Does your child struggle with creative writing? Whether starting secondary school, sitting an 11+ exam, or embarking on GCSEs, many children battle with it.
Here are some super strategies from our specialist English and literacy tutors on how to crack creative writing:
Read read read
One of the problems is that children lack language knowledge. A simple way to widen vocabulary skills is to read more! Stories also stimulate the imagination, giving children a wealth of ideas on how to create interesting characters and plots.
Check out Lovereading4kids! Full of book suggestions for every age and interest, there are even excerpts you can download for free.
Get planning
Children often launch straight into creative writing without thinking first. It can help to pause and plan so that some thought is given to structure, characterisation and storyline.
Rushed writing is often full of action. Then, then, then… Whereas good writing can be achieved by sticking to a simple plot. Too much action means you rarely focus on feelings, thoughts, observations, setting, atmosphere – and yet these elements make a story interesting.
Mind-mapping ideas for 5 minutes can allow your child to jot down ideas on character, location, storyline – plus how to open and end the piece…
Answer questions
If given a creative writing title such as ‘The deserted house,’ try to visualise the building in your head. Ask questions: what happened to the house, and when? Why doesn’t anyone live in it any more? What’s inside?
Then think about how a character could make a discovery about the house. Perhaps a secret room is found, or a dusty old journal revealing secrets of the past. Creating intrigue is a great way to hook readers.
Private tuition support
If your child needs an additional push in the right direction, we’ve a host of English and Literacy tutors across Manchester and Cheshire. Call 1-2-1 Home Tutors today…