Narrative Writing Guide

Write A Creative Narrative In 15 Minutes Learn It Quickly Series
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Spectrum Tuition Pty Ltd 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................... 2
1. Getting Started .................................................................................. 4
Help! I have to write a creative narrative in 15 minutes! ................................................................... 4
A note on timing… ............................................................................................................................ 4
What do I need to get started? .........................................................................................................5
A note on prompts............................................................................................................................. 5
General Writing Tips ......................................................................................................................... 7
2. How Is A Narrative Structured? ..................................................... 10
Example Narrative: .........................................................................................................................12
How Should I Use My 15 minutes?................................................................................................. 14
3. Planning (2 Minutes) ....................................................................... 15
Responding to the prompt .............................................................................................................. 15
Planning Structure .......................................................................................................................... 18
Timed Activity (2 minutes)............................................................................................................... 22
4. Problem and Setting (4 minutes) ................................................... 23
1. Introduce the Problem (1-3 sentences) ...................................................................................... 23
2. Introduce the Characters (1-3 sentences) .................................................................................24
3. Show the Setting (1-3 sentences)..............................................................................................24
Example.......................................................................................................................................... 25

5. Events (4 minutes) ..........................................................................27
1. Using Vivid Verbs........................................................................................................................ 27
2. Use Dialogue .............................................................................................................................28
3. Use Your Senses ........................................................................................................................ 28
Example.......................................................................................................................................... 29
6. Fake Resolution (2 minutes) ..........................................................32
Example.......................................................................................................................................... 33
7. Climax (2 minutes) ..........................................................................35
Example.......................................................................................................................................... 36
8. Revision (1 minute) ......................................................................... 38
9. Writing Practice ............................................................................... 39
10. List of Prompts:.............................................................................43
1. Situations .................................................................................................................................... 43
2. Quotes ........................................................................................................................................ 43
3. Keywords .................................................................................................................................... 43
4. Images ........................................................................................................................................ 43
5. Combinations ..............................................................................................................................44

1. Getting Started
Help! I have to write a creative narrative in 15 minutes!
If you’re planning on sitting a Selective Schools entrance test, a Scholarship exam or a
SEALP test, it is likely that you will be required to write a creative narrative under a strict
time limit. On some of these tests, students are required to write an imaginative and well-
structured narrative in only 30, 25 or even 15 minutes! This is not an easy task and, if you
don’t have a clear idea of what you’re doing, the time can easily slip away from you if
you’re not prepared.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. This
booklet is designed to make it as
easy as possible to write a well
Planning (2 minutes)
thought out, expertly planned and
clearly written creative narrative in a
limited timeframe. Think of this
Problem and Setting (4 minutes)
booklet as an intense narrative writing
boot camp. We’re going to make you
work hard and work fast, but at the
Events (4 minutes)
end of it, you’re going to be in much
better shape!
Fake Resolution (2 minutes)
A note on timing…
Climax (2 minutes) This book is structured around a 15

minute deadline, but it is also useful
for students who need to learn to
Revision (1 minute) write narratives under other
deadlines. For example, if you are
preparing to write a 30 minute
narrative, simply double all the time
guidelines in this book.

What do I need to get started?
Before we begin, make sure you have the following items in front of you.
1. This booklet
2. Pens and lined paper
3. A stopwatch or a clock for the timed activities
4. A narrative prompt. If you have your own prompt, feel free to use it. Otherwise,
select a prompt from the list at the back of this book. This is the prompt you will be
using throughout this booklet.
A note on prompts
In your exam, you will be given a prompt on which you must base your narrative. It will
vary every time, but there are a number of different types of prompts that you may be
given.
1. Situations
The prompt may directly give you a situation or an idea to write about. For example:
Write a narrative about the most difficult decision you have ever made.
2. Quotes
The prompt may contain a quote for you to use as inspiration for your narrative. For
example:
Write a narrative based on the quote “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not
absence of fear.”
3. Keywords
The prompt might provide you with a number of key words or phrases that must be used in
your narrative.
Write a narrative that uses the following words: dark, lightning, buried, smile.

4. Images
The prompt may simply be an image that you must use in some way throughout your
narrative.
Write a narrative based on the following image.
5. Combinations
Sometimes, you may not just receive one prompt. You may be given a combination of
several different phrases, situations, quotations or images and asked to use one or more
of them as inspiration for your narrative.
It’s important you get as much experience responding to as many different types of
prompts as possible. In this book, I will give you some advice on interesting ways that you
can interpret each type of prompt. A full list of prompts can be found at the back of this
book.

General Writing Tips
Before we start planning and writing our narratives, here a few great tips that should
improve your writing and make it easier for you to communicate your ideas in interesting
and exciting ways.
1. Show Don’t Tell

This is one of the most common pieces of advice given to narrative writers. Basically, it
means that a good storyteller doesn’t tell their readers what to think or feel; a good
storyteller makes their readers feel a certain way. For example, let’s say we wanted to
write a story about a character who is mean…
Tell: Old Mr. Johnson was a mean man. He was unkind to his neighbours.
Show: Old Mr. Johnson glared unhappily at the neighbourhood children playing next door.
When the children waved to him, he shook his cane and yelled, “Get out of my sight you
rotten kids!”
Which description do you think is more effective? In the second one, you didn’t have to be
told that Old Mr. Johnson was a mean man. The author showed you he was mean by the
way he acted and the things that he said. This is much more effective and much more
likely to get you a good score on your exam.
2. Use Imagery
When we enter an unfamiliar place, we don’t just experience it with our eyes: we smell it,
we hear it, we feel it and we sometimes even taste it. When we’re reading stories, the
more of our senses are activated, the stronger the impression we get. Think about these
two paragraphs:
Jim walked into the carnival. There was a popcorn cart to his left. The Ferris wheel loomed
over him.

Jim walked into the carnival and his ears were met with a wall of music and laughter. The
air was cool. Jim smelled the aroma of melted butter and salt wafting from the popcorn cart
to his left. He could taste the saltiness in the air. He heard screams above him and looked
up to see the twinkling lights of a Ferris wheel.
The second one is much more engaging because it uses the five senses: sight, sound,
touch, smell and taste. Keep this in mind when you’re writing your own narrative. And
remember, the sensory imagery used should reflect the mood of the scene. A happy scene
will have pleasant smells, tastes, textures, sights and sounds. A scary scene might have
eerie sounds, disgusting smells, sour tastes, rough textures and terrifying sights!
3. Use Vivid Verbs

Some verbs are interesting. Some verbs are boring. Verbs such as walk, say, eat, drink, hit
and laugh often don’t create a very strong image in the mind of readers. Instead, you
should experiment with using more interesting verbs to create stronger images.
Here are some examples:
Instead of “say” – shout, whisper, bellow, groan, scream, mention, confess

Instead of “eat” – nibble, gobble, peck, scoff, consume, swallow, much, devour
Instead of “laugh” – cackle, giggle, chuckle, chortle, snicker, roar
Instead of “walk” – tiptoe, trudge, amble, pace, gallop, run, sprint
Note: interesting verbs only work if they are used properly. Make sure you only use verbs
that you understand.
4. Use Dialogue Effectively

Most students know how to use dialogue, but a lot of students don’t understand how
powerful it can be. Dialogue is more than just conversations; there are several things you
can do with dialogue. You can let the reader know what has just happened, you can build
suspense and you can show people’s relationships. But most importantly, dialogue can be
used to show character.
Think about the following question: “Can I have a cup of coffee?”

How would a nervous person ask this question? How would a rude person ask this
question? How would a greedy person ask this question? How would a calm person ask
this question? Think about how your character is feeling, and what kind of person they are,
and try to show this through their speech...
“Give me a cup of coffee!”
“Can – um – can I have a glass, I mean, a cup of coffee? Please?”
“Cup of coffee please. Two sugars.”
“I’ll have a small coffee please. Is sugar free? Good; give me five packets of sugar.”

2. How Is A Narrative Structured?

When it comes to writing a narrative in only 15 minutes, it becomes extremely necessary
to use your time as efficiently as possible. For this reason, the usual narrative structure
that you might be familiar with is often impractical. Usually, a narrative will consist of the
following 5 main sections.
The Orientation, in which the characters and the setting are introduced.
The Problem, in which your main character is presented with a problem that they have to
face throughout the narrative. The problem should put a question in the reader’s mind.
What will they do? What decision will they make? How will they overcome this obstacle?
The Events, in which the tension builds as the main character attempts to solve the
problem or question that they are faced with.
The Climax, the most exciting point of the narrative, in which the main character must
directly face the problem at hand.
The Resolution, in which we find out what happens to the character after the climax.
Unfortunately, this type of narrative takes a long time to write and plan. Writers who spend
a lot of time orienting the reader and providing a clear resolution can often run out of time
for all the exciting and interesting parts of a story. In order to save time and to make sure
that your narrative only contains the most exciting and engaging bits, we recommend that
you follow our 5 part narrative structure:

Section Key features

1. Problem Your narrative should open with your character in some
sort of a problem. It might be a big problem (running away
from a kidnapper, hanging from a cliff) or a small problem
(the lights have just gone out and your character is home
alone; your character’s dog escapes from her lead and
runs off). Whatever it is, there must be something
problematic for your character.
This means you don’t need a traditional introduction. Don’t

spend too much time ‘setting the scene’. If, for example,
you are writing about a car crash, don’t spend too much
time on the character eating breakfast, speaking to his
Mum and getting dressed. The point of your story is the
car accident, so you should start the story just before,
during or immediately after the accident.
This section should raise a question that keeps your

reader guessing throughout the narrative.
2. Setting This is where you should set the scene and demonstrate
some of your advanced writing skills. Describe the setting
using imagery (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell). It’s a
good idea to weave these descriptions into the end of your
section on the problem, so the descriptions seem organic.

3. Events After the problem, there should be three or four events (or
things that happen to your character). These events
should be focused on a specific scene. Aim to describe 30
minutes of action rather than covering days, months or
years in your story. There should be 3 events that make
the problem worse and worse for the character. Build up
from a smallish problem to the biggest problem the
character is likely to face.
4. Fake A feature that will really make your writing stand out is the
resolution fake resolution. After you have mentioned the biggest
problem your character could face, trick the reader into
momentarily thinking that the problem will be resolved,
only to plunge into the worst possible thing that could
happen to the character reaching the climax of the story.
5. Climax The climax is the most exciting or interesting part of the
story (in television shows, it is known as a cliffhanger.)
Normally in narratives you are asked to solve the problem
for your character, so that the reader is left in no doubt
about how they ended up. In a 15 minute narrative,
however, you should end at the climax – the point at which
the reader doesn’t know if your character will resolve their
problem or not. This can be very powerful.
Example Narrative:
Problem
“If we stop, we’re dead,” Laura’s father grunted, “It’s getting dark and we need to
find somewhere safe. We need water. We need food. There’s none of that in this
city. We have to keep walking. We need to find a safe place.”
“There are no more safe places,” Laura replied, her eyes on the road ahead.
They trudged through the endless streets. Laura took the lead, her eyes flitting from
window to window, always watching nervously for other survivors. Her father

shuffled behind her, limping on his injured ankle. Laura could hear him gasping in
pain with ever step.
Setting
As they walked, their footsteps echoed against the rusting cars and burned down
storefronts that lined the streets of the abandoned city. The air grew cold as the sun
crept towards the horizon.
Events
They marched on down the lonely street. The air smelled of smoke and gunpowder.
The only sounds to be heard were the crunching of their shoes against the ash that
covered the road and the constant grumbling of Laura’s stomach. Without warning,
Laura’s father groaned and collapsed to the ground, clutching his ankle. Laura
sprinted to him and crouched down beside him. She could see the tears welling up
in his eyes. He turned his face away, not wanting her to see his pain. Laura couldn’t
help but cry too. The cold wind raked at their faces, freezing the teardrops as they
formed. “I can’t walk,” Laura’s father mumbled, “I can’t walk any more.”
“Let’s, let’s have something to eat.” Laura stammered against the cold, “Yeah, that
will cheer us up, won’t it? Won’t it dad?” Her dad grunted and rolled onto his knees,
slinging his backpack onto the ground. He rummaged through the bag and his face
fell. Sighing, he pulled out their last piece of bread. The maggots had gotten in to it
and hundreds of the squirmy grubs crawled across the crust. Laura’s dad cursed
and threw the bread into the darkness. He tried to stand but immediately fell back to
the ground. The sun dipped below the horizon and the wind grew colder.
Fake Resolution
Suddenly, over the sound of the wind, Laura heard the steady drone of an engine.
She looked to the horizon and there it was, silhouetted by the sun: a small plane.
The drone grew louder as the plane approached.
“Dad,” said Laura, “Dad, look!”
Laura’s father had seen it too.
“We’re saved,” he whispered.

They pulled off their jumpers and waved them in the air to get the pilot’s attention,
Laura jumping up and down with all that was left of her energy.
“We’re here!” they screamed, “we’re here!”
But, if the people in the plane saw them, they gave no indication. The plane flew
above them and then away, until it disappeared once more over the horizon, leaving
Laura and her father in darkness. Night had fallen.
Climax
When Laura looked at her father, he was strangely calm. “You have to leave me
here,” he whispered, “you can’t carry me. I can’t walk. You have to go, find safety.”
Laura felt cold inside and out. “You can’t give up,” she pleaded, a sob catching in
her throat, “We need to look after each other.”
“Go!” her father shouted, “Please, for me, Go! Get out of here!”
The air was growing colder and the street was growing darker.
“GO!” he shouted, making Laura jump back in shock. She stood beside her father,
the impossible decision turning in her mind, as the street faded into the darkness of
night.
How Should I Use My 15 minutes?
The key to using your 15 minutes as efficiently as possible is to know exactly how
much time you can dedicate to each section. There’s no point spending 10 minutes
to carefully plan your narrative if you don’t leave enough time to write it all down. In
order to make it as easy as possible for you to manage your time, we suggest the
following structure.
1. Planning: 2 minutes
2. Problem and Setting: 4 minutes
3. Events: 4 minutes
4. Fake Resolution: 2 minutes
5. Climax: 2 minutes
6. Revision: 1 minute

3. Planning (2 Minutes)
Responding to the prompt
In the exam, you will receive a prompt (usually a picture, but sometimes a word or a
sentence) and be asked to plan and write a narrative based on it in 15 minutes. You need
to be able to plan these narratives quickly. The first step in planning is to determine how
you are going to use the prompt.
One of the ways to make your story stand out in an exam is to come up with an original
idea – something none of the other students would think of. Your examiners will be reading
up to hundreds of narratives, all responding to the exact same prompt. If your narrative
tells exactly the same story as everyone else’s, it is unlikely that you will receive a high
grade. However, if your story can interpret the prompt in an interesting and unexpected
way, you’re far more likely to score highly. Here are some examples of interesting ways
you can respond to each main type of prompt.
1. Situations
Write a narrative about the most difficult decision you have ever made.
What most students will do...

Most students will follow the old saying “write what you know.” While there is nothing
wrong with this advice, the examiner will receive hundreds of stories about high school
students that are faced with the kinds of difficult decisions that young people are often
faced with: peer pressure, risk taking and trying to fit in.
What you should do...

If you want your narrative to stand out, try writing from an unexpected and unfamiliar
perspective such as an elderly person, a homeless person, a single mother or someone
from another planet. Think about what decisions these people might have to face in their
day to day lives, and what stories they might have to tell. You might also choose to write in
an unexpected genre such as fantasy, comedy or horror.

2. Quotes
Write a narrative based on the quote “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not
absence of fear.”

When given a quote, the simplest thing to do is to have one of your characters use the
quote directly in dialogue or during an internal monologue. This use of the prompt gets old
very quickly, especially since the phrase is not something a person would usually say in a
conversation.

Think about what the quote is suggesting and try to show that this is the case within the
narrative, without using the quote at all. The above quote is suggesting that bravery isn’t
about not being afraid; it is about being able to control your fear. You could write a
narrative about a particular character who does something extraordinary despite being
very afraid.
3. Keywords
Write a narrative that uses the following words: dark, lightning, buried, smile.

Most students will use the given words in very predictable ways. They will use the word
“dark” to describe a scene at night. The sky will be stormy and full of “lightning.” There will
be something “buried” that the main character will have to find. A character will “smile” to
show that they are happy.

Think about how you would expect these words to be used, and try to use them differently.
Instead of using the words in their literal sense, you can use them as symbolic imagery.
“Dark” could describe a person’s mood. “Lightning” could be used to describe something
bright and shocking, for example “he stared at her with lightning in his eyes.” The word
“buried” could be used to describe anything that is hidden, for example “I kept the feelings
buried deep inside me.” The word “smile” doesn’t have to be used when someone is

happy. Your character might smile to hide their insecurity, or smile in a cruel or evil way.
The more you can use these words in unexpected ways, the more interesting your
narrative will be.
4. Images
Write a narrative based on the following image.

Given a photo such as this, most students will use it as a literal setting for their narrative.
They will most likely write a narrative about being lost in a forest and having to decide
which way to go.

You don’t always have to take the photo literally. Instead, think of the ideas that the photo
might suggest. Can the prompt be understood as a symbolic image for another situation?
For example, you could use the fork in the road as a metaphor for a difficult choice your
character has to make, such as choosing which of his parents to live with after a divorce.

Planning Structure
As well as interpreting the prompt, you also need to decide on the characters, setting,
problem, events and climax of your story. Here are some tips for each of these sections.
Characters In order to keep your narrative simple and easy to write, it’s a good idea
to limit yourself to 2-3 main characters. In order to make your characters
interesting, it is a good idea to make them different from each other in
some way. This allows the reader to gain a clearer picture of each
individual character and can help to introduce tension into your narrative.
For example, you might have on character who is very young and one
who is very old. Or you might have a character who is brave and
outgoing and one who is timid and shy.
Setting The setting is the location in which your story takes place. Because this
will be a short narrative, it is a good idea to stick to 1 or 2 settings. As
well as providing a location, your setting can also be used to create the
mood of the narrative. For example, setting your narrative in a brightly lit
park will create a very different mood than if you set it in a dark alleyway
on a rainy night.
Problem The problem is the most important aspect of your narrative. This is the
problem that your main character will have to face and try to overcome
throughout the story. The problem can be physical, such as being
chased by a bear, ethical, such as deciding whether or not to hand in a
wallet found on the street, or emotional, such as having to learn how to
deal with a tragic event. Your entire narrative should focus on how your
main character deals with this one problem.
Events The events make up a large portion of your narrative. Ideally, you should
think about 2-3 things that might happen to make the situation more
difficult, stressful or complicated for your main character. The goal of
these events is to build up suspense and tension before the climax.
Fake The point of the fake resolution is to trick your reader. Think of a way that
resolution your character’s problem could be easily and miraculously solves. Then,
think of a way to suddenly take that resolution away, leaving them back
in the same suspenseful situation.


Climax The climax is the most exciting point of your story, when the main
character faces the problem head on. While usually, stories show how
the character resolves the problem, in a shorter narrative it is often a
good idea to end on a cliffhanger. For example, if your character is trying
to build up the courage to jump off a high diving board, you can end your
story just as they jump, and not show what happens next. This is often a
powerful way of ending your narrative.
Example
Prompt: Write a story about having to decide whether or not to help somebody you care
about.
Characters • Only two surviving people on Earth after a terrible disaster

• Laura (cautious and anxious)
• Father (brave)
Setting • Ruined and abandoned city.
Problem • Need to walk to the next town to find food and shelter
• Laura’s father is injured
Events • The father is in pain so they stop to rest.
• They want to eat but their food has gone bad.
• Laura’s father collapses.
Fake • A plane flies overhead
Resolution • Laura tries to wave it down but it just keeps flying, off into
the distance
Climax • Laura has to decide whether to stay with her father or go
on without him.
• The story ends without letting us know what she decides.
You may also like to use a visual style, such as a mind map to help in your planning.
However, keep in mind that you won’t have much time to create a very elaborate or
detailed plan. Try both techniques and see which one is easier and more efficient for you.


Timed Activity (2 minutes)

Using your chosen prompt, take 2 minutes to plan the characters, setting, problem, events
and climax of your narrative. You can use the grid below or the blank mind map on the
following page to help with your planning.
Characters
Setting
Problem
Events
Fake
Resolution
Climax

4. Problem and Setting (4

minutes)
In the first paragraph of your narrative, you have 3 main jobs: to introduce the problem, the
characters and the setting. In longer novels, authors often create the setting first and then
introduce the characters and then present the characters with a problem. In short
narratives, however it works best if you do things the exact opposite way. You want your
narrative to start at the most exciting possible moment. For this reason, you should start
with 1-2 sentences that introduce the problem, followed by 1-2 sentences to introduce the
characters and then 1-2 sentences to clarify and show the setting.
1. Introduce the Problem (1-3 sentences)
The point of introducing the problem at the start of the narrative is to place a
question in the reader’s head. Before your reader knows who the characters are, or
where the story is taking place, they should be wondering what is going to happen.
There are a number of ways that you can introduce the problem, but I recommend
either using an action sequence or dialogue.
Use An Action Sequence: Show your characters being faced by the difficult
problem that they will need to overcome. Try to show as much of the problem as
you can without stating it outright.
Stumbling, gasping for breath, Laura and her father ran from the shadow of night
that crept slowly towards them as the sun set. Their arms shook from fatigue and
their stomachs growled from hunger, but had to make it to the next town by nightfall
or suffer the cost.
Use Dialogue:
Use dialogue to show what the problem is. Try to be as subtle as possible so that it
doesn’t sound like your character is just explaining their situation to the reader. The

dialogue should still sound like something that a person would actually say in the
situation.
“If we stop, we’re dead,” Laura’s father grunted, “It’s getting dark and we need to
find somewhere safe. We need water. We need food. There’s none of that in this
city. We have to keep walking. We need to find a safe place.”
“There are no more safe places,” Laura replied, her eyes on the road ahead.
2. Introduce the Characters (1-3 sentences)
After you have introduced the problem, your reader should be interested to know
who the story is about. Now, in 1-2 sentences, you should give your reader a
clearer picture of who your main characters are. When doing so, you should always
try to “show” and not “tell.” Instead of just describing your characters, use their
words and actions to show what sort of people they are. For example, don’t do this:
Laura is cautious and afraid. Her father is injured, but is being brave about it.
Do this instead: They trudged through the endless streets. Laura took the lead, her
eyes flitting from window to window, always watching nervously for other survivors.
Her father shuffled behind her, limping on his injured ankle. Laura could hear him
gasping in pain with ever step.
3. Show the Setting (1-3 sentences)
The last thing you should do in the paragraph is give a clearer sense of where the
action is taking place. Use imagery to describe the setting, making sure to include
as many senses as possible.
As they walked, their footsteps echoed against the rusting cars and burned down
storefronts that lined the streets of the abandoned city. The air grew cold as the sun
crept towards the horizon.

Example
Prompt: Write a story about having to decide whether or not to help somebody you
care about.
“If we stop, we’re dead,” Laura’s father grunted, “It’s getting dark and
we need to find somewhere safe. We need water. We need food.
There’s none of that in this city. We have to keep walking. We need to
find a safe place.”
“There are no more safe places,” Laura replied, her eyes on the road
ahead.
They trudged through the endless streets. Laura took the lead, her eyes
flitting from window to window, always watching nervously for other
survivors. Her father shuffled behind her, limping on his injured ankle.
Laura could hear him gasping in pain with every step. As they walked,
their footsteps echoed against the rusting cars and burned down
storefronts that lined the streets of the abandoned city. The air grew
cold as the sun crept towards the horizon.

Using the plan that you made in part 1, write the first “Problem” section of your
narrative. It should introduce the problem, the characters and the setting.
Prompt:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

5. Events (4 minutes)
Once you have established the problem that your character has to face, you need to build
your narrative towards the climax. A good way to do this is to add 2-3 main events that
make the situation more complicated, stressful or exciting for your main character. In
these events, you need to show that the problem that you introduced at the start of your
narrative is important and will have consequences for your character. These events don’t
have to be big. An event can be something unexpected a character says or does, an
unexpected obstacle that appears, or even a change in the weather. The important thing is
that you use these events to build tension within your narrative. Here are some ways that
you can make your event descriptions more engaging.
1. Using Vivid Verbs
We learned about vivid verbs at the beginning of this book. Make sure you use verbs that
are interesting and create a strong image in your reader’s mind. For example, see how
easy it is to make the following sentences more engaging by using vivid verbs.
Regular Verbs Vivid Verbs

They walked on down the lonely They marched on down the lonely
street. street.
Laura’s father made a noise and fell Laura’s father groaned and
to the ground, holding his ankle. collapsed to the ground, clutching
his ankle.
The cold wind blew at their faces. The cold wind raked at their faces.

2. Use Dialogue
When writing your events, dialogue can be used to show the state of mind of your
characters. This can be very effective in building tension. Think about how people
talk when they’re scared, or nervous, or excited, or angry. They might stammer, they
might repeat words, or they may ask more questions than usual. Try to use these
techniques to show how your characters are feeling.
“I can’t walk,” Laura’s father mumbled, “I can’t walk any more.”
“Let’s, let’s have something to eat.” Laura stammered against the cold, “Yeah, that
will cheer us up, won’t it? Won’t it dad?”
3. Use Your Senses
Remember that the sensory imagery used should reflect the mood of the scene. A
happy scene will have pleasant smells, tastes, textures, sights and sounds. A scary
scene might have eerie sounds, disgusting smells, sour tastes, rough textures and
terrifying sights! Use imagery to create exactly the mood that you want your story to
have.
The air smelled of smoke and gunpowder. The only sounds to be heard was the
crunching of their shoes against the ash that covered the road and the constant
grumbling of Laura’s stomach.

Example
They marched on down the lonely street. The air smelled of smoke and
gunpowder. The only sounds to be heard was the crunching of their
shoes against the ash that covered the road and the constant grumbling
of Laura’s stomach. Without warning, Laura’s father groaned and
collapsed to the ground, clutching his ankle. Laura sprinted to him and
crouched down beside him. She could see the tears welling up in his
eyes. He turned his face away, not wanting her to see his pain. Laura
couldn’t help but cry too. The cold wind raked at their faces, freezing the
teardrops as they formed. “I can’t walk,” Laura’s father mumbled, “I
can’t walk any more.”
“Let’s, let’s have something to eat.” Laura stammered against the cold,
“Yeah, that will cheer us up, won’t it? Won’t it dad?” Her dad grunted
and rolled onto his knees, slinging his backpack onto the ground. He
rummaged through the bag and his face fell. Sighing, he pulled out their
last piece of bread. The maggots had gotten in to it and hundreds of the
squirmy grubs crawled across the crust. Laura’s dad cursed and threw
the bread into the darkness. He tried to stand but immediately fell back
to the ground. The sun dipped below the horizon and the wind grew
colder.

Using the plan that you made in part 1, write the “Events” section of your narrative.
Try to use 2-3 main events build tension and make use of vivid verbs, dialogue and
sensory imagery.
Prompt:
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6. Fake Resolution (2 minutes)

When young writers write narratives, they often fall into the trap of giving their story
an unrealistic happy ending. They start to run out of time and try to wrap everything
up all of a sudden so that their characters can live happily ever after. The result
usually feels artificial and a bit boring.
A fake resolution is a technique that tricks your reader into thinking that they are
going to get a boring, happy ending and then steals it away from them, making the
stakes of the climax far higher. When an examiner reads a story with a fake
conclusion, they think that they’re getting an average run-of-the-mill narrative. But
then they are shocked by the much more complex and interesting climax.
Here’s how to write a fake resolution.
1. Come up with a fake resolution
Think of a way that your character’s problems could suddenly be resolved, and
make it seem like this is what is going to happen. Make sure your fake resolution is
a realistic one. You want to give your reader hope, not make them roll their eyes.
When your character is faced with this possible resolution, show how relieved or
excited they are.
2. Take that resolution away from them
Just as your reader thinks that the problem has been solved, take the resolution
away from them. As suddenly as your protagonist thought they were saved, put
them back into the difficult situation that they were in.
3. Demonstrate that things are just as serious as before
Once you have taken away the fake resolution, show that the situation is serious
and tense again. Your character is probably now more worried about their problem
than they were before, and so should be the reader.

Example
Suddenly,)over)the)sound)of)the)wind,)Laura)heard)the)steady)drone)
of)an)engine.)She)looked)to)the)horizon)and)there)it)was,)
silhouetted)by)the)sun:)a)small)plane.)The)drone)grew)louder)as)the)
plane)approached.)
“Dad,”)said)Laura,)“Dad,)look!”)
Laura’s)father)had)seen)it)too.))
“We’re)saved,”)he)whispered.)
They)pulled)off)their)jumpers)and)waved)them)in)the)air)to)get)the)
pilot’s)attention,)Laura)jumping)up)and)down)with)all)that)was)left)
of)her)energy.)
“We’re)here!”)they)screamed,)“we’re)here!”)
But,)if)the)people)in)the)plane)saw)them,)they)gave)no)indication.)
The)plane)Glew)above)them)and)then)away,)until)it)disappeared)
once)more)over)the)horizon,)leaving)Laura)and)her)father)in)
darkness.)Night)had)fallen.)
Using the plan that you made in part 1, write the “Fake Resolution” section of your
narrative.
Prompt:
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7. Climax (2 minutes)
The climax is the most exciting, interesting or emotional part of your narrative. This is
when your main character must face the problem or attempt to answer the question that
you introduced at the start of the narrative. Normally in narratives you are asked to solve
the problem for your character, so that the reader is left in no doubt about how the story
ends. In a 15-minute narrative, however, it is a good idea to end at the climax so that the
reader doesn’t know if your character will resolve their problem or not. This can be very
powerful. This is called a cliffhanger. There are a number of ways that you can create an
engaging cliffhanger to end your narrative.
1. End just as the character is about to say something.

I looked from Mum to Dad, knowing that whatever I decided, I would hurt one of them.
“Ok,” I said, “I’ve made my decision.”
2. End with your main character doing something dramatic, without letting the
reader know if it works.
The canyon was in front of me, cutting off my escape. The army had reached the top of the
hill and would soon be in firing range. I could hear their shouts, hear the excitement in their
voices. I knew I only had one chance. I walked a few metres back from the canyon. I
estimated it was 3 metres to the other side. “I can do this,” I said to myself. I ran towards
the canyon and took a giant leap into open air.
3. Leave your main character in a very tense and difficult situation that they are
unlikely to get out of easily.
I dropped my sword to the ground. The zombie was dead. I breathed a sigh of relief. But
then I noticed the eyes. First one, then two, then dozens of them, looking at me from the
darkness. I scrambled to pick up my sword. They approached, moving into the light.
Hundreds of them, surrounding me. “Come and get me,” I said, raising my sword.

Example
When)Laura)looked)at)her)father,)he)was)strangely)calm.)“You)have)
to)leave)me)here,”)he)whispered,)“you)can’t)carry)me.)I)can’t)walk.)
You)have)to)go,)Gind)safety.”)
Laura)felt)cold)inside)and)out.)“You)can’t)give)up,”)she)pleaded,)a)
sob)catching)in)her)throat,)“We)need)to)look)after)each)other.”)
“Go!”)her)father)shouted,)“Please,)for)me.)Go!)Get)out)of)here!”)
The)air)was)growing)colder)and)the)street)was)growing)darker.)
“GO!”)he)shouted,)making)Laura)jump)back)in)shock.)She)stood)
beside)her)father,)the)impossible)decision)turning)in)her)mind,)as)
the)street)faded)into)the)darkness)of)night.)
Using the plan that you made in part 1, write the “Climax” section of your narrative.
If possible, try to end you narrative on an exciting cliffhanger.
Prompt:
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8. Revision (1 minute)
Once you have finished writing your narrative, it is always a good idea to save a
minute to read over your work and see if there are any mistakes you can fix or
improvements you can make. Here are some things to look out for.
1. Tense
Make sure you don’t switch between past tense, for example “I ran”, and present
tense, for example “I run”. This is an incredibly common mistake that a lot of
students make. You need to ensure that your use of tense is consistent throughout.
2. Narration
Also make sure that your choice of narration, whether it is first or third person,
remains consistent. First person narration is told from your perspective, using “I” to
talk about what is happening to you. In third person perspective, you don’t use “I”,
but you talk about characters who are not yourself. Either one is acceptable, as long
as you are consistent.
3. Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation
Try to ensure you have spelled all of your words correctly. If you don’t know how to
spell a word, try to use another word that is easier to spell. Make sure you are using
the right form of your/you’re and there/their/they’re.
4. Clear Focus
Does your narrative have a clear problem that your main character must face? Do
you have a maximum of 3 main characters, each of which is distinct from one
another? Is your narrative limited to just 1 – 2 settings?
5. Imagery
Does your narrative create a strong image in your reader’s mind? Do you “show”
the events rather that “telling” them?

9. Writing Practice
Choose another prompt and write a 25 minute narrative using the space below.
Planning (2 minutes)
Prompt
Characters
Setting
Problem
Events
Fake
Resolution
Climax

Problem and Setting (4 minutes)
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Events (4 minutes)
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Fake Resolution (2 minutes)
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Climax (2 minutes)
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Revision (1 minute)

10. List of Prompts:

1. Situations
a) Write a narrative about a difficult decision.
b) Write a narrative about the biggest mistake of your character’s life.
2. Quotes
a) Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up.”
b) Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “Trust is like paper; once crumpled, it can never
be perfect.”
3. Keywords
a) Write a narrative that uses the following words: dark, bear, lightning, forgotten.
b) Write a narrative that uses the following words: twin, misunderstanding, sand, list.
4. Images
Write a narrative based on each of the following images.

5. Combinations
1) Write a narrative that responds to the following prompts:
Write a narrative about a difficult decision.
Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “Trust is like paper; once crumpled, it can never be
perfect.”
2) Write a narrative that responds to at least two of the following prompts:
Write a narrative about the biggest mistake of your character’s life.
Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up.”

Write a narrative about a meeting between two very different people.
Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom
to be yourself.”
Write a narrative that uses the following words: accident, empty, violent, catch.
Write a narrative inspired by the quote: “You are only a prisoner when you surrender.”

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Write A Creative Narrative In 15 Minutes Learn It Quickly Series

1. Getting Started .................................................................................. 4

Help! I have to write a creative narrative in 15 minutes! ................................................................... 4

A note on timing… ............................................................................................................................ 4

What do I need to get started? .........................................................................................................5

General Writing Tips ......................................................................................................................... 7

2. How Is A Narrative Structured? ..................................................... 10

Example Narrative: .........................................................................................................................12

How Should I Use My 15 minutes?................................................................................................. 14

3. Planning (2 Minutes) ....................................................................... 15

Responding to the prompt .............................................................................................................. 15

Planning Structure .......................................................................................................................... 18

Timed Activity (2 minutes)............................................................................................................... 22

4. Problem and Setting (4 minutes) ................................................... 23

1. Introduce the Problem (1-3 sentences) ...................................................................................... 23

2. Introduce the Characters (1-3 sentences) .................................................................................24

3. Show the Setting (1-3 sentences)..............................................................................................24

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Timed Activity (4 minutes)............................................................................................................... 26

5. Events (4 minutes) ..........................................................................27

1. Using Vivid Verbs........................................................................................................................ 27

2. Use Dialogue .............................................................................................................................28

3. Use Your Senses ........................................................................................................................ 28

Timed Activity (4 minutes)............................................................................................................... 30

6. Fake Resolution (2 minutes) ..........................................................32

Timed Activity (2 minutes)............................................................................................................... 33

7. Climax (2 minutes) ..........................................................................35

Timed Activity (2 minutes)............................................................................................................... 36

8. Revision (1 minute) ......................................................................... 38

9. Writing Practice ............................................................................... 39

10. List of Prompts:.............................................................................43

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Climax (2 minutes) This book is structured around a 15

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What do I need to get started?

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General Writing Tips

1. Show Don’t Tell

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3. Use Vivid Verbs

Instead of “say” – shout, whisper, bellow, groan, scream, mention, confess

4. Use Dialogue Effectively

Think about the following question: “Can I have a cup of coffee?”

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“Give me a cup of coffee!”

“Can – um – can I have a glass, I mean, a cup of coffee? Please?”

“Cup of coffee please. Two sugars.”

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2. How Is A Narrative Structured?

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Section Key features

This means you don’t need a traditional introduction. Don’t

This section should raise a question that keeps your

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How Should I Use My 15 minutes?

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What most students will do...

What you should do...

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What most students will do...

What you should do...