Writing Tips 1

WRITE A STORY WITH THESE TIPS:

1.	Choose your character. Ask yourself:
•	What does your character like/dislike?
•	What is your character's personality?
•	What traits does he/she have that sets them apart from anyone else?
•	What does your character look like?
•	Draw a picture of your character.
2.	Choose your setting. Ask yourself:
•	Where does your story take place? At the beach, school, bush, park?
•	When does your story take place? Hundreds of years ago, now, next week, or 2050?
•	Does your setting and timing affect your main character?
3.	Choose a problem for your character to overcome.
•	Does your character have to overcome bullies, win a competition, save up for something?
•	How does your character try to solve it?
•	What gets in his/her way to solve it?
•	Does anyone help your character? (It is best they solve it in the end themselves.)
4.	Just when you think your character is going to fail or give up, the problem is solved.
•	How does your hero solve the problem?
•	Do they solve it by using their own strength, wits or by overcoming a weakness?

Writing Tips 2

NOW LET'S GET STARTED WRITING

Begin the story with an exciting beginning.
•	Start with dialogue
•	or with a startling statement
•	or build your scene up by describing the setting
•	or begin with the problem
End the story...
•	Have a twist.
•	Solve the problem.
•	End with humour.
•	End with the beginning.
•	Tie up all the loose ends.
Edit the Story...
•	Read it aloud and whenever you stumble over a sentence change it so it flows.
•	Check your punctuation, capitals and SPELLING.
•	Change repeated words.
•	Make exciting scenes longer by leading up to it.
•	If it doesn't move your story along - take it out.

Activities

Download the Rangitoto Template, colour it in, cut it out and glue it together.

Download the Draw a Kaka sheet, it shows you how to draw a Northern Kaka.



Interviews with Authors

Derek Landy, author of the 'Skulduggery Pleasant' series interview.  READ MORE

Fleur Beale, author of 'Juno of Taris', interview.  READ MORE

Kyle Mewburn, author of 'Old Huhu', interview.  READ MORE

Kate de Goldi, author of the '10 PM Question', interview.  READ MORE

Lorraine Orman, author of 'Haunted', interview.  READ MORE

Michael Morpurgo, author of 'Running Wild' interview.  READ MORE



Blog

If you want a good read - check out the NZ Kids Blog page to find out about the latest children's and young adult New Zealand books being released. If you have read one of the books reviewed, please add a comment about what you thought of the book.

Find out what other kids are doing around New Zealand to save our environment - on the Eco-rangersNZ blogsite. Perhaps you've been doing something that helps our wildlife or environment - tell me about it in the comments section.