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GCSE English language: 10+ tips for creative writing

On paper creative writing should be one of the easiest parts of the English language GCSE but you're not alone if you're finding it tricky.

Creative Writing in GCSE exams can take various forms: You may have to tell an entire short story or you could be asked to write a description of a picture.

Here's some top tips when it comes to dealing with your creative writing headaches...

Understanding the Exam Format

First and foremost, it's essential to familiarise yourself with the GCSE English Language exam format. Creative writing usually forms a significant part of the assessment, often as part of a coursework component or in a specific section of the exam. Knowing what is expected in terms of length, format, and content can significantly boost your confidence and performance.

Reading Widely

One of the best ways to enhance your creative writing skills is to read a diverse range of literature. This exposure helps you understand different writing styles, narrative techniques, and genres. By reading extensively, you can develop a sense of what makes a story engaging and learn how to incorporate these elements into your own writing.

Practising Writing Regularly

Consistent practice is key in improving your writing skills. Try to write something every day, whether it's a short story, a descriptive piece, or even just a diary entry. This not only helps improve your writing style and vocabulary but also keeps your creative juices flowing.

Answer The Question

Read it VERY carefully because your answer will only be marked in the context of what was actually asked in the first place, regardless of how well written your piece may have been. Pay special attention to the type of creative writing you're asked to come up with and it's audience (see more below).

Developing Strong Characters and Settings

In creative writing, characters and settings are the heart of your story. Spend time developing characters who are believable and relatable. Similarly, create settings that are vivid and contribute to the mood of the story. Using descriptive language and sensory details can bring your characters and settings to life.

READ MORE: > 10+ GCSE creative writing ideas, prompts and plot lines

Mastering Narrative Structure

A good story has a clear structure - a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning should hook the reader, the middle should build the story, and the end should provide a satisfying conclusion. Think about the plot and how you can weave tension, conflict, and resolution into your narrative.

Showing, Not Telling

'Show, don’t tell' is a golden rule in creative writing. Instead of simply telling the reader what is happening, show them through actions, thoughts, senses, and feelings. For example, rather than simply telling the reader a character is tall, show them that in your writing: "He towered above me like a skyscraper." This approach makes your writing more engaging and immersive.

Take Inspiration From Real Life

Write more convincingly by taking inspiration from your real life experiences and feelings, embellishing where necessary.

Go Out of This World

If you're given a prompt to write the opening of a story involving a storm, it doesn't need to be a storm on earth. Going out of this world allows you to be really descriptive in your language and paint a picture of a completely unique world or species.

Varying Sentence Structure and Vocabulary

Using a range of sentence structures and a rich vocabulary can make your writing more interesting and dynamic. Avoid repetition of words and phrases, and try to use descriptive language that paints a picture for the reader. Consider the senses such as what you might hear, smell, feel or taste.

Don't Leave The Ending To The, Well, End

Some pieces will lend themselves to a nice, easy ending - and in some questions, the ending may even be provided for you - but other times it's not so simple to stop. When it comes to fictional stories, it may well be easier to plan your ending first and work backwards, you don't want to end on a whimper, in a rush or with leftover loose ends from the plot.

Editing and Proofreading

A vital part of writing is reviewing and refining your work. Always leave time to edit and proofread your writing. Look out for common errors like spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and punctuation issues. Also, consider whether your writing flows logically and whether there's anything you can improve in terms of language and style.

Seeking Feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask teachers, friends, or family members for feedback on your writing. Constructive criticism can provide new perspectives and ideas that can help you improve your writing significantly.

Staying Calm and Confident

Lastly, it's important to stay calm and confident during your exam. Stress and anxiety can hinder your creativity and writing ability. Practice relaxation techniques and believe in your preparation to help you stay focused and composed during the exam.

Remember, creative writing is an opportunity to express yourself and let your imagination run wild. With these tips and consistent practice, you can excel in your GCSE English Language creative writing exam look forward to results day and enjoy the process of crafting your own unique stories.

Thomas Brella is the founder of Student Hacks, starting the website in 2013 while studying at the University of Brighton to share tips and tricks on life as a cash-strapped student. He's now spent over 10 years scoping out the best ways to live on a budget

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Insider GCSE creative writing tips + 106 prompts from past papers

by Hayley | Mar 9, 2023 | Exams , Writing | 0 comments

Are you feeling a little bit twitchy about your child’s English GCSE writing task?

Sciences and humanities – although sometimes daunting in their content – seem a fair bet as ‘revisable’ topics. But the creative writing element of the English Language GCSE is less knowable and ultimately more of a frightening prospect for a student keen to do well.

Preparing for the GCSE writing task? You don’t need to do it alone.

We run a weekly online writing club which prepares students to write high-scoring content. Our “Higher” level club is designed to transform your writing so that you can ace the GCSE language paper.

What is the GCSE writing element of the GCSE Language Paper?

There are 5 key GCSE exam boards: AQA , OCR , Pearson Edexcel , WJEC Eduqas and CCEA . Each board sets their own papers which may appear much the same at first glance (bizarrely they all have a similar front cover layout and fonts). Certainly there is plenty of overlap between their mark schemes and the comments and tips they share in their Examiner Reports.

However, as with all your child’s other subjects, it is essential to know which exam board they are preparing for. You may be surprised to discover that schools pick and choose boards by subject, perhaps choosing AQA for chemistry and OCR for mathematics. Individual school departments have their own preferences. My brother teaches at a school where their English Literature and English Language exams have been split between two different boards. This is unusual though, not the norm!

What forms (question formats) can the test take?

It varies by board.

The AQA board has a writing task in their Question Paper 1 called Explorations in creative reading and writing . Students are given two prompts to choose between. The AQA board also has a second persuasive writing task in Paper 2 called Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives.

Jump ahead to AQA creative writing and persuasive writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The Pearson/Edexcel international iGCSE favoured by many UK private schools has two prompts to choose between for each section. The student is asked to complete a piece of transactional writing (perhaps a persuasive speech or an advertisement leaflet) and additionally a piece of imaginative writing.

Jump ahead to Pearson/Edexcel transactional writing and imaginative writing prompts from past GCSE papers

Interestingly, the WJEC Eduqas board favours non-fiction writing. Unit 2 Reading and Writing: Description, Narration and Exposition gives two prompts to choose between, for an account and an essay perhaps, and Unit 3: Reading and Writing: Argumentation, Persuasion and Instructional sets up a letter, or similar.

Jump ahead to WJEC Eduqas non-fiction writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The OCR board offers two prompts to choose between. One might be a talk for other students and the other might be a letter on a difficult subject .

Jump ahead to OCR creative writing prompts from past GCSE papers

The CCEA board has a writing task in called “ Writing for Purpose and Audience and Reading to Access Non-fiction and Media Texts” and a second writing task which offers a choice between personal writing and creative writing.

Jump ahead to CCEA persuasive writing, personal writing, and creative prompts from past GCSE papers

How long do students have to craft their piece of writing?

Creative writing tests are timed at either 45 minutes or 1 hour. The last thing your child will need is to prepare to write for an hour, only to find they have just three-quarters of an hour on the day. If in doubt, insist that they check with their teacher.

AQA students are given 45 minutes to produce their writing response. The introduction advises: ‘ You are reminded of the need to plan your answer. You should leave enough time to check your work at the end.’ What this means is that 30–35 minutes max is what’s really allowed there for the writing itself.

Pearson/Edexcel allows 45 minutes for each of the two writing tasks.

OCR students are given an hour to complete this section of their exam. The introduction states: ‘You are advised to plan and check your work carefully,’ so they will expect the writing itself to take 45–50 minutes.

How long should the completed GCSE writing task be?

Interestingly, although the mark schemes all refer to paragraphingthey don’t state how many paragraphs they expect to see.

‘A skilfully controlled overall structure, with paragraphs and grammatical features used to support cohesion and achieve a range of effects’ (OCR)

‘Fluently linked paragraphs with seamlessly integrated discourse markers’ (AQA)

Why? Because management of paragraph and sentence length is a structural technique available to the student as part of their writers’ toolkit. If the number of optimal paragraphs were to be spelled out by the board, it would have a negative impact on the freedom of the writer to use their paragraphs for impact or to manage the pace of the reader.

For a general guide I would expect to see 3 to 5 paragraphs in a creative piece and 5 paragraphs in a persuasive piece. Leaflets have a different structure entirely and need to be set out in a particular form to achieve the top notes of the mark scheme.

What are the examiners looking for when they are marking a student’s creative writing paper?

There are two assessment objectives for the writing itself:

• It has to be adapted to the form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences.
• It has to use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures, with appropriate paragraphing, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

As a GCSE English nerd, I really enjoy delving deeper into the Examiner Reports that each board brings out once the previous cohort’s papers have been marked. They are a fascinating read and never disappoint…

Within their pages, examiners spell out the differences they have spotted between the stronger and the weaker responses.

For example, a creative task set by the AQA board was to describe a photograph of a town at sunset. The examiners explained that some of the strongest responses imagined changes in the scene as darkness descended. They enjoyed reading responses that included personification of the city, and those that imagined the setting in the past, or the weariness of the city. Weaker candidates simply listed what was in the picture or referred directly to the fact it was an image. This chronological-list approach weakened the structure of their work.

No surprises that some weaker students relied heavily on conversation. (As an exam marker myself, I dreaded reading acres of uninspiring direct speech.)

Pearson/Edexcel explain that weaker persuasive pieces (in this case on the value of television) simply listed pros and cons rather than developed ideas fully to clarify their own opinions. The higher-level responses here were quirky and engaging, entertaining the reader with a range of appropriate techniques and making the argument their own.

What accommodations are possible for students who have specific learning difficulties?

The UK Government’s Guide for Schools and Colleges 2022: GCSE, AS and A Levels includes information about changes to assessments to support ‘disabled students.’ Their definition of disabled includes specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, ADD, ASD etc).

Exam boards can make a wide range of adjustments to their assessments. Some of the most common adjustments are:

• modified papers (for example, large print or braille exam papers)
• access to assistive software (for example, voice recognition systems or computer readers)
• help with specific tasks (for example, another person might read questions to the student or write their dictated answers)
• changes to how the assessment is done (for example, an oral rather than a written assessment, word-processing rather than hand-writing answers)
• extra time to complete assessments
• exemptions from an assessment

The exam board will expect paperwork to be in place where your child’s specific needs are formally reported by an appropriate professional (Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Consultant). The report needs to be recent, but how recent is difficult to confirm.

If your child is likely to need adjustments to their access arrangements you will need to discuss this with their school in plenty of time before the exam itself.

A close friend of mine realised in the final few weeks before her son’s GCSE exams that his tinnitus would have a negative impact on his performance. She approached the school to ask if he might take his exams in a separate room to minimise noise disturbance. Unfortunately, it was far too late by then to apply, and her son was denied the request.

Your child’s school will explain the process for applying for special arrangements and will be able to advise you on what your expectations should be. Never presume your child will be given what they need – but plenty of requests are successful, so stay positive and make sure your paperwork is in order beforehand.

Tips and strategies for writing a high scoring GCSE creative writing paper:

1.         learn the formats.

Know the different formats and conventions of the different GCSE writing tasks. There is a standard layout for a leaflet, for example, where including contact details and a series of bullet points is part of the mark scheme. Not knowing these conventions will knock back a student’s score.

2.         Plan ahead

Prepare a planning structure for each of the written forms you might encounter during the exam. It may need to be flexed on the day, but it will banish fear of the blank page and allow you to get started.

3.         Prepare sentence-openings

Familiarise yourself with appropriate sentence-openings for each type of GCSE writing task. Fronted adverbials of time and place will improve the quality of a creative piece, whereas access to varied and specific conjunctions might push up the mark of a transactional piece.

4.         Check your speaking

Ask your family to check your speech at home. Every now and then try to flip a sentence into formal language, using more interesting synonyms for your usual spoken vocabulary. This will help you to write formally on paper, avoiding colloquialisms.

5.         Forget finishing

Finishing is less important than you might imagine. Sloppy, hurried work is your enemy. GCSE examiners will follow your clear planning and mark you accordingly, even if you’ve not managed to complete that final paragraph.

6.         Note the details

The question often gives additional information the examiner would like to see included. Note it in your plan to make sure it doesn’t get forgotten.

7.         Start strong

Use your best sentence-opener at the start of each paragraph. It will set you up as someone to be taken seriously.

8.         Cut back dialogue

Keep dialogue contained in a single paragraph. Focus on description of the speaker and their actions before noting the second character’s reply.

9.         Revise

Do this by prepping work as above. Nothing beats it.

Would you like me to transform your child’s writing in my higher writing club?

Each week in my higher writing club , we spend 20 minutes on Zoom together. After the task has been introduced, the students write for 15 minutes. Next, they upload their work for 1:1 video marking.

There is no point prepping essays/creative pieces for the GCSE English Language exam if your child’s writing is poor. First, their scruffy presentation, attention to detail, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary need to be addressed.

After 2 months in the higher writing club your child’s written technique and fluency will be transformed by our 1–2-1 video marking system (consistent messaging is achieved by matching your child with their own teacher).

Each weekly activity is drawn directly from the GCSE English Language Subject Content and Assessment Objectives , published by the English Department of Education.

Here’s an example of a student’s writing, BEFORE they joined our club:

It is chaotic, poorly-presented and nonsensical. Letter-sizing is confused and the student is clearly anxious and repeatedly scribbling through small errors.

Below is the same student 2 months later:

Observe the rich vocabulary, authorial techniques (the jagged rocks are ‘like shards of broken glass’) and general fluency and sophistication.

Real and recent GCSE example questions/prompts from each of the 5 key exam boards

Aqa english language gcse questions, paper 2 writers’ viewpoints and perspectives:.

• ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘People have become obsessed with travelling ever further and faster. However, travel is expensive, dangerous, damaging and a foolish waste of time!’ Write an article for a news website in which you argue your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘Cars are noisy, dirty, smelly and downright dangerous. They should be banned from all town and city centres, allowing people to walk and cycle in peace.’ Write a letter to the Minister for Transport arguing your point of view on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘All sport should be fun, fair and open to everyone. These days, sport seems to be more about money, corruption and winning at any cost.’ Write an article for a newspaper in which you explain your point of view on this statement. ( Source )

Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing:

• A magazine has asked for contributions for their creative writing section. Either write a description of an old person as suggested by the picture below or write a story about a time when things turned out unexpectedly. ( Source )

• Your school or college is asking students to contribute some creative writing for its website. Either, describe a market place as suggested by the picture below or write a story with the title, ‘Abandoned’. ( Source )

• Your local library is running a creative writing competition. The best entries will be published in a booklet of creative writing. Either, write a description of a mysterious place, as suggested by the picture below or write a story about an event that cannot be explained. ( Source )

• A magazine has asked for contributions for their creative writing section. Either, describe a place at sunset as suggested by the picture below or write a story about a new beginning. ( Source )

OCR English Language GCSE questions

Paper: communicating information and ideas.

• Either, Write a post for an online forum for young people about ‘A moment that changed my life’.
• Or, You are giving a talk at a parents’ information evening about why all children should study science at school. Explain your views. ( Source )
• Either, Write a letter to a friend to describe a challenging and unpleasant task you once had to do.
• Or, Write a short guide for new workers about how to deal successfully with difficult customers. ( Source )
• Either, “Was it worth it?” Write an article for a magazine to describe a time when you had to do something difficult.
• Or, Write a speech for an event to congratulate young people who have achieved something remarkable. ( Source )
• Either, Write the words of a talk to advise pet owners how to make life more enjoyable for their pet and themselves.
• Or, Write an article for a travel magazine to describe your dramatic encounter with an animal. ( Source )
• Either, ‘How I prefer to spend my time.’ Write the words of a talk to young people about your favourite activity
• Or, Write a magazine article to persuade parents to allow their teenage children more freedom. You are not required to include any visual or presentational features. ( Source )
• Either, Write a talk for other students about a person you either admire strongly or dislike intensely
• Or, Write a letter to a friend to explain a difficult decision you had to make. ( Source )

Paper: Exploring effects and impact

• Either, Hunger satisfied. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Write about a time when you were waiting for something. ( Source )
• Either, The Taste of Fear Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Write about a time when you were exploring a particular place. ( Source )
• Either, Alone. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Describe a time when you found yourself in a crowd or surrounded by people. ( Source )
• Either, Land at Last. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Imagine you have visited somewhere for the first time and are now reporting back on your experience. ( Source )
• Either, The Playground Use this as the title for a story
• Or, Write about a memory you have of playing a childhood game. ( Source )
• Either, It seemed to me like I had been magically transported. Use this as the title for a story.
• Or, Describe a place where you have felt comfortable. ( Source )

Pearson Edexcel English Language iGCSE questions

Paper 1: transactional writing.

• Either, ‘In our busy twenty-first century lives, hobbies and interests are more important than ever.’ Write an article for a newspaper expressing your views on this statement.
• Or, ‘We are harming the planet we live on and need to do more to improve the situation.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers in which you explain your views on this statement. ( Source )
• ‘ Zoos protect endangered species from around the world.’ ‘No wild animal should lose its freedom and be kept in captivity. Write an article for a magazine in which you express your views on zoos.
• Write a review of an exciting or interesting event that you have seen. ( Source )
• Your local newspaper has published an article with the headline ‘Young people today lack any desire for adventure’. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing your views on this topic.
• ‘The key to success in anything is being prepared.’ Write a section for a guide giving advice on the importance of preparation. ( Source )
• You and your family have just returned from a holiday that did not turn out as you expected. Write a letter to the travel agent with whom you booked your holiday, explaining what happened.
• A magazine is publishing articles with the title ‘Friendship is one of the greatest gifts in life’. Write your article on this topic. ( Source )
• ‘Important lessons I have learned in my life.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers on this topic.
• Your local/school library wants to encourage young people to read more. Write the text of a leaflet explaining the benefits of reading. ( Source )
• ‘Most memorable journeys.’ A website is running a competition to reward the best articles on this subject. Write an article for the competition about a memorable journey.
• ‘Cycling is one form of exercise that can lead to a healthier lifestyle.’ Write a guide for young people on the benefits of exercise. ( Source )
• ‘Television educates, entertains and helps global understanding.’ ‘Television is to blame for society’s violence and greed and delivers one-sided news.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech in which you express your views and opinions on television.
• ‘Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions we ever make.’ Write the text of a leaflet that gives advice to young people on how to choose a career. ( Source )
• Write the text for a leaflet aimed at school students which offers advice on how to deal with bullying.
• A museum is planning to open a new exhibition called ‘Life in the Twenty-First Century’. ( Source )

Paper 2: Imaginative writing

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, enjoyed success
• Write a story with the title ‘A Surprise Visitor’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘I did not have time for this’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, challenged an unfair situation.
• Write a story with the title ‘Bitter, Twisted Lies’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was a new day …’ You may wish to base your response on one of these images. ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, visited a new place.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Storm’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that ends ‘I decided to get on with it.’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, saw something surprising.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Meeting’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that starts ‘Suddenly, without warning, there was a power cut.’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, went on a long journey.
• Write a story with the title ‘A New Start’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘I tried to see what he was reading. ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, felt proud.
• Write a story with the title ‘The Hidden Book’.
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was like a dream’ ( Source )

• Write about a time when you, or someone you know, had to be brave
• Write a story with the title ‘Everything Had Changed’
• Look at the two images below. Choose one and write a story that begins ‘It was an unusual gift’. ( Source )

WJEC Eduqas English Language GCSE questions

Unit 2 reading and writing: description, narration and exposition.

• Write an account of a time when you enjoyed or hated taking part in an outdoor activity.
• “It’s essential that more people are more active, more often.” (Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sport Wales) Write an essay to explain how far you agree with this view, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Describe an occasion when you did something you found rewarding.
• Famous chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry have spoken of the need for better food and better education about food in schools. Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an account of a visit to a dentist or a doctor’s surgery.
• NHS staff, such as doctors and nurses, provide excellent service in difficult circumstances. Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an article for a travel magazine describing somewhere interesting that you have visited.
• You see the following in your local newspaper: ‘Young people are selfish. They should all be made to volunteer to help others.’ Write an essay to explain your views on this subject, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Describe an occasion when technology made a difference to your life.
• Write an account of a time you were unwilling to do something. ( Source )
• Describe a time when you faced a challenge
• Write an essay explaining why charity is important, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• Write an account of a time when you did something for the first time.
• “It’s time for us to start making some changes. Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live, and let’s change the way we treat each other.” Tupac Shakur Write an essay on the subject of change, giving clear reasons and examples. ( Source )
• “School uniform is vitally important in all schools.” Write an essay explaining your views on this, giving clear reasons and examples.
• Describe a time when you had to create a good impression. ( Source )

Unit 3: Reading and writing: Argumentation, persuasion and instructional

• Your school/college is considering using more Fairtrade items in its canteen. Although this will help to support Fairtrade farmers, it will mean an increase in the price of meals. You feel strongly about this proposal and decide to write a letter to your Headteacher/Principal giving your views. ( Source )
• Increasing litter levels suggest we have lost all pride in our beautiful country. Prepare a talk for your classmates in which you give your opinions on this view. ( Source )
• Write a guide for other students persuading them to stay safe when using social media and the internet. ( Source )
• According to your PE teacher, ‘Swimming is the very best form of exercise.’ You have been asked to prepare a talk for your classmates in which you give your views about swimming. ( Source )
• You read the following in a newspaper: ‘Plastic is one of the biggest problems faced by our planet. Why would we use something for a few minutes that has been made from a material that’s going to last forever?’ Write a letter to the newspaper giving your views on the use of plastic. ( Source )
• “People today never show enough kindness to one another. We must make more effort to be kind.” Write a talk to give on BBC Wales’ new programme Youth Views persuading young people to be kind to others. ( Source )
• ‘We have enough problems in the world without worrying about animals.’ Write an article for the school or college magazine giving your views on this statement.
• You would like to raise some money for an animal charity. Write a talk for your classmates persuading them to donate to your chosen charity. ( Source )

CCEA English Language GCSE questions

Unit 1: writing for purpose and audience and reading to access non-fiction and media texts.

• Write a speech for your classmates persuading them to agree with your views on the following issue: “Young people today are too worried about their body image.” ( Source )
• Write an article for your school magazine persuading the readers to agree with your views on the following question: “Should school uniform have a place in 21st century schools?” ( Source )
• Write a speech for your classmates persuading them to agree with your views on the following question: “Are celebrities the best role models for teenagers?” ( Source )
• Write an article for your school magazine persuading the readers to agree with your views on the following statement: “Advertising is just another source of pressure that teenagers don’t need!” ( Source )

Unit 4: Personal or creative writing and reading literacy and non-fiction texts

• Either, Personal writing: Write a personal essay for the examiner about what you consider to be one of the proudest moments in your life.
• Or, Creative writing: Write your entry for a creative essay writing competition. The audience is teenagers. You may provide your own title. ( Source )
• Write a personal essay for the examiner about an experience that resulted in a positive change in your life.
• Write a creative essay for the examiner. The picture below is to be the basis for your writing. You may provide your own title. ( Source )

• Personal writing: Write a speech for your classmates about the most interesting person you have ever met.
• Creative writing: Write a creative essay for your school magazine. The picture below is to be the basis for your writing. You may provide your own title. ( Source )

• Personal writing: Write a personal essay for the examiner describing your dream destination.
• Creative writing: Write a creative essay for publication in your school magazine. The picture below is to be the basis for your creative writing. You may provide your own title. (Source)

Get 1:1 support and personalized feedback on your GCSE creative writing practice

For 1–2-1 writing support for your pre-GCSE child, join the Griffin Teaching Higher Writing Club—online weekly writing classes specifically tailored to English GCSE creative writing preparation.

In just 20 minutes per week and their writing will be transformed.

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English Language GCSE: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Creative Writing

Are you preparing for your English language GCSE creative writing task? Feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety about how to channel your creativity into a structured piece of writing that ticks all the boxes for examiners? You're not alone. Creative writing can seem daunting, but with the right approach and understanding, you can craft a story that not only captivates but also earns you top marks. This guide will walk you through the process of developing your narrative, from the initial brainstorming phase to the final touches before 'pens down'!

Understanding the Assessment Criteria

Before embarking on your creative writing journey, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the assessment criteria is imperative. The evaluators of your English language GCSE creative writing piece will scrutinise several key areas: the coherence of your narrative structure, range of ideas you explore, the variety and complexity of your sentence structures, and the precision of your spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Familiarity with these standards is not just a prerequisite but a strategic tool; it enables you to tailor your creative efforts to meet these benchmarks. As you proceed with each stage of your writing, keep these criteria at the forefront of your mind. They serve as a guiding framework, ensuring that every element of your piece, from the initial plot conception to the final dialogue, contributes towards a cohesive, engaging, and technically proficient narrative. Remember, understanding what is expected is the first step to excelling in your creative writing question.

Finding Your Inspiration

We often talk about 'cultural capital' and how evident it is in the most engaging creative pieces we read when examining. Cultural capital is all around you: let curiosity be your guide, leading you through books that span genres and eras, conversations that challenge and provoke, and the rich tapestry of everyday life. Engage with various forms of art - cinema, paintings, music - to stimulate your senses and uncover fresh perspectives. Record fleeting thoughts, overheard conversations, or the peculiarities of a typical day in a dedicated notebook. This reservoir of ideas will become an invaluable resource to tap into in the exam. Always remember, the seeds of great stories lie in the willingness to explore and the readiness to be inspired by the world around you.

Planning Your Story

After identifying a spark of inspiration, it's crucial to channel that energy into a structured plan for your piece. Crafting an outline is essential, so don't skip the plan! Examiners can always spot an unplanned piece as it will fall apart somewhere around the middle. You only have 50 minutes:: you have time to write a moment, not a movie. Imagine a fascinating five minutes in the picture you've been given as stimulus. Plan a conflict, a contrast or a change that could happen within the five minutes. Remember, a well-thought-out plan not only acts as a roadmap for your writing but also ensures that your narrative remains coherent and compelling from start to finish.

Crafting Descriptive Settings

The environment where your narrative unfolds plays a pivotal role in immersing your audience in the world you’ve created. To craft settings that captivate, employ descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Envision your scene's sights, sounds, smells, and textures, and articulate these in your writing to conjure vivid imagery. Consider the emotional tone your setting imparts; a bustling city street can exude energy and possibility, whereas a secluded forest path might evoke tranquillity or mystery. Reflect on how the environment influences your characters’ actions and decisions, adding depth to your story. A well-drawn setting acts not merely as a backdrop but as a character in its own right, with the power to affect mood, reveal aspects of your characters, and even steer the narrative’s direction. Through thoughtful description, your settings can become memorable landscapes that linger in the reader’s mind long after they've turned the final page.

Don't skip the final five minute check

It feels very tempting to write to the last second but I implore you not to. Even if your spelling, punctuation and grammar is already perfect, the last second tweaks and edits you make could take you from one grade into the next.

Found this helpful? You can sign up for my creative writing guided revision session here .

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How to Structure Creative Writing for GCSE (Creative Writing Examples!)

Posted on August, 2022

Structure Creative Writing for Success

Having plenty of ideas for creative writing is one thing, but nailing down the right structure can be a bit more challenging.

There are several steps for children to think about before they begin writing, and that includes creating a structure or plan for how their story will flow.

Creative writing is all about grabbing the reader’s attention immediately, so children in their GCSE years need to understand the importance of structure when writing, in order to organise their ideas and make sure their work reads cohesively.

In this post, we will go through everything your child needs to know from paragraphing, to creating a satisfying ending, providing examples along the way to demonstrate the best way to structure their creative writing.

How Should I Structure Creative Writing?

There are several types of creative writing questions that could come up on the GCSE reading and writing exam. There will be the option to either write creatively based on an image, or a made-up scenario.

Having a solid structure for longer creative writing questions and exercises helps to ensure your child is prepared.

By using a structure that helps to organise your child’s ideas, it helps their writing to flow. It also allows your child to become more confident in their creative writing process.

Planning is more important than you might think, as mark schemes from most exam boards include ‘well-controlled paragraphs’ or something very similar within the top band of criteria for creative writing.

Therefore, children should practise planning out creative writing structures well before their writing exam. Planning gives them time to get into the habit of always providing themselves with a simple, but focused idea of what they are going to write.

Structure Creative Writing with Seven Story Archetypes

Introduction.

Understanding the fundamental structure of a story is crucial for crafting engaging narratives. Beyond basic sequences, story archetypes provide a deeper framework. Christopher Booker , a renowned scholar, identified seven main story archetypes.

Each archetype outlines a distinctive journey and the challenges faced by characters.

1. Overcoming the Monster

This archetype portrays an underdog’s quest to conquer a formidable evil. Examples include the epic tales of Harry Potter battling Lord Voldemort, the classic struggle in Jurassic Park, and the timeless narrative of Jack and the Beanstalk.

2. Rags to Riches

Embarking from a starting point of poverty or despair, characters rise to newfound wealth and success. Witness this transformation in stories like Slumdog Millionaire, The Pursuit of Happyness, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

3. The Quest

A hero’s journey to discover something, overcoming trials and tribulations along the way. Iconic examples include the Fellowship of the Ring’s quest in The Lord of the Rings, Marlin’s journey to find Nemo, and the epic adventures of Odysseus in The Odyssey.

4. Voyage and Return

Protagonists venture into unknown territories, facing adversity before returning home transformed. Dive into this archetype with examples like the curious escapades in Spirited Away, Bilbo Baggins’ journey in The Hobbit, and the enchanting Chronicles of Narnia.

Contrary to our typical perception of humour, this archetype involves destined lovers kept apart by conflicting forces. Delight in the comedic twists of relationships in classics such as 10 Things I Hate About You, When Harry Met Sally, and Notting Hill.

Protagonists with major flaws or errors leading to their inevitable downfall. Witness the unraveling of characters in tragedies like The Great Gatsby, Requiem for a Dream, and the Shakespearean masterpiece Othello.

Characters succumb to darkness but redeem themselves throughout the narrative. Experience the transformative journeys in stories like Atonement, American History X, and the animated Beauty and the Beast.

Application Across Mediums

Beyond literature, these archetypes seamlessly apply to filmmaking and photography. A well-crafted photograph or film can mirror the same narrative arcs, captivating viewers on a visual adventure akin to storytelling. Explore these archetypes to infuse depth and resonance into your creative endeavors.

Paragraphing for a Solid Creative Writing Structure

First of all, paragraphing is central to creative writing as this is what keeps the structure solid.

In order to stick to a creative writing structure, children must know exactly when to end and start a new paragraph, and how much information each paragraph should contain.

For example, introducing the main character, diving into the action of the story, and providing 10 descriptive sentences of the weather and location, could be separated and spread throughout for impact.

Structuring a creative writing piece also involves creating an appropriate timeline of events. Then, you must map out exactly where the story will go from start to finish. This is assuming the writing piece is in sequential order.

Occasionally, there may be a question that requires a non-sequential order.

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What does a Solid Creative Writing Structure look like?

This list below details every section in a creative writing piece and should look something like this:

• An engaging opening
• A complication
• The development
• The turning point
• A resolution or convincing close

With this structure, it is important to bear in mind that for the AQA GCSE English Language paper 1 reading and creative writing exam.

You can also use Freitag’s pyramid or a story mountain to help you understand the basic structure of a story:

Children will be expected to spend about 50 minutes on the creative writing section. It’s therefore vital to get them into the habit of planning their writing first. As with anything, practice makes perfect.

If you want to find out more about GCSE English Language papers 1 and 2, check out our blog .

We will dive deeper into the creative writing structure further on in this post, but first, let us go through the importance of paragraphing, and how TipTop paragraphs can help to improve children’s writing.

Paragraphing and TipTop Paragraphs

Before children begin to plan out the structure of their stories, it’s essential that they know the importance of paragraphing correctly first.

At this stage of learning, your child should be comfortable in knowing what a paragraph is, and understand that they help with the layout of their stories throughout the whole writing process.

Paragraphs essentially help to organise ideas into dedicated sections of writing based on your child’s ideas. For example, having a paragraph for an introduction, then another paragraph introducing the main character.

This means your child’s writing will be in a logical order and will direct the reader further on into the writing.

Be as creative as Kevin’s booby traps from “ Home Alone “.

To avoid your child straying from their creative writing structure and overloading paragraphs with too much information, there is a simple way to remind them of when they need to start a new paragraph.

TiPToP for a Clearer Creative Writing Structure

Using the TiPToP acronym is such an easy way for you to encourage your child to think about when they need to change paragraphs, as it stands for:

When moving to a different time or location, bringing in a new idea or character, or even introducing a piece of action or dialogue, your child’s writing should be moving on to new paragraphs.

During creative writing practice, your child can ask themselves a series of questions to work out whether they need to move onto a new paragraph to keep their story flowing and reach that top band of criteria.

For example:

• Is the story going into a new day or time period?
• Is the location staying the same or am I moving on?
• Am I bringing in a new idea that I haven’t described yet?
• Am I going to bring in a new character?

Providing opportunities to practise creative writing will help your child to get into the habit of asking themselves these questions as they write, meaning they will stick to the plan they have created beforehand.

Now it’s time to get into the all-important creative writing structure.

Structure Creative Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Producing a creative writing structure should be a simple process for your child, as it just involves organising the different sections of their writing into a logical order.

First, we need to start at the beginning, by creating an engaging opening for any piece of writing that will grab the reader’s attention. You might also be interested to check out this blog on story structure that I found in my research.

This leads us nicely onto step 1…

1. Creating an Engaging Opening

There are several ways to engage the reader in the opening of a story, but there needs to be a specific hook within the first paragraph to ensure the reader continues.

This hook could be the introduction of a word that the reader isn’t familiar with, or an imaginary setting that they don’t recognise at all, leaving them questioning ‘What does this all mean?’

It may be that your child opens their story by introducing a character with a description of their appearance, using a piece of dialogue to create a sense of mystery, or simply describing the surroundings to set the tone. This ‘hook’ is crucial as it sets the pace for the rest of the writing and if done properly, will make the reader feel invested in the story.

Read more about hooks in essays .

If your child needs to work more on description, I definitely recommend utilising the Descriptosaurus :

Additionally, it’s important to include a piece of information or specific object within the opening of the creative writing, as this provides something to link back to at the end, tying the whole storyline together neatly.

Engaging Opening Examples:

• Opening with dialogue – “I wouldn’t tell them, I couldn’t”
• Opening with a question – “Surely they hadn’t witnessed what I had?”
• Opening with mystery/ or a lack of important information – “The mist touched the top of the mountains like a gentle kiss, as Penelope Walker stared out from behind the cold, rigid bars that separated her from the world.”

2. Complication

Providing a complication gets the storyline rolling after introducing a bit of mystery and suspense in the opening.

Treat this complication like a snowball that starts small, but gradually grows into something bigger and bigger as the storyline unfolds.

This complication could be that a secret has been told, and now the main character needs to try and stop it from spreading. Alternatively, you could introduce a love interest that catches the attention of your main character.

In this section, there should be a hint towards a future challenge or a problem to overcome (which will be fleshed out in the development and climax sections) to make the reader slightly aware of what’s to come.

Complication Example:

• Hint to future challenge – “I knew what was coming next, I knew I shouldn’t have told him, now my secret is going to spread like wildfire.”
• Including information to help understand the opening – “Bainbridge Prison was where Penelope had spent the last 2 years, stuffed into a cell the size of a shoebox, waiting for August the 14th to arrive.”

3. Development

The development seamlessly extends from the previous section, providing additional information on the introduced complication.

During this phase, your child should consider the gradual build-up to the writing piece’s climax. For instance, a secret shared in the compilation stage now spreads beyond one person, heightening the challenge of containment.

Here, your child should concentrate on instilling suspense and escalating tension in their creative writing, engaging the reader as they approach the climax.

Development Example:

• Build-up to the challenge/ climax – “I saw him whispering in class today, my lip trembled but I had to force back my tears. What if he was telling them my secret? The secret no-one was meant to know.”
• Focusing on suspense – “4 more days to go. 4 more days until her life changed forever, and she didn’t know yet if it was for better or for worse.”

The climax is the section that the whole story should be built around.

Before creating a structure like this one, your child should have an idea in mind that the story will be based on. Usually this is some sort of shocking, emotion-provoking event.

This may be love, loss, battle, death, a mystery, a crime, or several other events.  The climax needs to be the pivotal point; the most exciting part of the story.

Your child may choose to have something go drastically wrong for their main character. They must regardless, need to come up with a way of working this problem into their turning point and resolution. The should think carefully about this will allow the story to be resolved and come to a close.

Climax Example:

• Shocking event: “He stood up and spoke the words I never want to hear aloud. ‘I saw her standing there over the computer and pressing send, she must have done it.’”
• Emotion-provoking event: “The prisoners cheered as Penelope strutted past each cell waving goodbye, but suddenly she felt herself being pulled back into her cell. All she could see were the prison bars once again.”

5. Turning Point or Exposition

After the climax, the story’s turning point emerges, crucial for maintaining reader interest.

During this post-climax phase, address and resolve issues, acknowledging that not every resolution leads to a happy ending.

Turning points need not be confined to the story’s conclusion; they can occur at various junctures, signifying significant narrative shifts.

Even in shorter pieces, introducing turning points early on can captivate the reader.

Creative writing allows for individual storytelling, and effective turning points may differ between your child and you.

Maintain suspense in this section, avoiding premature revelation of the ending despite the climax’s conclusion.

Turning Point Example:

• Turning point: “Little did they know, I was stopping that file from being sent around the whole school. I wasn’t the one to send it, and I had to make sure they knew that.”
• Turning point: “She forced herself through the window, leaving the prison behind her for good this time, or so she thought.”

6. A Resolution or Convincing Close

The resolution should highlight the change in the story, so the tone must be slightly different.

At this stage, the problem resolves (happily or unhappily) and the character/s learns lessons. The close of the story must highlight this.

The writer should also not rush the resolution or end of the story.

It needs to be believable for the reader right until the very end. The writer should allow us to feel what the protagonist is feeling.

This creates emotion and allows your reader to feel fully involved.

Remember the piece of information or specific object that was included in the story’s opening?

Well this is the time to bring that back, and tie all of those loose ends together. You want to leave the reader with something to think about. You can even ask questions as this shows they have invested in the story.

Resolution Example:

• Happy resolution: “He came up to me and curled his hand around mine, and whispered an apology. He knew it wasn’t me, and all I felt was relief. Looks like I should have told them right from the start”
• Unhappy resolution: “All she felt was separation, as she felt those cold, rigid prison bars on her face once more.”

How to Structure Your Creative Writing for GCSE (with Creative Writing Examples!)

To enhance your children’s GCSE creative writing skills, allocate time for practice.

Plan a structure for creative writing to guide children in organising their thoughts and managing time during the GCSE exam.

Apply this structure to various exam questions, such as short stories or describing events.

Focus each creative piece on a climactic event, building anticipation in the beginning and resolving it at the end.

Consider a tutor for GCSE preparation to help children focus on specific areas.

Redbridge Tuition offers experienced tutors for learning from KS2 to GCSE, providing necessary resources for your child’s success.

Get in touch to find out how our tutors could help.

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Creative Writing: How to Sculpt My Narrative Vision?

Creative writing traditionally stands in opposition to technical writing, so named because it is used to differentiate imaginative and particularly original types of writing from more rigid types. However, creative writing is just as technical, and difficult, as these other types. The assumption is often made that creative writing is a talent – “can I really learn how to write creatively?” – but the true keys to creative writing, whether writing for your own enjoyment, preparing for a school or GCSE exam, are imagination, content, and organisation .

What do these three things mean?

Imagination – the GCSE prompts are usually very open-ended and broad, remind yourself that broad questions are not restrictive, and allow your mind to explore all caveats of the question, and take the reader on a truly original journey

Content – to showcase your ideas you need to be able to show your skill with tone, style, and vocabulary; we will touch on just how to do this later!

Organisation – planning the structure of your answer is key, even though creative writing can be seen as ‘looser’, remember that a good structure is a good way to ensure you are staying in control of the piece. We will touch on how to plan effectively later too!

Focussing on the ‘how’ and developing it:

It can be very daunting when you are presented with a vague prompt to think about how you might achieve all of these things, now we know what they mean let’s look at how we might break them down with an example.

Take the prompt: ‘ Think about a time you were afraid ’.

1) Imagination – where are you going with this? The prompt allows a lot of scope for you as a writer to take this piece wherever you want. You want to plan a piece you are excited by, that you are confident writing, and that is a little bit ‘outside the box’.

We can anticipate many students’ answers describing a spooky forest or a secluded house at night-time; if you are pushing for the higher boundaries, you want to write something that will make the examiner notice you.

Think about the last time you were afraid – how likely is it that you found yourself in a horror-film-esque eerie setting? Perhaps you want to describe the time you auditioned for the school talent show, or your first trip into the dentist alone. You don’t have to be totally avant-garde but remember a skilled writer can create a sense of unease using literary technique alone – don’t rely on a traditional ‘spooky setting’.

2) Content – how are you going to take us there? You want to ensure your communication is convincing and compelling. This means your need to maintain style and tone throughout.

Make a decision about the characteristics of who is narrating your story early on and stick with it (it will often be directed at you, but the examiner doesn’t know you as a person – be creative! If it suits your story to make yourself smarter, more anxious, quieter etc, then do it). Let’s look back to our prompt above. Perhaps you make the decision that you’re writing the piece as you, and you’re incredibly forgetful. This might mean you ask short questions throughout the piece, raising the tension. Maybe you feign confidence and so while the speech of the piece seems assured and at ease, the internal monologue is vastly different, throwing a sense of unease to the narrative early on.

Be ambitious with your vocabulary! Vocabulary is a great way to help set the tone of a piece. Likewise, explore a wide use of linguistic devices (metaphor, simile, imagery, personification, repetition, symbolism – we will come back to these later!)

3) Organisation – how can you plan effectively? When writing a creative piece, first and foremost, you want to ensure you have a varied use of structural features within your paragraphs.

As a rule of thumb, each new paragraph should aim to develop the story and either bring a new idea into the story or develop a previous one. Within each paragraph, aim to show the examiner that you are capable of developing your idea (i.e. continuing the narrative and plot), but also that you are able to detail this from a different perspective.

An effective way to do this is with a structural feature: pick an interesting way to start a new paragraph, focus on contrast, play around with repetition (if you can, play around with the pace of the writing too – see below!), withhold information, use dialogue, experiment with different sentence structures and paragraph lengths, etc.

Some specifics on: ‘linguistic devices’ and ‘structural features’

Linguistic devices and structural features, when used well, can help to make your writing incredibly compelling. Let’s look at some specifics on how we can play around with these and incorporate them into our writing.

1) Linguistic devices

Metaphor and simile – metaphors and similes are both ways to introduce comparisons into your work, which is a good way to bring some variety when describing something instead of just listing off more adjectives. Similes are used specifically with the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ (“life is like a box of chocolates”); metaphors are a direct statement of comparison (“life is a rollercoaster”).

o   How can you use these originally? When using these, we want to showcase not just our ability to use them, but also our imagination and vocabulary. With both of these, think of appropriate comparisons which develop the tone of your piece. For example, if you are writing a piece about happiness – ‘his smile was like that of a child at Christmas time’ (simile), or, if you are writing a piece about loneliness – ‘loneliness was a poison’ (metaphor). See how both comparisons match the tone – when writing a happy piece, we use specific things about happiness (e.g. Christmas), when writing a sadder piece, we use sadder objects for comparison (e.g. poison). This will help develop tone and showcase originality.

Imagery – this is used to develop key motifs within the mind of the reader; again, this is a tool for comparison whereby we are comparing something real with something imagined or ultimately non-literal.

o   A good way to think of imagery is to appeal to the reader’s senses: how can you create a sensory world for them? Take the brief above once more. We could say “I was afraid when I left the house”, or, we could appeal to sensory imagery: “I pulled my auburn hair into my mouth to chew it as I closed the door to the house. Thud. The air was cold on my cheeks, and my pink nose stood out against the grey sky and grey pavement.” Here, we paint a far richer picture, even though we don’t necessarily develop the story.

Personification - when a personal nature is given to a non-human object. This can be useful when you are faced with long descriptive paragraphs as it serves as another way to break up boring adjective listing.

o   Be imaginative and try and include this once in every piece if you can. Remember to tie it in with developing the tone of the piece! I.e. if you are writing a happy piece: “the sun smiled down on me, and I beamed back with gratitude” – this sentence creates an immediately positive atmosphere. However, the sentence: “the wind whispered quietly through the long grass” creates a sense of uncertainty. NB: notice how the weather is an easy and subtle way to help develop a ‘feeling’ throughout your writing.

Repetition – a word or phrase is repeated in order to achieve a certain desired effect. We can use different types of repetition to remain original and keep our writing sophisticated:

o   Try repeating only the last few words of a line – “If you don’t doubt yourself, and you can keep a clear head, then you can do it. You can do it.”

o   Try repeating the same phrase at the end of following sentences – “On the fields there was blood, in the sea there was blood, on the sand banks there was blood, on the ships there was blood…”

o   Try repeating the same words in a new sense to reveal information in a new light – “I don’t dance because I am happy, I am happy because I dance”

2) Structural features

Openings – you want to make sure the start of your text entices the reader, so you may want to start with a very developed complex sentence, with heaps of sensory imagery that immediately immerses the reader in the world of the piece; alternatively, or you may wish to grab their attention in a more direct way – “Bang! Oh god, how was I going to get out of this?”

Contrast – highlighting the difference between two things is a compelling way to describe and develop ideas; we have talked in depth about ways to do this above (simile, metaphor, imagery, sometimes repetition for effect)

Pace – experimenting with the pace of the piece is a very sophisticated way to create a mood. For example, if it is a summer’s day and time does not seem to pass, find a way to highlight this using some of the techniques outlined above – “the sun sat high in the sky, unwavering, for what seemed like forever”, “the sounds of the crickets chirping and the birds merriment overpowered the sound of my watch – we felt truly timeless”. Equally, if you want to build tension, find a way to increase the pace; generally, this can be done by piecing together short, simple sentences: “I knew I had to move fast. Round the door. Up the stairs. Wait. Breathe. Move. Up the next flight. Clear. Move.” Etc, this helps immerse the reader in the mental world of the narrator and as a result they engage far more with the piece.

Dialogue – inserting dialogue into a piece can be a convincing way to introduce new information to a text, think of ways to be inventive with this: does our narrator talk to themselves? What information are we told about additional characters that are introduced? What new approaches have we learned to aid with describing these new characters – and remember – always choose these in line with developing a tone for the piece.

Withholding information – this can be a useful way to build a sense of uncertainty and unease into a piece. Perhaps the narrator is withholding information from other characters, perhaps the narrator is withholding information from the readers themselves! “I knew it had to be done. I didn’t have time to consider the what-if’s and the maybes of it. It had to be done. And it had to be done now.” How much more unsettling is that sentence when we don’t discover what the ‘it’ is – if we want to create humour for a light-hearted piece, perhaps it is getting a tooth removed; if the piece is darker, perhaps the ‘it’ is something far more sinister…

Sentence length – Play around with a variation of simple and complex sentences. Complex sentences can be difficult to construct at first. Remember a few key rules: they are either used effectively to develop one key motif: ‘the snow was white and fell down like tiny elegant dancers in the wind, until at just a moment’s notice, it would land and join a far larger flurry of white across a thousand snow-drenched fields’. Additionally, complex sentences can be used to introduce a lot of new information in one succinct way: ‘It was autumn when he last came, not that I had been counting, but when he last came my hair came only to my shoulders, and I was not yet tall enough to reach the apples on the tree – gosh, what would he think of me now’. The difference between the two is clear, one develops a singular motif and one introduces new ideas quickly – both are effective, and you should aim to be able to write both types well.

While creative writing can seem daunting at first, using the three keys to success (imagination, content and organisation) alongside these advanced linguistic devices and structural features is a great way to develop and succeed in the creative writing exam. Start to enjoy taking the reader on a journey, learn to navigate the realms of description, experiment with tone and you will be well on your way to success! 

“Write it like it matters, and it will.” – Libba Bray

By U2 mentor, Hazel (Philosophy & Theology, University of Oxford and a published poet!)

Looking for a Creative Writing tutor to develop written skills?

If you are interested in support for your GCSE English Language or Literature papers, or general Creative Writing endeavours, why not check out our offerings on the GCSE page and book a free consultation to discuss how we can boost your chance of success. We have a large team of predominantly Oxbridge-educated English mentors who are well-placed to develop students’ written skills, teaching how to structure writing, and the literary and rhetorical techniques that this requires.

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How to write a formal letter (11+ to gcse).

Beyond GCSE Revision

Gcse-grade revision from beyond, powered by twinkl, gcse creative writing tips.

GCSE creative writing is our favourite aspect of KS4 English here at Beyond. While it may be our favourite, we understand that it can be daunting for some students. To ensure everyone feels comfortable when expressing themselves, we’ve collated three top GCSE creative writing tips that are sure to coax out your inner author!

Show Not Tell

Your creative writing will be more engaging and sophisticated if you ‘show, not tell’.

But how do you do this?

• Vivid verbs – action or ‘doing’ words.
• Adventurous adverbs – words usually ending in ‘ly’ that tell us how the action has been done.
• Ambitious adjectives – describing words that add details about appearance, personality or condition.

GCSE Creative Writing Tip 1: Vivid Verbs

Describe the action using a vivid verb to make it interesting and give more information.

e.g. The crowd screamed Beyoncé’s name.

This adds extra information in a creative way. It tells us what the crowd was like and how they were feeling.

Your turn: think of as many as you can…

GCSE Creative Writing Tip 2: Adventurous Adverbs

Now, add some adventurous adverbs to add further detail and information.

e.g. Deafeningly, the crowd screamed Beyoncé’s name.

This adds extra information, building a clearer picture for the reader in just one word!

GCSE Creative Writing Tip 3: Ambitious Adjectives

Now, add some ambitious adjectives to add further detail and information.

e.g. Deafeningly, the large, boisterous crowd screamed Beyoncé’s name.

This builds upon the image, adding extra information to help the reader imagine what is happening.

Try changing these character descriptions from telling to showing:

• Jonathan had ginger hair. He was very tall. He was feeling happy because it was the end of term.
• Louise was dressed in a ball gown ready for the school prom. But she was feeling sad because her cat had died.

Beyond’s GCSE Creative Writing Resources

Now it’s time to put these GCSE creative writing tips to use! Below is a Beyond resource that you might find helpful!

GCSE Creative Writing: Vocabulary ‘Show Not Tell’ Lesson Pack

Everything else you might need can be found in our GCSE creative writing category . You can find our other GCSE English blogs here and don’t forget to  subscribe to Beyond  for access to thousands of secondary teaching resources. You can  sign up for a free account here  and take a look around  at our free resources  before you subscribe too.

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How to Pass The Creative Writing Section of Your English GCSE

The creative writing component of the English Language GCSE can leave most students petrified. Having not practiced writing creatively since a much younger age, the dive into creative writing, especially when students are hounded to write academically, can be a challenge.

Often the English Language creative writing component will be phrased as so:

'Write a story about a time you felt overwhelmed' or 'Write a story inspired by the picture below'.

All of the above instructions are relatively vague. For students who are used to being told what to do, and for the English Literature component, asked to explore only a very specific area of the text – the idea of writing free reign is enough of an overwhelming story.

However, students shouldn’t be scared. English is nothing but the study of stories – and while you may feel left in the proverbial dark, actually stories are weaved into your every day life. From posts on social media, to newspaper articles and the texts you study for English Literature. So, there’s nothing daunting. You can weave a narrative just as succinctly and easily.

Here are some tips to consider:

Read anything and everything.

Well, start with novels. When you turn 16, there’s no novel too detailed for you to explore and while I’m not saying you should start off reading War and Peace, you should be reading literature that excites and interests you. Whether it’s The Hunger Games, 1984 or Pride and Prejudice - all of these texts are filled with exciting stories for you to think about. Ask yourself: how does the author create suspense? What about the character is intriguing to you? For example, in The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen sacrifices herself for her sister – while she acts bravely, the author still indicates that she is frightened and overwhelmed. There is an internal conflict here that makes the character fascinating.

Be varied in your vocabulary

Words like “nice” and “said” are a bun with no burger, relish or cheese… bland! So, take a look at the example below so you can see for yourself why:

“Good to see you,” she said.

“Likewise,” John said.

Now take a look at the same examples with the “said” removed and some more detail added.

Lucy finished walking her bike up the hill. Drenched and exhausted, she extended a sweaty arm. “Good to see you,” she panted.

“Likewise,” replied John, who shook her outstretched hand lightly and then proceeded to wipe the remains on his tweed trousers.

See the difference?

The five senses rule

When writing creatively, especially when you are being asked to write in the first person, you can describe the immediate area drawing on your five senses; taste, touch, sight, sound and smell.

If in the English GCSE exam, you were presented with a picture of a crowded market place and asked to write a story revolving it, you could open with the following (bonus points if you can spot any literary techniques):

The food market was a buzzing hive; its occupants busying themselves with the buying and selling of sweet smelling delicacies sourced from Toulouse to Timbaktu. I caught a whiff of Jasmine on the wind and was delighted to find a pastel painting of Turkish Delight, coated with a light dusting.

“You like?” cried the seller, ignoring the three other customers in the queue and trying to entice me in. I waved an apologetic hand and squeezed my way deeper into the market.

I was trying to remember to the words for ‘excuse me’, but had forgotten the teachings of the busboy at the hotel. The noise built into crescendos at every stand, with gossip, commands and bartering taking place in a rich dialect I couldn’t comprehend. Each and every direction I turned, I was jagged with an elbow or forced to fake-interest in a stall in which I had none. I was becoming overwhelmed, so I stole into a small crevice on the side of the market to seek respite.

Obviously, you will need to write more than this. But try to make your language as rich and engaging as possible.

Make sure to reread your work

Your creative writing component will be judged on spelling, grammar and punctuation, so make sure that you read your work once you’re done to iron out any potential mistakes.

If you want a little bit more help, Tutor House offers world-class English GCSE tutors. To find out more, or to book your tutor today, call 0203 9500 320

Alex is the founder and director of Tutor House and has a degree in Psychology. He has worked in the educational industry for 14 years; teaching Psychology for 8 years at a school in London. He now runs Tutor House, after setting it up in 2012. Alex still tutors every week, he writes for the Huffington Post and has appeared on the BBC and ITV to discuss educational topics. Alex is an educational consultant and UCAS expert, he’s worked with hundreds of students over the years. He’s obsessed with squash, but is distinctly average.

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Creative Writing: Everything You Need to Know

Introduction

In the heart of every storyteller lies the vibrant pulse of creative writing, a world where imagination reigns and where emotions, thoughts, and ideas find their voice. But what exactly is creative writing? At its core, creative writing is an art form that revolves around expressing oneself through narratives, poetry, scripts, and other forms of literature. It’s not just about stringing words together, but about crafting worlds, moulding characters, and eliciting emotions, all from the power of the pen (or keyboard).

The importance of creative writing stretches beyond the pages of a novel or the verses of a poem. Creative writing cultivates cognitive development , fosters empathy, and offers a therapeutic escape. Whether you’re penning an epic tale, jotting down a heartfelt poem, or expressing your thoughts in a personal diary, you’re delving into a form of self-exploration. Additionally, in the academic world, initiatives like the 11+ creative writing and A-level creative writing emphasise the pivotal role this skill plays in shaping young minds, boosting their analytical thinking, and enhancing their linguistic abilities.

With this guide, we hope to unravel the many facets of creative writing, from its foundational elements to the benefits it offers and how you can master it. Whether you’re a budding writer a seasoned author, or simply a student looking to learn, there’s always something to discover in this expansive world of creativity. 

The Foundations of Creative Writing

Creative writing, much like any art form, has its foundational principles that guide and enrich the craft. Whether you’re preparing for 11+ creative writing or diving into A-levels, understanding these foundations is crucial.

The 4 Types of Creative Writing

    1. narrative fiction.

This involves storytelling, and it’s what most people think of when they hear “creative writing.” Examples include novels, short stories, and novellas.

    2. Poetry

A rhythmic and metaphorical form of writing, poetry allows writers to express feelings, thoughts, and stories in a condensed and poignant manner.

    3. Drama

 Written to be performed, drama includes scripts for movies, plays, and television shows.

    4. Creative Non-Fiction

 This merges the truth and the artistic flair. Memoirs, biographies, and personal essays fall under this category. 

The 5 Genres of Creative Writing-Breaking down the Differences

    1. fantasy.

A genre that uses magic and other supernatural elements as main plot elements, themes, or settings.

    2. Mystery

 This centres on a mysterious event, often a crime, exploring the solution and the circumstances around it.

    3. Romance

A narrative driven by a relationship, exploring the nuances of love and connection.

    4. Horror

Aimed at evoking fear and excitement in the reader, it often delves into the supernatural and unknown.

    5. Science Fiction

 Utilising futuristic settings, advanced technology, space exploration, and often commenting on the state and direction of society.

The 6 elements of creative writing: What makes a story resonate?

    1. plot.

 The sequence of events or the main story arc.

    2. Characters

The individuals who move through the narrative, driving and being affected by the plot.

    3. Setting

 The time and place where the story unfolds.

    4. Theme

The central idea, message, or lesson that’s conveyed.

    5. Point of View

 Through whose eyes or perspective we understand the narrative.

    6. Style/Tone

 The manner in which a story is told can dramatically affect its reception and impact.

Whether for GCSE creative writing exercises or other creative writing courses, always remember the power and impact of these foundational principles. They serve as the backbone of compelling narratives and resonate deeply with readers.

Education and Creative Writing

Creative writing, while inherently artistic, is also deeply rooted in the educational fabric. Through structured courses and examinations, students are offered an avenue to hone their skills, understand key techniques, and showcase their abilities. Two critical facets in the UK’s education system that emphasise creative writing are the GCSEs and 11+ exams .

GCSE Creative Writing Learning from Real-world Samples.

Many students often wonder how to write creative writing in English for the GCSE or how to get an A in English GCSE creative writing. One of the best ways to grasp the expectations is to analyse real-world samples. By understanding the structure, tone, and content of top-scoring pieces, students can identify the qualities that examiners look for. 

    How to Get an A in English GCSE Creative Writing

 Achieving a top grade requires a combination of factors:

        1. Understanding the Prompt

Ensure you’ve fully grasped the theme or topic.

        2. Planning

 Before diving into writing, structure your thoughts, plot, and character arcs.

        3. Using Varied Vocabulary

 Showcase your linguistic prowess without overcomplicating the narrative.

        4. Engaging the Reader

The opening should hook the reader, and the narrative should maintain interest throughout.

        5. Editing and Refining

Always review and revise. It’s at this stage that good writing often becomes great.

11+ Creative Writing

The 11+ examination , aimed at students transitioning to secondary education, places a significant emphasis on creative writing. The 11+ creative writing segment tests a student’s ability to construct a coherent narrative, use varied vocabulary, and demonstrate grammatical prowess. 

Why is it Essential?

The 11+ creative writing not only evaluates a student’s writing capabilities but also their cognitive abilities like imagination, logical structuring, and time management . High-quality 11-plus creative writing examples showcase a blend of creativity and structured thinking, essential skills for further education and life in general.

Incorporating the educational aspects into your creative writing journey can seem challenging, but remember, every exam and grade is merely a stepping stone. What truly matters is the continuous growth, learning, and love for the craft.

The Career of a Creative Writer

Choosing a career path often involves aligning one’s passion with practicality. For those drawn to the art of storytelling and expression through words, creative writing emerges as a captivating choice. But is it a viable profession? What does the day-to-day life of a creative writer look like? Let’s delve into these queries.

Is Creative Writing a Good Major? The Pros and Cons

 advantages.

       1. Passion for Profession

For those who have an innate love for writing, this major allows them to pursue what they genuinely love.

       2. Versatility

 A degree in creative writing isn’t just limited to penning novels or poetry. Graduates can venture into journalism, content creation, advertising, scriptwriting, and more.

       3. Skill Development

Beyond writing, this major hones skills like critical thinking, communication, research, and more, which are valuable in numerous professions.

       4. Networking

 University programs often provide opportunities to meet authors, agents, publishers, and other industry professionals.

  Disadvantages

       1. Job Market Competition

While there are opportunities, the writing domain can be competitive, with many vying for the same positions.

      2. Income Variability

Unlike some professions, writing may not always offer a stable monthly income, especially for those freelancing or looking to publish.

       3. Subjectivity

 Writing is subjective. What one editor or publisher loves, another might reject. This can be challenging for emerging writers to navigate.

What Do Creative Writers Do? An Overview of the Profession

At the core, creative writers craft stories, narratives, poems, articles, and content that resonate with readers. Their days might be spent:

      Brainstorming Ideas

This is where every piece begins—finding a theme, message, or story worth sharing.

      Researching

Especially crucial for genres like historical fiction or specific articles. Research ensures accuracy.

      Writing and Re-writing

Crafting the initial draft and then refining it multiple times to ensure it aligns with the desired quality.

      Pitching and Submitting

For those looking to publish, a significant time might be spent pitching to agents, editors, or publishers.

      Continuous Learning

Like any profession, trends and techniques in writing evolve. Writers often attend workshops, seminars, or courses (like online creative writing courses) to enhance their skills.

In conclusion, the life of a creative writer is multifaceted. It’s a blend of creativity, determination, continuous learning, and, at times, resilience in the face of rejection. But for those truly passionate, the joy of creating worlds with words and impacting readers is unparalleled.

Starting with Creative Writing

Diving into the vast ocean of creative writing might seem overwhelming at first, especially for those new to the craft. It’s like staring at a blank canvas, waiting for that first brushstroke of inspiration. But fear not, every writer, renowned or budding, has been there. With the right guidance and techniques, that daunting blank page can turn into a canvas filled with words, stories, and imagination.

Creative Writing Ideas-Where They Come From and How to Cultivate Them

   observation.

Everyday life is brimming with stories. Observe people, places, and situations. Ask yourself, “What if?”.

   Reading

Books , articles, blogs – they all can spark an idea. Notice what intrigues you in others’ writings.

   Dreams

Our subconscious mind can be a treasure trove of bizarre, exciting, and unique ideas.

    Mind Maps

Start with a central theme and branch out with related concepts, characters, conflicts, and backgrounds.

  Current Events

News stories can provide a backdrop for a timely and relevant narrative.

Creative Writing Exercises

   free writing.

Set a timer (maybe 10 minutes) and write without stopping or editing. Let your thoughts flow onto the page.

   Word Association

Begin with a word and jot down everything it makes you think of. It can lead to unexpected connections and ideas.

   Character Development

Invent a character from scratch. Consider their background, fears, dreams, and quirks, and then place them in a situation.

   Image Inspiration

 Look at a photograph or artwork and craft a story around it.

   Story Prompts

There are countless prompts available online. They give a starting point, and you take it from there.

There will be moments of uncertainty, thrill, discovery, and enlightenment. But with the right tools and mindset, the process can be incredibly rewarding. So, grab your pen or keyboard and let the stories unfold.

Benefits of Creative Writing

Creative writing, often viewed as a whimsical hobby or a tool for academic enhancement, harbours a depth of benefits that many overlook. Its impact resonates not just in the literary world but also in our cognitive and emotional development.

Does Creative Writing Make You Smarter?

Contrary to the isolated image of a writer lost in their imagination, creative writing demands a lot from our brains. It sharpens our cognitive abilities, enhancing analytical thinking, vocabulary, and understanding of complex concepts. Storytelling requires a blend of logic and imagination, thus exercising both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. So, while it might not raise your IQ overnight, it undeniably sharpens your mind and hones your critical thinking skills.

How Creative Writing Helps Students: Academic and Personal Advantages

Beyond the realms of grades and classroom performance, creative writing offers students a unique set of advantages:

  Academic Growth

It improves vocabulary, grammar, and writing structure, which are vital across various subjects.

  Enhanced Empathy

Crafting stories allows students to step into different characters’ shoes, fostering a deeper understanding of human emotions and perspectives.

   Boosted Creativity and Imagination

Regular writing can expand a student’s horizon, encouraging them to think outside the box.

   Problem-Solving Skills

Developing plots and resolving story conflicts cultivate a student’s ability to tackle real-life challenges.

   Self-expression and Confidence

Creative writing provides an outlet for emotions, ideas, and opinions, boosting self-worth and confidence.

Creative Writing and Mental Health

The intertwining of pen, paper, and emotions runs deep. Creative writing is more than an art form; for many, it’s a lifeline.

Does Creative Writing Help Depression?

While creative writing isn’t a replacement for professional treatment, many individuals battling depression have found solace in the written word. Writing allows a release of pent-up emotions, creating a safe space for expression without judgment. Narrating their experiences provides a form of self-reflection and understanding, offering a means to navigate their feelings and potentially find a path towards healing.

How Creative Writing Helps Mental Health and Provides Therapeutic Value?

  catharsis.

Writing about traumatic or emotional events can serve as a release, helping individuals process their feelings.

   Mindfulness

The act of writing focuses the mind, keeping it in the present moment, similar to meditation.

   Sense of Accomplishment

Completing a piece, regardless of its length, provides a boost of self-worth and achievement.

   Reduction in Stress

Translating thoughts into words has been shown to lower anxiety levels, promoting a state of calm.

   Enhanced Self-awareness

It offers insights into one’s own emotions, behaviours, and triggers, promoting personal growth.

In conclusion, creative writing is a multifaceted tool that enriches our minds, enhances academic prowess, and offers therapeutic value. Whether pursued as a profession, hobby, or therapy, its benefits are profound and far-reaching.

Online and Traditional Creative Writing Courses

Creative writing in education has seen a significant transformation in recent years. With the rise of digital platforms and the ever-evolving nature of traditional institutions, aspiring writers are now spoilt for choice. Let’s delve into the contrasts and benefits of both.

Where to Learn Creative Writing: Physical Institutions vs. Online Platforms

Traditionally, universities and colleges have been the primary source for structured creative writing programs. These institutions offer comprehensive curriculums, renowned faculties, and the immersive experience of a classroom setting. Engaging directly with professors and peers can be invaluable, fostering a sense of community and providing hands-on feedback.

On the flip side, the digital era ushered in online learning platforms that break geographical boundaries. Online courses offer flexibility, allowing learners to progress at their own pace and often at a fraction of the cost of traditional programs. Whether you’re a working professional, a parent, or someone who resides in a remote location, online platforms can make learning accessible.

Online Creative Writing Courses: The Digital Learning Revolution

The proliferation of online courses has revolutionised how we perceive education. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and MasterClass, among others, have democratised access to top-tier instructors and curriculums from around the world. From beginner workshops to advanced storytelling techniques, there’s a digital course for every level of writer.

Another advantage is the myriad of formats available: video lectures, webinars, interactive assignments, peer reviews, and more, catering to diverse learning styles.

Advantages of Online Learning and Where to Find the Best Courses

    Flexibility and Convenience

Study anytime, anywhere. This adaptability is especially beneficial for those juggling multiple responsibilities.

    Diverse Course Offerings

With no physical constraints, online platforms can offer a broader range of courses, from niche genres to unique writing techniques.

    Cost-Effective

Without the overheads associated with physical institutions, online courses often come at a reduced price.

    Networking

Engage with a global community of writers. Online forums and discussion boards allow for networking opportunities that span continents.

    Up-to-date Material

Online platforms can quickly update their content, ensuring that courses remain current with evolving literary trends and technologies.

As for finding the best courses, thorough research is essential. Check for reviews, curriculum details, instructor qualifications, and any available trial periods or sample lessons. Edumentors is a great platform when it comes to online tutoring. They offer assistance from tutors from UK’s top universities-weather you’re a GCSE, A-level or 11-plus student looking for some guidance. With individually fitted assistance, you can be sure of a positive teaching experience.

In conclusion, whether you’re drawn to the allure of a traditional classroom or the flexibility of online platforms, the options for creative writing education are diverse and expansive. It’s a golden era for aspiring writers, with quality education just a click or a campus away.

Debates in Creative Writing

As with any art form or discipline, creative writing isn’t without its controversies and debates. At the heart of these discussions lie questions about the teachability of the craft and its influence on cognitive processes. Let’s delve into these topics.

Can Creative Writing Be Taught? Exploring Both Sides of the Argument

   the affirmative side.

Proponents of creative writing courses argue that while innate talent can’t be instilled, the skills and techniques that refine this talent can be imparted. They point to the structured environment of a class or workshop where students learn about plot development, character arc, pacing, and other foundational elements. Further, a guided environment can provide feedback, enabling budding writers to identify their strengths and areas of improvement.

  The Skeptical Side

 Detractors, on the other hand, believe that writing, especially its creative facet, springs from personal experiences, innate talent, and individual interpretation of the world. They assert that while techniques can be learned, genuine creativity cannot be taught. Moreover, they warn against the risk of homogenising voices, where students might end up emulating the style of their instructors or popular trends rather than finding their unique voice.

Regardless of where one stands on this debate, the surge in creative writing courses, both online and offline, suggests a significant demand and belief in the merits of guided learning.

For many, creative writing becomes a sanctuary—a space free from the confines of reality, where thoughts, emotions, and experiences metamorphose into stories, characters, and worlds. It provides a canvas for our deepest fears, joys, dreams, and hopes. As writers shape narratives, they’re not just building stories; they’re often reconstructing their understanding of life and their place in it. This continuous process of introspection and externalisation fosters personal growth, making creative writing an invaluable tool for self-awareness and development.

With the plethora of resources available today, from online courses to local workshops, there’s a platform for everyone. But the most crucial tool in your arsenal will always be your unique perspective and voice. Nurture it, believe in it, and let it resonate.

In the final reckoning, creative writing isn’t just about producing literary masterpieces. It’s about evolution, both personal and societal. It’s about finding clarity amidst chaos and deriving meaning from the mundane. So, as you close this blog and ponder over the world of creative writing, remember it’s a journey, and like all journeys, it’s best enjoyed one step, or in this case, one word at a time.

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• Creative Writing
• GCSE English Language

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GCSE English Language: Improving Creative Writing Skills

Improving your creative writing skills for the GCSE English Language exam requires practice, creativity, and an understanding of the key elements of effective storytelling. Here are some strategies to help you enhance your skills in this area:

 1. Read Widely and Actively

- Expose Yourself to Different Genres: Read a wide range of texts, including novels, short stories, poems, and essays, to understand different styles, tones, and techniques used by authors.

- Analyze the Texts: Pay attention to how authors use language, structure, and narrative devices to create engaging stories. Analyze the plot, character development, setting, and themes to understand how they contribute to the overall impact of the text.

 2. Practice Writing Regularly

- Set Aside Time: Allocate dedicated time each week to write creatively. Consistent practice is key to improving your skills.

- Start with Short Exercises: Begin with short writing exercises to develop your ideas and experiment with different styles and genres. For example, write a descriptive paragraph about a setting or a character in just a few sentences.

- Write in Different Styles: Try writing in different styles, such as first-person narrative, third-person omniscient, or stream of consciousness. Experiment with different tones, voices, and perspectives.

 3. Plan Your Writing

- Plan Your Story: Before you start writing, spend some time planning your story. Think about the plot, characters, setting, and themes. Create a rough outline or a mind map to organize your ideas.

- Consider the Audience and Purpose: Think about who your audience is and what you want to achieve with your writing. Adapt your style, tone, and language to suit your audience and purpose.

 4. Focus on Narrative Techniques

- Create a Strong Opening: Grab the reader's attention with an engaging opening line or paragraph. Use descriptive language and imagery to set the scene and create a sense of atmosphere.

- Develop Your Characters: Create well-rounded, believable characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and flaws. Show how they change and grow throughout the story.

- Build Tension: Use suspense and conflict to keep the reader engaged. Introduce obstacles and challenges that the characters must overcome.

- Use Dialogue Effectively: Use dialogue to reveal character traits, advance the plot, and create tension. Make sure each character's voice is distinct.

 5. Revise and Edit Your Work

- Revise for Structure and Clarity: Review your story to ensure it has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Check for consistency in plot, characters, and tone.

- Edit for Language and Style: Edit your work for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure. Consider your choice of words and phrases, and ensure they are appropriate for the style and tone of your writing.

- Seek Feedback: Share your writing with others, such as teachers, peers, or writing groups, and ask for constructive feedback. Use their suggestions to improve your work.

 6. Practice Under Timed Conditions

- Simulate Exam Conditions: Practice writing under timed conditions to simulate the exam environment. This will help you become more comfortable with the time constraints and improve your ability to plan and write quickly.

- Write to a Prompt: Practice writing to a specific prompt or question, similar to what you'll encounter in the exam.

 7. Review Model Answers

- Study Model Answers: Review model answers provided by your teacher or exam board. Analyze what makes them effective and try to incorporate similar techniques into your own writing.

- Learn from Mistakes: Review past writing tasks and identify areas for improvement. Learn from your mistakes and make a conscious effort to avoid repeating them.

Improving your creative writing skills for the GCSE English Language exam is a gradual process that requires dedication, practice, and feedback. By following these strategies and continually honing your craft, you'll become a more confident and proficient writer. Good luck!

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Creative Writing Tips

Here are our top tips for acing any creative writing exam! 

1. HAVE A BANK OF STORY PLOT LINES READY

One of our top tips for any creative writing exam, is to have a bank of easily adapted plot ideas up your sleeve. Time is precious in an exam and you need to spend minimal time thinking, leaving you with the maximum amount of time to crack on with your writing!

2. DON'T MAKE YOUR PLOT LINES COMPLICATED

Don’t make your plot too complicated- only one thing needs to happen- just DESCRIBE ONE TEN MINUTE MOMENT. If your story was turned into a film, it would be a 10 minute scene, not a 2 hour film! Keep it simple! 

3. DESCRIBE DON'T EXPLAIN

This point carries on from point 2. When you have a complicated plot then you end up explaining and summarising. What any teacher or examiner wants to see in a story is description. One moment described very slowly, in lots of detail.   

4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO 'MAGPIE' IDEAS

'Magpieing' is a phrase that teachers use to describe using other people's ideas for story writing. Authors do it all the time! Nothing needs to be original! If you hear a great phrase in a book that you are reading, use it in a story! 

5. SHOW DON'T TELL

'Show don't tell' is  phrase that teachers use all the time, when teaching creative writing. It means, don't TELL me that the character is nervous; SHOW me that they are nervous by describing their sweaty palms and butterflies flutterin g in their tummy. 

6. PAINT A PICTURE IN THE READER'S MIND

If you write a simple sentence such as, 'The man walked down the road', you will conjure up different images in different reader's minds! Is it a tall man or a short man? Is he walking angrily or happily? Add description to paint the same picture in the reader's mind, as you have in your own! 

7. USE POWERFUL VERBS

The difference between an ok story and a great story, usually comes down to verb choices. Every sentence must contain a verb, so why not use powerful verb choices! For example, 'said' is a boring verb. Swap it for a verb such as 'mumbled' or 'screeched' to add more description! 

8. PERSONIFICATION

Personification is a writing technique, where an object is described like a person. The effect is that it tells you the mood of the story- how the characters are feeling. In  a happy story, the sun might be smiling but if the mood of the story is angry, the sun might be scowling! 

9. SIMILES AND METAPHORS

Similes and metaphors are both types of comparisons. We use these comparisons to exaggerate a quality. Similes use the word LIKE or AS- ' He ran as fast as a racing car' or 'He zoomed like a racing car'. A metaphor does not contain like or as- 'He was a racing car zooming.' 

10. ALLITERATION

 Alliteration is when words near or next to each other start with the same sound. An alliterative phrase like, 'flickering, firey flames' is effective because the repetition of the F sound emphasises the sound of the fire. This is a great way to add marks in an exam!

11. ONOMATOPOEIA

 We always want to describe using our senses, and onomatopoeic words describe sounds. Using sounds as verbs in a sentence, for example, BANGING, CRASHED, RUSTLING, SCREECHED, is a great way to add extra marks in a creative writing exam. 

12. AVOID REPETITION

Avoid repetition! Make sure that you vary the first word in every sentence- sometimes start with a verb, sometimes start with a preposition, sometimes sart with an adverb... Do NOT always start with He/ She/ The! Also,  vary your sentence length- some short, some medium, some long. 

13. GREAT WAYS TO START A STORY

Think carefully about the first sentence in your story, and more importantly the first WORD! Do not start with ‘Once upon a time’ or ‘One day’.  Starting with a subordinating conjunction like ‘As’ or ‘While’, is a great way to open a story as you are instantly giving the reader additional information to paint a picture of the scene in their minds.

14. PREPOSITIONS

Use prepositions in your sto ry- particularly at the start of sentences. Prepositions are words that tell us WHEN or WHERE. Prepositions that show where, are particularly good when describing a setting. It allows you to be precise and to paint a picture in the reader's mind. 

15. AVOID DIRECT SPEECH

Do not overuse direct speech- it tends to explain rather than describe. Direct speech can be a great way to start a story and it is effective in establishing relationships between the characters- but use it no more than twice. You will get a mark for correct punctuation but don’t waste dozens of lines on one mark!

16. USE THE ACRONYM MAPSO

Use the acronym MAPSO as a checklist to ensure that you have used a variety of techniques in your story. There are lots of acronyms out there, but I like MAPSO the best- it’s short, easy to remember and covers the 5 most important techniques- Metaphor, Alliteration, Personification, Simile, Onomatopoeia.

17. DESCRIBE ACTIONS NOT FEELINGS 

Avoid using these phrases in a story- they FELT, they THOUGHT, they WONDERED, they REALISED, they DECIDED… all of these phrases TELL the reader and what we want to do is SHOW. The reader is able to work out for themselves what the character is thinking and feeling from the description of their ACTIONS.

18. WHO/ WHERE/ WHEN/ WHAT/ WHY/ HOW

By the end of the first paragraph, make sure that the reader has an idea of WHO your character is, WHERE they are, WHEN it is (time of day/ season), WHAT they are doing when the story begins, HOW they are doing it (the mood) and WHY (it does not matter what order you put this information in). 

19. PLANNING

The key thing is to keep your plan short- spend no more than 2 minutes- it doesn’t matter if your plan is messy and you shouldn’t write in full sentences. A five part plan is ideal (just a few words for each section) as 5 paragraphs is about the right length for a story written in a half hour exam.

20. CHECK SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION

Always  leave yourself a few minutes at the end of the exam to check for silly mistakes!

• Teaching & Learning

GCSE English: 3 tips to improve creative writing

Picture the scene: a published author sits down at a desk and knocks out a fully formed story with no prior planning. In 45 minutes. By hand.

It has all the components that make a story a story: interesting characterisation, rich and detailed description, a plausible plot.

It just wouldn’t happen. So why is it that we expect this of pupils?

At secondary school, the lower year groups have the luxury of immersing themselves in rich examples and then time to craft their narratives, honing their characterisation and playing with structure.

Ideas to boost GCSE English creative writing

In an ideal world, we would extend this to GCSE - but with 25 per cent of the final grade involving unseen story-writing or descriptive tasks, how can we best prepare students for success? Here are my favourite strategies:

1. Give students the steps in the story

Sending students into an assessment or exam in which they have no idea what they’re going to be faced with is counterproductive. As teachers, we know the structures required for success. In creative writing, the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful short story is a sense of a “complete” story - one that follows Freytag’s pyramid .

This is a good starting point for preparing students, as it lends itself to sections that can be included in a checklist or a structure strip. We can’t say what the topic or title of this story will be, but we can give students the bones of the story.

I like to ensure that students know that they need to write within a set of parameters: they need to describe a snapshot of a moment in time; there needs to be detailed description, a finite amount of characters and sparse dialogue (I suggest no more than three lines in the entire piece).

Writing to these “rules” is freeing, as it reduces the realm of possibilities and allows students to focus on the task at hand.

2. Steal a character from literature

JK Rowling is on the record as saying that Harry Potter “just sort of strolled into my head…fully formed”. This is not likely to be the case for students in the midst of an exam.

Authentic, sympathetic characterisation is difficult: we may identify character archetypes through the study of stories, but the creation of these under pressure, from scratch, is a big ask. We have to question what, realistically, the average 15- or 16-year-old can come up with.

Think of it like this: over their time at school, students have read, been taught or seen literally hundreds of stories, all with rich and varying characters whom they could incorporate into a story of their own.

By including or referring to a character from wider literature, they are showing the examiner that they can manipulate characters and events to create something new.

I have seen wonderful stories in which Jennet Humfrye from The Woman in Black has been transported to a modern-day black cab, her Gothic demeanour pervading the atmosphere around her, or a paranoid Macbeth has been seen, ranting to himself in an empty bus station.

3. Use film clips for inspiration

Another powerful way to stimulate story-writing is to get pupils writing from moving image. I have found that short clips in which there is no speech can often be the most powerful.

In the past, I have used the music video for City Girl  from the Lost in Translation soundtrack. The rich visuals of the Tokyo cityscape and the relative ambiguity of the female protagonist mean there is a lot to write about.

In a similar vein, a clip from 28 Days Later , in which the male protagonist finds himself alone in a seemingly abandoned London, provides much food for thought. The repetition of a single word - “Hello” - provides a recurring motif for pupils to structure their words around.

Another powerful clip is taken from the TV series Lost and starts with the snapping open of a human eye - a fascinating place to start and play with structure for students of all writing abilities.

Whichever you use, you’ll find that students respond positively to the movie providing them with ideas, and allowing their focus to be on using their writing skills.

Laura May Rowlands is head of English in a secondary school in Hampshire

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• GCSE English Model Answers
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Story Plan Generator

Write a story about:.

• This story plan generator can currently generate 74.9 * 10 15 unique plans. Now that’s a lot of stories!
• Buy Grade 9 GCSE English model answers now from only £5.99.
• Extra guidance on how to use this generator is available below.

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This book is ideal for helping students improve their creative story writing for the GCSE English Language exams. Each chapter contains an exam task and a planning checklist designed to help students do regular timed writing practice.

There are also twelve complete model stories to help students understand what a good exam story looks like. Each model story demonstrates the powerful vocabulary choices, the insightful characterisation and the technical accuracy the examiners are looking for.

The book is rounded off with in-depth exam board information and suggestions for further reading.

Click Plan Your Story!  and see a story plan appear before your eyes. Click Copy Plan to copy the plan to your clipboard for pasting into other documents. You can change individual parts of the plan by simply clicking on the section you want to change – a new random element will be chosen. Or, you can reset the whole plan by clicking  Reset to clear the plan and start again. Feel free to keep planning stories. You won’t run out!

This tool is designed for students preparing for the GCSE English Language exams. Specifically, it exists to help students with the planning process for stories which are a part of every GCSE English Language course and account for around 25% of marks available (depending on the exam board). The aim of the plan is to provide a model for good story planning whilst also speeding up the planning process, getting students’ imaginations whirring and suggesting new, intriguing and challenging ideas for stories.

Of course. Click View Options to see a blank plan. Fill in as many of the blank options as you want and then select Complete Your Plan! to finish the job.

Most students find it easier to write stories where characters are the same age. For that reason, although the age range is chosen at random, it will be the same for both characters. If you have a great idea for a story with characters of different ages, use the View Options button to enter the ages yourself before selecting Complete Your Plan! to get the randomiser to work its magic for you.

The generator chooses names at random from a list of 698 names. These are names that have appeared at least once in the top 100 baby names registered in England and Wales since 1904. The data is available from the Office for National Statistics . Of course, if you prefer, give your characters names of your choosing by selecting View Options   before selecting ‘Complete Your Plan’ to get the randomiser to work its magic for you.

The personality pairings are adapted from a number of theories of personality ( The Four Temperaments , Myers-Briggs , The Big Five , HEXACO ) and offer a range of possible personalities for your characters. I recommend giving contrasting personalities to your two characters as that will likely lead to drama and complex characterisation.

It’s true that some of the plan combinations will be unusual (but not impossible). This is because of the random nature of this plan generator. For example, you could get ‘Season: Winter’ and ‘Weather: Heatwave’ which would be an unusual situation for winter. Or, you could get ‘Character’s Age: 80s’ and ‘Theme/genre: Science Fiction’.

If this happens to you, there are a couple of possibilities. You can simply re-run the generator to get a different plan. Better still, you could challenge yourself to write the story. In fact, it might encourage you to write a truly new story. After all, why aren’t there more science fiction stories where the protagonists are in their 80s?

My exam guide offers a range of excellent, Grade 9, model exam answers. You could also consider buying a recent anthology of short stories .

Follow @gcseenglishuk on social media and have a look at my model answers .

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