Writing Workshop

Writing Workshop

by Veah Jaide

1. ​Choose your topic/prompt (brainstorm)

2. ​Determine your main character (character creation)

3. ​Choose your P.O.V. (how you want to write)

4. ​Start your draft

​Writing prompts:

​- Princess escaping her castle

​- Pirates taking over a ship

​- Mad scientist bringing something to life

​- Life of a dragon

​- Fairies

​- Aliens

​- Witches/Wizards

Open Ended

What kinds of stories interest you most?

​Character Creation:

​Arguably the most important part of your story. You don't need to know who your characters are just yet, just a vague idea. Many authors find that they get to know their own characters while writing.

Open Ended

Think of your favorite character, whether it's from a movie, show, book, ect. What archetype do they fall into?

​Different point of views (P.O.V.s)

Third person limited

​Alex can't seem to stop shaking. He looks at his hands and back up to his lunch. Tuna sandwich, his favorite. Layla sits over at her desk and Alex quickly looks away.

First person

​I look into the hall and see a monstrous figure. We both stop and stare at each other in tense silence.

Second person

​You look into the hallway and see the monster. You stare with abated breathing while it stares back.

Third person omniscient

​Jake started running just as Hailey did. Hailey felt the brush of grass against her feet, but Jake could only feel the adrenaline rushing through him.

​Third person objective

​John scrunches his nose up at the sight of the food. The waiter walks over to ask if everything is alright, but John is already opening his mouth to speak. He is inaudible, but the waiter shows his distaste for whatever John is saying.

Multiple Choice

What point of view was The Giver in?

“I liked the feeling of love,' [Jonas] confessed. He glanced nervously at the speaker on the wall, reassuring himself that no one was listening. 'I wish we still had that,' he whispered. 'Of course,' he added quickly, 'I do understand that it wouldn't work very well. And that it's much better to be organized the way we are now. I can see that it was a dangerous way to live.' "

• First person

• Second person

• Third person omniscient

• Third person limited

• Third person objective

​First person point of view is the perspective of the character themselves.

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Second person is the viewpoint of the narrator telling you what you're doing.

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​​Third person omniscient is an all knowing narrator relaying the actions, thoughts, and feeling of the characters.

​Third person limited means the narrator can only relay the thoughts and feelings of the main character.

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Third person objective is the perspective of a bystander. The bystander has no idea what the main character is feeling or thinking, they can only view as the events take place.

​Starting your draft

​Drafts are meant to get ideas down. Ideally the events are in chronological order, but writers sometimes order their drafts differently.

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​Some use it to get down as much information as they can, whereas others try to write their draft like it's their last.

A draft can be used as brainstorming, but it takes up unnecessary time. Jot ideas down in a bulleted list, or make notes on a page.

​A first draft should be your first attempt at making the story cohesive.

Open Ended

Start your first draft in a google doc, then copy and past it here. If the word limit is reached, you can present it.