1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas

Teaching Inspirational Story-Writing for All Ages

Ron Shaw

• Publisher: David Fulton Publishers
• Year: 2007
• Print ISBN: 9781138134621, 9781138134621
• eBook ISBN: 9781134063314
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

How often do you hear your pupils cry 'what can I write about?'

1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas offers teachers endless ideas and inventive suggestions, opening up new opportunities for creative writing lessons. With over 1000 different 'story-starters' across a vast range of genres and narrative styles, this versatile book provides food for thought for pupils of a wide range of ages and abilities.

This highly practical and richly illustrated photocopiable resource

• Addresses the 'blank mind' dilemma, offering pupils a plethora of story-writing ideas and suggestions

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• Enables teachers to inspire pupils who struggle with creative writing

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• Provides prompts to set ideas into motion, whilst leaving plenty of scope for original and creative thought

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• Challenges pupils, encouraging them to use higher level thinking skills

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• Offers mix and match stimulus pieces which can be used independently or put together to give pupils more or less support as required

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Any teacher whose inventiveness is flagging, and whose pupils are running out of ideas, will find this an essential classroom resource.

PLEASUREABLE AND PREPOSTEROUS PLOTS TO PONDER 1

Consider the story starters below and then choose one to write about.

Survivor

You are drifting at sea on a life raft, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Storm clouds are gathering. Land is just visible on the misty horizon. Describe your adventure from now until you are rescued.

Oh no!

I thought that drink tasted strange. What’s happening to me? Oh no!

Goliath the Gorilla

Goliath was the biggest, meanest, scariest gorilla of them all. He was afraid of nothing. Nothing, that is, except … mice!

Harry Hough

His nose is long and green. His hair stands up in spikes. Wispy hairs stick out from each ear. Enormous bushy eyebrows hang out over droopy eyes. This is Harry Hough, who lives in a hole. Who is Harry, and what is his secret?

Money!

It’s relaxing sitting under this tree. I watch as a leaf floats to the ground. Then another. And another. But wait … they’re not leaves … it’s … money!

The Haunted House

I am trapped in a haunted house. There are no lights and it is totally dark. I reach out but all I feel are cobwebs. Begin by describing your feelings, emotions and thoughts together with any physical symptoms you may be experiencing. Then describe what you hear, if anything. Lastly, tell all that happens as you manage, eventually, to escape to freedom.

PLEASUREABLE AND PREPOSTEROUS PLOTS TO PONDER 2

Consider the story starters below and then choose one to write about.

Scruffy Sam, Girl in Rags

Poor scruffy Sam. She looks so different from the other girls who come to school in their smart, freshly-ironed school uniforms. No one wants to sit next to Sam. No one lets her join in games. She gets no invitations to parties. But Sam has a secret. She’s actually rich. Very, very rich. How things change when Sam’s secret gets out!

The Mysterious Tola People

Deep beneath the sea live the Tola People. No one sees them. No one hears them. But when they emerge from the murky depths the Tola People see everything, they hear everything and they know everything … about everyone.

Rainbow of Gold

Two children hiking through the countryside see a magnificent rainbow in the distance. They make their way towards it, hoping to find the end of it. Eventually they reach the end of the rainbow, and … it’s a pot of gold!

The Magic Football

When Marty is eleven he helps an old man who has fallen over on the pavement. The old man tells Marty (a football fan) that on his 12th birthday Marty will receive a special surprise in the post. The day comes and a package arrives addressed to ‘Marty … Football Fan’. Inside is a magnificent golden football which Marty, after hastily gathering some of his friends, takes to the park to practise his skills. What a ball! When Marty’s boot connects with it the ball unfailingly travels like a bullet to its target, bending past opponents at such speed that they are powerless to stop it.

Linda’s Lucky Lantern

When the power goes off at Linda’s house she remembers the lantern that her great grandfather used to speak of. It had been gathering dust in the garden shed for as long as anyone could remember. What Linda didn’t know was that this was no ordinary lantern. When she lit the wick something very strange happened …

Magical Gaze

You wake up one morning and discover you have magical powers. By gazing at something for more than five seconds you can turn it into whatever you want … for an hour. The thought occurs to you that you’ll be able to have some fun with your friends … and your enemies!

Read my Mind

You are on your way back to class when you trip over and hit your head.

Ou...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Introduction
• PLEASUREABLE AND PREPOSTEROUS PLOTS TO PONDER 1
• PLEASUREABLE AND PREPOSTEROUS PLOTS TO PONDER 2
• PLEASUREABLE AND PREPOSTEROUS PLOTS TO PONDER 3
• ABSURDITIES 1
• ABSURDITIES 2
• NATURE WILD AND WONDERFUL 1
• NATURE WILD AND WONDERFUL 2
• CURIOUS COMBINATIONS 1
• CURIOUS COMBINATIONS 2
• STORY STARTERS 1
• STORY STARTERS 2
• STORY STARTERS 3
• STORY STARTERS 4
• MENAGERIE MUSES 1
• MENAGERIE MUSES 2
• MENAGERIE MUSES 3
• MENAGERIE MUSES 4
• ADVENTURES IN SPACE 1
• ADVENTURES IN SPACE 2
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 1
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 2
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 3
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 4
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 5
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 6
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 7
• CHARISMATIC CHARACTERS 8
• UNUSUAL PERSPECTIVES 1
• UNUSUAL PERSPECTIVES 2
• FABULOUS AND FANCIFUL FASHIONS 1
• FABULOUS AND FANCIFUL FASHIONS 2
• SINISTER SCALLYWAGS, VEXATIOUS VILLAINS, ROGUES AND RASCALS 1
• SINISTER SCALLYWAGS, VEXATIOUS VILLAINS, ROGUES AND RASCALS 2
• IF I COULD 1
• IF I COULD 2
• IF I COULD 3
• IF I COULD 4
• MYRIAD OF MIXES 1
• MYRIAD OF MIXES 2
• STICKY SITUATIONS 1
• STICKY SITUATIONS 2
• TANTALISING TITLES 1
• TANTALISING TITLES 2
• TANTALISING TITLES 3
• TANTALISING TITLES 4
• PERKY PETS 1
• PERKY PETS 2
• GHOSTLY, GHOULISH AND GHASTLY 1
• GHOSTLY, GHOULISH AND GHASTLY 2
• SEA AND SKY 1
• SEA AND SKY 2
• DELIGHTFUL AND DELICIOUS DELICACIES 1
• DELIGHTFUL AND DELICIOUS DELICACIES 2
• WORLD OF WIZARDRY, WICKED WITCHES AND MAGIC 1
• WORLD OF WIZARDRY, WICKED WITCHES AND MAGIC 2
• FAIRIES AND FANTASIES 1
• FAIRIES AND FANTASIES 2
• MARVELLOUS MUSIC 1
• MARVELLOUS MUSIC 2
• JOURNEYS FAR AND WIDE 1
• JOURNEYS FAR AND WIDE 2
• SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 1
• SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 2
• SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 3
• SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 4
• FEARLESS FRIENDS AND FORMIDABLE FOES 1
• FEARLESS FRIENDS AND FORMIDABLE FOES 2
• SLEEPING AND DREAMING 1
• SLEEPING AND DREAMING 2
• WONDERFUL WORLD OF SCIENCE 1
• WONDERFUL WORLD OF SCIENCE 2
• MYTHS AND MYSTERIES 1
• MYTHS AND MYSTERIES 2
• A FINAL FEW