Original writing
TASK:
Write a short story which is of the gothic genre based on the events that
occur in the setting above. The story should be at least 500 words and
should be entertaining to read.
Marking Criteria: You will be marked on the following:
 The structure of your short story: Exposition, Complication, climax,
resolution or lack of resolution.
 Your detailed ideas and descriptions.
 Your detailed and realistic characters and settings.
 Your use of imaginative and descriptive vocabulary.
 Your use of punctuation and sentence structures to reflect meaning.
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Things to consider when writing your story…
1. Plan your story. Plan:
 The structure of your plot: Expostion, complication, climax
and resolution if any. Remember it is a short story, it
does not have to have a complicated plot, and it can be
based around a very simple event/idea.
 The characters of the story. Who is the narrator? 1st/ 3rd
person? is the reader going to discover much about the
other characters, or does the narrator withhold
information. Is the story about the narrator or about
someone else? What can the characters/ narrator
smell/feel/hear/see?
 The setting- Think about how this picture forms the
setting of your story. does most of the events of the
story happen here, or just part of it? Remember the more
details you can use when describing the setting the more
realistic and interesting the story is to read.
2. Write the story
 Remember it is a short story so it must engage and
interest the reader immediately.
 Are you going to use short/long sentences/listing to
describe in detail and imaginatively. You need to make the
reader feel like they are there.
 Are you going to use Cliff hangers at
paragraphs/at the end of the story?
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the end of
3. Check, Edit and Redraft
 Read through your story checking that it is correctly
punctuated and spelt.
 Is it easy to follow the plot?
 Are the settings and characters convincingly portrayed?
 Get someone else to check your story. Is it easy to follow?
Does it make sense?
 Write it up in neat.
Top Tips For Original Writing
Write in paragraphs and use paragraphs to aid meaning.
One word/ one sentence paragraphs.
A paragraph about each topic/idea.
Introductory paragraph/ Concluding paragraph.
Use a range of sentence structures to achieve effects.
Short simple sentences. E.g. The cat sat on the mat
Complex sentences E.g. After the cat yawned, he sat on the mat. (2 or
more clauses)
Compound sentences. E.g. The cat sat on the mat and he yawned. (2 simple
sentences joined together with conjunctions, and, but, or)
Vary the word order to make you article interesting to read.
‘Having someone scratch your arm lightly is very relaxing’ instead of
‘someone scratching your arm lightly is very relaxing’, is much more
interesting to read.
Look at the other ways that you can start sentences in a more interesting
way (on the wall)
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You use discourse markers/connectives to make your article ‘flow’.
Firstly, consequently, thus, because, since, for example, and, in addition, in
particular, especially, of course, obviously, clearly, but, nevertheless,
alternatively, despite this, however, instead, whereas, although, likewise,
similarly, finally overall e.t.c.
Colons
 Introduce a list
 Introduce quotations
 Expand on the meaning of a previous idea. E.g Tracy scored the
highest grade in the exam: it was an A*.
Semi-colons



They join two or more closely related ideas. E.g. Steve worked hard
for his results; he stuck to his revision plan.
They separate sets of items in a list when there are commas within
sets or lists.
They can sometimes be used to replace a connective.
Plan of the story
The Gothic Conventions that I’m going to include:
Exposition:
Complication:
Climax:
Resolution/Cliffhanger:
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Description of characters (Including the way
Appearance, personality, age, distinctive features):
they
speak,
walk,
1
2
3
4
Description of the Setting(s):
1
2
3
How I am going to use syntax, sentence structure and paragraphs to aid
meaning:
Where and what variety of punctuation I’m going to use:
What discourse markers and connectives that I’m going to use:
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