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Narrative Writing Prompts
Develop epic storytellers and rapidly improve your students’ narrative writing.
How to use these writing promptsThese writing prompts follow the Seven Steps methodology of breaking down writing into Seven simple Steps and are a great way to get students’ creative juices flowing. Use them daily or weekly to build students’ confidence in their narrative writing and as a fun way to practise one Step at a time. By focusing on specific skills of writing, students rapidly practise and develop each skill, ultimately building on each one to write powerful whole texts. |
Pick a Step
Step 1: Plan for Success
Magic House
Who lives in the magic house?
Brainstorm a list of characters and the special powers of the magic house.
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Step 1: Plan for Success
A visit to the past
A visit to the past
Plan a short story about a visit to the past and plot it on the Narrative Story Graph.
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Step 1: Plan for Success
Cupcakes
I made cupcakes for my enemy.
Plan a story or film about what happened next. Plot your best ideas on the Narrative Story Graph.
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Step 2: Sizzling Starts
Birthday Disaster
This was the moment just before your birthday party turned into a total disaster …
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Tip: Start at the moment of action!
Step 2: Sizzling Starts
Dream Camping Trip
My dream camping trip – how it all began.
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Step 2: Sizzling Starts
Magic Powers
The day I woke up with magic powers … and how it nearly killed me.
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Step 2: Sizzling Starts
Monster Teacher
It’s the first day of the school year, and I suspect my teacher is a monster!
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Step 2: Sizzling Starts
Rising Falling
So then this happened …
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Start at a moment of action!
Step 2: Sizzling Starts
All of a Sudden
All of a sudden …
Write a Sizzling Start for this story.
Start at a moment of change.
Step 3: Tightening Tension
Fireworks Alive
You’re watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks. One of the fireworks starts to change and come alive …
What does it turn into?
Step 3: Tightening Tension
Curious Creature
Create a comic strip or manga about a curious creature.
Build up the tension to reach a high point before the ending.
Step 3: Tightening Tension
Off Grid
I went off-grid for a whole year.
Plan an imaginative recount on the Narrative Story Graph. What problems or challenges will you face?
Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue
Flying Apple
Write the dialogue between the two girls.
Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue
Librarian Dog
The new librarian is a dog, and you’re the only one who thinks this is strange!
Write the dialogue between you, your friends and the librarian.
Step 4: Dynamic Dialogue
Storm At Sea
There was a huge storm last night in the bay.
Choose an animal and write what they would say about the storm.
Step 5
Astonishing Bicycle
Use lots of detail to paint a word picture showing what is so astonishing about
the bicycle!
Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell
Night City
It’s night time in the bustling city!
Paint a word picture describing the sounds, smells, tastes, feelings and sights of the big city.
Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell
Balloon Boy
What is going on?
Show what is going on, without telling us. Try writing a slice of the action through the eyes of someone unexpected.
Step 5: Show, Don’t Tell
Parrot
You said WHAT?
Write something that shows rather than tells us what the character of the parrot is like.
Step 6: Ban the Boring
Movie Shorts
Describe the plot of a favourite movie in just two sentences.
Can a friend guess which movie it is?
Step 6: Ban the Boring
Boring Beginning
Ban boring beginnings!
Find an old story that begins with ‘Once upon a time …’ and rewrite the start to make it Sizzle.
Step 7: Exciting Endings
Free Falling
What happens now?
Look at the picture and write three different endings to the story. Choose your favourite one and share it.
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