation. These ingredients are the recipe for success.
4. Opposite - I could read comic books all day but I cant stand even one hour of revising my textbook!
Most people are excited on their birthdays but I felt like crying.
It was the happiest day of my life until I heard the horrible news.
5. Imagination - Imagine if we never had to go to school or work and could play all day long.
I can imagine how boring this world would be without colours.
Picture this. You were really depressed about life when suddenly you met the man of your dreams!
6. Dialogue - I promise never to do that again, the tearful girl cried.
Crash! Boom!! Bang!!! It felt like an earthquake had just hit us.
Ive cursed you! the evil witch laughed aloud and then screamed, Youll never break this
magic spell!

Tip 5. Combination sentences

Level 1 (Simple)
I went to school.
The gate was locked.
I went home.

Level 2 (Compound) and, but, so, because, or, then, therefore, thus
I went to school but the gate was locked.
I was very sad because I really wanted to go to school and see my friends.
I could wait there for them or just go home now.

Level 3 (Complex)
(LEARN TO WRITE MORE COMPLEX SENTENCES AS YOUR ESSAY WILL GET MORE MERIT MARKS FOR COMPLEXITY)
a) Start of sentence: when, because, before, while, during, after, unless, if, whether (ONE COMMA)
Because he had lied, no one trusted him anymore.
Unless he bought her a diamond ring, she would not marry him.
If he didnt study harder, he was going to fail.
b) Middle of sentence: who, when, before, while, during, after, unless, if, whether (TWO COMMAS)
The man walked down the road, where he had lived all his life, but still could not find his old house.
He had to give up smoking, whether he liked it or not, or it was going to kill him.
The friends laughed together, while they walked along the road, talking about what had just happened.
c) End Sentence: when, where, that, who, whom, whose, which (NO COMMA)
She went to her hometown where she was born.
They were reading a book that was given to them as a present.
They were going on a road trip which was very exciting.
d) Semi Colon (;) (USE A SEMI-COLON AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR ESSAY, NOT MORE THAN TWICE!)
He prayed that no one was hurt; the accident was really bad.
I tried to open the door; it was locked and I couldnt find the key.
She made a promise that day; a promise to never tell lies ever again.
e) Dashes ( - )
He wanted to go to rush home as fast as he could.
They told him the truth he was adopted and the truth hurt him.
The girl had spent all her pocket money the present for her mother had cost a lot but she was happy with
the gift.

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Tip 6. Dialogues

1. _______________________, he said. (AVOID WRITING HE SAID,

Tell me the truth, the older boy demanded angrily. INSTEAD REPLACE WITH
2. He said, ________________________________. VOCAB FROM THE TABLE BELOW)
She announced, Please hand in your examination papers now. Punctuation is VERY important, learn to use He
3. _______________________, he said, ________________. said in FRONT AND IN THE MIDDLE rather than at
I cant do it, the little girl whispered quietly, its too hard. the END of each dialogue. CHANGE PARAGRAPHS
4. _________________________. with each different person talking, do not compact
all the different dialogue into one whole
I wont break my promise.
paragraph.
5. _______________? ___________________? _________________? he asked. (Rhetorical Question)
Would they be there? Would they come on time? Will I be the only one there? the lonely girl
questioned herself unhappily.
6. _______________! (Sound effects)
Creeeeeeaaaaak! The door opened loudly.
Sound Effects:
crash, boom, bang, splash, ting, slam, clang, plonk, aah, oh, ooh, shhhh, erm, hey, yoohoo, oh no,
oh boy, my goodness, oh my god, yikes, ouch, boo, yay, hooray, yippee, mmmmmmm, huhu etc.

he said +ly
she told quietly
it stated loudly
you claimed slowly
they spoke quickly
we announced happily
happy girl asked angrily
friendly boy questioned patiently
excited child enquired impatiently
sad children replied curiously
angry brother answered excitedly
tired sister repeated calmly
curious cousin whispered directly
old student promised
young pupil cried
older teenager shouted
younger youth screamed
wise man screeched
foolish woman shrieked
good parent yelled
polite father exclaimed
kind mother demanded
naughty uncle pleaded
cheeky aunt
evil person
cunning stranger
little teacher
big counsellor
pretty neighbour
ugly witch
scary ghost

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Tip 7. Similes

1. I felt as ________ as ________________________.

I felt as angry as Hurricane Katrina that destroyed part of America.
2. He was so __________ like ________________________________.
He was so confused like he was lost in a tunnel and there was no way out.

as ______ as use a suggested simile WRITE YOUR OWN SIMILE HERE

so ______ like
happy a child in a candy store
lucky winning the lottery with a single ticket
excited a birthday girl opening her first present
enthusiastic a racer on an F1 circuit
perfect a red rose
wonderful dream come true
hardworking like an industrious ant
sweet fresh honey from the hive
kind my own mother
tall Mount Everest
impressive the tallest building in the world

sad a child who failed his exam

upset a boy who spilt his ice-cream
angry a violent hurricane
scared a mouse in the corner
frightened a leaf shivering in the cold wind
worried mother watching her baby take its first step
depressed someone wanting to commit suicide
unlucky a person struck by lightning
tired a farmer working under the blazing sun

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 CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP:
PLOT: He was happy to study overseas.
TECHNIQUE:
Dialogue?
Rhetorical Question?
PLOT: She waved goodbye to the plane.
TECHNIQUE:
Flashback? First time they met?
PLOT: She felt all alone.
TECHNIQUE: Flashback? Dialogue?
PLOT: She went home.
TECHNIQUE: Monologue?
PLOT: There was a present waiting for her.
TECHNIQUE: Sound effect?
PLOT: She was happy again.
TECHNIQUE: Monologue? Promise?
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happy:
- overjoyed
- ecstatic
- over the moon
- as excited as a child on Christmas morning
- so happy his heart could burst
- felt overcome with happiness
: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
sad:
- depressed
- disappointed
- her heart was as heavy as lead
- it pained her to see the plane take off
- as the plane took off she felt her heart rip out of her chest
- her face was smiling but her heart was shattering into pieces
: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
lonely:
- like no one cared for her
- felt lost and confused
- no direction like a compass that couldnt point North
- like a single actor on an empty stage
: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
resolute:
- decided to do something instead of nothing
- changed her attitude to be more positive
- carried on with life as time never stands still
- decided not to wallow in self-pity
- gave herself a pep-talk that life wasnt so bad
: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
: excited
- couldnt believe her eyes
- amazed at his thoughtfulness
- couldnt wait to rip the present open
- wonderfully surprised
- as excited as a kid waiting for the roller coaster ride to start
: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
: contented
- felt secure in the thought that he truly loves her
- the glow of happiness and contentment washed over her
- felt calm and blissful like a sleeping baby
: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP SAMPLE:
Lets see if you can follow these instructions:
Highlight in YELLOW sections with Current Dialogue.
Highlight in BLUE sections with Flashback.
Highlight in GREEN sections with Flashback Dialogue.
Highlight in PINK sections with Monologue.
Highlight in ORANGE sections with Dashes ( ) and Semi-Colons ( ; ).
Highlight in PURPLE sections with Similes.
Highlight in RED sections with Rhetorical Questions.
Highlight in BROWN sections with Sound Effects.

Im over the moon that I have been given this chance, Jason chattered happily.
Umm... Im overjoyed for you too, she whispered, but 4 years is a long time...
Jason assured his girlfriend Julia confidently, Dont worry, it will be over before you know it,
and I will be back from England soon. Trust me.
Indeed Jason was so happy to be flying off that he felt that his heart could burst. Even
leaving Julia was not a big problem to him. In his mind, he would go off on his adventure and return
to Malaysia as a new man, full of amazing experiences.
As he boarded the plane, Julia watched from the distance. All the negative feelings feeling
depressed and disappointed made her heart as heavy as lead. It pained her to see the plane take
off. She waved goodbye to the plane, her face was smiling; but her heart was shattering into pieces.
Just 3 months ago they had met in the library. It was so cute and funny how they had tried
to grab the same book and it ended up on the floor. When both of them tried to pick up the book,
their heads knocked together. They both laughed and from there became friends. Who knew that
friendship could turn into this beautiful romance?
Now Julia felt so alone; like no one cared for her, not even her boyfriend Jason because he
looked so ecstatic to leave her. How was she to survive alone? Julia felt like she had no direction; like
a compass that couldnt point North.
Julia, the most amazing thing has happened! Ive won a full scholarship to study at the
University of Cambridge in England. Can you believe it?
She was so proud of Jason. Wow! Thats fantastic! When will you leave? she asked
excitedly.
Very soon. In fact, I leave next week for 4 years!
Uh, oh... thats great, I think, Julia tried to sound happy.
Come on darling, just be happy for me ok? Jason asked again, Ok?
But Julia just said nothing.
Now as Julia drove home, she thought about that day. She realised that she had been acting
selfish all this while. She should have been just like him, feeling over the moon that he had gotten
this special chance to become a better man. So then Julia made a decision to change her attitude to
be more positive and not wallow in self-pity.
Time never stands still so I should just make my own life better in these 4 years so that
when he comes back, everything will be perfect and we can get married, Julia whispered to herself
optimistically.
As Julia drove into her driveway in her red Myvi, she found something waiting for her
outside her door. There was a huge bouquet of white Tiger Lilies and a small white box. Julia couldnt
believe her eyes. She was as excited as a kid waiting for the roller coaster to start when she held the
little box in her hands, taking a deep breath before she opened it.
Wow! Gosh, its so gorgeous! Julia exhaled when she saw a stunning diamond ring in the
box. There was a small note: Dear Julia, please wear my promise ring. Ill be home soon.
Julia felt the glow of happiness and contentment wash over her as she finally felt secure in
the thought that he truly loves her.
Jason, Ill wear your ring, I promise you. And Ill be right here waiting for you.

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 SAMPLE ESSAYS FOR SPM

Highlight the use of dialogue, proverbs, similes, semi-colons and other

techniques in this essay.

A) Syazwanni 5 Sc SMK Majakir 2011:

A story with the ending: I wish I had spent more time with him but it was all too late now.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Since I was young, I never thought of this and to me this phrase means
nothing. This is because; I have a lot of friends. To me, it was not important to have a best friends and I did not need a
best friend or close friend anyway.

The best thing started with the thing that I hated the most. I have a friend called Fathie. I admit that I have
been close to him but the fact is I used to hate him but I didnt know why. I was so selfish! I wanted him to be my
friend because he could give me anything. I also wanted him because he always helped me and was always there for
me whenever I needed him. I took him for granted.

We were always together and helped each other doing our homework or tasks given by our teachers. We
were always happy and laughed together. We laughed as loud as we could like a pack of hyenas was laughing when
something funny happened.

But, one day, I felt uncomfortable when walking along the beach with him. This was because, I had heard
from one of my classmates that he had been talking ill about me behind my back.

Suddenly, I said, Fathie, didnt you know that I have known that you had been saying about me to others?

What are you saying, Diyana? I dont understand.

Stop acting like an innocent person. Starting from now, go far away from me and you only can meet me
whenever there is something important to tell. A very important thing! Remember that.

Okay if that what you want but

But what, Fathie?

But please dont let me out from your heart as a friend, Fathie said sadly.

Then, Fathie wrote on the sand, Today my friend hurts me and wants me to go far away from her. Fathie
was crying and I ran away back to my home without thinking about how he felt.

One day, I had fallen sick. I got a fever. But, no one came to visit me and care for my condition. I could just
cry and think about what I have done. I decided to meet Fathie and apologize to him. I regretted for what I have done.
I was such a coward thinking about what people allegedly said without finding the truth.

After I had recovered from my sickness, I went to Fathies house. But, his house maid said that Fathie was in
hospital. I was very shocked at that time. Actually, fathie had cancer and could not live much longer. I cried like a baby
crying like she lost her mother.

Uncle, can I meet with Fathie this evening? I said when Fathies father answered my call.

Yes dear, you can. He said wait for him at the beach on 4 oclock.

Really? Thank you uncle, I stated happily.

Fathie, please forgive me for all the things that I have done to you,

Its ok, Diyana.

Fathie, this is for you, I said while giving him a shell.

Then Fathie carved on the shell, Today my friend gives me a shell as a sign of friendship and I promised that
I will keep it close to my heart.

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 I smiled and looked at him but I wondered then asked, Why did you carve on that shell and didnt write in
the sand like that day?

He simply answered, I carved my bad memories in the sand so the wind could blow it and it will disappear
from my eyes and heart. But, I carved my sweet memories on this shell because it will remain even after I die.

I cried when I heard him say that. I made a promise; promise that I will be a good friend to him. Suddenly,
Fathie fell on to the ground. I ran and called Fathies father in the car. Then we sent Fathie to the hospital.

I could only cry at that time and I said to myself, I wished I had spent more time with him but it was all too
late now.

Highlight the use of sound effects and similes in this essay.

B) Taufik 5 Sc SMK Majakir 2011: Flower

This is a story of a dandelion seed. About how he travels around the country searching for a new place
to call home. The journey begins on the spring of 2011 in the northern hemisphere. The little dandelion was just
about to set off when his mother burst in tears. My dear children take care during your journey do not forget
about your mother, the mother of dandelion said. All the dandelion children replied, Do not worry mother, after
all we are your children, the greatest dandelions of all. Among all the dandelion children, there was one little
voice that stood out above others and that was our little adventurer, we call him Sam the dandelion seed.

The wind blew them far away from their parents but somehow Sam was blown away from the pack,
drifting alone toward the unforgiving world. During his flight Sam saw a bird. The bird was huge with a wingspan
up to 50 cm. It was humongous compared to Sam.

Oh my god! From down below all the birds look like a speck of dust but from up close they are
gigantic. Who would have thought that something can be that much of a difference just by how far they are,
Sam said to himself.

The bird saw Sam and asked Sam, Where are you going, little dandelion?

Sam answered, I am going on a journey to find a better place to call home.

Oh, is that so then can I accompany you on your journey as even I am migrating right now and most
of my pals are already up front so I am all alone right now, the bird said to Sam. Sam just nodded as a symbol
of agreement with the bird.

After quite a while drifting through the wind Sam took a rest on top of a train. The bird continued upon
his voyage and said goodbye to Sam. Poor little Sam was all alone again. Choot! Choot! The sound of the train
startled Sam who was sleeping like a baby. In confusion, Sam continued his journey. In his thoughts, Sam was
thinking, What was that sound just now? But, the further he thought the more confused he got. Sam was
drifting and passed by a huge mountain. The mountain was so beautiful with a white top it looked just an ice-
cream. Marvellous. Stupendous. No words could describe the beautiful scenery Sam was looking at. With a
yellowish-orange sky as the backdrop even god himself would say, This is my masterpiece.

As things started to look okay a storm suddenly raged. Whooshwhoosh the wind blew hard to the
left. To the right. From side to side. Sam was like a drunken mad man being tossed around by the merciless
Mother Nature. AhOh Sam screamed for help but who could oppose Mother Natures wrath. When the storm
subsided Sam found himself drifting above a grassy plain. Beautiful, this is the place I want to call home, Sam
said to himself. The wind stopped blowing Sam away and Sam landed beside a white pole. Sam had found his
new home.

The end. Ha-ha... No! Thats not the end of our story, not yet. As time passed by Sam grew big and
became a dandelion flower. How sweet. Our little Sam had finally grown up. After a short period of time Sam
had finally become a parent and he was about to send off his children to a journey like no others. A journey in
becoming a man. SPLAT! Some high school student just stepped on Sam and thats the end of our little Sam.
Can you imagine the beautiful grassy plain was actually a football field and the white pole was actually a part of
a goalpost? Ha-ha now thats what I call bad luck mixed with a lack of knowledge. Be grateful that you are now
living a life as a human and not as a bad luck dandelion flower.
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PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT; email to queendrey@gmail.com or sms 0168451270 for approval.)