This document provides guidance on developing stories for children, including key elements to include and story structure. It discusses the characteristics of target audiences, types of stories, and what children need when learning to read. Examples of story elements are given, such as enjoyable stories, rich visual images, play with words and sounds, suspense and danger. Methods for finding inspiration, developing stories using free writing and the "What If" approach, and adding structure are described. Templates and examples of plot structure including beginning, middle, end, character, conflict and resolution, and theme are provided.

3. We all love stories

4. What are the
characteristics of
our target audience?

5. cc USAG-Humphreys' photostream

6. Types of stories
folktales, fairy
tales, fables, myths, legends,
adventure, fantasy, family, a
nimal, tall tales, trickster
tales, scary stories… (the list
goes on)

7. Examples of what children need when they are
learning to read (from Sheila Drew)
• Enjoyable stories
• Authentic contexts, not contrived by adults
• Rich visual images that make sense and can support the
reading of the text
• Play with words and sounds
• Not necessarily ‘real’, but logically developed – 'nonsense that
makes sense‘
• Text that has visual qualities
• ‘Matching relations’ – rhyme, rhythm, repetition, similar
elements, different elements, setting rules and breaking them
etc.
• Suspense and danger (can be frightened / take risks within
the safety of the story)
• Beginning, middle and end … always?

8. Finding inspiration
for a story

9. http://www.meddybemps.com/9.700.html

10. The ‘What If’ method

11. An example of using
‘free writing’ with
a class

12. Our world loves stories. Do you like stories?

13. Catch the story going around in your head!
(Classical music is playing)

14. Concentrate hard until you find the story

15. Who found a story?

16. Let’s discuss our stories in groups

17. Oh, that is a funny story!

18. That’s a very good idea!

19. Now it is time to put your thoughts on to the computer.
Don’t worry about spelling and grammar – just write!

20. The words are done, the story is in
paragraphs and Ihave checked the
spelling. My friend helped me. The pages
are in order. Now it’s time to illustrate my
story.

21. How do you
do this
snipping
thing
again?
We use a snipping tool to get the pictures and
words into PowerPoint.

22. The book binding team at work

23. We created the stories, added
illustrations and put them into
PowerPoint. We then printed them
as A4 booklets.

24. Each class wrote stories made using PowerPoint

25. We created a reading scheme of 77
books from Grade 1 – Grade 7 for a
disadvantaged primary school in our
area

26. One class was selected to deliver them to he
recipient school and read some of the stories
to each grade in their school hall.

27. Thank you
for these
books!

28. Adding structure to
your story

29. The main elements of a
story in a simple form
Plot
Character/s
Conflict and resolution
Theme
Setting

30. http://www.storyjumper.com/ http://www.storyjumper.com/main/starter#teacher

31. 1. CHARACTER:
Who is your main character, and what is your character like?
2. CHALLENGE:
What challenge or problem must your character solve?
3. MOTIVATION:
What is motivating your character to solve the
challenge?
4. SETTING:
Where and when does your story take place?
5. OBSTACLES:
What obstacles stand in his/her way?
a)
b)
c)
6. CLIMAX:
How does he/her finally solve the challenge?
7. OUTCOME:
What is the outcome of the story?
An excellent planning guide from StoryJumper

32. Beginning Middle End
Act 1 Act 2 Act 3
The setup The conflict The resolution
• The main
character in
his/her setting
• The character
has a motivation
and a goal
• The hero moves
towards the goal
• Protagonist
introduced
• The hero falls
and hits a major
low point
• This could
happen several
times
The final push
The final fight
There might be a
low point
The hero digs deep
There is a wrap up
Adapted from Eddy Ching’s Story Structure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jBcitU7kBs

33. Putting this all together
http://childrenswritersworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/mgya-webinar.html
Start with a big question (what if?) and then think about how you would turn that question into a
story.
The structure of the story might be:
* an inciting incident
* turning points
* around three attempts to resolve a big problem
* a dark moment
* the climax
* the resolution
Things to consider about the characters:
* The main character needs to undergo a change.
* The main character must have a motivation or goal and obstacles that get in the way of the
goal.
* Secondary characters may bring out other traits of the main character.
* Characters should be allowed to make mistakes.

34. Example from Flat Stanley
The structure of the story might be:
* an inciting incident
* turning points
* around three attempts to
resolve a big problem
* a dark moment
* the climax
* the resolution

35. What is required by the African
Storybook Project
In a separate blogpost we’ll talk about:
• Length
• How to gauge the level of Grade 3 reader
• You can write the story in another language as
long as you send us a separate translation.
• etc

36. Thank you!